Matt

Gay

The Colts’ starting kicker Matt Gay has missed practice all week due to a hernia. That puts Shrader in line for his first career start in the Colts’ Week 1 matchup with the Texans. While that matchup carries one of the higher totals of the week and Shrader will be kicking indoors, using a kicker with more experience is the practical move for fantasy managers setting lineups in Week 1.

It sounds like Gay is headed for a questionable tag once the Colts release their final injury report. Gay hasn’t been listed as a participant in practice this week but Steichen told reporters he did kick some this week. If he can’t go, practice squad kicker Spencer Shrader will get the nod. Shrader went 43-of-63 on his field goal attempts in college. This situation is one to avoid for fantasy managers.

Gay has been dealing with this injury for more than two weeks and has yet to practice as a result. He’s undoubtedly trending toward missing Sunday’s season opener against the Texans, which would put practice squad kicker Spencer Shrader in line for his first career start. During his five collegiate seasons, Shrader converted on 43-of-63 field goal attempts (68.3 percent) and made 98.7 percent of his extra point attempts. If Gay can’t go, we would advise using a more established kicker than Shrader in your Week 1 fantasy lineups.

Colts head coach Shane Steichen said the injury — which Gay suffered two weeks ago — is probably not long term and likely won’t require surgery. It’s concerning Gay has yet to practice ahead of the team’s Week 1 game against Houston, however. K Spencer Shrader out of Notre Dame, who kicked for the Colts in the preseason, would get the nod if Gay is sidelined.

That gives Gay the richest free agent contract for a kicker in the history of the NFL. Gay has amassed a sparkling 87.8% career field goal conversion rate, including hitting 73.9% of attempts from beyond 50 yards. Furthermore, he has missed only two point after attempts over the previous three seasons. Gay’s fantasy upside depends heavily on the Colts’ ability to move the football under newcomer head coach Shane Steichen, but he remains one of the more sure-thing kickers in the game.

Gay was offered an original-round tender back in March, all but ensuring the former fifth-round pick would be back with the Rams. He connected on all but two of his 34 field goal attempts last season and missed just one of 49 extra point tries. Playing in a quality offense, Gay should once again be a good fantasy option.

Gay’s tender is valued at $2.5 million. If another team matches that offer, they would also have to send a fifth-round pick to LA, as Gay was originally selected in the fifth round. Gay connected on all but two of his 34 field goal attempts last season. He only missed one of his 49 extra points. Kicking for an explosive LA offense, Gay will be a solid fantasy option in 2022.

Gay isn’t a great fantasy option for a contest with a 43.5 over/under. Inactive for the Rams are K Austin MacGinnis, RB Ray Calais, RB Xavier Jones, OLB Terrell Lewis, C Brian Allen and WR Trishton Jackson.

Matt Gay (shoulder) was limited headed into Week 14. It looks like MacGinnis will get the start against the Patriots. MacGinnis made all ten of his field goal attempts for the XFL’s Dallas Renegades this year before being signed to LA’s practice squad. He’s only an option in two-kicker formats.

Gay won’t be able to join the team until Saturday and is expected to compete with Austin MacGinnis. Gay went 27-of-35 in his rookie campaign last year before being waived by the Buccaneers ahead of the 2020 season. MacGinnis has not kicked in the NFL yet but was perfect on his 10 field goals while playing for the XFL’s Dallas Renegades.