Welcome to the NFL DFS Week 18 RB Coach article! I can’t believe how quickly this fantasy football season has gone by, but at least we have one more week to set NFL DFS lineups using a full slate. 

Bucky Irving, Jonathan Taylor, Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs all had huge games and made me look good in Week 17. My Kyren Williams, Aaron Jones and James Cook suggestions were also good, but collectively those NFL DFS RBs weren’t as productive as those previously mentioned. 

 

 

 

Setting Week 18 NFL DFS lineups is going to be tough, but I’ve found some NFL DFS RBs who have favorable upcoming matchups that you should consider adding to your NFL DFS lineups in Week 18.  

NFL DFS Week 18 RB Coach For FanDuel & DraftKings Fantasy

The hardest part about deciding which Week 18 NFL DFS RBs to include in your lineups is trying to figure out which teams will be resting their players ahead of the upcoming NFL playoffs. 

Many teams, including the Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams, and more, have already clinched playoff spots and they might not play their starters, and if they do, their playing time may be limited. 

I’d love to recommend Saquon Barkley in a second revenge game against the New York Giants. He’s so close to breaking Eric Dickerson’s single season rushing record but if I’m the Philadelphia Eagles, I rest him.  

 

 

 

NFL Week 18 RBs

The previously mentioned Gibbs, who I use frequently in this column, is another NFL DFS RB who might be rested for at least part of Week 18. His team, the Lions, have an opportunity to be the number one seed in the NFC with a win against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. 

I’m thinking that Gibbs will probably play and although the Vikings have given up the fourth fewest rushing yards to NFL DFS RBs, he had a big week against the Vikes in Week 7 (116 rushing yards, two TDs and four catches for 44 yards). Both Gibbs and Barkley are two of the most expensive NFL DFS RB options on the slate. 

Keep an eye on any news that gets leaked out about how they’ll be used in Week 18 before deciding on if you’ll use them in your NFL DFS lineups. With the uncertainty surrounding playing time at the NFL DFS RB position, you might be better off using some of the cheaper NFL DFS RB options I included in this article. 

They are some of my favorites of the week. Let’s turn our attention to NFL DFS RBs that should be inserted into your NFL DFS lineups this week. These are a few of my favorites and I hope that by the end of Week 18 they’ll be your favorites as well.

 

 

 

NFL DFS RB Top-Tier Picks For Week 18

Josh Jacobs, RB Green Bay Packers - DraftKings: $8,100 | FanDuel: $8,200 

As this article is being written the Packers haven’t announced if they’ll play their starters but if they do, Jacobs should have a field day against the Chicago Bears in Week 18. 

The Bears have given up the third most rushing yards (1861) and the second most rushing TDs (16) to NFL DFS RBs this season and Jacobs has been on a roll lately. Jacobs is riding a seven game TD scoring streak, and has 13 rushing TDs in his last nine games including one against the Bears in Week 11.

Jonathan Taylor, RB Indianapolis Colts - DraftKings: $8,200 | FanDuel: $8,500 

The Colts were eliminated from playoff consideration after their Week 17 loss to the New York Giants, but Taylor continued to be a workhorse NFL DFS RB, scoring two rushing TDs and rushing for 125 yards in that game. He has scored five TDs in his last three games, averaging 5.42 YPC during that time span. 

He has a good matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, who’ve given up the third most rushing TDs to NFL DFS RBs this season (15). He played 88% of the team’s offensive snaps in Week 17. Look for that rate to go down in Week 18 but he should still play enough snaps to have a productive game.

 

 

 

NFL DFS RB Mid-Tier Picks For Week 18

Bucky Irving, RB Tampa Bay Buccaneers - DraftKings: $7,700 | FanDuel: $7,900 

The Buccaneers are still in the hunt for a playoff spot heading into Week 18. Irving took advantage of a great matchup against the Carolina Panthers in Week 17 and he rushed for 113 yards (5.65 YPC). 

Over his last seven games Irving has averaged 5.85 per carry, scored four rushing TDs and he is averaging just over three catches per game during that time period. Irving has another favorable matchup in Week 18 against the New Orleans Saints, who have given up the fifth most rushing yards (1765) to NFL DFS RBs, and the most rushing TDs (17) to the position. 

J.K. Dobbins, RB Los Angeles Chargers - DraftKings: $6,300 | FanDuel: $7,500 

In his first action since Week 12 Dobbins played 53% of the Chargers’ offensive snaps in Week 17. He rushed for 76 yards (4.00 YPC) and scored a rushing TD against the New England Patriots. 

The Chargers may actually be playing for their playoff lives on Sunday and Dobbins has a good matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders who have given up 4.60 YPC to NFL DFS RBs and three total TDs over the past five weeks. 

 

 

 

NFL DFS RB Value Picks For Week 18

Isaac Guerendo, RB San Francisco 49ers - DraftKings: $5,900 | FanDuel: $7,000  

In Week 17, Guerendo only rushed for 34 yards (3.78 YPC) against a tough Lions run defense, but he added four catches for 65 yards as well. He played 61% of the 49ers’ offensive snaps in that game, and in Week 18 he has a favorable matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. 

The Cards have had issues stopping the run all season, giving up 4.62 YPC and 15 total TDs to NFL DFS RBs this season. The 49ers have already been eliminated from playoff contention, and with so many of their NFL DFS RBs already on IR, Guerendo should once again play a big chunk of the teams’ offensive snaps from the RB position in Week 18.

Ameer Abdullah, RB Las Vegas Raiders - DraftKings: $5,100 | FanDuel: $6,300 

Abdullah is the best NFL DFS RB on the Raiders’ roster. He’s been widely known for his ability to catch passes but in Week 17 he ran for 115 yards (5.75 YPC) against the Saints. With Antonio Pierce desperately needing a win to have a chance to hold on to his head coaching job he’s going to be using his best players for the entire game. 

With Alexander Mattison only averaging 2.76 YPC over his last three games Abdullah should play the most snaps among the Raiders’ NFL DFS RBs against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 18. Speaking of the Chargers, they have given up 5.05 YPC and three total TDs to NFL DFS RBs over the past three weeks.

Michael Carter, RB Arizona Cardinals - DraftKings: $4,700 | FanDuel: $5,800 

Keep an eye on James Conner’s availability as kickoff approaches but with the fact that he re-injured his knee and had to be removed from his Week 17 contest, he might not play in Week 18. If he doesn’t, Carter would once again be the Cardinals’ lead NFL DFS RB. 

He played 72% of the Cardinals’ offensive snaps in Week 18 and in limited play this season he’s averaged 4.89 YPC. The 49ers have been surprisingly bad against the run, having given up 5.00 YPC over the past five weeks and the second most rushing TDs (16) on the season to NFL DFS RBs.

 

 

 

NFL Week 18 RB Play Of The Week 

Bijan Robinson, RB Atlanta Falcons - DraftKings: $8,500 | FanDuel: $9,200 

I’m making Robinson my NFL DFS RB play of the week again in Week 18. The Falcons need a win to make the playoffs and Robinson has a great matchup against the Carolina Panthers who haven’t been able to stop the run all season. 

Robinson is a safe play who has eight rushing TDs in his last seven games. He’s also averaging 4.64 YPC and three catches per game during that time span. 

 

 

 

NFL DFS Week 18 RB Projections