Teams With Something To Play For
- Indianapolis Colts - a win guarantees them a playoff spot
- Tennessee Titans - playing for the #1 seed if the Chiefs beat the Broncos on Saturday
- Pittsburgh Steelers - mathematically still alive for a playoff spot but must win
- Baltimore Ravens - mathematically still alive for a playoff spot but must win
- San Francisco 49ers - a win guarantees them a playoff spot
- Los Angeles Rams - a win makes them NFC West Champions and gives them a chance for the #2 seed in the NFC Playoffs
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers - a win gives them a chance at the #2 seed in the NFC Playoffs
- Arizona Cardinals - a win gives them a chance to be NFC West Champions
- New England Patriots - a win gives them a chance to be AFC East Champions
- New Orleans Saints - must win to have a chance to make the playoffs
- Buffalo Bills - a win makes them AFC East Champions
Favorite Games
- San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams - Over/Under 44.5
- Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens - Over/Under 41
Favorite Additional Spots
- Bills at home vs. the Jets - Implied Team Total 28.25
- Colts on the road against the Jaguars - Implied Team Total 29.5
- Cardinals at home vs. the Seahawks - Implied Team Total 26.75
- Titans on the road against the Texans - Implied Team Total 26.25
- Buccaneers at home vs. the Panthers - Implied Team Total 24.75
- Patriots on the road against the Dolphins - Implied Team Total 23
- Saints on the road against the Falcons - Implied Team Total 21.5
CASH GAMES
Quarterbacks
Rank | Play | Opponent | Salary |
1 | Kyler Murray | vs. Seahawks | $7,400 |
2 | Josh Allen | vs. Jets | $8,100 |
3 | Matthew Stafford | vs. 49ers | $6,700 |
A win gives the Cardinals a chance to be NFC West Champions so expect Kyler Murray to play all out at home in a great matchup against a Seahawks defense that ranks 25th in overall DVOA and 27th in pass DVOA. Murray is gaining momentum since returning from injury and leads an Arizona offense that ranks sixth in pass DVOA. The Cardinals have the fourth highest Implied Team Total (26.75) of the week.
The Bills win the AFC East with a victory so expect full-go, Josh Allen, at home in one of the most favorable matchups imaginable against a Jets defense that ranks dead last in overall DVOA and 31st in pass DVOA. The Bills have the second-highest Implied Team Total (28.25) of the week and are 16 point home favorites.
The Rams win the NFC West and have a shot at the #2 seed in the NFC Playoffs if they're victorious so expect Matthew Stafford to give it all he has at home against a 49ers defense that ranks 18th in pass DVOA. Stafford's matchup isn't as favorable as either Kyler Murray's or Josh Allen's but let's remember the awesome season Stafford has turned in. Stafford ranks second in both pass yards per game (290.5) and pass touchdowns per game (2.4) and leads a Rams offense that ranks sixth in overall DVOA and eighth in pass DVOA.
Running Backs
Rank | Play | Opponent | Salary |
1 | Jonathan Taylor | at Jaguars | $9,300 |
2 | Alvin Kamara | at Falcons | $8,300 |
3 | Sony Michel | vs. 49ers | $6,000 |
4 | Rashaad Penny | at Cardinals | $6,500 |
The Colts have the highest Implied Team Total (29.5) of the week and are 15 point favorites against the Jaguars. Jonathan Taylor ranks fifth in the league in opportunities per game (22.8) and is about to demolish a Jaguars defense that ranks 31st in overall DVOA and 21st in run DVOA.
Alvin Kamara ranks fourth in the league in opportunities per game (22.9) and should be used heavily with the Saints' playoff hopes still alive against a Falcons defense that ranks 29th in overall DVOA and 30th in run DVOA.
Sony Michel has been the man for a Rams' offense that ranks sixth in overall DVOA. Michel has averaged 24.8 opportunities over his past five games and now gets to play at home in an exciting fantasy matchup against two playoff hopefuls.
