Who Should I Start? Ramiz Ahmed or Jake Bates

Saturday, August 10, 7:37 PM

Washington Commanders kicker Ramiz Ahmed went 1-for-1 on his field goal attempts and 2-for-2 on his extra-point attempts on Saturday afternoon. His field goal attempt came from 40 yards out. This is important to note because Riley Patterson missed his lone field goal try from 39 yards out. Brandon McManus was originally brought in during free agency to serve as the starting kicker in D.C. but was let go in June due to being involved with a civil lawsuit. As a result, this opened up a competition between Ahmed and Patterson, and after the team's first preseason game, Ahmed may be in the lead. Patterson does have more experience in the NFL and has gone 59-for-67 throughout the first four seasons of his career. Ahmed made only one NFL appearance back in 2022 with the Green Bay Packers and moved on to play for the Birmingham Stallions in the UFL last spring. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor this competition as the winner could be fantasy-relevant, especially if rookie Jayden Daniels is able to adjust to the NFL fairly quickly and move the Washington offense downfield on a consistent basis.

Friday, December 6, 10:50 AM

Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates converted both of his field-goal attempts and all four extra points in the team's 34-31 win over the Packers on Thursday night. Bates' performance included a 43-yard kick and a clutch 35-yard game-winner, showcasing his reliability in high-pressure situations. The Lions' offense continues to provide plenty of scoring opportunities for Bates, who has now connected on 21 of 22 field-goal attempts and 48 of 49 extra points this season. With at least eight fantasy points in 10 games this year, Bates remains one of the most consistent fantasy kickers heading into Week 15's matchup against the Buffalo Bills.