Who Should I Start? Graham Gano or Spencer Shrader

Wednesday, October 16, 5:18 PM

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll said that kicker Graham Gano (hamstring) won't come off the Injured Reserve to kick in Week 7 against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles. Gano is not ready to return to the team despite missing the required four games on IR, so the Giants are expected to roll with veteran Greg Joseph again this Sunday. The 37-year-old Gano is recovering from a right-hamstring injury. Fantasy managers should be looking elsewhere for a kicking option this weekend. The Giants offense hasn't been great in 2024, although they could be getting rookie wideout Malik Nabers (concussion) back against the Eagles. Joseph missed both of his field-goal chances in the Week 6 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals and has made eight of his 11 field-goal tries overall in his four games this year.

Saturday, September 7, 1:25 PM

The Indianapolis Colts elevated rookie kicker Spencer Shrader and cornerback Chris Lammons from the practice squad to the active 53-man roster on Saturday in advance of the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday against the division-rival Houston Texans. This is a clear sign that starting kicker Matt Gay (hernia), who is listed as questionable for Week 1, will end up being inactive on Sunday morning after he recently underwent surgery for a sports hernia. Gay is questionable to kick on Sunday, but he missed practice all week and is probably more doubtful than anything. Fantasy managers that were planning to use Gay in Week 1 should have already been looking for other options this weekend. Rolling with Shrader in his first NFL game would be unwise given all the other options available on the waiver wire.