Who Should I Start? Matthew Wright or Jake Bates

Friday, November 7, 10:04 AM

NFL reporter for the Houston Texans, Aaron Wilson, reported on Friday that the Texans will turn to Matthew Wright as their kicker in Week 10 as Ka'imi Fairbairn (quadriceps) is injured and not able to go against their division opponent, the Jacksonville Jaguars. Wright has kicked for multiple NFL teams and was last with the Washington Commanders. He has made 56 of 65 career kicks and 43 of 45 extra points. He has also kicked for the Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, Carolina Panthers, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Jaguars, Wilson reports. This is a big matchup for the Texans, as a loss will send them further to the bottom of the AFC South standings. The Texans sit at (3-5), while the Jaguars are at (5-3), and both are looking up at the division leaders, the Indianapolis Colts, at (7-2). A win here for the Texans could continue to give them hope down the stretch and help them make a run with a big division win. The Jaguars have allowed the second-fewest points to opposing kickers, making Wright a challenging play in Week 10.

Wednesday, December 3, 10:24 PM

Across 12 games this season, Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates has connected on 16 of 20 field goal attempts and converted a league-leading 40 extra-point tries. The 26-year-old has also done some of his best work in recent weeks, knocking in all seven of his field goal attempts over his last four games. In Week 14, Bates and the Lions will host the Dallas Cowboys in a game that appears to have shootout potential. Through 13 weeks, both Detroit and Dallas rank in the top five in points per game among all NFL teams. If both offenses hold to form, there could be plenty of opportunities for Bates to put points on the board. The game will also be played indoors at Detroit's Ford Field, which removes any potential weather concerns. Bates profiles as a must-start fantasy kicker in Week 14.