Thank you if you're still reading this column in Week 18. That means you either can't get enough Fantasy Football content and are sticking it out until the end, even if your league has ended. Or it means you're brave enough to hold your Fantasy championship in Week 18. Whatever the reason, we're glad you're here.
We know this hasn't been an easy week following the Monday night incident with Bills safety Damar Hamlin in Cincinnati. We're still praying for him to make a full recovery and keep checking the news reports, and hopefully he'll get out of the hospital and return to Buffalo soon.
While of little importance under the circumstances, the game being postponed between the Bills and Bengals in Week 17 has impacted Fantasy leagues. I hope you've come to some resolution with your Fantasy championships, and it hasn't been easy on Fantasy commissioners to decide on the right thing to do.
If you have any questions, please reach out to me via Twitter @jameyeisenberg or use the hashtag #AskFFT, and I'll be happy to help. I've settled all of my leagues already because I didn't want this to carry over into Week 18, and thankfully all of the parties involved have been understanding of the situation.
Playing your Fantasy leagues in Week 18 isn't easy because of teams potentially resting players for the playoffs, and we're waiting to find out what will happen with the Buccaneers, who are locked into the No. 4 seed in the NFC, and the Giants, who are the No. 6 seed. Other teams could opt to rest players as well, but we might not know about those scenarios until the games unfold.
It's a tricky scoring period, which is why we don't like using it to decide Fantasy titles, but we're here to help as always with your start and sit suggestions. Again, thank you for reading this column all season, including this week, and we hope it's helped you more often than not in the 2022 campaign.
Start of the Week
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The emergence of Trevor Lawrence as a star quarterback has been fun to watch, and I hope he leads the Jaguars into the NFL playoffs. It's a fun story after his rookie season was such a disaster under Urban Meyer, and Lawrence should play well in this showdown with the Titans to decide the AFC South.
Jacksonville already beat Tennessee 36-22 in Week 14, which started a four-game winning streak for the Jaguars, and Lawrence had a big game against the Titans in that contest. He was 30-of-42 passing for 368 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, but he also lost a fumble. He scored 38 Fantasy points, and another big stat line is definitely possible in the rematch.
Tennessee is No. 4 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks this year. There have been eight quarterbacks to score at least 22 Fantasy points against the Titans in 2022.
It's tough to run on the Titans, but you're still starting Travis Etienne as a No. 2 Fantasy option in all leagues. Tennessee is vulnerable in the secondary, and Lawrence should lean on Evan Engram, Christian Kirk and Zay Jones in this matchup. All are worth starting in Week 18.
I like Lawrence as a top-five quarterback this week. Prior to the past two games, when he faced the Jets in the rain and wind in Week 16 or played just a half against the Texans in Week 17, he scored at least 24 Fantasy points in four of five starts, including three outings with at least 30 points. He's hot right now, and he should stay that way against the Titans in one of the biggest games of the week.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Quarterbacks
QBs to Start
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Goff finally had a good outing on the road in Week 16 at Carolina with 31 Fantasy points, and he's in a groove right now, scoring at least 21 Fantasy points in five of his past six games. The Packers have been stingy against quarterbacks lately, keeping Justin Fields, Baker Mayfield, Tua Tagovailoa and Kirk Cousins to 19 Fantasy points or less, but I'll stick with Goff in this matchup, which could be for the final wild-card spot in the NFC.
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If Prescott could cut down on the turnovers he would be playing like an elite Fantasy quarterback. He's scored at least 22 Fantasy points in three of his past five games, but he has eight interceptions and one fumble over that span. I hope he'll play a cleaner game against Washington in Week 18, and the Commanders have allowed three of their past four opposing quarterbacks to score at least 19 Fantasy points.
