Week 18 NFL DFS Picks, Predictions & Top Matchups For Main Slate
The final week of the NFL regular season has arrived. Week 18 will have plenty of playoff implications on the line, but there are also a lot of teams with nothing left to play for. That could make for a tricky DFS slate, with teams resting starters.
Let’s dig into the best NFL DFS picks for Week 18 by highlighting some of the top projections and matchups to target on PrizePicks for Sunday’s games.
NFL Week 18 Picks for DFS & PrizePicks
- NFL Week 18 Injury Report + Teams Resting
- Week 18 Pass Defense to Target
- Week 18 Run Defenses to Target
- Week 18 DFS Picks
Week 18 NFL Injury Report
Below is the Week 18 NFL Injury Report for NFL DFS, including teams that could be resting key starters — including the Chiefs, Rams, Bills, and Eagles.
Chiefs To Rest Key Starters
The biggest impact on Week 18 will be teams resting players, rather than injuries. The Chiefs have locked up the top seed in the AFC and will rest some of their key players. That list will likely include Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs TE Travis Kelce, and Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco. Carson Wentz will get the start at quarterback, while RB Samaje Perine and RB Carson Steele should receive added carries.
Eagles will Rest Key Starters in Week 18
Eagles head coach Nick Nirianni said his team will rest some guys, as the Eagles are locked into the No. 2 spot in the NFC Playoffs. That will likely include RB Saquon Barkley, QB Jalen Hurts, and WR A.J. Brown at a minimum, but likely more as well. The Eagles will rest up to face either the Packers or Commanders in the Wild Card Round.
Rams Resting Starters; QB Jimmy Garoppolo to Start
The Rams technically have seeding to play for in Week 18, as a win gives them the three seed, while a loss could put them at No. 4 — setting them up with a matchup against either the 14-3 Lions or Vikings, depending on Sunday Night’s results. Nevertheless, head coach Sean McVay is prioritizing resting his starters this week. He has said many veterans will get rest this week, but the only official player who will be rested is QB Matthew Stafford, as QB Jimmy Garoppolo will start in his place.
Bills QB Josh Allen To Play Limited Snaps
Like the Chiefs, the Bills have nothing left to play for because they have locked up the #2 seed in the AFC. Bills head coach Sean McDermott has already said that Bills QB Josh Allen will start against the Patriots, but also said that Allen’s appearance will be “very, very short lived.” We also might not see much, if any, of Bills RB James Cook and Bills WR Amari Cooper. With Allen not expected to play much, QB Mitchell Trubisky should spend plenty of time on the field. Bills RB Ray Davis could also receive an expanded workload.
Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa (Hip) In Doubt
Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa (hip) was unable to play in Week 17, paving the way for Dolphins QB Tyler Huntley to start against the Browns. Huntley led them to victory, keeping the Dolphins’ playoff hopes alive. Tagovailoa is still battling the injury, so Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said they are preparing as if Huntley will start. On a positive note, Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle (knee) could make his return after missing the last two weeks.
Other NFL Week 18 Injuries for DFS
- The Texans have also locked up their playoff seeding, securing the #4 seed in the AFC. Head coach DeMeco Ryans says there is no plan to rest the starters earlier this week. If key starters like Texans QB C.J. Stroud, Texans RB Joe Mixon, and Texans WR Nico Collins do take the field, they could play limited snaps, so buyer beware.
- Titans RB Tyjae Spears suffered a concussion against the Jaguars in Week 17, putting his status in doubt for Week 18. Titans RB Tony Pollard (ankle/illness) sat out Week 17, but he could return to face the Texans. Pollard was a limited participant in practice Wednesday.
- Colts QB Anthony Richardson (back) did not play in Week 17 against the Giants. The Colts suffered a surprising loss, eliminating them from the playoffs. Despite the team having nothing left to play for, Richardson will start Sunday against the Jaguars if he is healthy. If he can’t play, then Colts QB Joe Flacco should start again.
- Cardinals RB James Conner aggravated his knee injury against the Rams last week and did not return. He finished with just four carries for four yards. The Cardinals have been eliminated from the playoffs and have ruled out Conner for Week 18. Cardinals RB Trey Benson (ankle) has also missed the last two games. That resulted in Cardinals RB Michael Carter turning 13 carries into 70 yards. Benson will join Conner on the sidelines Sunday, so Carter could take on a leading role.
