Jake Bates
Bates is Detroit's established starting kicker. He has not missed a kick this season, and his value depends on how many scoring chances the offense gives him.
Role
He is the Lions' only kicker, handling all field goals and extra points. Nothing I found suggests competition for the job. ESPN's player page (indexed 44 days ago) shows him 1-for-1 on field goals and 6-for-6 on extra points against Arizona, with a 46-yard make. The same page shows his season long at 54 yards. In Week 4 at Carolina he went 4-for-4 on field goals, 2-for-2 on extra points, and scored 14 points. I did not read a depth chart, so I am not reporting one.
Sideline Lion Report (about 3 days old) said Bates entered Week 5 a perfect 21-for-21 on field goals and extra points. It ranked him tenth in the league in kicker value added (KVA) through Week 4. Detroit's games have been close, with the Lions at 2-2 and winning by a combined eight points at that point. That means his kicks matter, and he has the leg for long tries: he made a 57-yarder last season, and his season long this year is 54.
His opportunity depends on the offense. Sideline Lion Report noted his average make this year is only 35.4 yards, because the offense moves the ball well. Bates attempted just one field goal against Arizona in a 45-21 win. Blowouts mean few field-goal tries and extra points as the main source of points. His perfect run is also a small sample, and a miss would be likely to come eventually.
Where analysts split
broad agreement
Research confidence: thin. Outlooks are grounded in web search over current reporting and refreshed through the season.
Others at K
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