Key Starters and Tough Calls - Lineup Spotlights for Fantasy Football And DFS Week 18 Include Najee Harris, Garrett Wilson, Rashid Shaheed

Every week, I share some of my favored players to go with when dealing with challenging lineup decisions. We feature players that you should lean to in tough calls, and guys who may exceed expectations this week are also highlighted, so you can feel even more confident about starting them.

This week, to finish out the season, I also include DFS plays for those of you who have already finished their fantasy football seasonal playoffs and want to have more fun in Week 18.

Scott Engel was the No. 2 overall fantasy football accuracy ranker on fantasypros.com in Week 9. He finished as the No. 8 ranker for QBs and No. 3 for defenses in Week 13. 

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Running Backs – Fantasy Football Week 18

Najee Harris

He had a season-high 123 scrimmage yards (111 rushing) and a receiving TD last week. Harris is aiming for his fourth game in a row with 85+ scrimmage yards. He has a TD in three of his past four games. Harris has 387 scrimmage yards (129 per game) in three career games vs. Cleveland with a rushing TD in each game. He is aiming for his sixth game in a row vs. the division with a TD.

Harris has nine TDs (six rushing) in 2022 and he can join Louis Lipps as the only Steelers players ever with 10+ TDs in each of their first two seasons. The Browns rank 27th in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to RBs, and they have been a terrific matchup for the position throughout the season. Cleveland ranks 30th in rushing yards allowed to RBs over the past four weeks.

Harris a must-start in seasonal leagues that play through Week 18 and he could be a key to winning a championship. He is a very good DFS play at $6,100 on DraftKings, and Harris may not be widely rostered due to the perception of him playing in an uninspiring Steelers offense.

Cam Akers

Late in the 2022 season, Akers appears to be regaining his better form. He had a season-high 123 rushing yards last week. Akers is aiming for his third game in a row with 100+ rushing yards and his fourth in a row with 100+ scrimmage yards. He has career highs in rushing yards (682), scrimmage yards (775), and rushing TDs (seven) this season.

Cam Akers is #good#RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/I07T3xWYEC

— Yards Per Fantasy (@YardsPer) January 1, 2023

Akers had two rushing TDs in his Week 13 meeting with the Seahawks. He had 176 scrimmage yards (131 rushing) and a rushing TD in his only career game at Lumen Field, which was the NFC Wild Card Game in January of 2021. Seattle has actually tightened up on run defense the last two weeks, as it has not allowed an RB to rush for 60 yards.

Akers is still a must-start option in a seasonal league when you consider the Seahawks will be without top LB Jordyn Brooks, who is done for the season with a knee injury. Akers’ DraftKings price is also pretty friendly at $6,200, although he may be widely rostered because of Seattle’s reputation and seasonal stats defending the run.

Jamaal Williams

Last week, Williams had a career-high 157 scrimmage yards (career-high 144 rushing) and he had an NFL-leading and a career-high 15th rushing TD of the season. He needs six rushing yards for his first career 1,000-rushing yard season.

By the time the Lions kick off at Green Bay on Sunday night, they may be eliminated from playoff contention, but I still expect Detroit to play hard in an effort to ruin the season of a top rival.

Williams had 81 rushing yards in his first meeting with the Packers this season. The Packers rank 27th in rushing yards allowed to RBs and I expect Williams to have a significant role vs. Green Bay even though he shares a workload. In tight decisions involving Williams vs. an RB not playing in a meaningful game, I would lean to Williams in a spoiler spot against his former team.

James Cook

Cook had 105 scrimmage yards (64 rushing) in his Week 13 meeting with the Patriots. He is aiming for his third game in a row with a TD from scrimmage. He rushed for a career-high 99 yards in Week 16 against the Bears. Cook’s role in the Buffalo offense is growing late in the season, as he has played on over 40 percent of the snaps in three of his last four games.

The Patriots rank fifth in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to RBs, but the Buffalo offense is too potent to not consider using Cook in a seasonal league that extends to Week 18. The defense does not always win the matchup, and Cook is a versatile and respectable flex option. He is not a prime upside play for DFS purposes, though.

