NFL Player News
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Brandon Aubrey K | DAL
Cowboys' Brandon Aubrey: Perfect on Thanksgiving Day
Aubrey made all three of his field-goal attempts and both of his point-after tries during the Cowboys' 31-28 win over the Chiefs on Thursday.
Aubrey connected on a 49-yard field goal early in the second quarter, but his big leg wasn't challenged during Thursday's win after adding two more field goals from 36 and 26 yards. It was his sixth game with two or more made field goals but his first since Week 7 against the Commanders. Aubrey's fantasy value will remain elevated for as long as the Cowboys' offense keeps humming, and the third-year kicker is now 22-for-24 on field-goal attempts and 37-for-38 on extra-point tries through 12 regular-season games.
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Jake Bates K | DET
Lions' Jake Bates: Perfect in loss
Bates made all three of his point-after tries and converted his sole field-goal attempt in Thursday's 31-24 loss to the Packers.
Bates converted his only field goal, a 31-yarder, late in the fourth quarter, cutting the Lions' deficit a touchdown at the time. Bates was also perfect on all three extra-point attempts and is now 16-for-20 on field goals and 40-for-42 on PATs through 12 games this season.
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Brandon McManus K | GB
Packers' Brandon McManus: Perfect on Thanksgiving
McManus made all four point-after tries as well as his sole field goal attempt during the Packers' 31-24 win over the Lions on Thursday.
McManus converted his one field-goal opportunity from 45 yards out and was automatic on PATs following the Packers' four touchdown drives. With Thursday's production, McManus moved to 15-for-21 on field-goal attempts and 22-for-23 on extra-point tries over nine regular-season games.
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Eddy Pineiro K | SF
49ers' Eddy Pineiro: Logs another DNP
Pineiro (hamstring) was listed as a DNP on Thursday's practice report, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
Pineiro continues to be sidelined by a hamstring injury, which caused him to miss the 49ers' Week 12 win against the Panthers. Friday's practice report will provide clarity on his status for Sunday's game against the Browns, but if Pineiro is not cleared to play, then Matt Gay would likely be elevated from the practice squad to the active roster for a second consecutive week.
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Charlie Smyth K | NO
Charlie Smyth: Competing for starting job
Head coach Kellen Moore said Wednesday that Smyth and Cade York will compete for the Saints' placekicker job, Matthew Paras of The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.
York joined Smyth on the practice squad Tuesday, and they'll compete against each other to start against the Dolphins on Sunday after Blake Grupe was waived. Smyth joined the Saints in late March as a qualifying international player, and he has a chance to make his NFL regular-season debut in Week 13.
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Eddy Pineiro K | SF
49ers' Eddy Pineiro: Begins Week 13 as non-participant
Pineiro (hamstring) will not participate in practice Wednesday, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
Pineiro did not practice in any capacity prior to being ruled out for Week 12, and there's no indication that his return to on-field reps is on the immediate horizon. He's reportedly considered week-to-week due to a Grade 1 hamstring strain suffered Week 11 against Arizona. Matt Gay made all four kicks (two field-goal tries and two PATs) in his team debut during Monday's win over the Panthers, and he could be elevated from the practice squad to draw another start if Pineiro remains sidelined Sunday on the road against Cleveland.
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Lucas Havrisik K | GB
Lucas Havrisik: Dropped by Green Bay
The Packers waived Havrisik on Wednesday.
Havrisik signed with the Packers in early October and kicked in three games while Brandon McManus was sidelined with an injury. During that span, Havrisik converted all four of his field-goal attempts, including a 61-yarder in Week 7 against the Cardinals, but went just seven of nine on point-after tries. Now on waivers, he's expected to be a popular option for teams in need of a kicker.
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Matt Gay K | SF
49ers' Matt Gay: Reverts to practice squad
Gay reverted to the 49ers' practice squad Tuesday, per the NFL transaction log.
Gay made his 49ers' debut only one week after being waived by the Commanders. He made a pair of field goals and two extra-point attempts in Monday's win over the Panthers and will presumably retain kicking duties for Week 13 against the Browns should Eddy Pineiro (hamstring) remain sidelined.
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Blake Grupe K | IND
Blake Grupe: Time in New Orleans ends
The Saints waived Grupe on Tuesday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
Grupe knocked down a career-best 87.1 percent of his field-goal tries in 2024, but his accuracy had cratered during his third NFL season. After missing attempts from 38 and 47 yards in the Saints' Week 12 loss to the Falcons, Grupe's conversion rate for the season dropped to 69.2 percent, placing him last among all NFL kickers with at least 20 attempts. The Saints have signed Cade York to their practice squad following a tryout, and he'll presumably be elevated or signed to the 53-man roster to step in as the team's new kicker beginning with Sunday's game in Miami.
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Ryan Fitzgerald K | CAR
Panthers' Ryan Fitzgerald: Misses FG in Week 12 loss
Fitzgerald converted one of two field-goal attempts in Carolina's 20-9 loss to San Francisco on Monday night.
Fitzgerald made a 25-yard field goal in the opening quarter, and his miss was a 57-yard attempt late in the fourth quarter. On the season, the rookie kicker has made 18 of 22 field-goal tries and just 16 of 19 extra-point attempts. Carolina could opt to look at other options at kicker in the coming weeks.