FanDuel NFL DFS Picks: Week 18

It's the final week of NFL DFS for the regular season, and it will be important to navigate which teams have something to play for and which squads don't as some teams could elect to rest starters. As a reminder, FanDuel's DFS main slate now includes the Sunday night game and players are rewarded bonus points for achieving certain yardage thresholds.

While factoring the changes to NFL DFS on FanDuel, some players have an edge over other in the upcoming contests around the league.

Using our NFL DFS projections as a guide, let's take a look at some of the best daily fantasy football plays at each position -- accounting for salary -- on the Week 18 FanDuel main slate.

NFL DFS Picks for Week 18

Slate Overview

Here is a snapshot of each team's outlook, including opponent, implied team total, over/under, and spread based on the NFL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Quarterbacks

Jayden Daniels, Commanders

FanDuel Salary: $8,700
Matchup: at DAL

Head coach Dan Quinn has already stated that the Washington Commanders are going to "fight like hell" to maintain the No. 6 seed in the NFC playoff picture, so we should expect a heavy dose of Jayden Daniels in Week 18 versus the Dallas Cowboys. Aside from Daniels putting up 35-plus FanDuel points (FDPs) in back-to-back starts, the Cowboys are allowing the most FDPs per game to QBs (21.5), per NextGenStats.

Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers

FanDuel Salary: $8,400
Matchup: vs. NO

Entering Week 18, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers need to win to secure the NFC South crown, making Baker Mayfield an enticing option at QB despite his increased salary. While the New Orleans Saints surrender the 9th-fewest FDPs per game to QBs (16.3), they are 24th in pressure rate (32.1%). The Bucs possess the second-highest implied total (28.5) of the slate, and Mayfield has tallied 21-plus FDPs in four consecutive starts.

Others to Consider

Sam Darnold ($8,100 at DET) - Considering that Sunday night's much-anticipated clash between the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings carries the highest total by a wide margin, Darnold figures to be a popular play -- especially given Detroit's injuries on defense. The outcome of this matchup determines the winner of the NFC North and the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and our projections have Darnold tied with Jayden Daniels for the most FDPs on the main slate (21.8).

Jared Goff ($7,900 vs. MIN) - Goff isn't too far behind Darnold in our projections (19.9), and the Lions are favored at home with the highest implied total (29.5) on the main slate. On top of that, Goff has hit the 300-yard bonus and thrown 3-plus TDs in each of his last three outings, resulting in him scoring 28-plus FDPs in three straight.

Michael Penix Jr. ($6,900 vs. CAR) - Along with the Atlanta Falcons needing a victory and a loss by the Bucs to win the NFC South, this is another game for Penix to show development in his third start in the NFL. Penix couldn't ask for a much better matchup to cap off the regular season as the Carolina Panthers are logging the worst pressure rate (25.0%) and worst defensive passing success rate (49.7) while giving up the fourth-most FDPs per game (20.7) to QBs.

Running Backs

Bijan Robinson, Falcons

FanDuel Salary: $9,200
Matchup: vs. CAR

In his first two games with Penix under center for the Falcons, Bijan Robinson is posting an 82.4% snap rate, 67.2% route rate, 82.4% red-zone rushing share, 26.5 adjusted opportunities (carries plus 2x targets) per game, 100.5 scrimmage yards per game, and 23.3 FDPs per game. Besides the Falcons having the third-highest implied total (28.0), the Panthers are 31st in schedule-adjusted run defense while coughing up the most yards per carry (5.1) and FDPs per game (27.2) to RBs.

Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions

FanDuel Salary: $8,800
Matchup: vs. MIN

Across the two games since he took over as the featured back for the Lions with David Montgomery suffering a potential season-ending knee injury, Jahmyr Gibbs is averaging 29.5 adjusted opportunities per game, 158.5 scrimmage yards per game, and 26.9 FDPs per game during that span. Despite Minnesota's defense being stout against the run, Gibbs' current role sans Montgomery is tough to avoid in any matchup, making him worth stacking with Goff or using as a bring-back in Darnold stacks.