Wide Receivers – Fantasy Football Week 18

DK Metcalf

The Seahawks star logged his lowest statistical output of the season in Week 17, as the Jets’ secondary held him to one reception for three yards. I expect Metcalf to be involved early and often this week in a bounce-back spot vs. the Rams. In Week 13 vs. Los Angeles, Metcalf caught all eight of his targets for 127 yards and a TD.

DK Metcalf has 3 game-winning TD catches: 2020 vs DAL and MIN, and today versus the Rams. On this one, he bests Jalen Ramsey, LA’s top cover guy.

“It’s DK Metcalf. It’s big on big. You want those opportunities…DK won it today.” https://t.co/cg6GkgzE9M pic.twitter.com/iehyWXkjHG

— Dugar, Michael-Shawn (@MikeDugar) December 5, 2022

This season, Metcalf has a career-high 87 receptions and he has reached 1,000 yards for the second time (1,008). He had 98 receiving yards and two TDs in his last home meeting with Los Angeles.

Metcalf is aiming for his fifth game in a row vs. the Rams with 5+ receptions. Los Angeles ranks 24th in FFPG allowed to WRs over the past four weeks. Metcalf is a quality play on DK at $6,700 in a must-win game for the Seahawks.

DeVonta Smith

I am strongly backing Smith as a starting option in a game where the Eagles should take care of business against a Giants team that has nothing to play for. Smith had nine catches for 115 yards last week. He is aiming for his fourth game in a row with 100+ receiving yards and his sixth in a row with 5+ catches.

Smith has career highs in catches (88), yards (1,129), and TDs (seven) in 2022. He is shooting for his third game in a row vs. the Giants with a TD.

New York ranks 24th in FFPG allowed to WRs over the past four weeks and he will be even more vulnerable to the passing game if the top starters in the secondary are rested. Smith is a rock-solid fantasy WR2 play in seasonal leagues that are still active in Week 18. Smith is worthy of the price tag of $7,500 on DK.

Garrett Wilson

Wilson leads all rookies with 74 catches and 1,014 receiving yards, both the most ever by a Jets rookie. He has 75+ receiving yards in three of his past four games vs. the division. But he has just 48 receiving yards in his last two games and Wilson has not caught a TD pass in his last five.

In three September games working with Joe Flacco, though, Wilson had six-plus catches twice, 33 total targets, and he had a 102-yard, two-TD outing vs. Cleveland. Miami ranks 22nd in FFPG allowed to WRs and its defense may spend a lot of time on the field this week. Lock Wilson into seasonal lineups, and he is a good DFS option at $5,800 on DK.

Rashid Shaheed

He is obviously a boom-or-bust type, but Shaheed deserves consideration as a deeper play in seasonal leagues where you are scrambling for a lineup option, or in DFS situations where you want an upside option. Shaheed had 79 receiving yards last week and he has 75+ yards in three of his past four games.

Shaheed ranks third in the NFL with 18.2 yards per catch (minimum 25 receptions) in 2022.

Carolina ranks 29th in receiving yards allowed to WRs this season. I would not start Shaheed over a more proven WR in a seasonal format with a championship on the line, but there are many instances in which fantasy WR options may be thin. He can be useful as an upside guy in those types of scenarios. I do like Shaheed a lot as a DFS play at $4,200 on DK.

Quarterback And Tight End - – Fantasy Football Week 18

Joe Flacco

In some situations, because of injuries or regular starters being rested, you may have to dig deep for a starting QB in a seasonal league. Among desperation options, Flacco stands out. He passed for 285-plus passing yards in his three starts this season.

Miami has allowed the second-most FFPG to QBs this season and the defense will be overworked as I previously indicated. You have to like Flacco's DFS bargain price a lot at $4,800 on DK.

Tyler Higbee

A week after catching nine passes for 94 yards and two TDs in his best game of the season, Higbee was held to 11 yards on three catches in Week 17. He is in a potential bounce-back spot vs. the Seahawks, who have allowed the second-most FFPG to TEs this season.

Higbee ranks second among NFC TEs with 68 receptions and he had a TD in his last trip to Seattle. Take a shot on him in a DK lineup at $4,400.

Scott Engel's fantasy and betting analysis is also featured at The Game Day.

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