Fantasy Football FLEX Rankings - Week 18 Early Updates

December 30, 2025

Fantasy football Week 18 rankings for RB, WR, TE. Read RotoBaller's FLEX rankings for Week 18, 2025 to set winning lineups.

Most fantasy football leagues have concluded, but if you're still playing for something, let us help with our Week 18 fantasy football FLEX rankings for 2025. To see where key RBs, WRs, and TEs such as Dylan Sampson, Deebo Samuel Sr., Michael Mayer, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Brenton Strange, Chimere Dike, Woody Marks, Tyrone Tracy Jr., and more stand for the 18th fantasy football slate of the year, dig into the rankings below.

Our FLEX fantasy football rankings for Week 18 are put together by Nick Mariano. Below the rankings, you will also find a summary of the important FLEX fantasy football news for this week. There are always key injuries and developments to keep track of, so check back throughout the week for updates.

Be sure to bookmark our fantasy football rankings portal and check back regularly for updates. Most importantly, our free mobile app is a must-have - download it and configure your push notifications. We deliver all the top NFL news, injuries, and fantasy analysis 24x7 with our free push notification alerts... all for free!

Week 18 FLEX Rankings for Fantasy Football

Bookmark our PPR rankings, Half-PPR rankings, and standard (non-PPR) rankings 

Week 18 FLEX Rankings Outlooks

Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans

Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz has been a solid PPR contributor this season, and he can be a great plug-and-play option in Week 18 if he's available on the waiver wire. Schultz and the rest of the Texans' starters will be playing in their Week 18 game against the Colts, according to coach DeMeco Ryans, since the team still has a chance to win the division. Schultz has a team-high 78 catches on the season for 704 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

He had three catches for 19 yards in the team's win over the Chargers, giving him at least three catches in 14 of his 16 games this season. Two of his touchdowns have come in the last three weeks as well, making him a strong option to play at tight end if you need a solution at the position for the season finale.

Kyle Williams, New England Patriots

New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Williams is stepping into a larger role for the Patriots, as his first season in the NFL comes to a close this week against the Dolphins. The rookie led all Patriots' receivers by playing 85% of snaps in Week 17, which was his highest mark of the season. He stepped up with Kayshon Boutte (concussion) sidelined and Mack Hollins (abdomen) on IR. He hauled in three of his five targets (both season highs) and finished with 20 yards against the Jets.

The Patriots still have a shot at the No. 1 seed with a win on Sunday, so the starters should at least begin the game, giving Williams a great chance to work with Drake Maye to put the finishing touches on his rookie year. As a big-play threat, Williams can be a flier flex play from the waiver wire for deep leagues in Week 18.

Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee, ankle) logged five receptions for 85 yards on eight targets in their 42-38 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday night. Pearsall led the team in receiving yards and was second to backup tight end Jake Tonges in receptions and targets. After missing six weeks due to injury, Pearsall returned in Week 11 only to hit a three-game slump wherein he had a mere five catches for 20 yards.

However, since the 49ers' bye in Week 14, Pearsall has been a worthwhile investment in fantasy. He missed last week due to injuries but had a six-catch, 96-yard game in Week 15. Pearsall has 36 catches for 528 yards and is still seeking his first touchdown of 2025 as the 49ers head into a Week 18 matchup against the Seahawks.

Sean Tucker, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Sean Tucker has seen a drastic decrease in usage since fellow Buccaneers back Bucky Irving returned from injury in Week 13. Over his last five contests, Tucker is averaging under four rush attempts per game. However, Tucker has maintained a role at the goal line, recording three rushing touchdowns in that five-game span. The 24-year-old has had a nose for the end zone in 2025, scoring eight touchdowns on just 90 touches across 16 games.

Additionally, Tampa Bay's rushing offense as a whole was miserable in Week 17, as they totaled 53 rushing yards as a team in a loss to the Miami Dolphins. Between his role at the goal line and the possibility he earns more work as Tampa Bay searches for backfield solutions, Tucker maintains fantasy upside. In leagues with 12 or more teams, Tucker could be worth targeting on the waiver wire heading into his Week 18 matchup against the Carolina Panthers.

Dylan Sampson, Cleveland Browns

Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson returned in Week 17 after a two-game absence due to calf and hand injuries, recording 27 scrimmage yards on 14 touches against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite his inefficient day against the Steelers, Sampson could be in line for a more productive Week 18 in an easier matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. With Browns running back Quinshon Judkins (ankle, leg) suffering a season-ending injury in Week 16, Cleveland split backfield touches in Week 17 between Sampson, Raheim Sanders, and Trayevon Williams.

Sanders led Browns running backs in snap share, but Sampson earned more touches (14) than Sanders and Williams combined (11). If Sampson remains the leader of the Cleveland backfield committee in Week 18, he should post better results. Fantasy managers in leagues with 12 or more teams should consider targeting Sampson on the waiver wire heading into the final week of the regular season.

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