NFL DFS Example Lineups: Week 18

Welcome to the DFS Example Lineups for NFL Week 18!

While there will still be plenty of action throughout the playoffs, this is our final NFL week with a big slate. It has been an honor to share the field of battle with you all. Some have made some great money, others have not. But in the end, lessons have been learned and our experiences together should have made us all better DFS players.

This week is not going to be an easy one as tight-lipped coaches are making things a lot more difficult for us. We still don't know how much the Packers will use their starters, so building lineups with Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams and AJ Dillon will have to be limited to GPP. Reports have the 49ers starting Jimmy Garoppolo, but how long he lasts is up in the air. We don't know if James Conner is going to play or if we're going to get some better value out of Eno Benjamin. And who is going to be doing the scoreboard-watching today?

We've tried to load the Playbook and Dart Board with players we expect to see the field throughout the day. We've also covered the contract and milestone incentives with Andrew Cooper's article and have incorporated some of the better ones with which to help build our lineups. Obviously, though, the big question on everyone's mind is likely Jonathan Taylor vs Cooper Kupp. Both are in great spots today, but getting even just one of them into your lineups is going to be difficult. But do you fade them and build something more well-balanced? That is going to require a number of builds just to play around, so instead of yammering here in an introduction, let's just get right to it. 

Just a few notes here about the lineups below...

The cash lineups were built solely off the players I put in the Playbook. These are the guys who, unless I have indicated otherwise, offer up the higher floor and will help you cash in your Double-Ups and 50/50s. For GPP tournaments, particularly the large-field ones, you need to find alternative routes to the cash line. I will utilize players from the Playbook and the DFS Dart Board to fill in the gaps, but what I am looking for are some lower-owned stacks that make sense based on expected game flow and other news. You may also see in the GPP lineups, there may be some names I haven't discussed this week on the site, but have talked about during the week on the Fantasy Alarm Show on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio. You will also notice, though, that others on the site have mentioned some of these players in places such as the position coaches, so it's not like we're trying to hide anything from you. The only time, and I mean the only time you will see a player in a GPP lineup who hasn't been discussed is if we are using a stack and need a player from the other team coming back. But it's rare when that happens.

Again, these lineups are meant to serve as examples for you. A sounding board if you will. They are not meant for you to plug in as your own. That's the lazy way and we don't condone it. We are trying to teach you how to be a better DFS player; we aren't lineup-sellers. You should be creating your own lineups using all the information we provide you throughout the week and then coming here to see if there is anything you may have missed or simply for an alternative perspective.

Best of luck to you this week and let's make some money!

SUNDAY MORNING NOTES:

Most Recent Updates:

According to NFL Insider Adam Schefter:

There’s a “strong lean” that 49ers’ QB Jimmy Garoppolo, who is listed as questionable for Sunday due to a torn ligament in his right thumb, will start vs the Rams, per source.

After tearing his Achilles in July, Rams’ RB Cam Akers is expected to make his season debut today vs. the 49ers, per sources. Akers is expected to have a limited role today, but an increased role during the postseason.

Players out Sunday include Baker Mayfield, Joe Burrow, Joe Mixon, Lamar Jackson, Shaq Barrett, Ronald Jones, Braxton Berrios, Kyle Dugger, Curtis Samuel, Ricky Seals-Jones, Montez Sweat, Mike Glennon, Kadarius Toney, Terron Armstead, Bobby Wagner, Chase Edmonds and Rondale Moore.

Other News:

Jared Goff (knee) will play in Week 18 against the Packers.

Antonio Gibson (hip) is active for Week 18 against the Giants.

Diontae Johnson (COVID-19) is active for Week 18 against the Ravens. 

LATE ADDS:

Steelers WR Ray-Ray McCloud has been added to the Dart Board

Tampa Bay D/ST has been added to the Playbook.

WEATHER:

CIN/CLE – 20 mph sustained winds with stronger gusts (can affect deeper throws downfield)

NYJ/BUF – potential snow with 15-20 mph wins

PIT/BAL – freezing rain pre-game  which could turn to cold rain during the game

WAS/NYG – strong potential for cold rain during the game

GPP STACKS:

As a reminder, when you're stacking in GPP, you usually want to run someone back from the opposing team. One-sided games often turn to a running back seeing higher-than-usual volume or the back-ups start to play. For a stack to really pop, the other team needs to keep things competitive. 

Chalk Stacks (Expect High Ownership):

**Bills: Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, Devin Singletary or Dawson Knox  or Cole Beasley (Carter coming back)

Cardinals: Kyler Murray, Christian Kirk, James Conner or Zach Ertz or Antoine Wesley (Metcalf or Lockett coming back)

**Rams: Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Odell Beckham or Van Jefferson (Samuel or Kittle or Aiyuk coming back)

**Bucs: Tom Brady, Mike Evans, Rob Gronkowski (Moore coming back)

Vikings: Kirk Cousins, Justin Jefferson, Dalvin Cook or KJ Osborn (Montgomery or Mooney coming back)

**Seahawks: Russell Wilson, Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf or Rashaad Penny (Kirk, Ertz or Wesley coming back)

Possible Lower-Owned Stacks:

Colts: Carson Wentz, Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman (M Jones or Treadwell coming back)

**Saints: Taysom Hill, Alvin Kamara, Marquez Callaway (Patterson, Gage or Pitts coming back)

**Titans: Ryan Tannehill, D'Onta Foreman, A.J. Brown (Cooks or Collins coming back)

Washington: Taylor Heinicke, Antonio Gibson, Terry McLaurin or John Bates (Barkley or Golladay coming back) 

49ers (1): Jimmy Garoppolo, Elijah Mitchell, Deebo Samuel or George Kittle or Brandon Aiyuk (Kupp or OBJ coming back)

49ers (2): Trey Lance, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle or Brandon Aiyuk (Kupp or OBJ coming back)

Patriots: Mac Jones, Rhamondre Stevenson, Kendrick Bourne or Jakobi Meyers (Waddle or Gesicki coming back)

**Bears: Andy Dalton, David Montgomery, Darnell Mooney or Allen Robinson (Cook or Jefferson coming back)

Falcons: Matt Ryan, Kyle Pitts, Cordarrelle Patterson or Russell Gage (Kamara or Callaway coming back)

Browns: Case Keenum, Nick Chubb, Austin Hooper or Jarvis Landry (Perine coming back)

Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger, Diontae Johnson, Najee Harris or Chase Claypool (Andrews coming back)

Ravens: Tyler Huntley, Mark Andrews, Marquise Brown or Rashod Bateman (Johnson or Harris coming back)

Dart Throw Stacks:

Lions: Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jamaal Williams or Josh Reynolds (Dillon coming back)

Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa, Jaylen Waddles, Mike Gesicki (Stevenson or Bourne or Meyers coming back)

Texans: Davis Mills, Brandin Cooks, Nico Collins or Rex Burkhead (Brown or Foreman coming back)

Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence, Laquon Treadwell, Marvin Jones or Laviska Shenault (Taylor or Pittman coming back)

**denotes favorite**