Week 18 Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em

This is really it. The end of the line.

In most fantasy football leagues, that end already came. Fantasy championship games are held in Week 17 in order to avoid the possibility of players sitting out—a possibility we are seeing play out with teams such as the Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills.

No Josh Allen in the title game is not good.

However, some intrepid fantasy managers are undaunted by such trivial challenges. They want to milk every minute of fantasy goodness they can from the season, so they play on.

So Bleacher Report plays on with them, offering some Week 18 recommendations for players who have to be in lineups, others who belong nowhere near them, and some 'sleeper' plays who could save the day.

Quarterbacks

AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar

Bengals QB Joe Burrow

Start 'Em

Jaxson Dart, New York Giants (vs. DAL) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,700]

The wins haven't been there for Dart, who has just three victories in 11 starts. But the Ole Miss product has shown more than a little fantasy upside as a rookie, in no small part due to nine rushing touchdowns. He also faces a Dallas Cowboys team in Week 18 that leads the league in fantasy points allowed to QBs.

Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears (vs. DET) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,900]

Williams has been solid in the fantasy playoffs, topping 20 fantasy points each of the past two weeks. Bears head coach Ben Johnson has already stated Chicago's starters will play this week against the Lions, and Detroit has given up the ninth-most fantasy points to signal-callers this season.

Sit 'Em

Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals (vs. CLE) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,700]

The Bengals and Browns won't be playing for anything but pride and draft position Sunday, and Burrow has back-to-back 300-yard games under his belt. But the Browns rank second in the league in pass defense, and Cleveland has surrendered the fourth-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks this season.

Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. WAS) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,500]

This analyst isn't going to bombard this week's column with sit calls for players who will likely be resting. But that's what Hurts and the Eagles other starters will reportedly be doing, so let this serve as a reminder to make sure players are actually playing before slotting them in lineups.

Sleeper

Tanner McKee, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. WAS) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,500]

The flip side of Hurts sitting out Sunday's game with a Washington Commanders team allowing the second-most fantasy points to quarterbacks is McKee getting the start. In Week 18 last year, the backup QB threw for 269 yards and a pair of touchdowns against the New York Giants.

Running Backs

AP Photo/Doug Murray

Dolphins RB De'Von Achane

Start 'Em

Tank Bigsby, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. WAS) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,400]

Jalen Hurts won't be the only Eagles player watching Sunday's action, as Saquon Barkley will get the week off as well. That sets Bigsby up for a featured back's workload against a Commanders team that has surrendered more rushing yards per game than any team in the NFC this year.

Tyrone Tracy Jr., New York Giants (vs. DAL) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,500]

Tracy hasn't been lighting the world on fire of late, but he does have at least 15 touches in each of the past three games. That should mean good things against a Dallas defense that has struggled for much of this season. The Cowboys have given up the seventh-most PPR points to running backs in 2025.

Sit 'Em

De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins (at NE) [DraftKings DFS Value: $8,200]

Achane has been the Dolphins' best offensive weapon this season, and he has a chance to set a franchise record for scrimmage yards this week against the Patriots. But he's also nursing a shoulder injury, and New England has given up the sixth-fewest PPR points to running backs this season.

Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts (at HOU) [DraftKings DFS Value: $7,800]

Taylor has maintained at least decent fantasy production despite the Colts' collapse this season, and he is 12th in PPR points among running backs since Week 13. But the Texans have a shot at the AFC South title this week if the Jaguars falter, and Houston ranks fourth in the NFL in run defense, allowing less than 95 yards a game on the ground.

Sleeper

Ray Davis, Buffalo Bills (vs. NYJ) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,900]

James Cook is another prominent running back who is likely to be sidelined in Week 18, which should set up a heavy workload for Davis against a struggling Jets defense that has allowed 135 rushing yards per game and the third-most PPR points to running backs.

Wide Receivers

AP Photo/Zach Bolinger

Jaguars WR Parker Washington

Start 'Em

D.J. Moore, Chicago Bears (vs. DET) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,500]

Moore's one catch for seven yards last week wasn't his first clunker of the season. But in the two games before that, he caught nine passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns, and the Lions have been kind to opposing wideouts, allowing the third-most PPR points to the position this season.

Parker Washington, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. TEN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,100]

No one expected Washington to be the No. 1 wide receiver for the first-place Jaguars, but with 14 catches for a whopping 260 yards and a score over the past two games, that's exactly what he is ahead of a must-win game against a Titans team surrendering the sixth-most PPR points to wide receivers.

