Daniel Carlson or Tyler Loop: Who Should You Start?
Preliminary board2026 Week 2 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.
Verdicts sharpen as practice reports land.
Start Loop — the consensus rank and game script edges are too wide to ignore.
Tyler Loop is the higher consensus play (K11 to K21) and plays in the better game script (27.0 implied team points to 19.5). Carlson's edge is attempt volume, 2.1 to 2.1 projected attempts. The gap is wide.
Daniel Carlson
7.97.97.9 Projected Points
Tyler Loop
8.98.98.9 Projected Points
Why Daniel Carlson
SitVeteran placekicker with big-leg range. Established accuracy over a long starting run.
Sit — K21 by consensus, projects K22 this week: 1.5 red-zone stalls a game, and 7.9 pts projected vs BAL.
- Calm forecast at kickoff.
- 2.1 FG tries projected, just over the 2.0 league median this week.
- NO's offense stalls in the red zone 1.5 times a game (2025) — that's where kicker points come from.
- Vegas has NO at 19.5 points as 7.5-point dogs.
Why Tyler Loop
Start· highStarting placekicker who handles kickoffs. Accurate inside 50 but limited range, hitting just 1-of-4 from 50-plus as a rookie with a long of 52.
K11 with a 27.0 implied total, calm open-air forecast and 88% accuracy — 1.7 FGs plus 2.9 XPs is a clean top-12 floor.
- Calm forecast at kickoff.
- 2.1 FG tries projected, just over the 2.0 league median this week.
- BAL's offense stalls in the red zone 1.9 times a game (2025) — that's where kicker points come from.
- Vegas has BAL at 27 points as 7.5-point favorites.
The call
- Ravens are 7.5-point favorites with a 27.0 implied team total, which supports the projected 2.9 extra points on top of the kicking volume.
- 2.1 attempts at 88% accuracy (30/34) is exactly the profile you want in the K slot; 1.9 red-zone stalls per game keep the FG tries coming even when drives die.
- Calm forecast with the roof open removes the main variable that separates kickers, and he's locked in as PK1 with no injury designation.
- Only real cap is limited 50-plus range (one make, long 52), so the ceiling is more three-FG than bomb-driven — fine for a K11 start.
Latest on Loop
Loop went 2-of-2 on field goals, including a career-long from 57 yards out.
The Ravens have a completion rate target for Lamar Jackson. Declan Doyle has a timeline for choosing the starting center. Where rookie Zion Young has made strides.
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Head-to-head stats
| Metric | Daniel Carlson | Tyler Loop |
|---|---|---|
| Projected points | 7.97.97.9 | 8.98.98.9 |
| Consensus rank | K21 | K11 |
| Projected FG attempts | 2.1 | 2.1 |
| Red-zone stalls / game | 1.5(2025) | 1.9(2025) |
| Kicking conditions | Calm forecast at kickoff | Calm forecast at kickoff |
| Implied total · spread | 19.5+7.5 | 27.0-7.5 |
| Field-goal % | 81.5%(2025) | 88.2%(2025) |
| Depth chart | K1 | K1 |
| Start/Sit record | — | 1–0 |
Recent form
Daniel Carlson — last 1 week
| Week 1 | vs DET | 5.05.05.0 |
Tyler Loop — last 1 week
| Week 1 | vs IND | 14.014.014.0 |
Signal breakdown
- 7.9 vs 8.9 projected PPR pointsTyler Loop +
- Rank 21 vs 11Tyler Loop +
- 2.1 vs 2.1 projected attemptsDaniel Carlson +
- 1.5 vs 1.9 red-zone stalls per gameTyler Loop +
- 7 mph, 85°F, overcast vs 7 mph, 85°F, overcasteven
- Implied 19.5 vs 27.0 team pointsTyler Loop +
- No injury designationseven
Compare different players
Every fantasy-relevant player this week — search or filter by position.
