Who Should I Start? Evan McPherson or Spencer Shrader

Saturday, October 4, 2:13 PM

Cincinnati Bengals kicker Evan McPherson has been a victim of the team's offensive struggles in 2025. While he has yet to miss a kick, McPherson has only four attempts through four games, ranking 28th among all kickers. The Bengals' offense has been one of the least efficient in the NFL, sitting 30th in points per game (15.3), last in total yards per game (205.3), and dead last in time of possession (25:32). Simply put, McPherson isn't getting opportunities. The Week 5 matchup doesn't offer much upside either, as the Detroit Lions have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to kickers this season. With backup Jake Browning leading the Bengals' offense, scoring chances are unlikely to improve. McPherson remains a reliable kicker in terms of accuracy, but the lack of volume makes him unplayable in fantasy. He should be left out of starting lineups in Week 5.

Monday, October 6, 11:21 PM

Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen said that kicker Spencer Shrader (knee) tore his ACL and MCL in his right knee in the Week 5 win over the Las Vegas Raiders and will miss the rest of the season, according to Stephen Holder of ESPN.com. Shrader was injured when a defender crashed into his knee following a kick on Sunday. It's a tough break for the 26-year-old and the 4-1 Colts, as Shrader had missed just one of his 14 field-goal tries while making all 14 of his extra-point attempts in five games before his season-ending injury. With no current kicker other than Shrader on the active roster or practice squad, the Colts will be working out free-agent kickers this week as they head into a Week 6 meeting with the visiting Arizona Cardinals. Fantasy managers who had been using Shrader at the position will have to hit the waiver wire for a replacement.