Who Should I Start? Riley Patterson or Chad Ryland

Saturday, September 6, 1:47 PM

Miami Dolphins kicker Riley Patterson was elevated from the practice squad ahead of Week 1 against the Indianapolis Colts. With Jason Sanders (hip) on injured reserve, Patterson is set to handle kicking duties for the early part of the season. In his four-year career, Patterson has made 63 of 74 field-goal attempts and will be playing for his sixth NFL team in five seasons. The Dolphins vs Colts matchup is projected to score the sixth-most points (46) in Week 1, giving Patterson a potential opportunity for fantasy production. That said, Patterson is currently ranked K23 in Week 1 by RotoBaller, making him a high-risk fantasy option. He's best used as a streaming kicker or a short-term fill-in until Sanders returns.

Saturday, September 6, 11:15 AM

Arizona Cardinals kicker Chad Ryland finished in K2 territory (K18 overall) last season despite hitting 87.5% of his field goals. The Cardinals' offense stalled out in a handful of games, which hurt Ryland's overall production since he wasn't getting into field goal range all the time and wasn't bolstering his fantasy output with extra point attempts. According to RotoBaller's rankings, Ryland is projected to be the K15 and could even finish a bit higher if the offense can be more consistent this season. For Week 1, he's projected to get 8.1 fantasy points, but there are better options for teams in 12-team leagues.