Week 18 can provide plenty of twists and turns, with many teams having nothing left to play for. We could see a lot of starters rested, which makes for a tricky DFS slate. Let's dive into the Sunday FanDuel NFL DFS slate and highlight some of the top players to consider when crafting your lineups.
The Games
A lot of the focus of NFL DFS picks is on individual players. Skills certainly matter, but finding game environments that are likely to promote a lot of points scored is a way to narrow the focus of our player pool.
| Over-Under | Road Team | Road Team Total | Home Team | Home Team Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44 | Saints | 20.5 | Falcons | 23.5 |
| 44.5 | Browns | 17.5 | Bengals | 26.5 |
| 38.5 | Colts | 13.5 | Texans | 24.5 |
| 47.5 | Titans | 16.5 | Jaguars | 30.5 |
| 35.5 | Packers | 13.5 | Vikings | 22.5 |
| 49.5 | Cowboys | 26.5 | Giants | 23.5 |
| 37.5 | Jets | 15.5 | Bills | 22.5 |
| 50.5 | Lions | 23.5 | Bears | 26.5 |
| 37.5 | Chargers | 12.5 | Broncos | 24.5 |
| 45.5 | Cardinals | 19.5 | Rams | 27.5 |
| 36.5 | Chiefs | 20.5 | Raiders | 15.5 |
| 45.5 | Dolphins | 16.5 | Patriots | 28.5 |
| 38.5 | Commanders | 17.5 | Eagles | 21.5 |
There are six games with a total below 40 points and just two over 49; the favorites with the highest totals include the Jaguars, Patriots and Rams.
Value Options
Dylan Sampson, CLE at CIN ($5,700): Sampson only ran for 27 yards against the Steelers last week, but he led the team with 11 rushing attempts. Raheim Sanders was second with eight carries, but he wasn't any more effective, finishing with 21 rushing yards. Quinshon Judkins (ankle) is out for the season, so Sampson could be in line to lead the Browns in carries again.
Sampson has a better matchup to close out the season, with the Bengals allowing the second-most yards per carry to running backs in the league, and they've given up 20 total touchdowns to the position. At his cheap salary, Sampson is worth the risk tournaments.
Colston Loveland, CHI vs. DET ($5,300): The Bears have already won the NFC North, but head coach Ben Johnson said that there is no plan to rest his starters. Caleb Williams needs 270 more passing yards to become the first quarterback in Bears history to throw for at least 4,000 yards in a season. That could lead to plenty of pass attempts against a Lions team that is tied for the ninth-most yards allowed per pass attempt in the league.
Loveland played well in a shootout against the 49ers last week, catching six of 10 targets for 94 yards and one touchdown. Rome Odunze (foot) has sat out four straight games and is trending towards being out again. With limited options at wide receiver, Loveland could see an expanded target share again.
Other Value Options
QB Jaxson Dart, NYG vs. DAL ($7,100)
QB Shedeur Sanders, CLE at CIN ($6,600)
RB Malik Davis, DAL at NYG ($6,000)
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr., NYG vs. DAL ($5,900)
RB Emanuel Wilson, GB at MIN ($5,700)
WR Jakobi Meyers, JAC vs. TEN ($6,500)
WR Luther Burden III, CHI vs. DET ($6,100)
WR Jayden Higgins, HOU vs. IND ($5,700)
TE Brenton Strange, JAC vs. TEN ($5,400)
TE Chig Okonkwo, TEN at JAC ($5,100)
Stacks to Consider
Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants
The Cowboys failed to make the playoffs because of their defense, but their offense is among the most potent in the league, averaging 28.4 points per game. That's because of Dak Prescott ($8,300), who has 30 touchdown passes and is approaching 4,500 passing yards. This is a great matchup for him to pad his stats, as the Giants are tied for the seventh-most FanDuel points allowed per game to quarterbacks.
There are two great stacking options to consider pairing with Prescott in CeeDee Lamb ($9,000) and George Pickens ($8,800). Pickens has been more inconsistent down the stretch, posting fewer than 40 receiving yards in two of his last four games. The top choice among these two should be Lamb, who has been targeted 44 times over the last five games. When he faced the Giants in Week 2, he caught nine of 11 targets for 112 yards.
Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams
After a disappointing loss to the Falcons last week, the Rams can't win the NFC West. Head coach Sean McVay hasn't said that he will rest his starters, but it wouldn't be a surprise if a few get pulled at some point in the second half. On the defensive side of the ball, that might mean fewer snaps than usual for Jared Verse.
Jacoby Brissett ($7,500) had two more touchdowns for the Cardinals last week, giving him at least two touchdowns in nine of his 11 starts. The team has leaned heavily on the veteran quarterback, having him average 41.2 pass attempts a game, which makes him an intriguing option. Marvin Harrison Jr. (foot) has been ruled out, so consider stacking Michael Wilson ($7,300) with Brissett; in four games without Harrison this season, Wilson has totaled 41 receptions, 499 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
Other Stacks to Consider
Bears – Caleb Williams ($7,800) + Colston Loveland ($5,300)
Giants – Jaxson Dart ($7,100) + Wan'Dale Robinson ($6,300)
Lions – Jared Goff ($7,700) + Amon-Ra St. Brown ($9,100)
High-Price Heroes
Bijan Robinson, ATL vs. NO ($9,600): For those who play in season-long fantasy leagues, Robinson might have won some championships with his performance against the Rams in Week 17. Not only did he run 22 times for 195 yards and one touchdown, but he also caught five of eight targets for 34 yards and another touchdown. Over the Falcons' last seven games, Robinson has 1,109 total yards and seven touchdowns.
Robinson should receive another heavy workload in Week 18 with the Falcons looking to finish the season on a four-game winning streak. When he faced the Saints in Week 12, he posted 107 total yards; look for him to have a high floor in their rematch.
Nico Collins, HOU vs. IND ($8,400): The Texans have clinched a playoff spot already, but they are still playing for the AFC South title. They have won eight games in a row, putting them one game behind a Jaguars team that's won seven straight. Collins didn't exactly stand out in the Texans' win over the Chargers last week, catching three of four targets for just 57 yards.
This is a good bounce-back spot for Collins, with the Colts having been eliminated from playoff contention. Sauce Gardner has been dealing with a calf injury, so with the team's season already over, he might sit this one out. With him playing just two snaps against the Texans in Week 13, Collins caught five passes for 98 yards, and he had a seven-yard rushing touchdown. The Texans could score plenty of points in this matchup, with Collins potentially being right in the thick of the action.
The Smash Spot
James Cook III, BUF vs. NYJ ($8,400): There is some concern that the Bills could ease off on their starters at some point in this game with the Patriots having already won the AFC East. There is still seeding to play for, though, so Cook should at least start. He comes into this game having rushed for at least 100 yards in four of his last six matchups.
When Cook faced the Jets in Week 2, he ran 21 times for 132 yards and two touchdowns. The Jets have given up 16 rushing touchdowns to running backs, which is tied for the third-most in the league. Even if Cook plays just three quarters of this game, he has the potential for 100 yards and a touchdown.