Rashaad Penny has given Pete Carroll life, bringing rushing production back to the Seahawks' offense. Penny has averaged 19 opportunities over his past four games and looks primed for a heavy workload once again to end the 2021 season in a game against the Cardinals with the second Highest Over Under (46) of the week.
Wide Receivers
Rank | Play | Opponent | Salary |
1 | Cooper Kupp | vs. 49ers | $9,700 |
2 | Stefon Diggs | vs. Jets | $7,800 |
3 | Amon-Ra St. Brown | vs. Packers | $6,800 |
4 | Deebo Samuel | at Rams | $8,500 |
5 | Mike Evans | vs. Panthers | $7,100 |
6 | Brandin Cooks | vs. Titans | $6,300 |
The Rams win the NFC West and have a shot at the #2 seed in the NFC Playoffs if they're victorious so Cooper Kupp will do Cooper Kupp things on Sunday.
The Bills have the second-highest Implied Team Total (28.25) of the week and are 16 point home favorites. If they win on Sunday, they win the AFC East. Stefon Diggs has a great matchup against a Jets defense that ranks dead last in overall DVOA and 31st in pass DVOA.
Amon-Ra St. Brown is on an unreal heater right now. Over his past five games, St. Brown has caught 43 of 57 targets for 451 receiving yards and scored five total touchdowns. Playing against the Packers backups on Sunday, St. Brown should keep his positive momentum rolling.
Dual-threat Deebo Samuel ranks third out of all Wide Receivers on this slate in DraftKings points per game (21.8) and will be needed against the Rams with the 49ers fighting for their playoff lives.
The Buccaneers have a shot at the #2 seed and both Tom Brady and Mike Evans have contract incentives they're fighting for. Without Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown in the picture, expect Evans to be fed on Sunday at home against a Panthers defense that ranks 15th in pass DVOA.
Brandin Cooks ranks 14th in targets per game (8.7) and has seen at least 10 targets in three straight games. Cooks is a bet on a combination of volume and talent in a decent matchup against the Titans.
Tight Ends
Rank | Play | Opponent | Salary |
1 | Mark Andrews | vs. Steelers | $7,500 |
2 | Zach Ertz | vs. Seahawks | $5,300 |
3 | Gerald Everett | at Cardinals | $3,700 |
Mark Andrews leads all Tight Ends on this slate in DraftKings points per game and he has a 3.2 point per game lead on second place. Andrews has simply been unstoppable this season, and especially over the past month. Andrews has 35 catches for 465 yards and four touchdowns over that four-game stretch. He now plays at home against a Steelers defense that ranks 15th in overall DVOA and 13th in pass DVOA.
Zach Ertz has been Kyler Murray's go-to guy over the past three weeks without DeAndre Hopkins in the lineup. Ertz has seen 33 targets over that span, catching 21 passes for 169 yards. Ertz now gets to play at home in a great matchup against a Seahawks defense that ranks 25th in overall DVOA and 27th in pass DVOA.
Gerald Everett is only priced at $3,700 yet has seen five targets in back-to-back games and has scored three touchdowns over his past six outings. This could be Russell Wilson's last hurrah as a Seattle Seahawk so he'll definitely want to end this season on a high note, as we can expect Pete Carroll wants to do as well. This game is a fun one from a fantasy perspective and Everett should play his usual near full allotment of offensive snaps.
Team Defenses
Rank | Play | Opponent | Salary |
1 | Buffalo Bills | vs. Jets | $3,700 |
2 | New England Patriots | at Dolphins | $3,600 |
3 | Arizona Cardinals | vs. Seahawks | $2,700 |
The Bills are 16 point home favorites and the Jets have the lowest Implied Team Total (12.25) of the entire week. And Zach Wilson is tied for the third-highest sack percentage (9%) in the NFL.
The Patriots are six-point favorites despite this game being in Miami. The Dolphins have the seventh-lowest Implied Team Total (17) of the week and the Patriots defense ranks second in overall DVOA, third in pass DVOA, and seventh in run DVOA.
