Harrison Mevis or Spencer Shrader: Who Should You Start?
2026 Week 1 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.
Mevis has the better scoring environment and the clearer edge at kicker
Start Harrison Mevis: the Rams offer more touchdown and field-goal opportunity, while their frequent red-zone stalls give his strong leg extra paths to points. The projected attempts are nearly identical, so the meaningful separation is not volume; it is Mevis' stronger consensus standing and healthier team scoring outlook. Shrader remains a viable fallback with a controlled roof and excellent early accuracy, but Indianapolis' lower scoring expectation leaves less margin for missed opportunities, while the recent kicking competition keeps his role less comfortable. Mevis' limited career sample is the real risk, though his perfect preseason was a positive signal (therams.com 2026-08-28).
What flips it: A late Mevis availability or PK1-role downgrade.
Sources: therams.com · Aug 28, 2026
AI editor
Harrison Mevis
9.49.49.4 Projected Points
Spencer Shrader
8.28.28.2 Projected Points
Why Harrison Mevis
StartStarting K with strong leg. Big-distance range on field goals; limited career sample.
Start — K5 by consensus, projects K4 this week: 1.6 red-zone stalls a game, and 9.4 pts projected vs SF.
- Mevis' PK1 status and strong leg pair with a Rams offense positioned to create multiple scoring chances.
- His main edge is opportunity quality, not a projected attempt advantage over Shrader.
Latest on Mevis
Here are five things that stood out from the Rams' 2026 preseason finale Thursday night at SoFi Stadium.
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Why Spencer Shrader
Toss-Up· mediumStarting placekicker with a strong leg. Limited career sample and kickoff-touchback value.
K17 at 8.2 projected: dome, 93% accuracy and a 23.0 implied total are fine, but the reported kicking competition caps confidence in the job.
- Shrader's retractable-roof setting limits weather volatility and supports his accurate early-career profile.
- He is a usable fallback, but a lower-scoring offense makes each missed chance matter more.
The call
- Environment is a plus: retractable roof with a calm forecast either way, so no wind or precipitation tax on a 1.8-of-2.1 field-goal projection plus 2.0 extra points.
- Volume is only adequate — 23.0 implied team total and 1.4 red-zone stalls per game give him a real but unspectacular floor, which is why he lands at K17 rather than a set-and-forget starter.
- Job security is the swing factor: he's listed PK1 with no designation, but colts.com (2026-08-23) described him as "in a close kicking competition," and only one 50-plus make (long 52) means limited bonus-range upside.
- Tipping point: if he's confirmed as the unquestioned kicker on game week, the indoor script makes him a fine streaming start; any hint of a shared job and you take a top-12 kicker instead.
Latest on Shrader
Spencer Shrader remains in a close kicking competition after making both of his field-goal attempts in the game.
5 Colts Things: Seth McGowan, Spencer Shrader, CJ Allen and other notes from preseason Week 2colts.com · Aug 23, 2026Shrader was, and remains, the only kicker on the Colts' initial 53-man roster when it was released Sunday.
Shrader connected on field goals from 60 and 61 yards during the preseason and emerged from a tight competition with Blake Grupe to be the Colts' kicker in 2026.
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Head-to-head stats
| Metric | Harrison Mevis | Spencer Shrader |
|---|---|---|
| Projected points | 9.49.49.4 | 8.28.28.2 |
| Consensus rank | K5 | K17 |
| Projected FG attempts | 2.0 | 2.1 |
| Red-zone stalls / game | 1.6(2025) | 1.4(2025) |
| Kicking conditions | Calm forecast at kickoff | Retractable roof, calm forecast either way |
| Implied total · spread | 25.8-3.0 | 23.0+3.5 |
| Field-goal % | 92.3%(2025) | 92.9%(2025) |
| Depth chart | K1 | K1 |
| Start/Sit record | — | 0–0+1 toss-up |
Signal breakdown
- 9.4 vs 8.2 projected PPR pointsHarrison Mevis +
- Rank 5 vs 17Harrison Mevis +
- 2.0 vs 2.1 projected attemptsSpencer Shrader +
- 1.6 vs 1.4 red-zone stalls per gameHarrison Mevis +
- 2 mph, 50°F, overcast vs 7 mph, 88°F, cleareven
- Implied 25.8 vs 23.0 team pointsHarrison Mevis +
- No injury designationseven
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