The seventeenth and penultimate Sunday of the NFL season featured wonderful performances by New England Patriots QB Drake Maye, Cincinnati Bengals RB Chase Brown and New Orleans Saints WR Chris Olave, amongst myriad others, whereas Trey McBride of the Arizona Cardinals set the single-season TE receptions mark. The Patriots and Seattle Seahawks every gained their thirteenth recreation. The Las Vegas Raiders misplaced their 14th recreation. The San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears entertained with top-of-the-line video games of the season to finish the day.
For some/many within the fantasy soccer world, Week 18 won’t be in regards to the statistics in any respect, with our championships already determined. Settle in and watch the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers determine the NFC South title on Saturday afternoon or the Pittsburgh Steelers battle the rival Baltimore Ravens for the AFC North crown on Sunday evening. The No. 1 seed in every convention additionally stays unclear. In any other case, some NFL groups will play their finest gamers. Others won’t. We’re right here for these looking for free-agent additions! Sustain with the information this week and good luck!
Every Monday, earlier than the present NFL weekend ends, we’ll determine gamers out there in a minimum of 50% of ESPN commonplace leagues worthy of your consideration, from commonplace codecs to deeper choices. The NFL is a weekly league, and participant valuation and roles seldom stay stagnant. It doesn’t matter the way you purchase gamers in your fantasy rosters, simply that you simply purchase them!
Quarterback
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Is Tyler Shough underrated heading into the fantasy playoffs?
Eric Karabell breaks down what impresses him about Tyler Shough, and why the Saints’ rookie is an underrated fantasy quarterback.
Tyler Shough, Saints (20.3% rostered in ESPN leagues): Shough, the No. 40 choice within the 2025 NFL draft, continued his splendid play in Week 17, scoring 21.92 factors in a win over the Tennessee Titans. The 6-10 Saints are rolling with 4 consecutive wins, and they’re going to face the Atlanta Falcons within the finale. Shough, who made his first begin again in Week 8, has scored a minimum of 17 factors in every of the final 5 video games, even together with his staff nowhere close to playoff rivalry. He can do it as soon as extra.
Cam Ward, Titans (6.5%): Ward, the No. 1 selection within the 2025 NFL draft, hasn’t been a high supplier of fantasy factors this season, however he has scored 35.06 fantasy factors during the last two weeks. In Week 18, Ward faces the Jacksonville Jaguars, towards whom he scored 6.34 factors in Week 13. He ought to double that determine, a minimum of, in his rookie finale.
Deep-league choices/streamers/random ideas
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If out there, the Inexperienced Bay Packers determine to begin Jordan Love (concussion) in Week 18 towards the Minnesota Vikings. Nevertheless, the sport doesn’t matter to the Packers within the standings, so no matter Love’s standing, Malik Willis (2.2%) ought to play, too. Maybe he performs all of it. Willis scored a formidable 31.52 factors in Saturday’s loss to the Ravens, combining 288 passing yards with 60 speeding yards, scoring three touchdowns. The Vikings typically defend higher than the Ravens, but when Willis begins, many will contemplate him viable.
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The Ravens should win to make the playoffs and we do not but know if the staff could have the companies of preseason MVP candidate Lamar Jackson (again) for the winner-take-division Steelers recreation, leaving Tyler Huntley (0.4%) because the potential starter. Huntley scored 14.28 factors within the win over the Packers. If enjoying time was equal, we might select Willis over Huntley, however Inexperienced Bay’s motivation is an element.
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A number of of the highest fantasy quarterbacks might sit some or extra of their respective Week 18 video games, together with Buffalo Payments starter Josh Allen and Los Angeles Chargers starter Justin Herbert, as a result of their playoff-bound groups are locked into their seeds. Their high working backs and extensive receivers could also be inactive, too. Generally, watch out counting on unproven backup QBs. What then-Packers backup Matt Flynn achieved in his historic 2011 season finale (480 passing yards, 6 TD) just isn’t regular.
Working again
Audric Estime, Saints (10.6%): Estime led Saints RBs with 15 touches on Sunday, turning them into 98 yards, one landing and 16.8 factors. He was lively in a mere 2.2% of ESPN commonplace leagues, whereas TE Taysom Hill, who many believed would deal with quantity, was lively in 18.9% of leagues. Hill dealt with little quantity. Belief Estime in Week 18.
Dylan Sampson, Cleveland Browns (25.7%): Sampson loved little success towards the Steelers on Sunday, turning 14 touches into 27 yards and 5.7 factors, however issues ought to enhance within the ultimate recreation towards the weak Bengals protection. Sampson’s high recreation this season occurred in Week 1 towards the Bengals, when he caught eight passes and totaled 17.3 factors.
