Jake Bates is the Detroit Lions number 39 kicker, a third-year pro, and finished the 2025 regular season as a low-end fantasy option at his position. He averaged 8.4 fantasy points per game across 17 appearances, which ranks him 16th among kickers in our 2026 draft board. That per-game number is the starting point for every start or sit decision you make with him in 2026.
Jake Bates produced steady fantasy output in 2025 with 8.4 PPG over 17 games.
Jake Bates is a key fantasy asset whose role and production make him a weekly lineup decision.
Heading into 2026, Jake Bates projects as a core piece of the Detroit Lions offense. Managers drafting him need to plan around his Week 6 bye and monitor training camp reports for role changes. DraftCall's AI comparison engine lets you pit him against any other NFL player in seconds, factoring in matchup quality, recent form, and scoring format, so you can make start or sit calls with real reasoning instead of gut feel.
