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Those who read my weekly columns and pay attention to my introductions know that I am one of many analysts who don't understand why fantasy managers set games that matter in Week 18. Of the 19 leagues I am in this year, only one plays this week. That league is unique, as it involves keepers and a redraft in the NFL playoffs that determines the fantasy champion. However, even in that league, I would advocate for no fantasy matchups in Week 18.
The top NFL teams are the first and most obvious reason to avoid this week. San Francisco, Baltimore, and Cleveland each have their playoff seeding sewn up. Each has indicated they may rest players to some degree, with the 49ers and Ravens serving real threats to sit most of their starters entirely. Odds favor Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, and Roquan Smith playing one or two drives at most. That's why they fell down our rankings this week.
While San Fran and Baltimore are concerning, at least you know what their plans are. Teams like Dallas and Carolina are much harder to project. For example, Dallas should play everyone with the NFC East on the line… but if a blowout ensues, Micah Parsons will rest. Meanwhile, the Panthers could limit their stars for different reasons, namely health next year. That means we will place a premium on players in quality matchups with high stakes, like Miami vs. Buffalo.
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IDP Scoring System for Rankings:
6-points per Defensive Touchdown
4-points per Forced Turnover (FF/INT)
3-points per Sack
2- points per PD, FR, Safety
1-point Solo Tackle
0.5-points Assisted Tackle
Note: These rankings are also based on leagues that start one player at each defensive position (DL, LB, DB) and two DFLEX.
Top Fantasy Defensive Linemen of the Week
| Rank | Player | Team | Opponent |
| 1 | T.J. Watt | Steelers | Ravens |
| 2 | Maxx Crosby | Raiders | Broncos |
| 3 | Micah Parsons | Cowboys | Commanders |
| 4 | Josh Allen | Jaguars | Titans |
| 5 | Trey Hendrickson | Bengals | Browns |
| 6 | Andrew Van Ginkel | Dolphins | Bills |
| 7 | Haason Reddick | Eagles | Giants |
| 8 | Harold Landry III | Titans | Jaguars |
| 9 | Alex Highsmith | Steelers | Ravens |
| 10 | Khalil Mack | Chargers | Chiefs |
| 11 | Montez Sweat | Bears | Packers |
| 12 | Danielle Hunter | Vikings | Lions |
| 13 | Aidan Hutchinson | Lions | Vikings |
| 14 | Carl Granderson | Saints | Falcons |
| 15 | Will Anderson Jr. | Texans | Colts |
| 16 | Kayvon Thibodeaux | Giants | Eagles |
| 17 | Aaron Donald | Rams | 49ers |
| 18 | Jonathon Cooper | Broncos | Raiders |
| 19 | Brian Burns | Panthers | Buccaneers |
| 20 | Christian Wilkins | Dolphins | Bills |
| 21 | Cameron Heyward | Steelers | Ravens |
| 22 | Byron Young | Rams | 49ers |
| 23 | Kwity Paye | Colts | Texans |
| 24 | DeForest Buckner | Colts | Texans |
| 25 | Jonathan Allen | Commanders | Cowboys |
| 26 | Boye Mafe | Seahawks | Cardinals |
| 27 | Jonathan Greenard | Texans | Colts |
| 28 | Nick Bosa | 49ers | Rams |
| 29 | Myles Garrett | Browns | Bengals |
| 30 | Jalen Carter | Eagles | Giants |
| 31 | Dexter Lawrence | Giants | Eagles |
| 32 | Christian Barmore | Patriots | Jets |
| 33 | Rashan Gary | Packers | Bears |
| 34 | Chris Jones | Chiefs | Chargers |
| 35 | Harrison Phillips | Vikings | Lions |
| 36 | Quinnen Williams | Jets | Patriots |
| 37 | Justin Madubuike | Ravens | Steelers |
| 38 | Denico Autry | Titans | Jaguars |
| 39 | Leonard Floyd | Bills | Dolphins |
| 40 | Ed Oliver | Bills | Dolphins |
| 41 | Michael Hoecht | Rams | 49ers |
| 42 | Derrick Brown | Panthers | Buccaneers |
| 43 | Josh Sweat | Eagles | Giants |
| 44 | Zach Seiler | Dolphins | Bills |
| 45 | Vita Vea | Buccaneers | Panthers |
| 46 | Ya Ya Diaby | Buccaneers | Panthers |
| 47 | Preston Smith | Packers | Bears |
| 48 | Jermaine Johnson | Jets | Patriots |
| 49 | Shaquil Barrett (Q) | Buccaneers | Panthers |
| 50 | Bryce Huff | Jets | Patriots |
DL Riser of the Week:
Christian Barmore, New England Patriots
The Patriots have nothing to play for, but their coach isn’t the type to rest healthy guys in situations like these. Plus, this could be the last game for Bill Belichick in New England, so odds are he and his players will want to win this one.