Malik Davis, Dallas Cowboys (1.2%): Give all credit score to Javonte Williams, who resurrected his profession with 1,201 speeding yards and 13 complete touchdowns. Nevertheless, he harm a shoulder in Week 17, and the Cowboys may simply give Davis the quantity this week towards the New York Giants. Davis rushed for 103 yards in reduction of Williams. He can do it once more.
Emanuel Wilson, Packers (35.2%): The Packers, locked into the No. 7 seed, have watched compromised star Josh Jacobs (knee/ankle) battle these days. He certain may use per week off. Wilson rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns within the first assembly with the Vikings in Week 12. Then once more, the Packers may choose to sit down each Jacobs and Wilson.
Blake Corum, Los Angeles Rams (34.7%): Corum entered Week 17’s Monday evening recreation on a strong four-game stretch of a minimum of 13 fantasy factors, scoring 5 touchdowns in reduction of Kyren Williams. The Rams end up with the horrible Cardinals. Corum scored 26.1 factors on them in Week 14.
Deep-league choices/streamers/random ideas
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Washington Commanders working backs have annoyed fantasy managers a lot of the season, and it might proceed within the finale towards a Philadelphia Eagles squad which will or might not play its starters. Rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt (48.6%) scored 22.5 factors within the Christmas Day loss to the Cowboys, capitalizing on enjoying time as Chris Rodriguez Jr. (32.3%) missed the sport as a consequence of an sickness. Rodriguez ought to return this week to reunite the annoying timeshare!
Extensive receiver
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Why the long run seems vivid for Chris Olave in fantasy
Tristan H. Cockcroft explains why fantasy managers ought to monitor Chris Olave if he continues his profession with the Saints.
Parker Washington, Jaguars (21.8%): A repeat entry from final time, in Week 17, Washington once more outshined his extra standard WR teammates Jakobi Meyers and Brian Thomas Jr. together with his 19 fantasy factors. Meyers and Thomas mixed for 15.8 factors. Washington additionally scored 26.5 factors at Denver in Week 16. He caught just one cross within the first matchup with the Titans, however his current numbers override what occurred in Week 13.
Luther Burden III, Bears (28%): Burden led all extensive receivers with 27.8 fantasy factors in Week 17 (coming into Monday evening), however he injured a quad on the ultimate play of Sunday evening’s loss. The Bears may choose to sit down Burden within the finale, so be certain that he’s enjoying earlier than trusting him.
Deep-league choices/streamers/random ideas
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Buccaneers WR Jalen McMillan (1.6%) made his 2025 debut in Week 15 and noticed solely 5 targets in his first two video games. Few would have relied on him in Week 17 towards the Dolphins. All of a sudden, although, McMillan caught seven of 9 targets for a team-leading 114 yards and 18.4 factors. Teammates Chris Godwin Jr. and Mike Evans stay higher choices for Week 18, however maybe not struggling rookie Emeka Egbuka.
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The Patriots did not have Kayshon Boutte and Mack Hollins on Sunday, so Kyle Williams (3.1%) and Efton Chism III (0.2%) stepped up with a mixed 17 fantasy factors. Chism caught a landing. Williams has three touchdowns amongst his previous eight receptions over seven video games. He could also be in for extra work within the finale towards the Miami Dolphins.
Tight finish
Colston Loveland, Bears (48.2%): Loveland starred in Sunday’s loss to San Francisco with 21.4 factors, which included 94 receiving yards and his fifth landing. He ought to deal with a big goal share in Week 18 towards the Detroit Lions.
Michael Mayer, Raiders (8.7%): Starter Brock Bowers (knee) is completed for the season, and Mayer celebrated on Sunday by scoring 17.9 factors. The Raiders end up with a house recreation towards the long-eliminated Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.
AJ Barner, Seahawks (32.2%): Barner enters the crucial 49ers recreation with touchdowns in consecutive contests. The 49ers are among the many high 10 in allowing fantasy factors to the place.
Chig Okonkwo, Titans (5.7%): Okonkwo hasn’t helped fantasy managers a lot this season, however he boasts double-digit performances in each of the final two weeks, together with his lone touchdowns of the season. Nevertheless, the Titans face a motivated Jaguars protection on Sunday.
Protection
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The Saints D/ST (48.2%) has been one of many higher fantasy items of late, maybe because of the pleasant schedule, scoring double digit factors in consecutive video games. They need to end robust towards the Falcons.
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The Packers-Vikings recreation could also be too dangerous to depend on both protection. The Packers D/ST (49.4%) has value fantasy managers eight fantasy factors (minus-five and minus-three factors) over the previous two video games, and it might sit key gamers. The Vikings D/ST (43.2%) is clearly enjoying higher protection of late, scoring 35 fantasy factors during the last two video games. They might find yourself dealing with a bunch of Packers reserves.
