Who Should I Start? Brandon McManus or Jake Bates


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Brandon McManus News

Brandon McManus Worth Starting In Week 17 Against Baltimore

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.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Jake Bates News

Lions Officially Re-Sign Jake Bates

Wednesday, March 25, 1:35 PM

The Detroit Lions officially announced on Wednesday that they re-signed kicker Jake Bates to an undisclosed deal. Bates was an exclusive-rights free agent. The 27-year-old will return for his third season with the Lions in 2026. The former undrafted free agent out of Arkansas has become one of the more reliable kickers in fantasy football over the last couple of seasons in a Lions offense that should remain formidable in 2026. Last year in 17 games, Bates made 27 of his 34 field-goal tries (4-for-9 from 50-plus yards) and a league-high 54 extra points on 56 tries. He has made 84.1% of his 63 field-goal attempts in his two years in the NFL while succeeding on 95.9% of his 123 extra-point attempts. Bates was the No. 6 fantasy kicker in 2025. It also helps that half of his games come indoors, mitigating his volatility.


Brandon McManus vs. Jake Bates

Still trying to decide between McManus and Bates? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Brandon McManus is projected to score 0.0 points this week while Jake Bates is projected to score 0.0 points.