Who Should I Start? Jason Sanders or Jake Bates

Tuesday, August 26, 5:18 PM

The Miami Dolphins placed kicker Jason Sanders (hip) on the Injured Reserve on Tuesday due to a hip injury, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. It means that Sanders will be forced to miss at least the first four games of the 2025 season. It was announced on Monday that Sanders would miss four to five weeks, so his placement on the short-term IR isn't a huge surprise. Fantasy managers should obviously be avoiding the 29-year-old kicker in all leagues to begin the season. It's unclear who will kick for the Dolphins in Week 1 against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, Sept. 7, but whoever it is will merely be a deep-league streaming option in fantasy. Miami did work out kicker Eddy Pineiro on Tuesday. Sanders has spent all seven of his NFL seasons with the Dolphins and has made 84.6% of his 221 field-goal attempts over 116 games played.

Friday, September 12, 1:49 PM

Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates held up his end of the bargain in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers, nailing both of his field goal attempts and an extra-point try in his team's 27-13 loss. Bates will not have to worry about any potential weather issues in Week 2, as the Lions return home to the domed Ford Field to take on the Chicago Bears. Bates has more career points scored (21) against Chicago than any other NFL team. The Lions should also have an easier time moving the football and generating scoring opportunities against the Bears than they did against the Packers. Bates profiles as a low-end top-12 fantasy kicker in Week 2 against Chicago.