Malik Davis and the Best Week 18 Fantasy Football Waiver-Wire Pickups

The 2025 fantasy football season may have reached its conclusion in most leagues, but some formats opt to go wire-to-wire alongside the NFL campaign.

If you are in one of these 18-week leagues and playing for a championship, it's time to make a slew of waiver claims to protect yourself from the chaos that unfolds during pro football's final week.

There's a good chance many fantasy football stars will be sidelined in Week 18. Whether they are taking a much-needed breather due to their team getting locked into a specific playoff seed with nothing meaningful on the line or being shut down ahead of the offseason to avoid injury risk, it's imperative to find replacements for these missing pieces.

There have already been reports that the Green Bay Packers—cemented into the NFC's No. 7 seed due to last week's results—will rest their key players in Week 18, while eliminated squads such as the Las Vegas Raiders could continue to sit their top talent with improved draft position on the line via a loss.

Don't fret if you need to replace a sitting star. There are plenty of viable waiver-wire options up for grabs, so read on for a list of the best free agents at every position worth targeting with your claims ahead of Week 18.

Suggestions are available in approximately half or more of all Yahoo! Sports leagues. Fantasy points and rankings courtesy of FantasyPros' PPR data.

Quarterback

AP Photo/Mike Roemer

Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis

Malik Willis, Green Bay Packers (2 Percent Rostered)

Willis has been a fantasy superstar during the rare opportunities he gets to lead Green Bay's offense. Although he had to wait more than a year to follow up on the QB6 finish he posted in Week 3 of last season, Jordan Love's backup made the most of the moment by piling up 31.5 points in his first start of 2025.

The dual-threat signal-caller torched the Ravens' defense for 288 yards and a touchdown on 18-of-21 passing and added 60 yards and a pair of scores on nine totes. He cinched up a top-five finish for the week despite exiting early with a shoulder injury.

It remains to be seen if Willis will be healthy in time for Green Bay's impending clash with the rival Vikings. With Love still in the concussion protocol and Willis less than 100 percent, it's possible the Packers hand the keys to Clayton Tune for a game that has zero playoff implications riding on the outcome.

Keep an eye on the reports coming out of Titletown this week if you need a fantasy QB. You won't find a better free-agent option than Willis, but have an alternative lined up in case he's held out.

Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints (21 Percent Rostered)

Shough is making a strong case to remain New Orleans' starting quarterback in 2026. After a slow start to his NFL career, the second-rounder has caught fire in recent weeks—helping lead the Saints to four consecutive victories.

Shough finished Sunday's contest with 333 yards—the second consecutive week he's gone over the 300-yard mark—and a pair of touchdowns. His 21.9 fantasy points were good for a No. 9 finish, the second time in the past month he's logged a top-10 finish.

Expect more fireworks in Week 18 from the first-year passer. He's red-hot right now and should have little issue dissecting Atlanta's defense in a game where neither side has anything but pride on the line.

Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans (8 Percent Rostered)

Ward's rocky rookie season will come to a close this week, hopefully on a high note for the fantasy managers willing to take a risk on the No. 1 overall pick. He's not a safe option by any means, but Ward has posted back-to-back finishes inside the top-15.

With Ward going over 228 yards and throwing for two touchdowns with zero picks in each of the past two games, he's a fringe QB1 ahead of Sunday's matchup with the playoff-bound Jaguars.

Running Back

AP Photo/Rick Osentoski

Dallas Cowboys running back Malik Davis

Malik Davis, Dallas Cowboys (2 Percent Rostered)

The Cowboys are limping towards the finish line of another lost season. They'll likely conclude the campaign without starting running back Javonte Williams, who exited Week 17's win over Washington with a shoulder injury.

Davis is the next man up in Dallas' backfield. He thrived following an unexpected promotion ahead of halftime this past weekend, finishing the contest with 103 yards on 20 totes. While he failed to find the end zone and couldn't reel in either of his two targets, the fourth-year veteran still mustered a top-20 finish for his strong efforts on the ground.

Expect Davis to get plenty more work against an abysmal Big Blue defense that has allowed 21.2 fantasy points per game—the fifth-most in the league—to opposing running backs in 2025.

You can consider Davis a borderline RB1 for this matchup if Williams is officially declared out and a desperation RB3/flex play if the starter will be active in Week 18.

Audric Estime, New Orleans Saints (11 Percent Rostered)

After ceding control of New Orleans' backfield to Taysom Hill during what was likely the utility man's final home game with the organization in Week 16, Estime returned to the top of the pecking order for Sunday's road showdown with the Titans.

Estime answered the call by racking up 94 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries and hauling in his lone target for four yards. His 16.8 points were good for a top-15 finish and make him an attractive RB2 option against the Falcons in the finale.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders (52 Percent Rostered)

Croskey-Merritt appears determined to finish his up-and-down rookie season on a high note. He's been a scoring machine in recent weeks, punching in four touchdowns over the last three contests, including two against the Cowboys in Week 17.

He will look to build on his 22.5-point, RB6 outing—which marked the second-best fantasy finish of his young NFL career—when the Commanders visit the Eagles to close out the campaign.

While Croskey-Merritt only mustered 25 yards on eight carries when he last faced Philly two weeks ago, he did find paydirt and should fare even better if the Eagles elect to rest some starters ahead of the playoffs.

Wide Receiver

AP Photo/Zach Bolinger

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington

Parker Washington, Jacksonville Jaguars (37 Percent Rostered)

Washington has done his part to keep Jacksonville's passing offense humming despite the loss of Travis Hunter Jr. and ineffectiveness of Brian Thomas Jr. He's drawn a whopping 20 targets over the past two weeks, converting them into 14 receptions for 260 yards and a touchdown.

