Who Should I Start? Zane Gonzalez or Daniel Carlson

Thursday, March 6, 1:30 PM

The Washington Commanders re-signed kicker Zane Gonzalez to an undisclosed deal on Thursday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Gonzalez took over for an injured Austin Seibert (hip) before Week 13 last season and finished the year (including three playoff games) by making 12 of his 15 field-goal attempts and all 27 of his extra-point tries in nine games. That was enough to convince the Commanders that the 29-year-old deserves a shot to open the 2025 season as their primary placekicker. Gonzalez was returning to the NFL in 2024 for the first time since he kicked in 12 games for the Carolina Panthers back in 2021. Washington is one of the better up-and-coming offenses in the NFL after quarterback Jayden Daniels led them to the NFC Championship in his rookie season, so at the very least, Gonzalez will be a fantasy streaming option to open next season.

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.