Bucky Irving, Buccaneers

FanDuel Salary: $7,900
Matchup: vs. NO

Tampa Bay got back to deploying Bucky Irving as their featured back in Week 17, resulting in him carrying the ball 20-plus times for just the second time this season en route to 24 FDPs. In addition to that, the Saints are permitting the most rushing TDs (17), third-most yards per attempt (4.8), and eighth-most FDPs per game (22.7) to the RB position ahead of a must-win game for the Buccaneers.

Others to Consider

Michael Carter ($5,800 vs. SF) - The Arizona Cardinals have placed James Conner and Trey Benson on injured reserve, paving the way for Carter to be the No. 1 back in Sunday's divisional bout versus the San Francisco 49ers. Carter handled 15 of the 16 RB touches whenever Conner left last week's game, and San Fran's defense is ceding the fourth-most rushing TDs (16) and fifth-most FDPs per game (22.9) to RBs.

Kenneth Gainwell ($5,600 vs. NYG) - At the moment, it appears the Philadelphia Eagles are going to sit Saquon Barkley despite the dynamic back having a chance to set the rushing record in Week 18 against his former team. If Barkley is confirmed to be sitting and Will Shipley is inactive, then Gainwell could be in store for a heavy workload versus a New York Giants squad that is allowing the most rushing yards over expected per attempt (1.08) and third-most FDPs per game (23.5) to RBs.

Blake Corum ($5,500 vs. SEA) - While the Los Angeles Rams could see their seeding for the playoffs change in Week 18, head coach Sean McVay hinted at the Rams resting starters on Sunday and uttered that he's "excited about" Corum getting a heavy workload. Assuming that Kyren Williams isn't playing this week, our projections have Corum listed as the second-best point-per-dollar play (2.3x value) among RBs on the slate.

Wide Receivers

Justin Jefferson, Vikings

FanDuel Salary: $9,500
Matchup: at DET

Justin Jefferson always possesses slate-breaking upside, and that ceiling could present itself Sunday with the All-Pro wideout facing a shorthanded Lions defense that is giving up the highest target rate (23.3%), second-most yards per route run (1.84), and second-most FDPs per game (31.5) to WRs. Aside from Jefferson earning 31-plus FDPs in two of his last four contests, he's pacing the Vikings in target share (31.2%), air yards share (40.0%), and yards per route run (2.86) during that sample.

Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions

FanDuel Salary: $9,000
Matchup: vs. MIN

On the other side of the Vikings-Lions clash, Amon-Ra St. Brown is ending the season on a high note, registering team-best marks in target share (30.5%), air yards share (37.0%), and yards per route run (2.69) over the last three weeks. Teams typically don't attack the Vikings on the ground as Minnesota deploys plenty of five-man fronts, which has led to them allowing the third-highest target rate (21.6%), eighth-most yards per route run (1.68), and most FDPs per game (33.4) to the WR position.

Courtland Sutton, Broncos

FanDuel Salary: $7,300
Matchup: vs. KC

The Denver Broncos need a win to clinch a spot in the playoffs, and they'll be taking on a Kansas City Chiefs team that will be resting starters due to KC already locking up the No. 1 seed in the conference. Since Week 8 against the Panthers, Courtland Sutton has emerged as the clear go-to target for Bo Nix, sporting team-best metrics in target share (26.9%), air yards share (47.2%), red-zone target share (27.9%), and end-zone target share (36.0%) across that nine-game span.

Others to Consider

Jordan Addison ($7,100 at DET) - Similar to his rookie campaign in 2023, Addison is proving to be an ultra-effective sidekick to Jefferson, notching a 23.1% target share, 31.5% air yards share, 28.6% red-zone target share, 33.3% end-zone target share, and 2.06 yards per route run over his last nine contests. Addison has recorded eight-plus targets and/or at least one receiving TD in six of his last seven outings, leading to him averaging 18 FDPs per game during that span.

Drake London ($7,000 vs. CAR) - In Penix's first two starts at QB for the Falcons, London leads the team in target share (34.4%), air yards share (38.4%), end-zone target share (60.0%), and yards per route run (2.95) in that small sample. With Carolina's defense dealing with injuries in the secondary and Atlanta needing a win -- and loss by Tampa Bay -- to advance to the postseason, London should be heavily involved again on Sunday.

