[Here’s a look at our waiver wire rankings, along with feedback from our experts, Dan Harris, Joe Pisapia, and Pat Fitzmaurice.
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Week 18 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Rankings
Q1. Who is your top waiver wire option of the week, and why?
Trey Lance. There is a dearth of true impact players on the wire this week, but Lance stands out. After a slow start, he put forth a fine fantasy effort on Sunday, throwing for 249 yards with two touchdowns while adding 31 yards rushing. He was far from perfect, but with a full complement of weapons, he looked miles ahead of what we saw in his start earlier in the season. He should get another start in Week 18 while Jimmy Garoppolo recovers from his thumb injury, and although the Rams are a much more formidable opponent than the Texans, Lance will still make a top-12 option and one that fantasy managers can feel comfortable starting.
– Dan Harris (@danharris80)
Jaret Patterson. It seems unlikely that Antonio Gibson would return for Week 18, so Patterson should be the lead back for Washington in an appealing matchup against the Giants. The Football Team’s passing game has been in the tank, so it’s reasonable to assume they’ll make a good-faith effort to run the ball.
– Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF)
Jaret Patterson dropped almost 100 AP yards Sunday versus a tough Eagles D and a score for good measure. If you’re playing in Week 18, Patterson has a good matchup versus the Giants and should be in line for similar productivity and is an immediate low-end RB2/Flex option.
– Joe Pisapia (@JoePisapia17)
Q2. Which high-end waiver wire option for Week 18 was the most difficult to rank?
Ke’Shawn Vaughn. With Leonard Fournette out for next week and Ronald Jones suffering an ankle injury in Week 17, Vaughn may be in line for the starting running back job for the Bucs in Week 18 against the Panthers. But Vaughn has shown little to suggest he’s ready for a full-time workload and Le’Veon Bell still factored in after Jones went out. Also, we have no idea of Jones’s availability next week and Vaughn reportedly bruised his ribs in the game against the Jets. And yet, the possibility of being a featured back in a game the Bucs are heavily favored to win requires fantasy managers to add him. But giving him the appropriate waiver priority is difficult.
– Dan Harris (@danharris80)
Rex Burkhead is a hard guy to assess. He’s been getting bankable weekly touch volume, but that hasn’t always meant much. Burkhead started getting workhorse usage in Week 11. He had a monster game against the Chargers in Week 16, with 149 rushing yards and two TDs, but every other performance during that stretch has been unremarkable. He’s just sort of an any-port-in-a-storm option.
– Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF)
Allen Lazard has had back-to-back double-digit totals resulting in WR2 finishes in .5 PPR scoring. However, with little left to play for in Week 18 and a Detroit Lions opponent that tends toward a run-heavy game script, a third straight WR2 finish seems tenuous.
– Joe Pisapia (@JoePisapia17)
Q3. For managers renting a D/ST in Week 18, what readily available option (under 40%) should they target?
The Washington Football Team D/ST. Yes, they’re a terrible option in a neutral matchup but goodness, the Giants are a complete embarrassment offensively at the moment. Mike Glennon, Jake Fromm, it doesn’t matter. Start any – ANY – D/ST against them and take points to the bank.
– Dan Harris (@danharris80)
The Washington Football Team D/ST ends the regular season against the Giants, and the Giants’ offense is utterly laughable at this point. Whether it’s Mike Glennon or Jake Fromm starting at quarterback for the Giants this week, it’s worth taking advantage of the Giants’ offensive incompetence if you need to stream a D.
– Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF)
The Tennessee Titans D/ST will draw the Texans in Week 18. Despite it being a road contest, the Titans should be a strong play with the #1 AFC seed and a much-needed bye hanging in the balance.
– Joe Pisapia (@JoePisapia17)
Q4. Which Week 18 waiver wire option carries the biggest risk of being a waste of FAB dollars?
It’s Ke’Shawn Vaughn again. Will he be the starter? If so, will he get the role to himself? If so, will he be able to buck the “Ronald Jones” trend of being a replacement TB running back who disappoints? The answer to all three of those questions has to be yes for him to have value. That’s a tough road.
– Dan Harris (@danharris80)
Gabriel Davis could put up big numbers against a shabby Jets’ defense this weekend, or he could be thwarted by either a run-heavy game script or inclement Buffalo weather. The latter contributed to his mediocre numbers in Week 17. Davis is a boom-or-bust option for Week 18.
– Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF)
Trey Lance dropped 20 points Sunday, but will he play in Week 18? Will Jimmy Garoppolo press his return to solidify his starter status for the playoffs? Tough to say, but Lance is NOT a lock to start in Week 18.
– Joe Pisapia (@JoePisapia17)
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