Who Should I Start? Eddy Pineiro or Rodrigo Blankenship

Sunday, January 7, 11:42 AM

Carolina Panthers kicker Eddy Pineiro (hamstring) is officially inactive for Week 18 versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This news was widely expected after the Panthers listed him as doubtful heading into the weekend. The 28-year-old had appeared in Carolina's previous 16 games this season, converting 86 percent of his field goals. This week, he'll be replaced by Matthew Wright, who remains off the fantasy radar given the Panthers' ongoing offensive struggles.

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.