Barmore is on a tear lately, totaling 41 standard fantasy points over his past four games. Now, he gets a Jets team that grades as PFF's second-lowest squad in pass blocking this year. They have also allowed 129 interior pressures on the season, the fifth-worst in the NFL. This is a solid matchup for a streaking player in a week with few fantasy guarantees.
DL Disappointment of the Week:
Myles Garrett, DL, Cleveland Browns
You'll notice a theme with our disappointment picks this week. They are all from teams with nothing to play for, yet they could still be designated as “starters” in an attempt to keep rust from collecting. That means they may very well play, but they’ll likely be capped at a handful of snaps. Garrett fits nicely into this risky group.
Garrett is a superstar in IDP, so it’s hard to sit him if Cleveland says he will play. However, the odds he sits a majority of this week are very high. The Browns cannot risk their best defender getting hurt in a meaningless game just so he can collect stats. You cannot afford to stash him in your redraft leagues when the odds are good that he won’t play more than 12 snaps. He is droppable in shallow redrafts now.
Top Fantasy Linebackers of the Week
| Rank | Player | Team | Opponent |
| 1 | Foyesade Oluokun | Jaguars | Titans |
| 2 | Zaire Franklin | Colts | Texans |
| 3 | Ernest Jones | Rams | 49ers |
| 4 | Alex Singleton | Broncos | Raiders |
| 5 | Bobby Wagner | Seahawks | Cardinals |
| 6 | Logan Wilson | Bengals | Browns |
| 7 | C.J. Mosley | Jets | Patriots |
| 8 | Lavonte David | Buccaneers | Panthers |
| 9 | Quay Walker | Packers | Bears |
| 10 | Terrel Bernard | Bills | Dolphins |
| 11 | Nick Bolton | Chiefs | Chargers |
| 12 | Jordyn Brooks (Q) | Seahawks | Cardinals |
| 13 | T.J. Edwards | Bears | Packers |
| 14 | Jordan Hicks | Vikings | Lions |
| 15 | Khaleke Hudson | Commanders | Cowboys |
| 16 | Bobby Okereke | Giants | Eagles |
| 17 | Eric Kendricks | Chargers | Chiefs |
| 18 | Azeez Al-Shaair | Titans | Jaguars |
| 19 | Cody Barton | Commanders | Cowboys |
| 20 | E.J. Speed | Colts | Texans |
| 21 | Devin Lloyd | Jaguars | Titans |
| 22 | Frankie Luvu | Panthers | Buccaneers |
| 23 | Ivan Pace Jr. | Vikings | Lions |
| 24 | T.J. Watt | Steelers | Ravens |
| 25 | Demario Davis | Saints | Falcons |
| 26 | Robert Spillane | Raiders | Broncos |
| 27 | Blake Cashman | Texans | Colts |
| 28 | Josey Jewell | Broncos | Raiders |
| 29 | Kaden Elliss | Falcons | Saints |
| 30 | Christian Harris | Texans | Colts |
| 31 | Tremaine Edmunds | Bears | Packers |
| 33 | Jahlani Tavai | Patriots | Jets |
| 34 | Quincy Williams | Jets | Patriots |
| 35 | Roquan Smith | Ravens | Steelers |
| 36 | Alex Anzalone | Lions | Vikings |
| 37 | Kenneth Murray Jr. (Q) | Chargers | Chiefs |
| 38 | Markquese Bell | Cowboys | Commanders |
| 39 | David Long Jr. | Dolphins | Bills |
| 40 | Andrew Van Ginkel | Dolphins | Bills |
| 41 | Devin Bush | Seahawks | Cardinals |
| 42 | Micah Parsons | Cowboys | Commanders |
| 43 | Fred Warner | 49ers | Rams |
| 44 | Germaine Pratt | Bengals | Browns |
| 45 | Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah | Browns | Bengals |
| 46 | Patrick Queen | Ravens | Steelers |
| 47 | Oren Burks | 49ers | Rams |
| 48 | Divine Deablo | Raiders | Broncos |
| 49 | Nate Landman | Falcons | Saints |
| 50 | Trenton Simpson | Ravens | Steelers |
LB Riser of the Week:
David Long Jr., Miami Dolphins
Miami vs. Buffalo is the game with the most on the line for both teams. The winner of this matchup secures the AFC East and a home-field spot in the first round. The Bills have a particular interest in winning this one, as there is a scenario where they are eliminated from the playoffs if they lose.
In a week where more than a dozen teams have nothing to play for, and many teams with something on the line are facing off against bad teams with no investments in winning, this game holds some safety. It should be competitive to the end, and that's good for all starters involved. David Long Jr. is available in 92.1% of IDP leagues and is going up against the most run-heavy offense in the NFL over the past three weeks.
LB Disappointment of the Week:
Fred Warner & Dre Greenlaw, San Francisco 49ers
Are you noticing the theme yet?
