Who Should I Start? Jake Moody or Jake Bates

Tuesday, October 8, 6:33 PM

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said he's not sure how long kicker Jake Moody's right high-ankle sprain will take to heal but that it would be "about a month." Moody injured his right ankle in the Week 5 loss to the division-rival Arizona Cardinals on Sunday and could be a candidate to land on Injured Reserve, which would keep him sidelined for at least four games. In the meantime, the Niners signed veteran kicker Matthew Wright to handle the kicking, and he could be a decent streaming candidate in a strong 49ers offense. Fantasy managers using Moody through the first five weeks will obviously need to pivot moving forward. It's a tough blow for fantasy managers, as Moody was the No. 2 kicker in fantasy points through the first five weeks. If Moody were to go on IR, he wouldn't be eligible to return until Week 12 against the Seattle Seahawks.

Sunday, October 20, 8:24 PM

Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates delivered in the clutch during Week 7, nailing a 44-yard field goal with 15 seconds left to secure a 31-29 comeback victory over Minnesota. Bates, now a perfect 10-for-10 on the season, connected on his lone field goal attempt of the game and went 4-for-4 on extra points. The game-winning kick marked the most significant moment of Bates' young career after a costly David Montgomery fumble that was returned for a touchdown, temporarily putting the Vikings ahead. Detroit's defense forced a quick three-and-out, setting up Jared Goff and the offense to drive down the field, giving Bates a chance to seal the win. Bates has scored eight or more fantasy points in four of six games this season. The Lions will host the Tennessee Titans next Sunday, and Bates remains a solid kicking option in Week 8.