January 3, 2026
Houston Texans rookie wide receiver
Jayden Higgins is coming off arguably his best performance of the season. Higgins hauled in two passes for 88 yards and a touchdown during last week's win over the Los Angeles Chargers. He'll look to top that performance versus the Indianapolis Colts in the Week 18 regular-season finale. The Texans will play their starters with a chance to win the AFC South with a victory and a Jaguars' loss to the Titans. Higgins hasn't been a consistent fantasy option during his rookie season, which makes him difficult to trust in Week 18. He has big-play ability, but he can also give fantasy managers close to nothing. He hauled in five receptions for 65 yards during his last meeting with the Colts. Fantasy managers should consider Higgins a boom-or-bust WR4/flex option for Week 18.
--Andy WebbSource: Pro Football Reference
January 3, 2026
New York Giants quarterback
Jaxson Dart is looking to finish his rookie campaign on a high note. Interim head coach Mike Kafka said that he'll play the starters despite this being a meaningless game for both teams. This is good news for Dart, who will have a plus matchup against the Dallas Cowboys defense. Last week, Dart only threw for 207 passing yards, but he salvaged his fantasy value with nine carries for 48 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. As long as the Giants don't limit Dart, he should offer QB1 upside as a dual-threat option against a below-average defense in Week 18.
--Andy WebbSource: Pro Football Reference
January 3, 2026
Pittsburgh Steelers running back
Jaylen Warren saw his second-lowest snap count of the season during last week's loss to the Cleveland Browns. Warren rushed the ball 12 times for 64 yards, but he was only on the field for 32 percent of the offensive snaps. Fellow back
Kenneth Gainwell saw a season-high 68 percent of the offensive snaps last week. Gainwell has played well for the Steelers during the second half of the season and has earned himself a larger role in this offense. He figures to split up the workload with Warren again during the regular-season finale against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night. The loss of playing time is concerning and makes Warren a more volatile RB2 fantasy option for Week 18.
--Andy WebbSource: Pro Football Reference
January 3, 2026
Las Vegas Raiders rookie running back
Ashton Jeanty needs 112 yards in Week 18 to surpass the 1,000-yard mark for his rookie campaign. Jeanty has been finding more success on the ground lately, with 188 rushing yards over his last two games. He figures to continue being the workhorse back during the regular-season finale versus the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs. He could have trouble finding room to run with the Chiefs having a top-10 run defense this season. Jeanty has big-play upside, though, which keeps him in RB2 territory despite a tough matchup. The Raiders figure to go run-heavy with quarterbacks
Kenny Pickett or
Aidan O'Connell under center.
--Andy WebbSource: Pro Football Reference
January 3, 2026
Arizona Cardinals quarterback
Jacoby Brissett has surprised many with his solid play under center this season. The 33-year-old has thrown for 3,123 passing yards with 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions through 13 games this season. He'll look to continue his success during the regular-season finale versus the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. During their last meeting, Brissett threw for 271 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in Week 14. Brissett has thrown for multiple touchdowns in four of his last five games. The Cardinals aren't having much success in the win category with him under center, but Brissett is putting up strong numbers. Fantasy managers should continue to trust Brissett as a high-end QB2.
--Andy WebbSource: Pro Football Reference
January 3, 2026
Los Angeles Rams quarterback
Matthew Stafford is looking to bounce back after throwing three interceptions during last week's loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Fantasy managers should give Stafford a break, considering he has been one of the best QBs in the league this season. He'll look to end the regular season on a strong note versus the Arizona Cardinals, a defense that he threw for 281 yards against with three touchdowns during their first meeting in Week 14. Head coach Sean McVay said that the starters are going to play in this game. That thinking could change if the 49ers beat the Seahawks on Saturday night, which would lock the Rams into the sixth seed for the NFC playoffs. For now, fantasy managers should view Stafford as a top-tier option, assuming he plays his normal workload.
--Andy WebbSource: Pro Football Reference
January 3, 2026
San Francisco 49ers tight end
George Kittle (ankle) is active ahead of Saturday's Week 18 matchup versus the Seattle Seahawks. Kittle is back in action this week after sitting out in Week 17 due to an ankle sprain. The expectation is that Kittle will have a full workload despite being limited in practice this week. Kittle is expected to see a larger target share with wide receiver
Ricky Pearsall (ankle, knee) ruled out for Saturday's game. The 32-year-old is a must-start and is ranked second among all tight ends behind only
Trey McBride in the latest RotoBaller rankings for Week 18.
--Andy WebbSource: Jonathan Jones
January 3, 2026
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver
Ricky Pearsall (knee, ankle) is officially inactive ahead of Saturday's Week 18 matchup versus the Seattle Seahawks. Pearsall was questionable coming into this game, but will sit out due to an ankle sprain and a PCL injury. The absence of Pearsall should mean increased looks for
Jauan Jennings and
George Kittle. There's a chance that
Demarcus Robinson and
Kendrick Bourne see a larger target share, but they remain inconsistent options. Jennings and Kittle are the best DFS options with Pearsall sidelined for the regular season finale.
