Spencer

Shrader

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero was the first on the scene, reporting that Butker is expected to miss 3-4 weeks due to a meniscus injury in his left knee — which is his non-kicking knee. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport later reported that Butker is expected to have surgery to trim his meniscus, which is why the team went ahead and placed him on injured reserve. In a corresponding move, the Chiefs have already signed kicker Spencer Shrader off the Jets practice squad. Shrader is a rookie who went undrafted out of Notre Dame earlier this year. During his five years of college, he converted on 43-of-62 field goals while making 98.7 percent of his extra point attempts. He’ll now be tasked with replacing one of the most reliable kickers in the league.

A knee injury may have been to blame for Zuerlein’s recent struggles, as the veteran kicker has converted on just three of his last seven field goal attempts. Now on injured reserve, Zuerlein will miss at least the next four games while recovering from his injury and won’t be eligible to come off IR until Week 14 when the Jets visit the Dolphins. The Jets signed kickers Riley Patterson and Spencer Shrader to their practice squad earlier this week, with the expectation that one of them will kick in place for Zuerlein in Thursday night’s game against the Texans.

The Jets inked Patterson and K Spencer Shrader to the team’s practice squad. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero said one of the two kickers will start for New York Thursday night against the Texans while Greg Zuerlein — who has missed six of his 15 field goal attempts this season — deals with a sudden knee injury. A good showing from Patterson or Shrader could spell the end for Zuerlein’s run in New York.

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.

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.