Russell Wilson and company isn't exactly an incredible matchup for the Cardinals but they do get to play at home and have been a solid defensive unit all season. Arizona's defense ranks sixth in overall DVOA, sixth in pass DVOA, and fifth in run DVOA. And we can roster then for only $2,700 if salary is needed elsewhere.
GPPs
Quarterbacks
Rank | Play | Opponent | Salary |
1 | Taysom Hill | at Falcons | $6,200 |
2 | Tyler Huntley | vs. Steelers | $5,700 |
3 | Carson Wentz | at Jaguars | $5,800 |
The Saints need a win to give themselves a shot at the postseason, which means we should see Taysom Hill at full strength in an awesome matchup against a Falcons defense that ranks 29th in overall DVOA and 26th in pass DVOA. Hill offers tournament-winning dual-threat upside. He has 11 or more rush attempts in all four of his starts this season.
Lamar Jackson has been ruled out so Tyler Huntley will get the start on Sunday. Both the Steelers and Ravens will be full-go with the playoffs still within reach. That makes Huntley a highly intriguing tournament option who gets to play at home against a Steelers defense that ranks 15th in overall DVOA and 13th in pass DVOA. T.J. Watt is the favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year thanks to his high sack total but will he be able to make a difference against the scrambling and athletic Huntley? We will just have to see. If Huntley can evade Watt, this Steelers defense is highly exploitable.
A victory puts the Colts in the playoffs so we know Carson Wentz will be giving 100% on Sunday in a favorable matchup against a Jaguars defense that ranks 31st in overall DVOA and dead last in pass DVOA. Jonathan Taylor is in the ultimate smash spot here so expect his ownership percentages to be sky high in both cash games and tournaments. Wentz, on the other hand, is likely to be an afterthought, especially after his recent poor play. The extreme matchup here puts Wentz contrarian stacks in play.
Running Backs
Rank | Play | Opponent | Salary |
1 | Najee Harris | at Ravens | $7,200 |
2 | Devin Singletary | vs. Jets | $6,000 |
3 | Elijah Mitchell | at Rams | $6,000 |
4 | James Conner | vs. Seahawks | $6,300 |
Najee Harris has a tough matchup against a Ravens defense that ranks sixth in run DVOA yet volume conquers all and Harris ranks second in opportunities per game (24.1). Harris saw 31 opportunities last week and turned them into 206 total yards and a touchdown. 30+ chances is once again in the realm of possibilities on Sunday.
The Bills have put their trust in Devin Singletary to be their lead Running Back. Singletary has averaged 21.7 opportunities over his past three games and now gets to play at home against a Jets defense that ranks dead last in overall DVOA and 26th in run DVOA. The Bills have the second-highest Implied Team Total (28.25) of the week and are 16 point home favorites.
Elijah Mitchell ranks eighth in opportunities per game (20.6) and received 23 chances last week in his return from a lengthy injury absence. Kyle Shanahan simply loves Mitchell and if he's out there, Mitchell is getting the ball early and often. This week, Mitchell only costs $6,000 and gets to play in a fun fantasy game against the Rams.
Chase Edmonds has been ruled out this week and while James Conner is listed as questionable, there is optimism he'll play on Sunday. If he does, Conner projects to be in line for a healthy workload against a Seahawks defense that ranks 25th in overall DVOA.
Wide Receivers
Rank | Play | Opponent | Salary |
1 | Justin Jefferson | vs. Bears | $8,100 |
2 | A.J. Brown | at Texans | $7,000 |
3 | Michael Pittman | at Jaguars | $5,900 |
4 | DK Metcalf | at Cardinals | $6,900 |
5 | Tyler Lockett | at Cardinals | $6,400 |
6 | Odell Beckham | vs. 49ers | $5,800 |
The Vikings are eliminated from playoff contention so we don't really know what to expect from them. But all signs point to their starters playing competitively on Sunday. That means we should get one more week of the Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson connection. Jefferson only needs 124 more receiving yards to break Randy Moss’ single-season Minnesota receiving yards record. Expect him to blow up in this spot.