--Andy WebbSource: Jonathan Jones
January 3, 2026
New England Patriots quarterback
Drake Maye put together his best performance of the season during last week's win over the New York Jets. Maye threw for 256 yards with five touchdowns and was pulled from the game in the middle of the third quarter. The 23-year-old likely won many fantasy managers championships with that performance, but he's not done yet. Maye heads into a favorable matchup against the Miami Dolphins in Week 18. The Patriots are expected to play their starters as they still need to win for seeding purposes. It wouldn't be shocking to see the Patriots pull Maye again if it's a blowout, but he's too valuable to avoid for Week 18.
--Andy WebbSource: Pro Football Reference
January 3, 2026
Dallas Cowboys quarterback
Dak Prescott will play in the regular-season finale against the New York Giants on Sunday. It's unclear whether Prescott will play the entire game, given that neither team is playing for anything beyond draft position. It wouldn't be shocking to see the Cowboys let
Joe Milton III play some to finish out the season. The Cowboys have little incentive for Prescott to play an entire game and risk injury. Given the uncertainty, fantasy managers might want to look elsewhere for quarterback help this weekend. If he plays the whole game, Prescott is an elite option, but the unknown makes him a risky choice.
--Andy WebbSource: Pro Football Reference
January 3, 2026
Seattle Seahawks tight end
AJ Barner has picked up his play over the last few weeks. Barner has taken over as the primary tight end in this offense with
Elijah Arroyo (knee) being sidelined since Week 15. Since then, Barner has hauled in 10 receptions for 119 yards and two touchdowns. The 23-year-old has been making the most of his increased playing time. He should be able to offer at least high-end TE2 value for the upcoming Week 18 matchup versus the San Francisco 49ers. The Seahawks need to win to secure the No. 1 seed, so Barner should see a full workload.
--Andy WebbSource: Pro Football Reference
January 3, 2026
New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback
Tyler Shough has been one of the more pleasant surprises of the season, as he has firmly placed himself in the thick of the Offensive Rookie of the Year conversation. During the Saints' four-game win streak, the 26-year-old rookie has completed 71.1% of his passes for 1,057 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception with a 102.9 passer rating while adding 21 carries for 101 yards and two more scores on the ground. Shough will be without his top target in
Chris Olave (illness) for the season finale against the Atlanta Falcons, which could limit his fantasy appeal, considering Shough struggled against Atlanta in their first meeting back in Week 12. It was the only start of his career in which he didn't record a touchdown, and also marked his lowest yards per attempt at 5.7. Shough is RotoBaller's QB16 for the week.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Pro Football Reference
January 3, 2026
The New York Giants have placed wide receiver
Wan'Dale Robinson (ribs) on Injured Reserve, ending his season. Robinson put together a career season in what could be his final year in New York as an upcoming free agent, hauling in 92 catches for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns on 140 targets. The 24-year-old wideout's per-target efficiency rebounded to 7.2 this season after a poor 5.0 mark last season, and he has remained one of the top target earners in the league since being drafted in 2022. The former second-rounder is one of only 12 wide receivers since 2022 with multiple seasons of 140+ targets. With Robinson ruled out, the Giants will rely on
Darius Slayton and
Isaiah Hodgins as the top wideouts in Week 18's divisional matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. At the same time,
Dalen Cambre,
Jalin Hyatt (illness), and
Gunner Olszewski are also likely to see increased playing time.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Adam Schefter
January 3, 2026
Pittsburgh Steelers running back
Kenneth Gainwell has been one of the best fantasy values in PPR leagues this season, recording 62 receptions for 410 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games. His 62 catches trail only
Christian McCaffrey,
Jahmyr Gibbs,
Bijan Robinson, and
De'Von Achane at the running back position. The 26-year-old back continues to split touches with
Jaylen Warren, but has maintained a strong fantasy profile due to his high-value touch role. Despite Pittsburgh's only legitimate receiving threat in
D.K. Metcalf (suspension) missing last week's game against the Browns, Gainwell totalled his fewest yards from scrimmage (38) since Week 10. The former Philadelphia Eagle should be expected to bounce back in a pivotal Week 18 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens to decide the AFC North. Baltimore ranks middle of the pack in fantasy points allowed to running backs, and Gainwell caught six balls and found the end zone against them back in Week 14.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Pro Football Reference
January 3, 2026
New Orleans Saints tight end
Juwan Johnson has enjoyed a breakout campaign in his age-29 season, setting career highs in targets (98), receptions (74), and yards (828) entering Week 18's season finale against the Atlanta Falcons. Johnson has recorded at least four catches in seven straight games and in 12 of 16 contests on the year. His 35 receptions since Week 10 rank fifth most among tight ends. New Orleans is dealing with multiple injuries on offense, particularly at wide receiver, with
Chris Olave (illness) and
Devaughn Vele (shoulder) both out for this game. The Saints' available wide receivers on Sunday are
Kevin Austin Jr.,
Dante Pettis,
Ronnie Bell, and
Samori Toure, which sets Johnson up to see a heavy dose of targets. With how well rookie QB
Tyler Shough has been playing and plenty of targets up for grabs, Johnson ranks as RotoBaller's TE3 for Week 18.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Pro Football Reference
RADIO