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Smith was better than I expected in Week 17 against the Jets with 20 Fantasy points, and he's now scored at least 20 points in seven of his past nine games. One of those outings was against the Rams in Week 13 at Los Angeles, and Smith had 367 passing yards, three touchdowns and one interception. The Seahawks are playing for a wild-card berth in this game, so Smith will hopefully have a big performance against the Rams, who just allowed Justin Herbert to score 21 Fantasy points against them in Week 17.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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I'll stick with Purdy again in Week 18 against the Cardinals, and this is a big game for San Francisco. The 49ers can get the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a victory against Arizona and an Eagles loss to the Giants, so San Francisco has plenty of motivation for this game. Purdy has scored at least 20 Fantasy points in three of four starts, and his worst outing was 19 points against Washington in Week 16. No quarterback has scored more than 13 Fantasy points against Arizona in the past four games, but for the season the Cardinals allow 19.0 Fantasy points per game to the position. And Jimmy Garoppolo had 33 Fantasy points against Arizona in Week 12.
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Stidham is dealing with an elbow injury, but hopefully he will be OK for this matchup with the Chiefs. He's coming off a tremendous game against the 49ers in Week 17 where he scored 31 Fantasy points with 365 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, along with 34 rushing yards. It's a great matchup for him in Week 18 against the Chiefs since Kansas City has allowed four of the past five opposing quarterbacks to score at least 22 Fantasy points. And for the season, the Chiefs allow opposing quarterbacks to score 22.7 Fantasy points per game on average.
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QBs to Sit
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As of Wednesday morning, we don't fully know what the Buccaneers plan to do with their starters in Week 18 at Atlanta. The game is meaningless since Tampa Bay is locked into the No. 4 seed in the NFC, so risking the health of Brady and other key members on offense makes little sense. That said, Todd Bowles did say, "you can't take your foot off the gas," which could indicate Brady and Co. are playing quite a bit. I'm not expecting Brady to play much, if at all, which is why he's listed here. If you play a Fantasy matchup in Week 18 you should find a different quarterback than Brady.
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The Giants seem likely to rest their starters in Week 18 at Philadelphia since they are locked into the No. 6 seed in the NFC. Brian Daboll said he'll "do what's best for the team," which should be keeping Jones on the sideline. He's had a great season and helped plenty of Fantasy managers down the stretch, scoring at least 20 Fantasy points in three of his past four games. But the Giants shouldn't play him at Philadelphia since this game is meaningless, and the Eagles will be highly motivated trying to lock up the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
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Maybe Nathaniel Hackett's departure is just what Wilson and the Broncos needed. Or maybe Wilson just likes facing the Chiefs. In the first game for Denver without Hackett in Week 17 at Kansas City, the Broncos nearly pulled off an upset in a 27-24 loss, and Wilson had 24 Fantasy points. Now, he also scored 30 Fantasy points against Kansas City in Week 14, so it could be the matchup, but let's give Wilson a little credit. However, I would look to sit Wilson in Week 18 against the Chargers. Wilson only scored 15 Fantasy points against the Chargers in Week 6, and this defense has held Tua Tagovailoa, Ryan Tannehill, Nick Foles and Baker Mayfield to a combined 26 Fantasy points over the past four games.
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Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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Watson was fantastic in Week 17 at Washington with 27 Fantasy points, and he did it with just 9-of-18 passing for 169 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, along with 31 rushing yards. It was his first game with more than 18 Fantasy points in his five appearances this season, and we'll see if he can build on that performance this week at Pittsburgh. But this matchup is daunting since the Steelers have allowed just one quarterback to score more than 15 Fantasy points since Week 10, which was Joe Burrow in Week 11. Granted, the level of competition was mediocre -- Andy Dalton, Matt Ryan, Marcus Mariota, Sam Darnold, Derek Carr and Tyler Huntley twice -- but I'm not expecting Watson to have a big outing in Pittsburgh in Week 18.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Running Backs
RBs to Start
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Akers is on fire and should stay hot for one more week against the Seahawks in Week 18. He has either 100 total yards or a touchdown in five games in a row, and this streak started against Seattle in Week 13 when he had 17 carries for 60 yards and two touchdowns, along with one catch for no yards on one target. In his past two games against Denver and the Chargers, Akers has combined for 241 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 42 carries. The Seahawks have allowed nine total touchdowns to running backs in their past six games and six running backs to score at least 12 PPR points over that span.
