Who Should I Start? Matt Prater or Michael Badgley

Saturday, January 6, 3:04 AM

As the regular season concludes with Week 18, fantasy managers can confidently rely on Arizona Cardinals kicker Matt Prater. In the recent victory against the Eagles, Prater showcased his consistency by converting 2-of-2 field goals and 3-of-3 extra points. Impressively, he has not missed a kick in his last four games and has only four total misses on the year, solidifying his status as one of the most reliable kickers in the league. Prater's performance against the Eagles, including successful attempts from 28 and 34 yards, underlines his ability to contribute fantasy points regularly despite Arizona's offensive inconsistencies. As the Cardinals gear up for the final game of the year, fantasy managers should feel comfortable starting Prater, knowing they have a dependable kicker to round out their lineups.

Thursday, February 22, 7:16 PM

Free-agent kicker Michael Badgley has returned to the Detroit Lions by signing an undisclosed one-year deal with them on Thursday, according to his agent. Badgley only appeared in four games for the Lions in 2023, going 4-for-4 on his field-goal tries while making 13 of his 15 extra-point attempts. The 28-year-old spent most of the season on the practice squad before he replaced Riley Patterson for the final four games of the regular season and the playoffs. In total, he made all seven of his field goals and went 24-for-26 on his extra points last year. Badgley isn't just going to be handed the starting kicker job in 2024, most likely having to compete with another kicker that Detroit brings in this offseason.