More Carlson comparisons
More Loop comparisons
This week’s toughest calls
- J. WilliamsJavonte WilliamsRBDALvs WSH
K. WilliamsKyren WilliamsRBLARvs NYG
- K. WilliamsKyren WilliamsRBLARvs NYGD. SwiftD'Andre SwiftRBCHIvs MIN
- D. SwiftD'Andre SwiftRBCHIvs MINB. IrvingBucky IrvingRBTBvs CLE
- B. IrvingBucky IrvingRBTBvs CLED. MontgomeryDavid MontgomeryRBHOUvs CIN
- D. MontgomeryDavid MontgomeryRBHOUvs CINJ. PriceJadarian PriceRBSEAvs ARI
- J. PriceJadarian PriceRBSEAvs ARIR. StevensonRhamondre StevensonRBNEvs PIT
- D. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs NYG
J. WaddleJaylen WaddleWRDENvs JAX
- J. WaddleJaylen WaddleWRDENvs JAXD. MooreDJ MooreWRBUFvs DET
- D. MooreDJ MooreWRBUFvs DETJ. WilliamsJameson WilliamsWRDETvs BUF
- J. WilliamsJameson WilliamsWRDETvs BUFL. Burden IIILuther Burden IIIWRCHIvs MIN
- L. Burden IIILuther Burden IIIWRCHIvs MINM. EvansMike EvansWRSFvs MIA
- M. EvansMike EvansWRSFvs MIAC. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs NYJ
- B. BowersBrock BowersTELVvs LAC
K. Pitts Sr.Kyle Pitts Sr.TEATLvs CAR
- K. Pitts Sr.Kyle Pitts Sr.TEATLvs CARG. KittleGeorge KittleTESFvs MIA
- G. KittleGeorge KittleTESFvs MIAS. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs BUF
- S. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs BUFT. KraftTucker KraftTEGBvs NYJ
- T. KraftTucker KraftTEGBvs NYJT. KelceTravis KelceTEKCvs IND
- T. KelceTravis KelceTEKCvs INDD. GoedertDallas GoedertTEPHIvs TEN
- D. PrescottDak PrescottQBDALvs WSH
J. DartJaxson DartQBNYGvs LAR
- J. DartJaxson DartQBNYGvs LARJ. HerbertJustin HerbertQBLACvs LV
- J. HerbertJustin HerbertQBLACvs LVC. WilliamsCaleb WilliamsQBCHIvs MIN
- C. WilliamsCaleb WilliamsQBCHIvs MINB. PurdyBrock PurdyQBSFvs MIA
- B. PurdyBrock PurdyQBSFvs MIAP. MahomesPatrick MahomesQBKCvs IND
- P. MahomesPatrick MahomesQBKCvs INDB. NixBo NixQBDENvs JAX
- B. AubreyBrandon AubreyKDALvs WSH
C. DickerCameron DickerKLACvs LV
- C. DickerCameron DickerKLACvs LVK. FairbairnKa'imi FairbairnKHOUvs CIN
- K. FairbairnKa'imi FairbairnKHOUvs CINE. PineiroEddy PineiroKSFvs MIA
- E. PineiroEddy PineiroKSFvs MIAH. MevisHarrison MevisKLARvs NYG
- H. MevisHarrison MevisKLARvs NYGH. ButkerHarrison ButkerKKCvs IND
- H. ButkerHarrison ButkerKKCvs INDT. LoopTyler LoopKBALvs NO
- Buccaneers D/STBuccaneers D/STDSTTBvs CLE
Chargers D/STChargers D/STDSTLACvs LV
- Chargers D/STChargers D/STDSTLACvs LVBears D/STBears D/STDSTCHIvs MIN
- Bears D/STBears D/STDSTCHIvs MINPackers D/STPackers D/STDSTGBvs NYJ
- Packers D/STPackers D/STDSTGBvs NYJChiefs D/STChiefs D/STDSTKCvs IND
- Chiefs D/STChiefs D/STDSTKCvs IND49ers D/ST49ers D/STDSTSFvs MIA
- 49ers D/ST49ers D/STDSTSFvs MIAFalcons D/STFalcons D/STDSTATLvs CAR
- J. WilliamsJavonte WilliamsRBDALvs WSHB. BowersBrock BowersTELVvs LAC
- B. BowersBrock BowersTELVvs LACC. HubbardChuba HubbardRBCARvs ATL
- K. WilliamsKyren WilliamsRBLARvs NYGD. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs NYG
- D. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs NYGB. IrvingBucky IrvingRBTBvs CLE
- J. PriceJadarian PriceRBSEAvs ARIJ. WaddleJaylen WaddleWRDENvs JAX
- D. Samuel Sr.Deebo Samuel Sr.WRSFvs MIA
M. LloydMarShawn LloydRBGBvs NYJ
- A. Jones Sr.Aaron Jones Sr.RBMINvs CHI
S. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs BUF - K. Pitts Sr.Kyle Pitts Sr.TEATLvs CARM. GoldenMatthew GoldenWRGBvs NYJ
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 — freeOr browse this week’s NFL games or NFL player props.