Jameson Williams ($6,500 vs. MIN) - Even with Jamo producing a season-worst 0.1 FDPs against the Vikings earlier this season, his usage since that previous meeting has drastically changed. Williams has notched 22-plus FDPs in back-to-back games with 7-plus targets in five of his last six, and his big-play ability certainly puts him on our radar in a game with a total in the 50s.

Jalen McMillan ($6,100 vs. NO) - While I like Mike Evans ($8,900) quite a bit as the veteran receiver chases his 11th consecutive 1,000-yard season, McMillan's salary still doesn't match his new role in an electric Buccaneers aerial attack. Even though it's hard to expect McMillan to maintain his TD rate (he's scored at least one TD in four straight games), he's garnered a 19.4% target share, 24.4% air yards share, 25.0% red-zone target share, and 33.3% end-zone target share across the last four weeks.

Tight Ends

Sam LaPorta, Lions

FanDuel Salary: $6,000
Matchup: vs. MIN

Following a slow start to the season, Sam LaPorta is back to being a focal point of Detroit's efficient passing game, accruing the second-highest target share (20.8%) while posting a 25.6% air yards share, 28.3% red-zone target share, and 34.8% end-zone target share since Week 8. The Vikings have done a good job limiting production from TEs this year, but LaPorta shouldn't be overlooked in a Lions' offense that will be aggressive in a must-win game.

T.J Hockenson, Vikings

FanDuel Salary: $5,900
Matchup: at DET

While targets are being heavily funneled to Jefferson and Addison in Minnesota's offense, T.J. Hockenson still had the third-highest target share (16.3%) and third-most downfield targets (targets of 10-plus yards) per game (2.3) during the month of December. Hockenson has yet to find the end zone this season, and I want all the exposure I can possibly get to the Vikings-Lions game on Sunday night.

Others to Consider

Zach Ertz ($5,400 at DAL) - Once again, the Commanders have no intentions of resting starters on Sunday, so Ertz is poised for plenty of snaps. Ertz is coming off a season-best 22.2 FDPs in Week 17, and the Cowboys are permitting the ninth-most receiving TDs (6), eighth-highest catch rate over expected (+2.5%), and fifth-highest end-zone catch rate (75.0%) to TEs.

Cade Otton ($5,200 vs. NO) - Otton has been sidelined for multiple weeks, so Payne Durham -- who is dealing with a quad injury of his own -- would be a viable option if Otton is forced to miss another contest. Simply put, whoever starts at TE for the Bucs in Week 18 is worth inserting into lineups as the Saints are coughing up the sixth-most yards per route run (1.56) to the position.

Defenses

Seattle Seahawks

FanDuel Salary: $3,900
Matchup: at LA

As mentioned above, the Rams are likely going to be playing backups in Week 18, so the Seattle Seahawks defense is in play despite already being eliminated from playoff contention. The potential scenario where Jimmy Garoppolo starts under center for LA has the Rams boasting the fourth-lowest implied total (16.0) right now, and Seattle's D/ST has notched 15-plus FDPs in three of their last six games.

Arizona Cardinals

FanDuel Salary: $3,700
Matchup: vs. SF

Another team expected to be starting a backup signal-caller in Week 18 is the 49ers due to Brock Purdy sustaining an elbow injury in Week 17. If Purdy is ruled out and eitherJoshua Dobbs or Brandon Allen start at QB for San Francisco, Arizona's defense becomes a viable salary-saving option.

Others to Consider

Jacksonville Jaguars ($3,700 at IND) - We'll need to save salary at D/ST to fit in players from the Lions and Vikings, so Jacksonville's defense is worth considering regardless of whether it's Anthony Richardson or Joe Flacco at QB for the Indianapolis Colts. The ceiling for the Jags defense could be higher if Flacco starts as he attempted 38 passes in Week 17, resulting in 3 takeaways, 1 defensive TD, and 13 FDPs for the Giants defense in Week 17.

New York Giants ($3,200 at PHI) - Speaking of New York's defense, our projections have them pinpointed as the best point-per-dollar D/ST (2.1x value) among defenses with a salary below $3,500. The Eagles have a modest 20.0-point implied total, and they likely won't have their marquee starters taking the field on Sunday.

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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.