Brandon

McManus

34-year-old McManus is missing too much time with injury for a kicker this season. Lucas Havrisik will handle kicking duties today in New York. He’s a mediocre fantasy option with the Pack’s offense really going through it right now.

Walker was a surprise DNP in the middle of the week because of the calf injury. He returned for a limited session on Friday before being listed as questionable. Brandon McManus was also questionable and is active. Inactive for the Packers are WR Dontayvion Wicks, K Lucas Havrisik, OG Jacob Monk, OT Donovan Jennings, DL Lukas Van Ness, and DL Warren Brinson.

McManus played through the questionable tag last week, converting 3-of-3 extra point attempts and 2-of-4 field goals. He is too unreliable, playing through injury, to be started at this time.

McManus practiced in a limited setting on Thursday and Friday. If he’s not able to go in Week 8, Lucas Havrisik would take the reins as Green Bay’s kicker again.

Also inactive for the Packers are RB Pierre Strong Jr., G Donovan Jennings, T Anthony Belton, TE Ben Sims, DL Lukas Van Ness, and DL Devonte Wyatt. McManus will miss another game due to his quad issue, meaning Lucas Havrisik will kick for Green Bay against the Cardinals. Strong was elevated from the practice squad, but with Josh Jacobs (calf/illness) active, he is inactive this week. Meanwhile, Van Ness will miss this game due to a foot issue that kept him out of practice all week.

It would seem extremely questionable to us from the outside as McManus has not practiced all week and Matt LaFleur has continued to be dour about his prospects of returning. Lucas Havrisik is in line to kick again for the Packers if McManus can’t go.

The Packers signed K Lucas Havrisik on Saturday, with McManus nursing a quad injury. Havrisik will kick in McManus’ stead. Green Bay received great news regarding the offensive line’s health. LT Rasheed Walker (quad), LG Aaron Banks (groin/knee), RT Zach Tom (oblique/back) and backup OG/C Jacob Monk are all active this week. The talented unit should keep QB Jordan Love upright against the Bengals. Starting CB Nate Hobbs (concussion) is not on the inactives list, indicating he successfully passed the NFL’s concussion protocol.

Apparently McManus recently injured his quad in practice and seems iffy — at best — for Week 6 against the Bengals. The veteran has made seven of his nine field goal tries this season and 11 of his 12 extra point attempts. The Packers may need to find a replacement for McManus if he’s unable to practice in the coming days. Whoever kicks for the Packers will be fantasy viable against a wretched Bengals defense.

The Packers finally were able to find consistency at kicker with McManus, who hit 20-of-21 field goals last season in 11 games, though he did miss a field goal in Green Bay’s loss to Philadelphia in the Wild Card round. There’s a $5 million signing bonus in the contract, per Adam Schefter. This deal lands McManus near the top 15 in total contract value for a kicker. It was clear that McManus was a priority re-sign in Green Bay’s eyes, but he won’t necessarily be a terrific fantasy football kicker in 2025.

McManus provided some stability to the Packers’ kicking situation after signing with the team in mid-October. The veteran kicker converted on 20-of-21 field goals on the season while making all three attempts from 50-plus yards out. The Packers have been in kicking turmoil ever since Mason Crosby began to struggle during the 2021 campaign. McManus, who will be 34 next season, has converted 82.2 percent of his field goals in his career.