Chris Boswell or Nick Folk: Who Should You Start?

2026 Week 1 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.

Boswell benefits from the better scoring environment, with Folk's accuracy keeping this respectable

Boswell gets the nod because Pittsburgh's stronger scoring environment should create both field-goal work and more extra-point chances, while the calm open-roof forecast removes weather variance. The projected attempt volume and red-zone stall rates are nearly mirrored, so this is primarily an offensive-environment edge rather than a matchup-created one. Folk's 2025 accuracy and veteran reliability are real advantages, but Atlanta offers fewer paths to points; that is the risk in starting him.

What flips it: A late Atlanta offensive boost that lifts Folk's scoring chances above Pittsburgh's.

AI editor

Chris Boswell

Chris Boswell

K12PITvs ATL

Projected Points

Start· medium
Nick Folk

Nick Folk

K17ATLvs PIT

Projected Points

Sit
ATL@
PITSun, Sep 13, 1:00 PM ETView the game →
ATL@
PITSun, Sep 13, 1:00 PM ETView the game →

Why Chris Boswell

Start· medium

Starting PK and one of the league's most accurate. Big leg with proven cold-weather clutch production.

Boswell is the K12 play with a 22.8 implied total, 2.1 projected FG tries and 1.2 red-zone stalls per game feeding the leg.

  • Boswell's big-leg range gives him a useful fallback when Pittsburgh stalls outside the red zone.
  • His PK1 role and clean availability add stability to an otherwise modest kicker edge.

The call

  • Consensus K12 at 9.0 projected points is squarely startable in a 12-team league — no replacement-level kicker beats that baseline.
  • Pittsburgh's 22.8 implied total plus 1.2 red-zone stalls per game funnels drives into field-goal tries: 1.9 makes on 2.1 attempts with 2.4 extra points projected.
  • He's the locked-in PK1 with no designation, hitting 84% (27/32) and connecting from 50-plus in six games with a 60-yard long, so distance isn't a cap on his range.
  • Only real wrinkle is an open roof with no forecast yet — check wind before kickoff, but nothing in the sheet suggests a problem.

Why Nick Folk

Sit

Veteran starting kicker. Reliable accuracy and long-track-record consistency in the field-goal role.

Sit — K17 by consensus, projects K22 this week: 1.2 red-zone stalls a game, and 7.8 pts projected vs PIT.

  • Folk's elite 2025 accuracy protects his floor whenever Atlanta reaches field-goal range.
  • His veteran consistency makes him a defensible fallback if you expect Atlanta to outperform its scoring outlook.

Head-to-head stats

MetricChris BoswellNick Folk
Projected points
Consensus rankK12K17
Projected FG attempts2.12.0
Red-zone stalls / game1.2(2025)1.2(2025)
Kicking conditionsCalm forecast at kickoffCalm forecast at kickoff
Implied total · spread22.8-3.019.8+3.0
Field-goal %84.4%(2025)96.6%(2025)
Depth chartK1K1

Signal breakdown

  • 9.0 vs 7.8 projected PPR pointsChris Boswell +
  • Rank 12 vs 17Chris Boswell +
  • 2.1 vs 2.0 projected attemptsChris Boswell +
  • 1.2 vs 1.2 red-zone stalls per gameChris Boswell +
  • 7 mph, 75°F, overcast vs 7 mph, 75°F, overcasteven
  • Implied 22.8 vs 19.8 team pointsChris Boswell +
  • No injury designationseven

Compare different players

Week 1227 players
Player A
vs
Player B

Every fantasy-relevant player this week — search or filter by position.

More Boswell comparisons

More Folk comparisons

This week’s toughest calls

Start/Sit Board•Weekly Rankings•Streamers•Sleepers & Busts•My Team•MLB NRFI Board•Free Tools•NFL Props•NFL Games

Get a Start/Sit call on your whole roster →

Save your team once and see a Start, Sit, or Toss-Up verdict on every player, every week — with the matchup, usage and game-script evidence behind each call.

Add to My Team — free

Or browse this week’s NFL games or NFL player props.