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Harris was a bust to start the season, but he's closing the year on a high note with at least 14 PPR points in three games in a row, including 20 PPR points at Baltimore in Week 17. I love that he has eight catches in his past two games against the Raiders and Ravens on 12 targets, and hopefully he stays involved in the passing game again in Week 18 against the Browns. Cleveland has allowed a running back to score at least 12 PPR points in 11 of the past 12 games, with 14 running backs hitting that mark over that span. Harris had 12 PPR points against the Browns in Week 3 and has 69 carries for 335 yards and three touchdowns and nine catches for 52 yards in three career games against Cleveland.
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It might be tough to trust Moss if this is your Fantasy championship, but he should do well against the Texans at home. Houston is No. 1 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and seven running backs in the past six games have scored at least 12 PPR points against the Texans. Moss has run well in the three games since Jonathan Taylor (ankle) got hurt with 41 carries for 220 yards (5.4 yards per carry), but he's yet to score and has just one catch for 5 yards on two targets. But I'll take a chance on Moss this week given his expected workload and matchup, and he should finish as a top-20 running back in all leagues.
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Allgeier was great as the Start of the Week in Week 17, scoring 16 PPR points against Arizona with 20 carries for 83 yards and a touchdown and one catch for 12 yards on one target. He's now scored at least 15 PPR points in three games in a row, and he should finish the season strong against the Buccaneers, who aren't expected to play their starters for much of the game, if at all. Allgeier needs 100 yards for a 1,000-yard season, so hopefully he gets enough carries to make that happen, and I like him once again as a standout No. 2 Fantasy running back in all leagues.
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I liked Swift as a starting Fantasy running back in this column last week, and he delivered a monster game with 26 PPR points against Chicago with 11 carries for 28 yards and a touchdown, along with four catches for 39 yards and a touchdown on four targets. It was great for Swift and Jamaal Williams -- he had 157 total yards and a touchdown on 23 touches -- that Justin Jackson (hip) was out against the Bears, and we'll see if Jackson can return in Week 18. The Packers have limited the running game for Miami and Minnesota the past two weeks, but prior to that, five running backs in a row scored at least 13 PPR points against Green Bay. I like Swift and Williams as No. 2 Fantasy options this week, with Swift the better start in PPR given his work in the passing game.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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With Skylar Thompson starting at quarterback for the Dolphins due to injuries for Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) and Teddy Bridgewater (finger), along with the matchup against the Jets, we could see Mostert and Jeff Wilson heavily involved in the passing game again in Week 18. In Week 17 against the Patriots, Mostert had nine carries for 29 yards and eight catches for 62 yards and a touchdown on eight targets. Wilson had 15 carries for 45 yards and three catches for 31 yards on seven targets. Both are flex options, and the Jets have allowed a running back to catch at least three passes in three games in a row. Mostert also had 18 carries for 113 yards and a touchdown and one catch for 9 yards against the Jets in Week 5, although that was before Wilson was acquired from the 49ers via trade.
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Jerick McKinnon is a must-start Fantasy running back at this point, but Pacheco can be used as a flex option against the Raiders in Week 18. The matchup is great since Las Vegas has allowed 11 of the past 12 opposing running backs to score at least 15 PPR points. While McKinnon is more likely to reach that total than Pacheco, this could be a game where the Chiefs lean on Pacheco prior to the playoffs. And he has scored at least 12 PPR points in four of his past six games.
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There's a good chance that the Vikings don't play Dalvin Cook for the entire game against the Bears in Week 18, which means we could get additional playing time for Mattison. And in deeper leagues, that makes him a flex play given the matchup. Chicago is No. 3 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and five running backs in the past four games have scored at least 17 PPR points against the Bears, including D'Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams in Week 17. If Mattison were guaranteed to get double digits in touches this week then he could be a standout Fantasy option in all leagues.
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If the Chargers don't want to overwork Austin Ekeler with the playoffs on the horizon then we might see Kelley get more work in Week 18 against the Broncos. The Chargers need to win in Week 18 to lock up the No. 5 seed, which is desirable because they would play the AFC South winner. Kelley could be a flex option with an increased workload, and he has two games this season with at least 10 carries. He scored a touchdown in both of them and averaged 13.0 PPR points.
