Who Should I Start? Daniel Carlson or Chase McLaughlin

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Week 2 Projections

Fant. Pts.	Rush. Yds.	Rush TD	Rec.	Rec. Yds.	Rec TD
6.8	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0

Daniel Carlson News

Daniel Carlson Set to Handle Saints' Kicking Duties

Sunday, August 30, 10:17 AM

New Orleans Saints kicker Daniel Carlson appears set to handle the job entering the regular season, with Charlie Smyth being released Sunday, according to Mike Triplett. Carlson only joined New Orleans on Aug. 24 but made a strong final impression. He hit field goals from 38 and 53 yards in Friday's preseason finale against Dallas, with the 53-yarder providing the winning points in a 27-24 victory. The veteran made 22 of 27 field goals for Las Vegas last season and owns an 86.9% conversion rate over his NFL career. Smyth had handled the job over the final six games of 2025, making 12 of 16 field goals and all 13 of his extra points, but never completely separated from the competition this summer. Tanner Brown was also part of the battle, though Smyth's release leaves Carlson in position to enter Week 1 as New Orleans' kicker.

Chase McLaughlin - Tampa Bay (PK)

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Week 2 Projections

Fant. Pts.	Rush. Yds.	Rush TD	Rec.	Rec. Yds.	Rec TD
7.8	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0

Chase McLaughlin News

Chase McLaughlin Offers Strong Streaming Value in Week 1

Friday, September 11, 1:50 PM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Chase McLaughlin is attempting to kick his way into an extension this season. The 30-year-old is entering a contract year after spending each of the last three seasons in Tampa Bay. The past two seasons, McLaughlin has finished as a top-10 player at his position. Last year, McLaughlin struggled a bit more than in past seasons, connecting on 32-of-38 field goal attempts. He only missed one extra point attempt in 2025. McLaughlin has been a mostly reliable kicker, and the Bucs have a favorable matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals defense in Week 1. The expectation is that this will be a high-scoring game, which should result in plenty of work for McLaughlin. Fantasy managers who are seeking a streaming option for Week 1 should consider adding McLaughlin.

Daniel Carlson vs. Chase McLaughlin

Still trying to decide between Carlson and McLaughlin? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Daniel Carlson is projected to score 6.8 points this week while Chase McLaughlin is projected to score 7.8 points.