Who Should I Start? Jason Sanders or Trey Smack

Friday, September 11, 8:10 AM

Kicker Jason Sanders, who is on the practice squad, will make the start for the New York Jets in Sunday's Week 1 season opener against the Tennessee Titans over Blake Grupe in a mild surprise, head coach Aaron Glenn told Rich Cimini of ESPN. Sanders initially won a training camp kicking battle over Cade York for the Jets' placekicker job, but New York decided to bring in Grupe for added competition, and it looked like Grupe had taken the job after Sanders was moved to the practice squad. The 30-year-old Sanders was injured and did not play at all in 2025. The former seventh-round pick by the Miami Dolphins in 2018 from New Mexico is an 84.6% kicker on his 221 total field-goal attempts in his seven seasons with the Dolphins, making 33 of his 48 attempts from 50-plus yards. In his most recent season in 2024 in Miami, Sanders went 37-for-41 on field-goal attempts (90.2%) and 26-for-28 on his extra points in 17 games. For now, he has the job in New York over Grupe, but any little slip-up and the Jets could give Grupe a shot. Fantasy managers should avoid the kicking situation in the Big Apple.