Who Should I Start? Jason Sanders or Jake Bates

Friday, December 19, 12:35 PM

Miami Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders (hip) is unlikely to return in Week 16 against the Cincinnati Bengals, but it's possible that he could come off Injured Reserve to kick in Week 17 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or for the regular-season finale in Week 18 against the division-rival New England Patriots, according to Travis Wingfield of MiamiDolphins.com. The 30-year-old's 21-day practice window was opened on Wednesday, but he's not ready to return yet from a hip injury that has kept him out all season. With only two games left after this week and the Dolphins eliminated from the playoffs, it's unclear why Miami would even consider bringing Sanders back, but it appears that's still a possibility. Riley Patterson will kick for at least one more week against Cincy on Sunday, and he'll be a deep-league streaming option at the position in a plus matchup.

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.