Is Brock Purdy Starting and Playing This Week? Week 18 Fantasy Football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Picks

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has silenced all the doubters this year by putting together an impressive second season. Purdy has thrown for 4,280 yards and 31 touchdowns in 2023 while also finishing as the QB6 in fantasy football. The 49ers' signal-caller also averaged an impressive 19.2 fantasy points per game. 

Last week, Purdy continued his strong season and threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns in a win over the Washington Commanders. The victory helped San Francisco clinch the top seed in the NFC with a 13-3 record. 

With the 49ers clinching the number one seed in the NFC playoffs, could the team decide to rest Purdy in Week 18? Let's dive in and find out. 

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Brock Purdy Fantasy Football Update

The 49ers' victory in Week 17 mixed with a Philadelphia Eagles loss against the Arizona Cardinals helped them lock up the top seed in the NFC. That means in Week 18 against the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco is playing for nothing but its pride on the field. 

As a result, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan announced on Wednesday that Purdy will not play in Week 18. Shanahan then went on to say that Sam Darnold would be the team's starting quarterback on Sunday. 

Darnold will be making his first start of the season in Week 18. The 26-year-old is in his first year with the 49ers after spending the last two seasons with the Carolina Panthers. He made six starts for the Panthers late last year. 

Should I Start Sam Darnold in Week 18?

Fans will finally get to see Darnold in action this weekend. If you play in a Week 18 fantasy championship or daily fantasy sports (DFS), the 26-year-old quarterback could be an option on Sunday. 

We haven't seen much from Darnold this year, but we did him in Week 16 against the Baltimore Ravens after Purdy got hurt. In that game, he threw for 81 yards and one touchdown in two drives. However, the expectation is that several key offensive players for the 49ers won't see many snaps on Sunday. 

With the number one seed in the NFC already locked up, Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle are likely to not be on the field much. Christian McCaffrey (calf) has also already been ruled out. With that in mind, Darnold could still provide some value. However, he is more of a QB2 option in Superflex options this weekend. 

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