Michael

Badgley

Prater missed the last two games with a quad injury, but was able to return for this one. That may have been a mistake by the Bills. It appears Prater reaggravated his injury on his third extra point attempt, so the Bills will play the remainder of the game without a kicker. What’s worse, the Bills may have to find another kicker for the playoffs. They had Michael Badgley on their roster for the last two weeks, but he was released from the practice squad, so they’ll likely hold tryouts this week.

Badgley had a PAT blocked after being elevated from the practice squad in the one-point loss to the Eagles in Week 17. Matt Prater (quad) is expected to be ready to kick in Week 18 as well as the playoffs.

Michael Badgley will again draw the start in place of Prater. Badgley went 2-for-3 on extra points last week and also made his only field goal attempt. Badgley has made 11-of-12 field goal attempts this season while splitting time between the Colts and Bills, and could be a worthwhile streaming option if needed. In addition to Prater, the Bills also ruled out DT Jordan Phillips and S Jordan Poyer. Backup safety Jordan Hancock will likely start in Poyer’s absence.

Bills K Michael Badgley kicked in Prater’s stead last week, converting 2-of-3 extra points and 1-of-1 field goals. Prater injured his quad in Week 15. Pending QB Josh Allen’s (foot) availability, this game could be a fantasy-friendly environment, though Badgley’s recent showing hardly instills confidence.

With Matt Prater injured and unlikely to go this week, Badgley will be a solid streamer kicker in Week 16 as Buffalo takes on the Browns.

The Money Badger missed a huge extra point against the Texans in Week 13 and had missed three of his 21 extra points in total. It’ll be a different kicker for the Colts after today’s tryouts resolve, and whoever they pick will find themselves in a favorable Week 14 situation against the Jaguars. Blake Grupe was one name publicly identified from the tryouts earlier today.

Michael Badgley missed a critical extra point in the Colts’ Week 13 loss to the Texans and head coach Shane Steichen was noncommittal on Badgley keeping the starting job for Week 14. Grupe, who was released by the Saints last week, had missed eight of his 26 field goal tries this season. An 85 percent field goal kicker during his NFL career, Grupe would have some fantasy upside in the Colts offense if he lands the starting job.

Badgley suffered a torn hamstring and missed the entire 2024 season. He’ll be tasked with replacing Spencer Shrader as Indianapolis’ main kicker and will likely be a top-10 option the rest of the way given how well the Colts offense has played through five weeks.

According to Lions beat writer, Tim Twentyman, Badgley “suffered a severe injury getting ready for practice” on Thursday. The veteran kicker converted on all four of his field goal attempts for the Lions last season, and was expected to compete with UFL star Jake Bates for the kicking job this summer. Bates now appears to be the frontrunner to land the job, but NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports the team plans to bring in other kickers for added competition.

Bates visited with the Commanders last week but appears set to join the Lions. Currently kicking for the UFL’s Michigan Panthers, Bates has turned into a spring football phenom after making multiple field goals of 60-plus yards and going 6-of-10 on field goals of 50-plus yards on the season. Bates converted on 17 of his 22 attempts (77.3 percent) in the regular season and first caught the attention of football fans when he converted a 64-yard game-winning field goal in Week 1 of the UFL season. He’ll have a chance to compete for the Lions starting kicker job against incumbent Michael Badgley, who made all four of his field goal attempts in his four games with the team. Badgley is a career 82.4 percent kicker and has made just five field goals of 50-plus yards.