Who Should I Start? Jake Bates or Brandon Aubrey


Week 1 Projections

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

Jake Bates News

Lions Officially Re-Sign Jake Bates

Wednesday, March 25, 1:35 PM

The Detroit Lions officially announced on Wednesday that they re-signed kicker Jake Bates to an undisclosed deal. Bates was an exclusive-rights free agent. The 27-year-old will return for his third season with the Lions in 2026. The former undrafted free agent out of Arkansas has become one of the more reliable kickers in fantasy football over the last couple of seasons in a Lions offense that should remain formidable in 2026. Last year in 17 games, Bates made 27 of his 34 field-goal tries (4-for-9 from 50-plus yards) and a league-high 54 extra points on 56 tries. He has made 84.1% of his 63 field-goal attempts in his two years in the NFL while succeeding on 95.9% of his 123 extra-point attempts. Bates was the No. 6 fantasy kicker in 2025. It also helps that half of his games come indoors, mitigating his volatility.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
8.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Brandon Aubrey News

Brandon Aubrey Remains the Undisputed Top Kicker in Fantasy Football

Monday, August 17, 6:04 AM

Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey has ranked among the top three fantasy scorers at his position in each of the last three years, and we don't expect that to change in 2026. Aubrey has one of the league's most powerful and accurate legs, he kicks in a closed-air stadium, and he plays for a Cowboys team with a high-scoring offense. The 31-year-old routinely finds himself in high-value scenarios for fantasy football, and his accuracy numbers speak for themselves. Last year, he went 36-for-42 on field goals, including 11 makes from 50+ yards, and he also went 47-for-48 on extra points. As it stands, he ranks as the overall K1 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football draft rankings. With that being said, managers in most leagues should hold off on taking a kicker until the last round or two of the draft.


Jake Bates vs. Brandon Aubrey

Still trying to decide between Bates and Aubrey? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Jake Bates is projected to score 7.8 points this week while Brandon Aubrey is projected to score 8.7 points.