As stated throughout this article, you cannot trust the starters for teams with predetermined playoff seeds this week. While the chance these studs could play real snaps to stay fresh keeps them in our rankings, the possibility they don't play more than a drive keeps them low. In redraft leagues, a smart move would be to dump Greenlaw and Warner for Khaleke Hudson or Ivan Pace Jr. if they are available on waivers.
Top Fantasy Defensive Backs of the Week
| Rank | Player | Team | Opponent |
| 1 | Antoine Winfield Jr. | Buccaneers | Panthers |
| 2 | Derwin James | Chargers | Chiefs |
| 3 | Jessie Bates III | Falcons | Saints |
| 4 | Camryn Bynum | Vikings | Lions |
| 5 | Jaquan Brisker | Bears | Packers |
| 6 | Jevon Holland | Dolphins | Bills |
| 7 | Josh Metellus | Vikings | Lions |
| 8 | Julian Love | Seahawks | Cardinals |
| 9 | Xavier McKinney | Giants | Eagles |
| 10 | Jordan Battle | Bengals | Browns |
| 11 | Kamren Curl | Commanders | Cowboys |
| 12 | DaRon Bland | Cowboys | Commanders |
| 13 | Desmond King | Texans | Colts |
| 14 | Jalen Pitre | Texans | Colts |
| 15 | Reed Blankenship | Eagles | Giants |
| 16 | Kevin Byard | Eagles | Giants |
| 17 | Rayshawn Jenkins | Jaguars | Titans |
| 18 | Kyle Dugger | Patriots | Jets |
| 19 | Justin Reid | Chiefs | Chargers |
| 20 | L’Jarius Sneed | Chiefs | Chargers |
| 21 | Donovan Wilson | Cowboys | Commanders |
| 22 | Dax Hill | Bengals | Browns |
| 23 | Kenny Moore II (Q) | Colts | Texans |
| 24 | Taron Johnson | Bills | Dolphins |
| 25 | Kerby Joseph | Lions | Vikings |
| 26 | Devon Witherspoon | Seahawks | Cardinals |
| 27 | Jonathan Owens | Packers | Bears |
| 28 | Jalen Thompson | Cardinals | Seahawks |
| 29 | Zyon McCollum | Buccaneers | Panthers |
| 30 | Budda Baker | Cardinals | Seahawks |
| 31 | Geno Stone | Ravens | Steelers |
| 32 | Paulson Adebo | Saints | Falcons |
| 33 | Justin Simmons | Broncos | Raiders |
| 34 | Eric Rowe | Steelers | Ravens |
| 35 | Nate Hobbs | Raiders | Broncos |
| 36 | Jordan Whitehead | Jets | Patriots |
| 37 | Tyrann Mathieu | Saints | Falcons |
| 38 | Brian Branch | Lions | Vikings |
| 39 | Richie Grant | Falcons | Saints |
| 40 | Jordan Poyer | Bills | Dolphins |
| 41 | Roger McCreary | Titans | Jaguars |
| 42 | Patrick Surtain II | Broncos | Raiders |
| 43 | Jayron Kearse | Cowboys | Commanders |
| 44 | Rasul Douglas | Bills | Dolphins |
| 45 | Ambry Thomas | 49ers | Rams |
| 46 | Alohi Gilman | Chargers | Chiefs |
| 47 | Ji’Ayir Brown (Q) | 49ers | Rams |
| 48 | Derek Stingley Jr. | Texans | Colts |
| 49 | Cameron Sutton | Lions | Vikings |
| 50 | Charvarius Ward | 49ers | Rams |
DB Riser of the Week:
Geno Stone, Baltimore Ravens
Let's break our rule here. Stone sits second in the NFL in interceptions, but is a third safety and part-time player for Baltimore. He has stepped in as a full-time starter when Kyle Hamilton or Marcus Williams are out, but otherwise, he plays between 60-80% of the defensive snaps. However, we are projecting both Hamilton and Williams to sit this week, which could boost Stone’s stock.
Marlon Humphrey, Brandon Stephens, and Kyle Hamilton are all dealing with injuries. So, I project them to sit in Week 18. Marcus Williams has also dealt with injuries recently and is likely to rest for part, if not all, of this game. If four or more defensive backs are out for Baltimore, it could be hard for them to rest Stone. Stone's usage could rise in a week when quality defenders are scarce.
DB Disappointment of the Week:
Baltimore Ravens DBs Not Named Geno Stone
The theme comes full circle. While this is redundant and may seem obvious, I have to hammer this home. NFL coaches may or may not play their starters even when there’s nothing on the line, but the probability of those starters seeing limited snaps is far too high to trust.
As stated above, I am projecting Kyle Hamilton, Marlon Humphrey, and Brandon Stephens to sit this week. They're dealing with injuries and have no incentive to play. I also project Marcus Williams to sit most of this game, if not all of it. That makes all of them too hard to roster in the last week of your redraft league’s playoffs.
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