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The 49ers might not want to overwork Christian McCaffrey in Week 18 against the Cardinals, especially if they aren't guaranteed to get a first-round bye. Mason might get the chance for an increased workload against Arizona, and this is a fantastic matchup since the Cardinals are No. 4 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. In the past three weeks, three pairs of running backs have scored at least 15 PPR points against Arizona with Latavius Murray and Marlon Mack in Week 15, Leonard Fournette and Rachaad White in Week 16 and Tyler Allgeier and Cordarrelle Patterson in Week 17. There's a chance Elijah Mitchell (knee) could play this week also, and if that happens then I would prefer him over Mason in this game against Arizona.
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RBs to Sit
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Foreman had a disappointing game in Week 17 at Tampa Bay with 13 carries for 35 yards and no catches, and he's now scored eight PPR points or less in three of his past four games. He could have another poor outing in Week 18 at the Saints, who have allowed just two rushing touchdowns to running backs since Week 8. Foreman will continue to share touches with Chuba Hubbard, and Foreman's lack of work in the passing game makes him risky when facing a top-tier run defense. He should only be considered a flex option in non-PPR leagues.
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I don't expect Barkley to play much, if at all, in Week 18 at the Eagles. The Giants have nothing to play for with the No. 6 seed locked up in the NFC, and risking Barkley with an injury in a game right before the playoffs makes little sense. The Giants should lean on Matt Breida and Gary Brightwell in this matchup, with Breida getting a slight nod as a flex option in most leagues, and keep Barkley on the bench to make sure he's fresh for the postseason.
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Fournette might play if the Buccaneers decide not to rest players in Week 18 at Atlanta, but that doesn't make sense to me. Tampa Bay shouldn't risk any of its main players with the No. 4 seed in the NFC locked up, and Fournette is a veteran with little to gain by playing against the Falcons. Instead, the Buccaneers should give more work to Rachaad White or even Ke'Shawn Vaughn, who has sleeper appeal in deeper leagues. Keep an eye on what's said out of Tampa Bay, but plan to be without Fournette in your Week 18 Fantasy lineups.
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Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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Dobbins ran well in Week 17 against Pittsburgh, but he had an empty stat line with 17 carries for 93 yards and no touchdowns or targets for nine PPR points. That's the fear with Dobbins when he's not running for 125 yards that if he doesn't score a touchdown he's going to hurt your Fantasy team, especially with a limited role in the passing game. The Bengals are a tough matchup since Cincinnati has allowed just three running backs all season to eclipse 70 rushing yards. And the Bengals have held Derrick Henry, Nick Chubb, Leonard Fournette and Rhamondre Stevenson to 44 rushing yards or less over the past five games. I like Dobbins as just a flex this week, with his value higher in non-PPR leagues.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Wide Receivers
WRs to Start
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Imagine what could have been for Moore if he just had Sam Darnold at quarterback all year. That sounds funny, but Moore has been awesome with Darnold, scoring at least 18 PPR points in four of five starts. Moore is coming off his best game with Darnold in Week 17 at Tampa Bay when he had six catches for 117 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets, and the Saints have allowed five receivers in their past four games to score at least 13 PPR points.
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Watson was clearly limited in Week 17 against Minnesota with the hip injury he suffered in Week 16 at Miami, and he finished the game against the Vikings with one catch for 11 yards on five targets. He should rebound this week against the Lions at home, and Detroit has allowed six receivers to score at least 13 PPR points in the past five games. Watson only had two catches for 24 yards on two targets against the Lions in Week 9, but he should destroy them at home in Week 18 if he's back to full strength.
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Aiyuk is starting to click with Brock Purdy, and has 19 targets in his past two games against Washington and Las Vegas for 14 catches, 182 yards and a touchdown. He has scored at least 13 PPR points in three of his past four games overall with Purdy, and Aiyuk had two catches for 20 yards and two touchdowns on four targets at Arizona in Week 11. Keep an eye on Deebo Samuel (knee) this week, and if he remains out then consider Aiyuk a quality No. 2 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues.
