Who Should I Start? Brandon McManus or Riley Patterson

Saturday, November 7, 9:24 AM

Los Angeles Rams kicker Brandon McManus has some fantasy appeal in deeper leagues ahead of Week 9 against the Washington Commanders. McManus is 8-for-8 on extra points since joining the Rams two weeks ago, and he also made his lone field-goal attempt last week. Ever since the start of the 2025 season, it has been tough for Rams kickers to carve out high-level fantasy value because a staggering number of the team's drives end in touchdowns, rather than field goals. That's a good problem to have for Rams fans, but it makes it difficult to start a Rams kicker in fantasy football. McManus needs at least one field goal to be even a mediocre option for fantasy football, and that's not a guarantee in this Los Angeles offense, especially in a potentially lopsided matchup against the Commanders. The upside is undeniable, but McManus also has a lower floor because of the low field goal volume. As a result, he ranks as the K14 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings. We'd prefer to start someone with higher upside than McManus, but in a worst-case scenario, the Rams' strong offense makes him a fine streaming option for managers seeking a short-term option to replace a kicker on their bye week.