Fantasy Football Week 18: Biggest Sleepers at Every Position
You may be one of those fantasy football managers who took an early lead in the first week of the championship round, or you're in a playoff setting that extends to Week 18. Either way, we're here to help you win a league title with our final batch of sleepers for the 2023 season.
In the fantasy football realm, Week 18 brings a lot of chaos with the possibility that some playoff-bound teams may rest or limit snaps for starters.
This week, we will help you maneuver through tricky injury reports and covert snap-count plans.
For the most part, managers should target teams in games with playoff implications. With that said, you will see a few exceptions below because of the player's recent trend of production.
For Week 18, our sleepers include a couple of quarterbacks on clubs in playoff contention, a couple of rookies at running back and tight end along with two pass-catchers who have racked up a notable number of yards and touchdowns over the past few weeks.
As is the case every week, all eight of our sleeper targets are available in at least 50 percent of point-per-reception leagues based on Fantasy Pros' consensus roster percentages.
QB Gardner Minshew vs. Houston Texans (24 Percent Rostered)
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On Saturday, Gardner Minshew will start in one of the most meaningful Week 18 games in terms of playoff implications. The winner between the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans will earn a playoff spot and could claim the AFC South title if the Jacksonville Jaguars lose to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
In a win-and-in contest, Minshew has a decent matchup. The Colts may attack the Texans through the air. Houston ranks 25th in passing yards allowed per game and is tied for ninth-most fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks.
In the Colts' first meeting with the Texans, Minshew relieved Anthony Richardson, who suffered a concussion, and played nearly three quarters, going 19-of-23 passing for 171 yards and a touchdown.
Minshew seldom turns the ball over, throwing just two interceptions in his last four outings. He could throw for 300-plus yards against the Texans without the negative plays (interceptions and fumbles) that would hurt his fantasy point total.
QB Nick Mullens at Detroit Lions (8 Percent Rostered)
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Two weeks ago, we suggested Nick Mullens with caution, and his performance against the Detroit Lions panned out as expected with explosive downfield completions (411 passing yards) and crucial errors (four interceptions). He scored 20.5 fantasy points in that outing.
In the lead-up to their second meeting against the Lions, the Vikings have once again tabbed Mullens as the starting quarterback after their offense had an abysmal performance in a 33-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers last Sunday.
Against the Packers, Mullens took over for rookie fifth-rounder Jaren Hall after halftime. The former threw for 113 yards and a touchdown in relief duty.
Technically, the Vikings have a long-shot chance to make the postseason, so expect them to bounce back with a more competitive performance. Similar to his previous outing with Detroit, Mullens will likely push the ball through the air to rack up a ton of yards against a bottom-fourth pass defense.
Don't forget that Mullens will likely turn the ball over, but he'll do enough to offset those negative plays. The Lions are tied for fifth-worst in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks.
RB Roschon Johnson at Green Bay Packers (24 Percent Rostered)
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The Chicago Bears don't have a pathway to the postseason, but they can shut the door on the Green Bay Packers' playoff hopes like the Detroit Lions did last year.
As winners in four of the previous five weeks, the Bears will likely give the Packers their best shot at Lambeau Field. To do that, Chicago can bludgeon Green Bay's 28th-ranked run defense with multiple ball-carriers.
Rookie fourth-round running back Roschon Johnson plays third fiddle behind Khalil Herbert and QB Justin Fields in the Bears' ground attack, but he's finished with at least seven carries and 10 touches in consecutive games.
Last week, against the Atlanta Falcons, Johnson scored on a two-yard run—his first touchdown since Chicago's season opener against Green Bay. In a matchup against the Packers' porous defensive front, he could reach paydirt in back-to-back weeks. Green Bay is tied for 12th in most fantasy points allowed to running backs.
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RB Kenneth Gainwell at New York Giants (21 Percent Rostered)
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The Philadelphia Eagles don't control their destiny for the NFC East title following a loss to the Arizona Cardinals. They need to beat the New York Giants and a Dallas Cowboys loss to the Washington Commanders to win the division.
If the Cowboys take an early lead on the Commanders, the Eagles may gradually pull their starters throughout the game. Even if they play first-stringers for most of the contest, Kenneth Gainwell could handle enough touches to make a fantasy splash.
Over the previous two weeks, Gainwell has hauled in all seven of his targets for 53 yards. Two weeks ago, against the Giants' 29th-ranked run defense, he recorded six carries for 41 yards.
