Who Should I Start? Brandon McManus or Jake Bates

Thursday, December 25, 7:05 PM

Green Bay Packers kicker Brandon McManus has been a major roll over the past month or so, and he'll look to continue that hot stretch when the Packers host the Ravens in Week 17. McManus hasn't missed a kick in the five games he's been back since suffering a quad injury earlier this season. He's nailed his last 11 field goals and 13 extra points, which has led to double-digit fantasy performances in three of his last five weeks. No matter if the quarterback for the Packers is Jordan Love or Malik Willis, Green Bay should be able to find opportunities for McManus in the kicking game. That bodes well for fantasy managers looking to start him, and they should as a solid top-12 option this week against the Ravens.

Wednesday, December 24, 10:39 PM

Across 15 games this season, Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates has converted on 22 of 28 field goal attempts and 52 out of 54 extra-point tries. Bates has the benefit of being tied to the Detroit offense, which enters Week 17 ranked second in the NFL in points per game (30.1). However, Bates and the Lions will face one of the league's top scoring defenses in Week 17 when they travel to Minnesota to take on the Vikings. Over the last three weeks, Minnesota has allowed opponents to score an average of just 13 points per game. In the first matchup between the two NFC North division rivals this season in Week 9, the Lions were held to 24 points, their fourth-lowest mark in a game in 2025. If there's one benefit for Bates, the game will be played indoors, which eliminates any weather concerns for the kicking game. Bates remains a viable starting kicker for fantasy managers in Week 17, but he profiles as a low-end option rather than a must-start player at the position against Minnesota.