Who Should I Start? Jake Bates or Harrison Mevis

Wednesday, December 24, 10:39 PM

Across 15 games this season, Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates has converted on 22 of 28 field goal attempts and 52 out of 54 extra-point tries. Bates has the benefit of being tied to the Detroit offense, which enters Week 17 ranked second in the NFL in points per game (30.1). However, Bates and the Lions will face one of the league's top scoring defenses in Week 17 when they travel to Minnesota to take on the Vikings. Over the last three weeks, Minnesota has allowed opponents to score an average of just 13 points per game. In the first matchup between the two NFC North division rivals this season in Week 9, the Lions were held to 24 points, their fourth-lowest mark in a game in 2025. If there's one benefit for Bates, the game will be played indoors, which eliminates any weather concerns for the kicking game. Bates remains a viable starting kicker for fantasy managers in Week 17, but he profiles as a low-end option rather than a must-start player at the position against Minnesota.

Sunday, December 28, 10:35 PM

Los Angeles Rams kicker Harrison Mevis posted double-digit fantasy points in his last outing, but he still didn't reach his full potential after missing a late field goal. Mevis ultimately went 4-for-4 on extra points and 3-for-4 on field goals in the loss to Seattle. He is the sixth-highest-scoring fantasy kicker over his last three games but could have ranked even higher if not for the miss. The Missouri product gets an opportunity to bounce back on Monday Night Football against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 17. Kicking in a dome bodes well for Mevis, and he has a very high ceiling given that Atlanta has allowed the third-most fantasy points to kickers in 2025. Between the recent track record, his role in a high-scoring offense, and an extremely favorable matchup, it appears that the stars have aligned for Mevis to have another big game on Monday night. He's a top-eight kicker for Week 17 fantasy football.