Who Should I Start? Jake Bates or Joshua Karty

Friday, September 5, 5:44 PM

Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates had a breakout season as a rookie in 2024, nailing 26 of his 29 field goal attempts and converting a league-high 64 extra-point attempts. The 26-year-old will face a tough road environment in Week 1 at Lambeau Field against the Green Bay Packers. Last year, Bates made 13 field goals both at home and on the road, but he made 14 more extra points in the friendly confines of Detroit's domed Ford Field. The weather is not expected to be an issue in Green Bay on Sunday, but it's still an additional variable to consider. More importantly, the Lions averaged 30.8 points per game on the road last season, compared to 35.3 at home. The over/under for Week 1 is 47.5, so the betting markets are expecting a solid number of points to be scored between the two teams. Bates is a starting-caliber kicker in fantasy this week who should be expected to provide top-12 production.

Saturday, September 6, 3:16 PM

Los Angeles Rams kicker Joshua Karty is a fringe top-12 fantasy option heading into Sunday's season opener against the Houston Texans. With a strong offense in place, Los Angeles should be able to move the football quite well, even against an above-average Texans defense. This should lead to several field goal and extra point opportunities for Karty, who went 29-for-34 on field goals and 32-for-36 on extra points as a rookie last year. SoFi Stadium's ability to protect kicks from elements such as wind also benefits Karty, especially if he attempts any long-distance kicks on Sunday. RotoBaller's experts have the Stanford product ranked as the overall K11 this week, making him startable in leagues with at least 12 teams.