In the final week of the NFL season, plenty is still on the line. Some teams are still chasing a playoff spot or better seeding in the postseason while others are looking to the future and trying to evaluate what is going right and what is going wrong. For most teams, that starts at the quarterback position, and as Gaints’ coach Brian Daboll said somewhat ironically on Sunday, “If you get quarterback play, you have an opportunity in every game.”
While you look to get the quarterback play you need for your fantasy team in Week 18, it’s a little challenging to figure out the landscape looking ahead to next week. Throughout the week, much is sure to change, so stay tuned to DK Network for all the news and analysis you need to get your lineup set for the final week of the regular season.
In Week 17, Joe Burrow ($7,200; 39.98 FPTS) was the highest-scoring QB in the Bengals’ big Saturday win over the Broncos. He was followed by Baker Mayfield ($6,900; 37.56 FPTS), Jayden Daniels ($7,800; 35.78 FPTS) and Sam Darnold ($6,400; 28.78 FPTS) in the top five while Drew Lock ($4,900; 37.36) shocked almost everyone and made Daboll’s point clear by leading the Giants to a big home win and posting the third-highest fantasy score of the week at the position.
For the rankings this week, I am moving forward with the premise that Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, Jayden Daniels, Justin Herbert, C.J. Stroud and Jordan Love will likely sit out or play dramatically reduced workloads with their spots in the playoffs secured. As a result, those players are not in my rankings for the week.
While much is likely to change as the week goes on, here are my top 10 QBs to start during Week 18 based on the info available on Monday.
- Joe Burrow (at PIT)
- Lamar Jackson (vs. CLE)
- Baker Mayfield (vs. NO)
- Jared Goff (vs. MIN)
- Sam Darnold (at DET)
- Bo Nix (vs. KC)
- Kyler Murray (vs. SF)
- Tua Tagovailoa (at NYJ) — if healthy
- Brock Purdy (at ARI)
- Michael Penix Jr. (vs. CAR)
These rankings are based on news and information available as of Monday evening. Stay tuned to DraftKings Network throughout the week for ongoing coverage as matchups and situations develop.
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is z.thompson) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
