2025 Kicking Stats
FGM
23
FGA
29
FG%
0.8
50+
4
XP
53
Rest-of-Season Projections
2025 Fantasy Outlook
Bates didn't earn an NFL gig in 2023, after going undrafted and signing with the Texans, but there was renewed interest last spring once he'd kicked three field goals of 60-plus yards in the UFL. He won the job in Detroit and held it down all year, finishing seventh among kickers in fantasy points behind a league-high 67 PATs (64 converted). Bates also performed well on field goals, missing just three, though his 29 attempts tied for 21st, lagging behind other kickers due to Detroit's aggressive approach on fourth down and excellent efficiency at converting scoring chances into TDs. Even if both those factors are unchanged under new offensive coordinator John Morton, it's a relatively stable situation that ensures Bates will have enough PATs to stay fantasy relevant. Read Past Outlooks
Signed a two-year, $1.98 million contract with the Lions in June of 2024.
Successful on lone FG try Week 17
Bates made his only field-goal attempt and his only extra-point try in Thursday's Christmas Day loss to Minnesota.
ANALYSIS
Minnesota's defense mostly stymied Detroit's offense, capping Bates' kicking opportunities. He did make a 48-yard field goal with under five minutes remaining in the game to end with a tolerable fantasy score. Bates is 23-for-29 on FG attempts and 53-for-55 on PATs on the season.
Minnesota's defense mostly stymied Detroit's offense, capping Bates' kicking opportunities. He did make a 48-yard field goal with under five minutes remaining in the game to end with a tolerable fantasy score. Bates is 23-for-29 on FG attempts and 53-for-55 on PATs on the season.
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2025 NFL Game Log
2025
2024
2025 NFL Game Log
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2024 Fantasy Outlook
Bates went undrafted out of Arkansas in 2023 and was then waived by the Texans in mid-August. The Lions signed him in June 2024 as possible competition for Michael Badgley, who subsequently suffered a season-ending hamstring injury during training camp. Bates now has a shot at being Detroit's kicker come Week 1, but the team almost certainly will bring in other competition this summer.
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Makes all four kicks in loss
Bates made his lone field-goal attempt and all three PATs in Sunday's 29-24 loss to the Steelers.
ANALYSIS
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Misses field goal in loss
Bates went 2-of-3 on field-goal tries and 4-of-4 on extra-point attempts in Sunday's 41-34 loss to the Rams.
ANALYSIS
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Productive night in TNF win
Bates went 3-of-4 on field-goal attempts and 5-for-5 on extra-point tries in Thursday's 44-30 win over the Cowboys.
ANALYSIS
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Perfect in loss
Bates made all three of his point-after tries and converted his sole field-goal attempt in Thursday's 31-24 loss to the Packers.
ANALYSIS
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Makes clutch field goal in win
Bates made both of his field-goal attempts and went 4-for-4 on extra-point tries during the Lions' 34-27 overtime win over the Giants on Sunday.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Atop depth chart after Badgley hurt
Bates is the only healthy kicker remaining for the Lions, as Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Michael Badgley suffered a season-ending hamstring injury during Thursday's practice.
ANALYSIS
Bates had been slated to compete with Badgley to be Detroit's kicker in 2024, but Badgley will miss the entire campaign, leaving Bates as the favorite to start by default. After showing off his big leg by making six field goals of 50-plus yards in the UFL, Bates saw his chances of securing a spot on Detroit's roster get a boost due to Badgley's injury, though the Lions are expected to bring in another kicker to compete with Bates. Per Field Yates of ESPN, the Lions worked out kickers Matt Ammendola, Lucas Havrisik, Matthew McCrane and Andre Szmyt on Friday.
Bates had been slated to compete with Badgley to be Detroit's kicker in 2024, but Badgley will miss the entire campaign, leaving Bates as the favorite to start by default. After showing off his big leg by making six field goals of 50-plus yards in the UFL, Bates saw his chances of securing a spot on Detroit's roster get a boost due to Badgley's injury, though the Lions are expected to bring in another kicker to compete with Bates. Per Field Yates of ESPN, the Lions worked out kickers Matt Ammendola, Lucas Havrisik, Matthew McCrane and Andre Szmyt on Friday.