Who Should I Start? Tyler Bass or Evan McPherson

Wednesday, September 24, 1:07 PM

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said that kicker Tyler Bass (groin, hip) is "moving in the right direction," but the team is unsure when he will return from Injured Reserve, according to Maddy Glab of BuffaloBills.com. Bass will have to miss at least one more game while on IR, but he'll be eligible to make his 2025 debut in Week 5 against the division-rival New England Patriots. Given the fact that there's still no timetable on the 28-year-old's return, it seems unlikely he'll play next week. The Bills have been using veteran Matt Prater with Bass sidelined. Prater was perfect in the first two weeks before missing one of his two field-goal attempts last Thursday night in the win over the Miami Dolphins. The 41-year-old will be a strong starting kicking option in fantasy lineups again in Week 4 in a matchup against the 0-3 New Orleans Saints.

Saturday, October 4, 2:13 PM

Cincinnati Bengals kicker Evan McPherson has been a victim of the team's offensive struggles in 2025. While he has yet to miss a kick, McPherson has only four attempts through four games, ranking 28th among all kickers. The Bengals' offense has been one of the least efficient in the NFL, sitting 30th in points per game (15.3), last in total yards per game (205.3), and dead last in time of possession (25:32). Simply put, McPherson isn't getting opportunities. The Week 5 matchup doesn't offer much upside either, as the Detroit Lions have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to kickers this season. With backup Jake Browning leading the Bengals' offense, scoring chances are unlikely to improve. McPherson remains a reliable kicker in terms of accuracy, but the lack of volume makes him unplayable in fantasy. He should be left out of starting lineups in Week 5.