Who Should I Start? Justin Tucker or Evan McPherson

Saturday, October 4, 9:26 AM

Free agent kicker Justin Tucker (suspended) is working out Saturday at the University of Texas, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Tucker was suspended for the first 10 weeks of the 2025 NFL season for violating the league's personal conduct policy, and he was subsequently released by the Baltimore Ravens this past offseason. He'll be eligible for reinstatement on November 11th, at which point he can sign with any team. Pelissero notes that Tucker "already has interest from several teams," which could mean that he signs sooner rather than later once he's eligible. Off-the-field issues aside, Tucker has been one of the best kickers in NFL history, nailing 90.2 percent of his field goals from 2012 through 2023. He proceeded to decline in 2024, making just 22 of 30 field goals, but teams are at least interested in seeing if the seven-time Pro Bowler and five-time First-Team All-Pro can return to peak form.

Thursday, October 16, 11:01 AM

Cincinnati Bengals kicker Evan McPherson has struggled to find fantasy relevance to start the 2025 season. Through six games, McPherson has converted six of eight field goal attempts and 11 extra points, averaging just 5.5 fantasy points per game, which ranks 36th among all kickers. The injury to quarterback Joe Burrow has limited scoring opportunities across the Bengals' offense, directly impacting McPherson's production. Even with a Thursday Night Football matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have been shaky defensively, McPherson remains a risky fantasy option due to his limited opportunities in the struggling Cincinnati offense. Fantasy managers should look elsewhere for a more reliable kicker in Week 7.