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I like the setup for Olave and Rashid Shaheed this week, and both are worth starting in three-receiver leagues, with a slight nod to Olave as the better Fantasy option. Olave hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 11 and missed Week 16 with a hamstring injury, but I hope he's fully healthy this week. And Shaheed is hot right now, having scored at least 13 PPR points in two of his past three games. But the reason to like both of these guys is the matchup with the Panthers, who have been awful against receivers of late and don't have starting corners Donte Jackson (Achilles) and Jaycee Horn (wrist). In Carolina's past six games, 10 receivers have scored at least 13 PPR points against this defense. This could be a big game for Olave and Shaheed in Week 18.
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Since Trevor Lawrence is the Start of the Week, I like the setup for Jones, Christian Kirk and Engram in Week 18 against the Titans. We'll tout Jones here because he's due for a big game after being limited the past two weeks against the Jets and Texans for a combined seven PPR points. Prior to that, Jones had a five-game stretch where he scored at least 14 PPR points in four games, with 51 targets over that span. He also faced the Titans in Week 14 and had eight catches for 77 yards and a touchdown on 12 targets. Kirk only had five catches for 45 yards on seven targets in that first meeting, but he should do better in the rematch. And Engram went off against Tennessee in Week 14 with 11 catches for 162 yards and two touchdowns on 15 targets. This should be a big week for the Jacksonville air attack.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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I'm sure a lot of people are rooting for everything Buffalo right now following the Damar Hamlin situation, so let's send some positive vibes to Gabe Davis and hope he plays well against the Patriots. It would be great to see him end the season on a high note after struggling down the stretch, but he did have a touchdown against the Patriots in Week 13. However, he only had two catches for 15 yards on seven targets. New England is dealing with injuries in the secondary which should help Davis, Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs, and Davis is worth using as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues.
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Let's hope that Dortch gets 10 targets again from David Blough in Week 18 at San Francisco like he did in Week 17 against Atlanta. Only this time let's hope he catches more than four passes for 15 yards. That was the sixth time this season Dortch had more than three targets in a game, but the only time he failed to score more than 13 PPR points. DeAndre Hopkins (knee) is out again in Week 18, and 49ers have allowed six receivers to score at least 12 PPR points in their past three games, so Dortch could be a No. 3 PPR Fantasy option in Week 18. Marquise Brown should be considered a borderline starter in all leagues.
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Brandin Cooks remains the better of the Texans receivers, but Moore could be a sneaky sleeper in Week 18 against the Colts, who have struggled with slot receivers. He's been quiet the past two games with Cooks back, and Moore only has five catches for 46 yards on nine targets over that span against Tennessee and Jacksonville. But Indianapolis has struggled with receivers of late, especially in the slot, including Keenan Allen and Richie James each scoring at least 20 PPR points in the past two games. Moore could be a No. 3 receiver in deeper formats.
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We'll see what happens with Toney now that Mecole Hardman (abdomen) is back for Week 18, but I still like the idea of Toney as a flex option against the Raiders. Toney had a productive game in Week 17 against Denver with four catches for 71 yards on four targets, but he played just 16 of 53 offensive snaps and remains tough to trust. That being said, you see his explosiveness every time he touches the ball, and he could be electric on the turf in Las Vegas. It's also a good matchup since the Raiders have allowed six receivers to score at least 12 PPR points in their past five games.
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WRs to Sit
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McLaurin could have a great game in rookie Sam Howell's first start, or he could be an absolute disaster, especially against the Cowboys. I'm not going to be too pessimistic, but I'll downgrade McLaurin to a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in this scenario. His targets have been down of late with a combined 16 in his past three games against the Giants, 49ers and Browns, and he struggled against Cleveland in Week 17 with two catches for 25 yards on five targets. That was with Carson Wentz at quarterback, and Howell could easily play better than Wentz, which would help McLaurin. But he also has to deal with promising rookie Jahan Dotson -- who might be the better Fantasy play in Week 18 and has 23 targets in his past three outings -- and I'm not expecting a huge game from McLaurin this week.