Sit 'Em

Drake London, Atlanta Falcons (vs. NO) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,900]

London is battling a knee injury, but he appears on track to play in the season finale against the Saints. However, he's not going to be 100 percent, has been all but invisible over the past two weeks, and will face a New Orleans defense that has allowed the ninth-fewest PPR points to wideouts this season.

Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos (vs. LAC) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,900]

The Broncos are playing for the AFC's No. 1 seed Sunday, and the Chargers are sitting quarterback Justin Herbert and may rest other starters as well. There's still some real fantasy risk here, though, as the Bolts have allowed the 10th-fewest PPR points to wideouts this season, and if Denver gets a lead, the starters are likely to get an early hook.

Sleeper

Jahan Dotson, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. WAS) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,800]

This isn't a play for the faint of heart, but assuming A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are among the Eagles players sitting out Week 18, Dotson could be Philly's de facto No. 1 wide receiver against a bad Commanders defense. The last time that happened, the 25-year-old caught seven of 11 targets for 94 yards in Week 18 last season.

Tight Ends

AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann

Chiefs TE Travis Kelce

Start 'Em

Colby Parkinson, Los Angeles Rams (vs. ARI) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,700]

The Rams cannot win the NFC West, but head coach Sean McVay has made it clear they are playing to win in Week 18. That should mean good things for Parkinson, who has topped 11 PPR points in two of the past three weeks and takes on a Cardinals team allowing the sixth-most PPR points to tight ends this season.

Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans (vs. IND) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,800]

Schultz has quietly been a decent low-end fantasy starter this season—he's 11th among tight ends for the season and seventh in points since Week 13. The Texans need a win and a Jaguars loss to capture the AFC South, and the Colts have given up the eighth-most PPR points to tight ends this year.

Sit 'Em

Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys (at NYG) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,300]

Ferguson can tie a franchise record for touchdown catches by a tight end if he finds the end zone this week, so he'll likely try to play through his calf injury. But in addition to being banged-up, the 26-year-old closes the 2025 campaign against a Giants team allowing the ninth-fewest PPR points to tight ends.

Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs (at LV) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,700]

Kelce will likely finish what could be his final NFL season as a top-five fantasy option once again. But catching passes from a third-string quarterback in a meaningless game against the NFL's worst team (and a bad fantasy matchup for TEs) probably isn't the curtain call he had in mind.

Sleeper

Chigoziem Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans (at JAX) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,400]

Okonkwo has been on a nice little rip to end the season, with nine receptions for 99 yards over the last two weeks and a touchdown in both games. The Titans will more likely than not be playing from behind against a Jaguars team giving up the seventh-most PPR points to tight ends this season.

Team Defenses

AP Photo/Peter Aiken

Chiefs LB Nick Bolton

Start 'Em

Cincinnati Bengals Defense (vs. CLE) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,400]

The Bengals defense is the biggest reason the team will be watching the playoffs on television again, but the Browns have been an excellent fantasy matchup for the position when the team was at full strength. They won't be anything close to that Sunday in what could be the ugliest contest of Week 18.

Kansas City Chiefs Defense (at LV) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,200]

There's no other way to say this: The 2025 season has been nothing short of a fiasco for the Chiefs. But they rank inside the top 10 in both yards and points allowed, and they close the season against an awful Raiders squad that has allowed more fantasy points to defenses than any team in the league.

Sit 'Em

Minnesota Vikings Defense (vs. DET) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,000]

The Vikings have been a top-five fantasy defense this season, are coming off their second-best fantasy outing of the season and the Packers will be resting Jordan Love and possibly several more starters. But Malik Willis may be the best backup quarterback in the NFL, and Green Bay has been a bottom-three fantasy matchup for defenses this season.

Seattle Seahawks Defense (at SF) [DraftKings DFS Value: $2,700]

Seattle leads all team defenses in fantasy points after 17 weeks, and the Seahawks have been fairly consistent at a position known for its inconsistency. But in this massive NFC West showdown with a 49ers offense that has been a juggernaut in recent weeks, disappointment looms like a dark cloud.

Sleeper

Cleveland Browns Defense (at CIN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $2,400]

It has been another abysmal season in Cleveland, and the Bengals have been rolling offensively of late. But we have already seen the Browns defense put the clamps on the Cincinnati offense once this season, and with the NFL's single-season sack record on the line, Myles Garrett is going to break some stuff Sunday.

Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow Gary on X at @IDPGodfather.