We've officially closed the book on 2023, and now we can finally focus our attention on crafting a new story. Maybe last year wasn't everything you hoped it would be, or maybe life gave you a swift kick in the teeth to kick off 2024. Regardless, all of that is now in the past. After all, the windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror for a reason.
We've had some DFS successes and some struggles throughout this football season, but it's been an enjoyable ride every step of the way. Whether you're a fantasy champion or not, everyone is on a level playing field in for Week 18 DraftKings and FanDuel contests. As we put a bow on the 2023 NFL regular season, here's to hoping that we can start January in style. For all the memories we've made along the way, let's raise a glass to another successful season.
Before we break down all of our picks, here are the most notable scoring rules for DraftKings contests: Full-point PPR, four-point passing TDs, three-point bonuses for 100 rushing yards, 100 receiving yards, and 300 passing yards.
NFL DraftKings Picks Week 18: NFL DFS lineup for GPP tournaments
Sunday main slate, $50,000 budget
QB Justin Fields, Bears @ Packers ($7,200). Fields has been on a heater in recent weeks, something that we expect to continue through the final game of the Bears' season. Last season, the Lions went into Lambeau Field to destroy the Packers' playoff hopes in Week 18, which ended the Aaron Rodgers era. This season, the Bears have the chance to deliver a similar fate to begin the Jordan Love era in Green Bay. Fields is out to prove that the Bears don't need to spend the No. 1 pick on a QB, and another impressive effort to close out the season might be the cherry on top.
RB Rachaad White, Buccaneers @ Panthers ($7,600). The Panthers are routinely embarrassed every week, and the Bucs are hunting down a division title. Apparently, no one wants to win the NFC South this year, but we'd be shocked if Tampa can't get the job done. White is a big reason why. The breakout RB had a tough Week 17, making this the perfect get-right spot against a defense that has struggled mightily against RBs all year long.
RB Aaron Jones, Packers vs. Bears ($6,300). We're loading up on this Bears-Packers showdown in Green Bay with so much on the line. While the Bears would love to ruin the Packers chances of reaching the postseason, the Cheeseheads have begun to find something on offense. Christian Watson's hamstring injury previously derailed Matt LaFleur's team, but Aaron Jones picked a great time to return to fantasy relevance, carrying this team while posting 17 fantasy points in back-to-back weeks. The Bears are known to be generous to RBs in the passing game -- the one area that Jones is yet to make an impact. In a must-win game, we should see a vintage performance out of No. 33.
WR DJ Moore, Bears @ Packers ($7,000). Moore's first season in the Windy City has been a resounding success, posting career highs across the board. With one more game to go, Moore has the chance to pour it on as a boom-or-bust option in Week 18. The WR can explode at any time and has the added benefit of being Fields' favorite target. Expect him to close out the season in style.
WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks @ Cardinals ($4,800). It's desperate times for the Seahawks, who come into Week 18 needing a win against the Cardinals coupled with a Bears win over the Packers. That puts the rookie right on the fantasy radar. JSN has at least 12 fantasy points in two of the past three games, emerging as a weapon down the stretch. However, to most, Smith-Njigba comes in as an afterthought thanks to seeing just two targets in Week 17. We'll buy the dip on the rookie and expect him to make a positive impact against a leaky secondary.
WR Darius Slayton, Giants vs. Eagles ($4,000). There's a good chance we're the only people on the planet willing to trust Slayton in a DFS lineup this week, but don't start flooding social media with hate just yet. He's quietly put up 18 and 23.6 fantasy points, respectively, in back-to-back weeks, largely thanks to his big-play ability and the touchdowns that have come with it. Slayton's 18-point game came on Christmas against the Eagles, the same opponent that awaits the G-Men in Week 18. Philly's weakness in the secondary is well-documented, and the Giants have nothing to play for, meaning they can play loose against a Philly team that has plenty to fight for.
TE Juwan Johnson, Saints vs. Falcons ($3,500). Speaking of quiet breakouts, Johnson is finally delivering for everyone who picked him to be a fantasy sleeper in 2023. It's too little, too late for fantasy's sake, but the Saints will welcome the production if they are to emerge victorious in the NFC South. He's coming off three straight double-digit fantasy-point performances, including a 20-point showing in Week 17. The arrow should be pointing up for the TE.