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I hope the Kenny Pickett to Johnson connection improves for 2023 because it hasn't gone well for Fantasy managers in 2022. Johnson had two catches for 35 yards on seven targets at Baltimore in Week 17, and he has now scored 11 PPR points or less in the past 11 games with Pickett under center, including seven games with nine PPR points or fewer. Johnson also has yet to score a touchdown this year. Now, he did play well against the Browns in Week 3 with eight catches for 84 yards on 11 targets, but that was Mitchell Trubisky at quarterback. Johnson is a No. 3 PPR receiver in Week 18 at best and someone to avoid in non-PPR leagues.
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Chark was good the last time he was on the road in Week 16 at Carolina with four catches for 108 yards on five targets, but I'm not going to trust him here at Green Bay. The Packers secondary is tough, led by standout cornerback Jaire Alexander, and Chark hasn't scored a touchdown in his past three games. He's also been at five targets or less in three games in a row, and the only Fantasy receiver to start for the Lions is Amon-Ra St. Brown. Jared Goff will get help from his running backs, St. Brown and some tight end who will likely come out of nowhere (see Shane Zylstra in Week 16 and Brock Wright in Week 17), but Chark is not worth starting in the majority of leagues in Week 18.
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There's always the chance the Vikings try to get Thielen going this week to make sure he's ready for the playoffs, but he's been brutal of late and should not be started in the majority of leagues. In his past two games against the Giants and Packers, Thielen has combined for three PPR points on two catches for 22 yards on nine targets. He also had just four catches for 27 yards on seven targets against the Bears in Week 5. At best, Thielen is a low-end No. 3 receiver in PPR in Week 18.
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Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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Waddle without Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) is tough to trust, and Teddy Bridgewater (finger) could also be out. In four games this season where Tagovailoa was either out or didn't finish and the game was still in contention, Waddle scored eight PPR points or less, including last week at New England. One of those games was against the Jets in Week 5 with Skylar Thompson, and Waddle finished with three catches for 23 yards on four targets. The Jets are tough in the secondary, and Waddle should be considered a No. 3 Fantasy receiver this week in the majority of leagues.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Tight End
TEs to Start
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Knox will hopefully stay hot in Week 18 against the Patriots, and he scored a touchdown in each of his previous three games. Now, that three-game streak started after a dud against the Patriots in Week 13 when he had no catches on one target, but New England has allowed a tight end to score in two of its past three games. And the Patriots are one of four teams this season to allow at least 10 touchdowns to opposing tight ends, along with Detroit, Arizona and Miami.
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Higbee was bad in Week 17 against the Chargers when he had three catches for 11 yards on four targets, but he should rebound this week against Seattle. The Seahawks are No. 1 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends, and three tight ends in a row have scored at least 14 PPR points against Seattle. Higbee only had two catches for 14 yards on two targets against the Seahawks in Week 13, but he should do better in the rematch and has top-10 upside in all Fantasy leagues.
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I'd like to see Waller get more targets, but he's been productive in his three games since coming back from his hamstring injury. He has at least nine PPR points in each outing, with two games of at least 13 PPR points, but he's been at five targets or less each week. In Week 17 against San Francisco with Jarrett Stidham, Waller had three catches for 72 yards and a touchdown on five targets. Waller has a good history against the Chiefs, scoring at least 15 PPR points in three of his past four healthy games, and he should be trusted again in all leagues in Week 18.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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Conklin should have the chance for another solid game in Week 18 against Miami. The Dolphins are No. 3 in Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends on the season, and three tight ends have scored against Miami in the past three games. Joe Flacco is starting for the Jets with Mike White (ribs) out, but Conklin played well with Flacco to start the season. In the first three games of the year with Flacco, Conklin scored at least 10 PPR points in each outing and had at least seven targets in each contest. His average over those three games was 12.1 PPR points per game.
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Johnson and Taysom Hill are both worth using as low-end starters in the majority of leagues in Week 18. Johnson was again productive in Week 17 at Philadelphia with five catches for 62 yards on seven targets, and he's now scored at least 11 PPR points in five of his past seven games. And Hill has scored a touchdown in four games in a row, including two on the ground, and he is averaging 11.5 PPR points over that span.
