Who Should I Start? Robbie Gould or Daniel Carlson

Thursday, December 7, 12:25 PM

Veteran kicker Robbie Gould officially announced his retirement from professional football on Thursday after 18 years kicking in the NFL. Gould began his career as an undrafted free agent out of Penn State and was signed by the Chicago Bears in 2005. He spent the next 11 seasons with Chicago, making 85.4% of his 323 field-goal attempts and 99% of his extra points, earning a first-team All-Pro selection and Pro Bowl nod in his second year in 2006. Gould spent one year with the New York Giants before ending his career with six seasons for the San Francisco 49ers. The 41-year-old finishes up an excellent NFL career with a field-goal percentage of 86.5 and extra-point conversion rate of 97.5%. Gould was one of the most reliable kickers of his generation.

Friday, October 17, 9:14 PM

Las Vegas Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson draws a challenging matchup in Week 7 versus the Kansas City Chiefs, making him a risky fantasy start. The Chiefs have allowed the eighth-fewest fantasy points to opposing kickers this season and continue to limit scoring opportunities with one of the league's stingiest defenses. Meanwhile, Geno Smith and the Raiders offense have struggled to sustain drives or finish in scoring position, further capping Carlson's upside. While the veteran remains a very accurate kicker, his lack of opportunity makes him tough to trust in fantasy lineups this week. Managers should consider streaming a kicker from a more favorable offensive environment until the Raiders show more consistency.