Who Should I Start? Brandon McManus or Brett Maher

Thursday, December 18, 5:01 PM

Green Bay Packers kicker Brandon McManus has been perfect over his last four weeks since returning to the Packers' lineup, and looks to keep that hot stretch going when the Packers head to Soldier Field to take on the Chicago Bears. McManus hasn't missed a kick in the last four weeks, culminating in last week's effort against the Denver Broncos, where he booted home all four of his field goal attempts plus both of his extra point attempts. The Packers have been getting into the opponent's side of the field with regularity, but the fact that they can't turn some of those possessions into touchdowns leads to quite a few attempts for McManus, who has averaged two field goals and three extra points in these last four games. Against Chicago, the weather calls for wind gusts up to 20 miles per hour, so McManus is a low-end starting option for fantasy in Week 16.

Monday, January 1, 7:38 PM

The Los Angeles Rams are signing veteran kicker Brett Maher on Monday after waiving rookie Lucas Havrisik earlier in the day. Maher began the year as the Rams' kicker and played in the first seven weeks before getting cut on Oct. 24, going 17-for-23 (73.9 percent) on his field-goal opportunities and 12-for-13 with his extra points. Havrisik was cut by the Rams on Monday after missing two of his four extra points in a one-point win over the New York Giants on Sunday. LA just has been unable to settle on a kicker all season, but Maher will hope to come back in and be more successful than he was earlier in the year as the team gets ready for another playoff appearance. In the Week 18 regular season finale against the San Francisco 49ers with key starters potentially being rested, Maher should be avoided for fantasy lineups.