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McBride has the same setup in Week 18 at San Francisco that helped him be successful in Week 17 at Atlanta. DeAndre Hopkins (knee) is out and David Blough is the starting quarterback. Against the Falcons in Week 17, McBride had seven catches for 78 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets. Let's hope that type of production happens again in Week 18, and the 49ers have allowed a tight end to score at least nine PPR points in three games in a row, with two touchdowns over that span.
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TEs to Sit
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I'm nervous to start Kmet with Justin Fields (hip) out in Week 18 against Minnesota. Kmet scored a touchdown in Week 17 at Detroit, but he's been held to 35 yards or less in five of his past six games. He also has just one touchdown over that span. He played Week 12 at the Jets without Fields, and Trevor Siemian connected with Kmet for just three catches for 27 yards on six targets. I don't expect Kmet to be much better than that with Nathan Peterman under center against the Vikings.
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Henry did well in Week 17 against Miami with five catches for 52 yards on six targets, and that's the third time he's scored at least 10 PPR points in his past six games. But he shouldn't be trusted against the Bills, who held Henry to two catches for 13 yards on five targets in Week 13. Buffalo is No. 2 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends and the lone team yet to allow a tight end to score a touchdown this year.
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Everett had a revenge game against his former team in Week 17 against the Rams with three catches for 15 yards and a touchdown on three targets. That was his first touchdown since Week 4 and just his second game with double digits in PPR since Week 7. This week, he's facing a Broncos defense that held him to seven PPR points in Week 6 with five catches for 29 yards on seven targets. Denver should be able to limit Everett again in the rematch.
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Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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Freiermuth struggled in Week 17 at Baltimore with just three catches for 36 yards on six targets, and I expect him to have another down performance in Week 18 against the Browns. In Week 3 against Cleveland, with Mitchell Trubisky under center, Freiermuth was held to two catches for 41 yards on four targets. The Browns are No. 6 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends, and only two tight ends have scored against Cleveland this year.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
DST
DST to Start
Vikings (at CHI)
With Justin Fields (hip) out, this Bears offense could be absolutely miserable, so it's worth trusting the Vikings DST in a matchup against Nathan Peterman. With Fields, Chicago has scored just 23 points in the past two games against Buffalo and Detroit, and the Bears also scored just 10 points when Fields was out in Week 12 at the Jets when Trevor Siemian started. Chicago has allowed 15 sacks in the past three games, and the Vikings DST has top-five upside in Week 18.
Sleepers
- Chargers (at DEN)
- Saints (vs. CAR)
- Jaguars (vs. TEN)
DST to Sit
Ravens (at CIN)
The Ravens haven't allowed a team to score more than 16 points against them since Week 12, but that was in matchups against Russell Wilson, Mitchell Trubisky, Deshaun Watson, Desmond Ridder and Kenny Pickett. Now, Baltimore has to face Joe Burrow, and this is a much tougher task on the road. While the Ravens held Cincinnati to 17 points in Week 5 with three sacks and one interception, the Bengals offense is playing at a much higher level of late. I would avoid the Ravens DST in most leagues in Week 18.
START 'EM & SIT 'EM
KICKERS
Kicker to Start
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The Broncos have allowed a kicker to make multiple field goals in three of their past four games, and kickers in Denver have felt right at home. The past five road kickers in Denver have scored at least nine Fantasy points. Dustin Hopkins was the kicker for the Chargers in the first meeting with the Broncos in Week 6, and he made four field goals and one PAT against Denver for 13 Fantasy points. Dicker has top-five upside in Week 18.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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Kicker to Sit
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Gano had no field goal attempts and just two PATs in Week 14 against the Eagles, and that was with New York trying to compete in that game. This week, the Giants could be resting players to get ready for the playoffs since they are locked into the No. 6 seed in the NFC. Only six kickers have made multiple field goals against Philadelphia all season, and Gano might not get enough support in this matchup if Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley, among others, aren't playing.
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