4 NFL DFS Stud Picks for Week 18

Hitting on high-salary players is the first step to having success in NFL DFS on FanDuel.

These players take up the biggest chunk of your salary cap, and they need to deliver quality performances for your lineup to reach its ceiling.

With some help from our NFL DFS projections, here are four studs to target on this week's main slate, which starts at 1 p.m. ET.

All betting odds come from the NFL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook and may change after this article is published.

NFL DFS Stud Plays for Week 18

Baker Mayfield, QB, Buccaneers

FanDuel Salary: ($8,400)

If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win on Sunday, they're in the playoffs as NFC South champions, so motivation is no issue for Baker Mayfield.

Mayfield just torched the Carolina Panthers in Week 17, throwing for 359 yards and 5 tuddies. We can't expect that kind of outing this week, but he can put up numbers versus a New Orleans Saints defense that ranks 22nd overall, per numberFire's schedule-adjusted metrics.

The Bucs come into the week with the slate's second-highest implied total (28.5), and our NFL DFS projections have Baker pegged for 19.3 FanDuel points.

Bucky Irving, RB, Buccaneers

FanDuel Salary: ($7,900)

Sticking with Tampa Bay, this is an even better spot for Bucky Irving than it is Mayfield.

While New Orleans is a meh 22nd in overall defense, they're really bad against the run, sitting 30th in the split. They've given up the fifth-most FanDuel points per game to RBs (22.9).

Irving's breakout game came against the Saints back in October as he posted 81 rushing yards, 24 receiving yards and a TD in Week 6. His role has grown since then, and with Tampa Bay being a whopping 13.5-point favorite, game script should work in his favor on Sunday.

Ideally, we'd prefer a closer spread so that the Bucs' offense has to keep its foot on the gas, but given what is on the line in Week 18, Tampa Bay will likely try to continue to put up points even if they're leading comfortably.

We project Irving for 15.7 FanDuel points.

Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Lions

FanDuel Salary: ($8,800)

The DFS game of the slate is the Sunday night affair between the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions. Not only is it the day's headline game from a real-life perspective -- two top-tier teams battling for the NFC North crown -- but it sets up perfectly for DFS as an indoors game with a high total (56.5) and tight spread (2.5).

The masses will likely flock to this game. With the contest holding an over/under that is 8.0 points more than any other game's, it should be chalk worth swallowing. That applies to Jahmyr Gibbs, who figures to be one of the slate's most popular players.

Gibbs' snap rates in two games sans David Montgomery have been just 52% and 69%. But that 52% clip came in what was a meaningless game last week for the Lions, and with everything on the line this week, it wouldn't be surprising to see Detroit lean heavily on their top back.

Despite the snap rates, Gibbs has put up big numbers the past two outings, recording 27.3 and 26.4 FanDuel points. He's an elite pass-catcher, too, so he'll be involved regardless of how the game script plays out.

He carries laughable -280 touchdown odds, and his rushing plus receiving yards prop is a sky-high 124.5.

Gibbs checks all the boxes, and the salary isn't even that high. We project him for 19.4 FanDuel points.

Justin Jefferson, WR, Vikings

FanDuel Salary: ($9,500)

Justin Jefferson looks like the slate's clear-cut WR1.

As many boxes as Gibbs checks, Jefferson may check more. He gets the same great game environment and draws an even better matchup as Detroit permits the second-most FanDuel points per game to receivers (31.0).

Jefferson has owned the Lions in his career. Over nine games versus Detroit, Jefferson is averaging 128.2 receiving yards per game on 7.2 catches per game. Last year, he had games of 141 yards and 192 yards against the Lions, scoring a TD in both. In his previous meeting with the Lions this season, Jefferson produced a ho-hum 7 catches for 81 yards and a score.

For Week 18, Jefferson's yardage prop is 91.5, and he's -120 to score a touchdown.

In an all-important game against a short-handed Lions D, Jefferson is our model's top WR on the main slate as we project him for 17.7 FanDuel points.

New to FanDuel Sportsbook? You’ll receive $250 in Bonus Bets if your first bet of $5+ wins! See here for full terms and conditions. Learn about today’s other offers at FanDuel Sportsbook Promos.

Interested in playing NFL DFS? Head over to FanDuel’s daily fantasy football lobby to see all the offerings for this week's slates.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.