While Washington regressed slightly after his 26.5-point, WR3 finish in Week 16, he still authored a second consecutive top-10 finish by putting up a hefty 19 points against the Colts on Sunday.

With a soft Titans defense that has allowed the fifth-most points to opposing WRs on tap in the finale, he should be in line for another massive outing and is worth starting in nearly every format. Consider him a mid-range WR2 for the contest.

Luther Burden III, Chicago Bears (23 Percent Rostered)

Burden has been a late bloomer for the surging Bears. He's seen a steady increase in targets over the past two months, culminating in a career-best showing against the 49ers in Week 17.

The dynamic playmaker finished as the WR1 after tallying up eight catches for 138 yards and a touchdown on nine targets. He's seen at least six targets in each game he's appeared in dating back to Week 13 and hasn't logged fewer than five looks since Week 10.

With that type of consistent volume, coupled with the confidence stemming from a breakout performance, Burden is one of the top waiver-wire pickups you can make in Week 18.

Jalen McMillan, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2 Percent Rostered)

McMillan's sophomore season has been largely marred by injury, but the Tampa Bay wideout could still be a fantasy Cinderella for the second consecutive year.

After helping managers claim championships with five consecutive top-20 finishes down the stretch in 2024, the 24-year-old reemerged in Week 17 with another huge outing. In just his third game back from a preseason neck injury, he balled out by catching seven of his nine targets for 114 yards.

Although it will be tough to trust McMillan after he failed to move the needle in his first two contests, it appears he has found his footing at the perfect time. Managers looking to take a risk on a high-ceiling wideout with a Week 18 championship on the line could do far worse.

Tight End

AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn

Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland

Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears (49 Percent Rostered)

Loveland has clearly supplanted Cole Kmet as Chicago's top pass-catching tight end. He proved as much with a dominant performance against the Niners on Sunday Night Football, one that saw him catch six of his 10 targets for 94 yards and a touchdown.

That TE2 outing has the 21-year-old well-positioned for more success against the slumping Lions, even after he was shut out by the same foe back in Week 2. Expect the rookie to exact revenge against Detroit as the Bears try to lock up the No. 2 seed in the playoffs with a win over their NFC North rivals.

Michael Mayer, Las Vegas Raiders (12 Percent Rostered)

The Raiders may have shut down Brock Bowers for the season, but they showed they still have plenty of talent left in the tight end room by feeding Mayer in Week 17.

Although Mayer has been slow to develop after being taken early on Day 2 in the 2023 draft, he finally flashed some of his immense pass-catching skills. Capitalizing on his promotion Vegas' TE1 role, he reeled in nine of 10 targets for 89 yards against the Giants.

Mayer will have another chance to audition for a larger role in 2026 when the Chiefs visit Sin City in the finale. He'll be a good choice for fantasy managers seeking a high-floor, safe streaming option in Week 18.

Greg Dulcich, Miami Dolphins (0 Percent Rostered)

It's been years since Dulcich was fantasy relevant, but the injury-prone tight end put himself back on the radar for the first time since his 2022 rookie season with a vintage performance on Sunday. The 25-year-old posted a 5/58/1 stat line on six looks against the Buccaneers.

With Dulcich amassing 16.1 points and a TE5 finish, it seems he's usurped Darren Waller (one catch for zero yards on three targets) as new quarterback Quinn Ewers' preferred safety valve.

Dulcich will be a risky TE2 play with scoring-based upside in that expanded role.

D/ST

AP Photo/Zach Bolinger

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen

Jacksonville Jaguars (51 Percent Rostered)

The Jags D/ST has been on a tear lately, scoring six or more points in every single game since Week 10. While Jacksonville's string of double-digit outings came to an end in Week 16, it would be a surprise if this unit doesn't finish out 2025 with a massive day against the Titans.

The Jaguars' defense confounded Cam Ward and the rest of the Tennessee offense when these teams last squared off. The rookie QB was sacked three times and the defense recovered a pair of fumbles while holding the Titans to just three points of offense.

While Ward has been playing a bit better in the weeks since, he'll be facing an uphill battle against a motivated, playoff-bound defense that tallied 14 fantasy points during their last meeting.

Lock Jacksonville into your lineup as a top-five D/ST choice for this lopsided matchup.

Cincinnati Bengals (5 Percent Rostered)

The Bengals haven't been a great D/ST choice for much of the 2025 season, but their second half went far better than the first.

The team has been a decent streaming choice since Week 12—averaging a shade over seven points during those six contests—and should finish out the year on a high note by beating up on the lowly Browns.

Although Cincy's D/ST only put up seven points when it last squared off with Cleveland, that was all the way back in Week 1—well before Shedeur Sanders took the reins of the Browns offense.

Although he's coming off a statement win against the Steelers, Sanders has largely struggled to spark the offense and has more interceptions (10) than touchdowns (seven) while taking 17 sacks in his first seven games.

If you can't find a better option on waivers, don't be afraid to target Sanders and fire up the Bengals as a decent D/ST choice with a strong floor.

Green Bay Packers (47 Percent Rostered)

The Packers may have just allowed a season-high 47 points and matched their worst D/ST fantasy outing of the year with negative-three points, but they're still in the streaming discussion for Week 18.

This is solely based on their impending matchup with the Vikings, a team that will likely be starting the woefully inept Max Brosmer for the third time in four games.

Minnesota's offense has been atrocious with Brosmer at the helm. He's tossed four picks and taken 12 sacks without notching a single touchdown through the air. He's mustered just 271 yards through the air on 63 throws this year, including a concerning 51 yards on 9-of-16 passing in a puzzling Week 17 win over the Lions.

This is a dream matchup for the Packers, one their D/ST should capitalize on even if starters are sitting ahead of the Wild Card Round.