Who Should I Start? Daniel Carlson or Rodrigo Blankenship

Saturday, September 23, 11:54 AM

Las Vegas Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson has been stellar when called upon so far in 2023, the problem is that has not been often enough. The 27-year-old is two-for-two on field goals and three-for-three on extra points for a Las Vegas offense that ranks 31st in points and 30th in yards after two weeks. The Raiders welcome the Steelers to town on Sunday night, a team giving up 11.5 fantasy points to opposing kickers so far this year. Carlson is an incredible talent weighed down by a below-average offense, making him a low-end kicker for fantasy managers at this point in the season despite the promising matchup.

Monday, August 21, 6:14 PM

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers waived kicker Rodrigo Blankenship on Monday. Blankenship lost the kicking battle to Chase McLaughlin in training camp this summer and will now look to latch on with another team before the start of the 2023 regular season. The 26-year-old spent last year with the Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals, going 4-for-5 on his field-goal tries and 4-for-5 on extra points in just three total games. As long as Tampa doesn't bring in more competition for McLaughlin to close out the preseason, he should enter Week 1 as the team's starting kicker. McLaughlin, 27, made 83.3 percent of his 36 field-goal attempts and made all 21 of his extra-point tries in 16 games with the Indianapolis Colts in 2022. The kicking position in Tampa won't be as exciting in fantasy now that Tom Brady isn't running the offense in 2023.