Who Should I Start? Justin Tucker or Cairo Santos

Tuesday, November 19, 12:09 PM

Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker has struggled mightily in 2024 and missed two more field goals in the two-point loss to the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11, but head coach John Harbaugh said on Monday that the team has no plans to bring in competition for Tucker. The seven-time Pro Bowler has seen his conversion rate fall to 72.7% this year, which is his lowest mark ever 11 games into a season. His six misses are one more than all of 2023, and he's just on miss shy of tying his career worst. In the team's four losses this year, Tucker has missed five field goals. Sunday was just the sixth time in his 206 career games in which he missed multiple kicks. As a result, the 34-year-old veteran is no longer the most accurate kicker in NFL history, as his career success rate of 89.3% ranks behind Panthers kicker Eddy Pineiro (89.4%). Despite his struggles, Tucker should be considered a top-10 fantasy kicker in Week 12 on Monday against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Saturday, November 16, 5:36 AM

Chicago Bears kicker Cairo Santos is a solid, if somewhat unexciting, fantasy option for Week 11 as he prepares to face the Green Bay Packers. Santos had a reasonably typical performance in his most recent outing, converting his only field goal attempt from 33 yards out. While Santos didn't have a game-changing performance, he remains reliable in accuracy and consistency. This week, there is a significant shake-up in Chicago's offense, as the team fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron just nine games into his tenure. The hope is that the change in leadership will spark a more productive offense, which could result in more scoring opportunities for Santos. Santos should see more chances for field goals and extra points if the Bears' offense improves. While he's still a somewhat average fantasy kicker, the potential for increased usage could make him a slightly more appealing option in Week 11, especially if the coaching change leads to an uptick in overall offensive efficiency.