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If you are reading this column, we need to talk with your league commissioner. It's hard to believe we are finally here, Week 18 of the NFL season. Many championships have already been won. However, for the few, the proud, and the fantasy degenerate, we are still seeking fantasy football glory.
Week 18 isn't just important to fantasy football enthusiasts. It's one final chance for many of these wide receivers to put a little extra in their pockets by setting personal bests and reaching incentives. I've learned a few things in my day. One, you never mess with another man's money. There's money to be made this week.
Here are the RotoBaller Week 18 starts and sits at the wide receiver position.
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Week 18 Starts - Fantasy Football Booms
Mike Evans- WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New Orleans Saints
Death, taxes, and Mike Evans winning fantasy championships. Last Sunday, Evans caught eight of the nine balls thrown in his direction, accounting for 97 receiving yards, a pair of touchdowns, and 29.7 fantasy points.
With that performance, not only is Evans 85 yards away from his 11th successive 1,000-yard season to begin his career, but if he can get those 85 yards and haul in five receptions, it'll trigger a $3,000,000 bonus as he caught his 10th and 11th touchdown passes in that win over the Panthers.
FIRE THE CANNONS 💣💥
📺: #CARvsTB on CBS pic.twitter.com/eh77V1iShq
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) December 29, 2024
Since Week 12, Evans has averaged 21.2 fantasy points per contest and produced 127 fantasy points. Only Puka Nacua and Justin Jefferson have been more productive for fantasy managers over that period.
One team that has historically held Evans in check has been the New Orleans Saints. However, much of that could be attributed to Marshon Lattimore. The good news for Evans and his march toward history is that Lattimore is no longer a Saint and will no longer need to get caught up in extracurricular activities. No Lattimore means the Saints secondary is ripe for the picking.
Garrett Wilson - WR, New York Jets vs. Miami Dolphins
There is nothing more that the Jets would want at this point of the season than to end the playoff hopes of the Miami Dolphins. The Jets may make a point to get Davante Adams to 1,000 yards receiving, as he currently sits 25 yards shy of his fifth consecutive 1,000-yard season. Then there is the matter of Aaron Rodgers sitting one passing touchdown away from 500 in his career.
There is a good chance that both those milestones will be met this week. There is also a chance that we see plenty of Jalen Ramsey lined up across from Adams. While Adams is looking for 1,000 yards, Garrett Wilson hit the mark last week when his 66 receiving yards against the Bills pushed his season total to 1,053.
Jets prevent a shutout with a spectacular TD from Tyrod Taylor to Garrett Wilson pic.twitter.com/WHJT07iMWy
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 29, 2024
Wilson heads into Week 18 three receptions shy of 100 on the season, while his 149 targets sit fourth behind Malik Nabers (162), Ja'Marr Chase (161), and CeeDee Lamb (152).
As long as Aaron Rodgers is willing, then Wilson should find himself with a productive outing, as the Dolphins have allowed 631 receiving yards on 52 receptions over the last four weeks. Add in the six receiving touchdowns, and Miami allows 39.35 fantasy points to the position over that period.
Jameson Williams - WR, Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings
We know this game is already projected to be a shootout. Neither team is competent enough to stop the other team's passing attack. That means you are starting Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison of the Vikings, as well as Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams of the Lions.
Williams is likely coming into this one with the lowest price point. After all, heading into Monday Night Football's Week 17 contest, his 13.7 fantasy points per game ranked him as the WR27 amongst his peers and behind the aforementioned receivers. Williams will also seek retribution after being held to one reception for -4 yards in their earlier meeting.
You will want to get part of the action in this one, and Williams offers the best bang for your buck, having produced 11 or more fantasy points in five of his previous six contests before that Week 17 contest.
Week 18 Sits - Fantasy Football Busts
Cooper Kupp - WR, Los Angeles Rams vs. Seattle Seahawks
I have been given no reason to remove Cooper Kupp from my weekly sit list. Again, last week, when fantasy managers needed him the most, he only had one reception for 29 yards. That's right, Kupp produced a minuscule 3.9 fantasy points on three targets against the Arizona Cardinals.
Over the last three games, Kupp has just four receptions on nine targets for 53 yards. Kupp's last 100-yard performance was back in Week 11 against the Patriots.
If you are looking for a silver lining, the last time the Rams met the Seahawks, Kupp was featured, hauling in 11 of 14 targets for 104 yards. That production came at Puka Nacua's expense, as Nacua had just one reception for 14 yards on the day.
If I play in a Week 18 fantasy league, some may consider me wild, but even I'm not wild enough to start Kupp with money on the line.
Jauan Jennings - WR, San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals
Before the conclusion of Week 17, Jennings had produced just one fantasy performance of more than 10 fantasy points in his last five games. That was a 28-point performance in Week 14, stuck between 9.0, 8.6, 5.1, and 9.1 point outings.
In Week 18, Jennings and the 49ers face a Cardinals secondary that just limited Kupp to a single reception and has held receivers to 497 receiving yards and four touchdowns over the last four weeks. For fantasy, that works out to 28.75 fantasy points per game, the sixth-fewest.
Jennings has been good this season. His 65.8 receiving yards per game is something Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel Sr. have topped only once. That said, Week 18 is no time to get cute in a less-than-favorable matchup.
Jayden Reed - WR, Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears
My good friend Marcus Mosher wanted to know, "What happened to Jayden Reed this season?" He would then go on to point out that from Weeks 1-9, Reed averaged 81 yards per contest.
If you use Weeks 2-9, that number drops to 71 yards per game. However, that isn't even the most significant drop-off. From Weeks 10-17, Reed is averaging just 34 yards per game and averaging 8.4 fantasy points.
What happened to Jayden Reed this season?
Weeks 1-9: 81 yards per game
Weeks 10-17: 34 yards per game
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) December 30, 2024
Somehow, Reed has discovered the Bermuda Triangle of fantasy production. Since Week 11, Reed has just one game in which he topped 10 fantasy points. Over that period, Reed has averaged 3.7 targets per game, accounting for a lowly 14.9% target share.
His 189 yards work out to 12.3% of the Packers' receiving market share in those seven weeks. Drops haven't helped, as he has dropped four (15.4%) of his 26 targets despite seeing an 84.6% catchable ball rate.
Only the 49ers allow fewer than the 29.29 fantasy points per game that the Bears have been allowing this season. A tough matchup, plus a case of the yipes and a splash of inconsistency, means Reed needs to stay far away from those fantasy lineups.
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