Wide receiver DeVonta Smith (ankle) missed the first practice of the week. If Philadelphia holds him out, quarterback Jalen Hurts may have more passes to spread around, which would bode well for Gainwell's fantasy outlook in PPR leagues.
Based on touches, Gainwell is the Eagles' RB2 behind D'Andre Swift, though he could get 10 touches if Philadelphia limits snaps for its starters. With a fair number of carries and receptions, Gainwell could post a solid stat line against a defense that gives up the eighth-most fantasy points to running backs.
WR Greg Dortch vs. Seattle Seahawks (5 Percent Rostered)
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The Arizona Cardinals fell out of postseason contention weeks ago, but quarterback Kyler Murray is coming off his best performance, throwing for 232 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in a 35-31 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.
With wide receiver Marquise Brown (heel) on injured reserve, Greg Dortch has emerged as a viable target in the Cardinals' aerial attack. Over the last two weeks, he's reeled in nine out of 12 targets for 127 yards and a touchdown.
Against the Eagles, Dortch led the Cardinals in catches (seven), receiving yards (82) and tied tight end Trey McBride for a team-leading seven targets.
As a key starter, Dortch should have another productive outing in a decent matchup with the Seattle Seahawks' 19th-ranked pass defense. Seattle allows the 12th-most fantasy points to wide receivers.
WR Darius Slayton vs. Philadelphia Eagles (3 Percent Rostered)
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Managers should ride the hot hand or hands of a wide receiver—even if he's on a team that's out of playoff contention. Over the last two weeks, Darius Slayton has hauled in seven out of nine targets for 196 yards and two touchdowns.
Since quarterback Tyrod Taylor took over for Tommy DeVito, he's elevated Slayton's fantasy profile.
In Week 16, the Giants benched DeVito for Taylor after halftime, and he connected with Slayton on a 69-yard touchdown pass. With Taylor under center for a full game against the Los Angeles Rams, Slayton caught four passes for 106 yards and a touchdown.
Through 16 games, Slayton has tied his season average in yards per catch (15.7). Taylor isn't known for stretching defenses, but he's tapped into Slayton's big-play ability.
The wideout could have another productive outing against the Philadelphia Eagles' 28th-ranked pass defense. Philadelphia allows the most fantasy points to wide receivers.
TE Tucker Kraft vs. Chicago Bears (17 Percent Rostered)
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Surprisingly, Tucker Kraft has a low roster percentage. He's the Green Bay Packers' clear-cut lead tight end with fellow rookie Luke Musgrave on injured reserve, and the South Dakota State product has carved out a steady role in the Packers' passing game. Kraft has tallied at least four catches and 50 receiving yards in four consecutive outings.
With that level of consistency, Tucker has a high-floor production outlook in a Week 18 matchup with the Chicago Bears.
Though the Bears allow the fifth-most fantasy points to tight ends, they've tightened up on defense since their Week 13 bye, allowing 213 total yards or fewer in three of their previous four outings.
With that said, the Packers have a banged-up wide receiver corps.
Christian Watson has missed four consecutive games with a hamstring injury, Dontayvion Wicks sat out the previous contest with chest and ankle injuries and Jayden Reed exited last Sunday's outing with a chest injury. All three wideouts and Musgrave practiced with limitations on Wednesday.
Even if the Packers get a few of their pass-catchers back on the field Sunday, Kraft could continue to see a fair number of targets against the Bears. He's seen six targets in each of the last three weeks.
TE Juwan Johnson vs. Atlanta Falcons (17 Percent Rostered)
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New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr has built a solid rapport with tight end Juwan Johnson, who's on a scoring streak.
Johnson has reached paydirt in each of his previous three outings. Last week, he hauled in eight out of 12 targets for a career-high 90 receiving yards and a touchdown in his most productive performance of the season. Over the last two weeks, Johnson has reeled in 12 out of 19 targets for 138 yards and two touchdowns.
On Sunday, Johnson will go up against the Atlanta Falcons, who are susceptible to pass-catching tight ends, allowing the 10th-most fantasy points to players at the position.
As wideout Michael Thomas continues to recover from a knee injury on injured reserve, Johnson should be entrenched as a primary target in the Saints' aerial attack if he's not forced to sit because of a chest injury. Johnson led the team in targets (by six over wideout Chris Olave) last week.
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Fantasy points scored against statistics are provided by FantasyPros.
Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.
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