Who Should I Start? Tyler Bass or Chad Ryland

Thursday, October 9, 12:55 PM

While Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott remained non-committal on whether kicker Tyler Bass (groin, hip) would be able to play this season, he did say that he is "heading in the right direction," according to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. Bass remains on Injured Reserve, and the Bills didn't feel comfortable opening his 21-day practice window this week, which means he will not be ready to return for Monday night's contest in Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons. The Bills probably aren't in any rush to bring the 28-year-old Bass back, with veteran Matt Prater being a reliable fill-in through the first five weeks of 2025. Prater has gone 10-for-15 on his field-goal chances while making all 15 of his extra-point opportunities for the 4-1 Bills. When/if Bass is fully healthy and ready to resume kicking, he should take back over as Buffalo's starting placekicker.

Saturday, November 1, 8:47 PM

Arizona Cardinals kicker Chad Ryland has bounced all around the fantasy kicker leaderboards this season, which makes sense given how inconsistent this offense can be. In Week 7, he finished as the K5, which was his highest finish since Week 4. Now, after their bye, the Cardinals are set to take on the Dallas Cowboys, who have given up far too many points to almost every team they've faced. That also makes them the 20th-ranked team against opposing kickers, allowing 8.75 fantasy points per matchup. Since Jacoby Brissett has been a bit more successful at moving the ball down the field, Ryland could be in for another solid week, and that makes him a startable option again for those looking for a bye week fill-in.