Who Should I Start? Matt Prater or Jason Sanders

Tuesday, October 15, 7:55 PM

The Arizona Cardinals placed kicker Matt Prater (knee) and defensive lineman Bilal Nichols (neck) on Injured Reserve on Tuesday, meaning both players will have to miss at least the next four games. Nichols will miss the rest of the season. To replace Prater on the active 53-man roster, the Cardinals elevated Chad Ryland from the practice squad. In the last two games with Prater out, Ryland has gone 5-for-6 on field goals and made both of his extra points. Prater made all six of his field goals and went 10-for-10 on extra points in his four games, surpassing the career 1,800-point plateau. The earliest Prater will be eligible to return from IR will be after the team's Week 11 bye for a Week 12 contest against the division-rival Seattle Seahawks. Ryland will be a poor streaming option for fantasy managers in Week 7 against the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night.

Saturday, November 23, 5:22 PM

Miami Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders has been one of the most productive fantasy options at his position lately, and he'll look to extend his hot streak during Week 12 versus the New England Patriots. Sanders has posted double-digit fantasy points in back-to-back games and three of his last four contests. Over the last two weeks, he has gone 6-for-6 on extra points and 5-for-5 on field goals, including two from beyond 50 yards. This week, the 29-year-old faces a Patriots defense that has been somewhat stingy against kickers but is also quite capable of surrendering points. Thus, Sanders ranks just inside the top 12 for this week. He's worth starting in leagues with at least 12 teams, and he can even be considered in 10-team formats.