FLEX RB James Conner, Cardinals vs. Seahawks ($6,000). Conner is making a statement to close the season, steadily climbing the fantasy ladder over the past three. He's gone from 17.9 fantasy points to 22.2 and 29.3 in succession, notably shredding the 49ers and Eagles along the way. A matchup with the Seahawks certainly won't scare Conner, as the Cards look to finish the year strong while ruining their NFC West foe's playoff hopes.
DEF Raiders vs. Broncos ($2,800). Antonio Pierce has his guys playing throwback football as he eyes the full-time HC job in Vegas. It was a bit of a letdown against the Colts last week after dominating in the three games before that, but Vegas is physical and imposing their will. With a Broncos team coming to town after having benched Russell Wilson, Denver is in no position to put up a fight. That's important in Week 18, where motivation plays more of a role than anything else. The Raiders are fighting for their interim coach, and the Broncos are packing their bags for vacation. Vegas should rise to the occasion.
NFL FanDuel Picks Week 18: NFL DFS lineup for GPP tournaments
Scoring based on FanDuel's half-point PPR format
- QB: Geno Smith, Seahawks ($7,300)
- RB: Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions ($8,100)
- RB: Austin Ekeler, Chargers ($6,400)
- WR: DK Metcalf, Seahawks ($7,600)
- WR: Chris Godwin, Buccaneers ($6,900)
- WR: DeAndre Hopkins, Titans ($6,800)
- TE: Dallas Goedert, Eagles ($6,100)
- FLEX: WR Brandin Cooks, Cowboys ($6,300)
- DEF: Detroit Lions ($4,500)
Our FanDuel lineup is attacking the incentives market that should impact the week in some way. Smith has a sizable $2 million playoff bonus that awaits him if the Seahawks make the postseason, and Metcalf should benefit as a result. Gibbs and the Lions' defense are out for blood this week after getting robbed in Dallas, meaning the Vikings will absorb the punishment. Ekeler's price has never been lower, and he has a small incentive bonus to hit, while Godwin, Goedert, and Cooks continue to play at a high level. Even though the Titans don't have anything to play for, Hopkins stands to be $1.25 million richer if he hits his incentives, too. All in all, we're looking at a motivated lineup to get the job done on the FanDuel side of things.
Best SuperDraft NFL DFS Picks for NFL Week 18
This season, we're also listing our favorite Week 18 DFS lineup on SuperDraft, with some of our picks and analysis overlapping.
For those unfamiliar, SuperDraft's DFS scoring involves point multipliers as opposed to traditional salary-capped or tiered contests. A winning lineup will likely feature a strong mix of stud fantasy contributors with 1x-1.6x boosts, as well as a few matchup-based sleepers with larger multipliers. Each player is assigned a scoring multiplier based on their value as determined by SuperDraft. Users can roster any player in their lineup with no restrictions.
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Here are the most notable scoring rules for SuperDraft NFL contests: Half-point PPR, four-point passing TDs, two-point bonuses for 100 rushing yards, 100 receiving yards, and 300 passing yards.
MORE SUPERDRAFT DFS: How to play SuperDraft
- QB: Justin Fields, Bears (Multiplier 1.1x)
- RB: Rachaad White, Buccaneers (Multiplier 1.15x)
- RB: Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions (Multiplier 1.25x)
- WR: CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys (Multiplier 1x)
- WR: DK Metcalf, Seahawks (Multiplier 1.2x)
- WR: DJ Moore, Bears (Multiplier 1.25x)
- TE: Dallas Goedert, Eagles (Multiplier 1.2x)
- FLEX: RB James Conner, Cardinals (Multiplier 1.3x)
Our SuperDraft lineup is keeping our Fields-Moore stack in place as we go all-in on the Bears' revenge narrative against the team that owns them. Our running backs -- White, Gibbs, and Conner -- will have plenty of opportunities thanks to their teams either needing a win or not resting starters. Lamb, Metcalf, and Goedert should be able to hold down the fort otherwise, posting big numbers for their respective teams.