Who Should I Start? Brandon McManus or Evan McPherson

Sunday, October 26, 7:20 PM

Green Bay Packers kicker Brandon McManus (quadricep) is officially active for Sunday's Week 8 contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had been listed as questionable after logging a limited practice session. The 34-year-old returns following a two-game absence. He went 7-for-9 on field goals and 11-for-12 on extra points when healthy, maintaining low-end streaming appeal in fantasy football. His return to action is bittersweet for the Packers and fantasy managers alike. Green Bay is surely pleased to get its primary kicker back, but it also spells the end of a magical two-week stretch for Lucas Havrisik, who went from searching for substitute teaching jobs to going 4-for-4 on field goals and 6-for-6 on extra points while filling in for McManus. Havrisik is a healthy scratch Sunday night.

Thursday, October 16, 11:01 AM

Cincinnati Bengals kicker Evan McPherson has struggled to find fantasy relevance to start the 2025 season. Through six games, McPherson has converted six of eight field goal attempts and 11 extra points, averaging just 5.5 fantasy points per game, which ranks 36th among all kickers. The injury to quarterback Joe Burrow has limited scoring opportunities across the Bengals' offense, directly impacting McPherson's production. Even with a Thursday Night Football matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have been shaky defensively, McPherson remains a risky fantasy option due to his limited opportunities in the struggling Cincinnati offense. Fantasy managers should look elsewhere for a more reliable kicker in Week 7.