The Titans are fighting for the #1 seed so expect A.J. Brown to get fed against a Texans defense that ranks 19th in pass DVOA. After a down Week 17, we have Brown projected for only a 6.9% ownership percentage.
A victory puts the Colts in the playoffs so we know they'll be full-go in a favorable matchup against a Jaguars defense that ranks 31st in overall DVOA and dead last in pass DVOA. Jonathan Taylor is in the ultimate smash spot here so expect his ownership percentages to be sky high in both cash games and tournaments. The passing game, on the other hand, is likely to be an afterthought. The extreme matchup here puts Carson Wentz contrarian stacks in play. Enter Michael Pittman, the Colts' clear-cut WR1. We have Pittman projected for only a 5.4% ownership percentage.
A Pete Carroll coached team projects to play competitively in Week 18 despite the fact they've been eliminated from playoff contention. Russell Wilson and D.K. Metcalf finally got back on track last week in a big way and Tyler Lockett even found the end zone as well. Both receivers are squarely in play in a fun fantasy game against the Cardinals.
Odell Beckham has five touchdowns in only seven games with the Rams and now gets to play at home against a 49ers defense that ranks 18th in pass DVOA. We have Beckham projected for only a 4.2% ownership percentage.
Tight Ends
Rank | Play | Opponent | Salary |
1 | George Kittle | at Rams | $6,700 |
2 | Dawson Knox | vs. Jets | $5,400 |
3 | Hunter Henry | at Dolphins | $4,000 |
George Kittle has only caught three passes for 50 total yards over the past two weeks so it makes sense why we only have him projected for a 2.5% ownership percentage. Yet, Kittle was on an absolute heater prior to this short cold streak and is one of the best players in the entire league so this certainly looks like a great time to take advantage of recency bias. The 49ers will need Kittle to help them win and secure a playoff spot and despite the tough matchup on paper, Kittle already put up 50 yards and a touchdown on this defense earlier in the season. And Jimmy Garoppolo is questionable, which means he has a chance to play this week. That would increase Kittle's outlook as well.
Dawson Knox has an awesome matchup against a Jets defense that ranks dead last in overall DVOA and 31st in pass DVOA. The Bills have the second-highest Implied Team Total (28.25) of the week and are 16 point home favorites. They'll be playing hard to try to lock up the AFC East crown. Despite all of this, we have Knox projected for only a 2% ownership percentage. The fact he didn't catch a pass last week likely has something to do with that. Yet, Josh Allen only completed 11 passes last Sunday. We can expect a large bounce back this week thanks to the Jets.
We've known for months now that Jonnu Smith is not a player we have to worry about. Hunter Henry is the Patriots' clear pass-catching Tight End. Up against Miami's top ten defensive unit in overall DVOA, New England might struggle to dominate on the ground in this one and if so, Mac Jones is likely to look for old reliable, Henry. Henry has nine touchdowns on the year and has seen 19 targets over his past three contests.
Team Defenses
Rank | Play | Opponent | Salary |
1 | Indianapolis Colts | at Jaguars | $3,800 |
2 | Tennessee Titans | at Texans | $3,300 |
3 | New Orleans Saints | at Falcons | $3,400 |
The Colts are 15 point favorites and the Jaguars have the second-lowest Implied Team Total (14.5) in Week 18. Trevor Lawrence has only thrown two touchdown passes in his past nine games.
Tennessee's defense has been better than expected this season. They rank ninth in overall DVOA, seventh in pass DVOA, and 14th in run DVOA. The Texans have the fifth-lowest Implied Team Total (16.25) of the week. This is a bet against Davis Mills who has been receiving recent praise, and rightfully so. But he absolutely could make a few bad mistakes in this one.
The Saints defense ranks fourth in overall DVOA, fourth in pass DVOA, and first in run DVOA. The Falcons offense is lacking playmakers and might have to finish out the season without Kyle Pitts, who is listed as questionable.
Favorite Tournament Stacks and Game Correlation Plays
- Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs
- Carson Wentz and Michael Pittman
- Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson