Best NFL DFS Week 18 Picks on DraftKings & FanDuel (January 7)

Each week of the NFL season, NFL DFS gamers must survey the landscape to find potential building blocks, or the core plays that form the foundation of most lineups. The popular options rise to the top more often than not, but there also are overlooked plays at every position, usually only a couple of names down the rankings list. In this post, we’ll be making our best NFL DFS Week 18 picks on DraftKings and FanDuel.

Stokastic provides a variety of tools for all DFS sports that can help you sort through the large NFL featured slate player pool. These were used when coming up with the recommendations in this article and include, and they are far from limited to such offerings as the NFL DFS Top Stacks tool, player projections, the Boom/Bust tool and the Lineup Generator.

All tools are updated for the DraftKings and FanDuel main slates each week. Additionally, multiple tools are also at your disposal for the sub-slates as well as the primetime “island games” which have turned into one of the most popular DFS offerings on DraftKings and FanDuel. If you’re in the market for more DFS tools, Take a look at the Stokastic Discounts and Coupon Code page as well as the Subscription page to see what packages best suit your needs.

NFL DFS Week 18 Picks for DraftKings & FanDuel

Today the key will be finding players and teams with something on the line other than pride. However, in some cases pride will be enough for the teams in line to assume the role of playoff spoiler. Even if a team has something to play for, if things are locked up early stars could head to the sidelines to avoid any chance of injury.

This week there is enough in flux and plenty of tournament angles, so we will be reviewing a few of the better DFS options from a “core play” lens. There could be wild swings in a player’s popularity, so in the interest of time and providing options, this week we are using a list format.

Best NFL DFS Week 18 Picks and Building Blocks: Quarterbacks

Dak Prescott (Cowboys-Commanders) DraftKings ($8,000, 13.1% ownership), FanDuel ($8,700, 15.2% ownership)

This is a huge game for the Cowboys and with a victory they will win the NFC East and also lock up the No. 2 seed, with San Francisco already holding the top ticket. Even if Philadelphia wins, Dallas still holds the tiebreaker. Washington has the worst passing DVOA in the league and the Commanders already allowed Prescott to roll up 331 yards and four aerial scores against them in Week 12.

The Commanders are nearly double-digit home dogs and with Brock Purdy not playing, it is likely that Prescott will end up leading the league in passing touchdowns, just one year after leading the league in interceptions.

1. Josh Allen (Bills-Dolphins): FanDuel-only as the blue site did not account for this game being flexed into Sunday Night Football when creating their player pool.
2. Jalen Hurts (Eagles-Giants): Great matchup against the dreadful Giants and this game could get spicy with New York just 4.5-point underdogs at home. Hurts could get the Eagles to the second seed with a win and a Dallas loss, but that means they need help – so head coach Nick Sirianni may opt to sit his key players in the second half, depending how the game in playing out in Washington.
3. Justin Fields (Bears-Packers): Fields gets one last chance to play well and convince the organization that he should have his fifth-year option picked up and the team look to an offensive difference-maker at the top of the draft, like Marvin Harrison Jr. Of course Da Bears will also be motivated to knock off the Packers, who could still back into the playoffs with a loss, but they would need help from a couple other teams.
4. Tyrod Taylor (Giants-Eagles): Nice time to show out for other teams looking for a stop-gap quarterback for next season. Plus the Eagles secondary is still soft.
5. Geno Smith (Seahawks-Cardinals): Good matchup against Arizona for fantasy purposes, however, even with a victory, Seattle also needs Green Bay to lose in order to see postseason action. Better for tournaments, but Smith has ample stacking partners.

Best NFL DFS Week 18 Picks and Building Blocks: Running Backs

Rachaad White (Buccaneers-Panthers): DraftKings ($7,600, 29.7% ownership), FanDuel ($7,700, 27.8% ownership)

Volume is king and White has been a fantasy stalwart this season. If Tampa Bay wins, they are in the postseason and will take the NFC South; If they lose, they still could get in with some help, even including a New Orleans loss that would land both teams at 8-9, but the Buccaneers would have the tie-breaker. Even though this is a home game, just how many Carolina fans are going to show up to watch this putrid squad with the worst rushing DVOA in the league. Not that it is motivation, but the former Arizona State Sun Devil is just 85 yards away from 1,000 on the year.

Travis Etienne Jr. (Jaguars-Titans): DraftKings ($7,300, 17.8% ownership), FanDuel ($8,800, 10.2% ownership)

Jacksonville can clinch the AFC South with a win, but Trevor Lawrence is nursing a variety of injuries. It makes sense that Etienne gets action on the ground and via short passes, which really add up and explain why the third-year back is popping on DraftKings more than FanDuel. Do not be dissuaded by the Titans top-10 rushing DVOA, that is for the full season and in two of the last three weeks, Devin Singletary gouged them for 201 yards on 42 carries. Combo-backs like Etienne have done well also.

1. Jordan Mason (49ers-Rams): Everyone is sitting for the 49ers and the Rams. Mason will be the punt du jour, especially if Eli Mitchell is out.
2. Pierre Strong (Browns-Bengals): Another discount dandy who should see at least 15 touches with all the key players sitting this one out.
3. James Conner (Cardinals-Seahawks): Chance to play the spoiler for the visiting Seahawks, he has four rushing touchdowns and two receiving in the last four games. On a fun note, 110 yards would get him his first 1,000 season, which is pretty cool considering he missed four games and the last running back to do that for Arizona was… wait for it… David Johnson… all the way back in 2016, his only Pro Bowl season and Carson Palmer was the quarterback on that team.
4. Aaron Jones (Packers-Bears): Back-to-back games with 120-plus rushing yards, should end the touchdown drought in this blood-feud with the playoffs in the balance.
5. Roschon Johnson (Bears-Packers): Khalil Herbert (back/personal) may not play. Do not lose sight of the rookie in the Sunday scramble of news.
6. Zamir White: Raiders want to win one for interim head coach Antonio Pierce, Josh Jacobs is out so the backfield is White’s. There is just a little voice wondering if he somehow has earned enough over the last couple weeks that the team will lean on him next season and not push injury luck. Hard to know, best guess is this team goes all out for the win.
7. Tony Pollard (Cowboys-Commanders): Three weeks as a decimal back, four games without a touchdown – yes the matchup is great, but if Prescott puts points on the board early, expect Pollard to be in bubble-wrap.

Best NFL DFS Week 18 Picks and Building Blocks: Wide Receivers

Sooooooo many options, some quick thoughts:

• Justin Jefferson and the Vikings need a win. Nick Mullens will get to air it out with no repercussions, unless Detroit stomps on the last flickering fire of playoff hopes. Even with a victory, Minnesota needs help from teams in the afternoon games.
• CeeDee Lamb is spendy, but price ain’t a real thing today for the most part – 100 and a score is the baseline against the abysmal Commanders.
• Mike Evans and Chris Godwin in a must-win against a vulnerable secondary, the former has the higher ceiling, the latter will be overlooked by The Masses.
• Chris Olave and New Orleans could end up as the No. 4 seed as the NFC South champions or fall out of the playoffs, plus their opponent (Atlanta) is in the same boat. The Saints are at home, but currently favored by only a field goal with Alvin Kamara a game-time decision. The Falcons have a bottom-four passing DVOA and Olave already lit them up once.
• DJ Moore is a nice partner for a quarterback playing for his future. Currently has 1,300 yards on the button which is a career high, as are his eight touchdowns and he needs two receptions to hit that personal mark as well.
• Amon-Ra St. Brown could get to some team records, but Detroit is in the early window and has clinched at least the No. 3 seed. Best guess is they play hard for a half, but if things are muddy, the starters will be pulled and the No. 3 seed accepted, since only one team gets a first round bye under the new postseason format implemented last year. The Lions won’t know their fate until the afternoon games, so if it is even remotely close, expect them to pull the plug.
• Honorable Mentions: DJ Chark, all of the Seahawks and Eagles, Greg Dortch aka the inconsequential fantasy production KING, Darius Slayton, Davante Adams and whichever Green Bay wideouts are healthy when the game begins.

Best NFL DFS Week 18 Picks and Building Blocks: Tight Ends

How has this position been both so great and yet for Sunday, so unpredictable. This is an absolute grab bag with a top-five of Trey McBride, Tucker Kraft, Dallas Goedert, Jake Ferguson and Sam LaPorta. Reaches include Johnny Mundt who is not T.J. Hockenson, Tommy Tremble in a literal WTF moment and then for the bold, Taysom Hill with a passing or rushing touchdown – just close your eyes and try to not see it unfolding, I dare you!

Premium Members can check out all the other tight end options here.

Best NFL DFS Week 18 Picks and Building Blocks: Defense/Special Teams

The options are endless and also terrifying with so many variables. Among the safer would be the Cowboys in Washington against the Commanders and the Buccaneers, also on the road against an equally inept Carolina offense. The Chargers are cheap and hosting the Kansas City understudies, while the Patriots are welcoming the imploded New York Jets, who are also in play against Crappy, err Zappe.

As you get your best NFL DFS Week 18 picks and lineups prepped on DraftKings and FanDuel, Stokastic can help. We have more free DFS content on the NFL DFS homepage, premium DFS software including NFL Sims and the Lineup Generator, and the best live shows and videos from your favorite analysts on our YouTube channel.

You can also talk NFL DFS picks and strategy with the team and the rest of our sharp community on the Stokastic Discord!