Who Should I Start? Matt Prater or Matt Gay

Friday, January 3, 12:10 PM

Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said that veteran kicker Matt Prater (knee) "will not go" in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival San Francisco 49ers. Prater suffered a meniscus injury in his knee earlier this year and missed the last three months as a result. The 40-year-old kicker only ended up playing in four games in 2024 before injuring his knee in his fourth year with Arizona and 18th year in the NFL. In the four games he was active, Prater made all six of his field-goal attempts (one from 50-plus yards) and was successful on all 10 of his extra-point tries as well. Prater will be a free agent heading into his age-41 season in 2025. Chad Ryland will close out the year this weekend as Arizona's kicker. He's bounced back from a tough rookie season with the Pats to go 26-for-30 on field goals and 21-for-22 on extra points in his 12 games with the Cardinals.

Saturday, January 4, 10:05 PM

Indianapolis Colts placekicker Matt Gay will be a fringe top option in Week 18 when his team hosts the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars. The sixth-year pro has been excellent in his second season with the Colts -- hammering home all 31 extra-point attempts and missing just five field goals. It starkly contrasts his 2023 season when he missed eight of them and an additional extra point. Jacksonville has been one of the more favorable matchups for kickers this season -- letting up 8.6 fantasy points per game to the position. Quarterback Joe Flacco will again play in an injured Anthony Richardson's (back) stead, and he moved the ball well last week in their 45-33 loss to the Giants. Gay should again be productive and comes in at RotoBaller's K12 in this week's ranks.