Some people prefer to live on the edge, and for Fantasy football commissioners who lead their leagues into Week 18, they do so knowing that everybody will have to prep all season for the inevitability that starters might be rested with championships on the line. The Chiefs just played three games in 11 days navigating through the holiday schedule, so it's expected that they'll rest key starters in Week 18 against the Broncos with the division and home-field advantage sewn up. That likely means no Patrick Mahomes, Xavier Worthy, Travis Kelce or Kareem Hunt available for your Week 18 Fantasy football lineups.
However, in some instances, it might be as simple as working free agency to acquire their backups to take advantage of expanded roles. So where exactly do guys like Carson Wentz, Carson Steele and Noah Gray belong in the Week 18 Fantasy football rankings and how can you nail any other difficult star-sit decisions? Before setting your Week 18 Fantasy football lineups, be sure to check out the Week 18 Fantasy football rankings from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
When it comes to ranking players, SportsLine's model beat human experts in Fantasy football for the past several seasons, especially when there were big differences in ranking. Over the course of a season, that could literally be the difference between winning your league or going home empty-handed.
The same model has a proven track record of providing Fantasy football tips, including being ahead of the curve on players like A.J. Brown, Jonathan Taylor, Derrick Henry, Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara, and Jahmyr Gibbs. Anybody who banked on players like those made a run at their league title.
Now, SportsLine has simulated the entire Week 18 NFL schedule 10,000 times and released its latest Week 18 Fantasy football rankings. Head to SportsLine now to see them.
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Top Week 18 Fantasy football QB rankings
Here's a look at SportsLine's top Week 18 Fantasy football QB picks:
1. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens: Jackson is locked in a tight battle with Bills quarterback Josh Allen for NFL MVP honors and the Ravens have a chance to clinch the AFC North with a win on Sunday. The reigning NFL MVP threw for 289 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for 46 yards in a loss to Cleveland on Oct. 27.
2. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders: The runaway favorite to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors has thrown for three interceptions in his last two games but he's more than made up for it with his playmaking ability. He's thrown for 475 yards and eight touchdowns while adding 208 rushing yards during that span. He's got a plus matchup against Dallas this week but keep an eye on his status with Washington locked into a wild card spot.
3. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals: Burrow leads the NFL with 4,691 passing yards and 42 touchdowns this season and Cincinnati has played its way back into the periphery of playoff contention with four consecutive wins. He threw for 309 yards and three touchdowns in a loss to the Steelers on Dec. 1 and has thrown for at least three touchdowns in seven consecutive games. See more top QBs here.
Top Week 18 Fantasy football RB rankings
Here's a look at SportsLine's top Week 18 Fantasy football RB picks:
1. Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions: Gibbs has very quickly established himself as one of the most dynamic backs in the league and his numbers are getting even better now that he's not sharing reps with David Montgomery (knee). Gibbs has 49 touches for 317 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns in the last two weeks. Now he'll take on the Vikings with the NFC North and home-field advantage on the line.
2. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons: Robinson will also be highly motivated on Sunday, with Atlanta needing a win and a Buccaneers loss to steal the NFC South. He's reached at least 90 rushing yards in five consecutive games and he's scored in four of those five contests, with six touchdowns overall during that span. Now he'll match up with a Panthers defense that has given up 1,064 rushing yards in the last five weeks.
3. Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens: He's been a little overshadowed by Saquon Barkley, but Henry is having the best season of his career on a per-touch basis. His 5.8 yards per carry and 6.1 yards per touch are both career-highs and he's up to 1,783 rushing yards and 16 total touchdowns on the year. See more top RBs here.
Top Week 18 Fantasy football WR rankings
Here's a look at SportsLine's top Week 18 Fantasy football WR picks:
1. Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars: The No. 23 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft has 80 catches for 1,179 yard and 10 touchdowns in his rookie season and he just keeps getting better. Over the last three weeks, he has 26 catches for 328 yards and four touchdowns.
2. Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals: Chase is a virtual lock to become the third receiver in the last 30 years to win the wide receiving triple crown (catches, yards and touchdowns) but he'll likely need another Herculean effort to keep Cincinnati's playoff hopes alive on Saturday. He had six catches for 86 yards and a touchdown against the Steelers in Week 13.
3. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings: Jefferson is the only receiver besides Chase to reach 100 catches, 1,400 yards and 10 touchdowns. Now he'll also be highly motivated with the NFC North and home-field advantage on the line, and he draws a great matchup against a Lions defense that has given up 1,085 passing yards in the last three weeks. See more top WRs here.
Top Week 18 Fantasy football TE rankings
Here's a look at SportsLine's top Week 18 Fantasy football TE picks:
1. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens: Andrews didn't score a touchdown in his first five games of the season and even was held without a catch in two of those contests. However, he's come on strong late in the season, scoring in each of his last five games. He's up to 10 touchdowns on the season to lead all tight ends.
2. Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders: Bowers is having an epic rookie season, having already broken Sam LaPorta and Mike Ditka's records for most catches and yards (respectively) by a rookie tight end. He also broke Puka Nacua's record for the most catches by a rookie regardless of position and enters Week 18 with 108 catches for 1,144 yards and four touchdowns.
3. Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals: McBride's first receiving touchdown of the 2024 season came on his 98th reception and you could tell it was a point of emphasis for the organization. He's the most reliable part of the Arizona passing attack, with 104 catches for 1,081 yards this season. He's TE3 for the season despite the lack of scoring opportunities. See more top TEs here.
Top Week 18 Fantasy football defense rankings
Here's a look at SportsLine's top three Week 18 Fantasy football D/ST picks:
1.Baltimore Ravens D/ST: The Browns have scored 16 points in their last three games and have turned the ball over at least twice in their last six contests. Meanwhile, the Ravens have the No. 1 run defense in the NFL and should be able to make Cleveland dangerously one-dimensional on Saturday.
2. Philadelphia Eagles D/ST: The Eagles rank first in the NFL in total defense and third in points allowed entering Week 18. They've also forced nine turnovers over the last two weeks and a dominant running game has helped keep the Philadelphia defense fresh the entire season.
3. Green Bay Packers D/ST: Green Bay ranks top 10 in the NFL in points and yards allowed. Now the Packers will finish the season against a Bears offense that managed just three points and 179 yards of total offense in a Thursday night loss to the Seahawks last week. See more top D/ST here.
How to get Week 18 Fantasy football rankings
Now that you know who the top three at each position are, you'll want to see the full Week 18 Fantasy football rankings from SportsLine. The model has identified a stunner in the top 10 at quarterback, and knowing who it is can give you a huge edge in your league. Head to SportsLine now to get Week 18 Fantasy football rankings.
So who should you target in your Week 18 Fantasy football rankings, and which surprising quarterback could lead you to victory? Visit SportsLine now to get Week 18 Fantasy Football rankings for every single position, all from the model that has a history of making league-winning calls, and find out.
