RADIO
The last week of the regular season can be extremely awkward for fantasy football managers. Teams that have locked up playoff spots are incentivized to rest their starters if the game they're playing is meaningless -- i.e. if the outcome doesn't change playoff seeding.
A quick look at the current NFL playoff picture shows us that this is exactly the case (sort of) with the Los Angeles Rams, who face the Seattle Seahawks this week. L.A. is 10-6, three games behind the 13-3 Philadelphia Eagles, who have clinched the No. 2 seed, and are two games ahead of the Atlanta Falcons.
However, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are just one game behind the Rams, and if TB wins and Los Angeles loses, the Bucs will leapfrog it to the No. 3 seed. So, will the Rams be motivated to play their starters and try to win the game?
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Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua Fantasy Football Outlook
It seemed unlikely that they'd all start and play the full game. The potential cost would be just too high. Quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Cooper Kupp are 36 and 31 years old, respectively, and Nacua had dealt with injury issues earlier in the season.
Sean McVay announced Matthew Stafford will rest Sunday vs. the Seahawks and that the Rams will start QB Jimmy Garoppolo.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 1, 2025
And indeed, Rams head coach Sean McVay announced that Stafford will take the game off. While he didn't clarify the statuses of Kupp or Nacua, it's hard to believe they'll play the full game without Stafford, if they take the field at all.
Should I Start Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua in Week 18?
No. It's already enough that the starting QB won't play to not be able to trust the receivers to put up good fantasy numbers. But with so little faith that they'll play more than a few drives and the general rustiness (and poor play) of backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, you don't want to trust this team for your final fantasy football matchup of the season.
Puka Nacua ridiculous numbers pic.twitter.com/hmmSySGZ7o
— Football Insights 📊 (@fball_insights) December 13, 2024
If you had Nacua on your rosters on any teams, specifically, you should know that he's the most efficient receiver on a per-route basis in the last 11 years. That's remarkable. He's worth an early first-round pick in 2025.
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