NFL Week 18 Pass Defenses to Target
Carolina Panthers Defense vs. Falcons
The key this week will be finding games that mean something. This one does, as the Falcons are still in the hunt for the NFC South title and need to win. The Panthers have allowed at least 30 points in each of their last three games with opposing quarterbacks picking them apart. Last week it was Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield, who threw for 359 yards and five touchdowns. They have allowed nine passing touchdowns over their last three games.
PrizePicks Picks: QB Michael Penix Jr. 221.5 Pass Yards / WR Drake London 68.5 Receiving Yards
Indianapolis Colts Defense vs. Jaguars
The Colts have the fifth-highest pass EPA per play allowed (0.07) in the league, per 4for4 Fantasy Football. With their playoff hopes on the line last week, their defense gave up 45 points to a Giants team that has struggled to score all season. Giants QB Drew Lock threw for 309 yards and four touchdowns.
The Jaguars don’t have a stellar offense, but with how poorly the Colts played against the Giants, the Jaguars could still have one of their more productive offensive showings.
PrizePicks Picks: QB Mac Jones 207.5 Pass Yards / WR Brian Thomas Jr. 85.5 Receiving Yards
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NFL Week 18 Run Defenses to Target
Jacksonville Jaguars Defense vs. Colts
The Colts’ defense was terrible last week, but Colts RB Jonathan Taylor did his job. He received a season-high 32 carries, finishing with 125 rushing yards and two touchdowns. That marked his third-straight game with at least 100 rushing yards and his fourth-straight game with at least 22 rushing attempts.
There have been no reports that the Colts plan to sit their starters, so Taylor should be deployed as usual against a Jaguars team that has the sixth-highest rush EPA per play allowed in the league (0.02), per 4for4.
New Orleans Saints Defense vs. Buccaneers
The Buccaneers are trying to secure the NFC South with a win over the Saints. Not only was Mayfield great last week, but Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving turned 20 carries into 113 yards. He also had four receptions for 77 yards.
With that performance, Irving has rushed for at least 110 yards in three of his last five games. When he faced the Saints in Week 6, he produced 81 yards and a touchdown across 14 carries. The Saints have the third-highest rush EPA per play allowed (0.08) in the league per 4for4, so Irving could also shine in this rematch.
PrizePicks Picks: RB Bucky Irving 85.5 Rush Yards
Week 18 NFL DFS Picks for PrizePicks
Commanders QB Jayden Daniels 228.5 Pass Yards – Less
Commanders QB Jayden Daniels has thrown for 227 or fewer yards in three of the last four games. He has thrown for 226 or fewer yards in each of his last three games on the road.
The Commanders have locked up a playoff spot, so we might not see Daniels play this entire game. There’s too much working against Daniels for him to surpass this projection.
Giants WR Malik Nabers 67.5 Receiving Yards – More
Not only are the Eagles likely to rest some key starters on offense, but they could also sit some of their top defenders. Giants WR Malik Nabers is already coming off the best game of his career, catching seven of eight targets for 171 yards and two touchdowns against the Colts last week.
Nabers has recorded at least 68 receiving yards in five straight games. With plenty of targets likely coming his way again, he could exploit the Eagles’ backups.
Best TD Scorer Pick: Panthers WR Adam Thielen (Demon Pick)
Panthers WR Adam Thielen scored two touchdowns against the Buccaneers last week. That marked the third time over his last five games that he scored at least one touchdown. He has been busy, receiving a total of 40 targets over that five-game span.
The Falcons have allowed the most receiving touchdowns to wide receivers (21) in the league, so in a game in which the Panthers should throw a lot, Thielen could record another touchdown.
Note: Demon picks add a payout boost to your lineup on PrizePicks, as they are more difficult projections to hit.
Goblin Pick: Falcons RB Bijan Robinson 0.5 Rush+Rec TDs – More
Falcons RB Bijan Robinson scored two touchdowns against the Commanders last week. He also scored two touchdowns the week prior against the Giants. When he faced the Panthers in Week 6, Robinson also had two touchdowns.
The Panthers are tied for the second-most rushing touchdowns allowed to running backs (16) in the league, setting up Robinson with an excellent opportunity to reach the end zone again in a must-win game. It’s an ideal spot for the the second-year RB.
Note: Goblin picks reduce your payout on PrizePicks, as they are easier projections to hit.
Build Your Week 18 NFL DFS Lineup on PrizePicks
Week 18 brings the last full slate of NFL games before the start of the 2025 NFL Playoffs. There is no better way to get in on the action than by building an NFL DFS team on PrizePicks for the Sunday main slate.
There are no salary constraints, so pick two or more stat projections for your favorite players, finalize your Lineup by picking more or less, sit back, and enjoy the games.
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