Most leagues wrapped up in Week 17. But if your fantasy football playoffs extend into Week 18, we’re here to give you all the information you need to make key calls for your lineups.
Each Tuesday during the season, ESPN fantasy analyst Eric Moody will ask NFL Nation reporters what to make of the fallout after games are played and what the most pressing questions are heading into the next weekend. Who is primed for a big performance, who is impacted by injuries and what roles might change? Here’s what our crew had to say about some of the biggest storylines after Week 17 as we head into Week 18.
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With the Ravens having clinched the AFC’s top seed, will Melvin Gordon lead the backfield against the Steelers?
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Ravens coach John Harbaugh said the team won’t make definitive plans for personnel until Baltimore sorts out its injury situation when players return to practice on Wednesday. But it wouldn’t be surprising if the Ravens sit Gus Edwards and reduce Justice Hill’s workload. That would give most of the work to Gordon, who has spent most of the season on Baltimore’s practice squad. He received six of the Ravens’ 10 carries in the fourth quarter Sunday, when he rushed for 10 yards and one touchdown. – Jamison Hensley
Are the Bears going to play their starters in Week 18 in order to disrupt the Packers’ postseason hopes?
Bears coach Matt Eberflus said the Week 18 finale at Lambeau Field will be “a normal game,” when asked whether Chicago will play everyone who is healthy. While Eberflus said he will aim to keep the focus on the Bears instead of playing spoiler to the rival it has not beaten since 2018, Chicago can put Green Bay out of the playoffs with a win on Sunday and has plenty to play for despite not having postseason implications on the line. A victory against the Packers would be the Bears’ eighth of the season, marking their best win total since 2020. Here are three players dealing with injuries to keep an eye on. Tight end Cole Kmet was limited to 13 snaps against the Falcons while recovering from a knee injury. Cornerback Jaylon Johnson exited the game after 20 snaps with a shoulder injury. Wide receiver Darnell Mooney remains in the concussion protocol after missing Week 17. – Courtney Cronin
The Browns are firmly in the No. 5 spot and have nothing to play for, so could they rest Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt and rely heavily on Pierre Strong Jr. in Week 18?
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Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said the team is “working through” who will be playing against the Bengals. But given that both Ford and Hunt have been playing through nagging injuries for much of the season, it seems likely they won’t get their normal workload as the Browns look to the playoffs. Strong would be next in line to get carries, and he is coming off a pair of nice performances, rushing for 51 yards on nine carries over the last two games. If Cleveland does rest its starters, Strong could get the bulk of the work in Cincinnati. – Jake Trotter
Could RB Jaleel McLaughlin have an expanded role against the Raiders with the Broncos eliminated from postseason contention?
The short answer is yes, but it has been trending that way the last three games. Javonte Williams made a remarkable recovery from his knee injury last season, with multiple ligament tears, but the stretch drive appears to have hit him hard. He hasn’t reached an average of four yards a carry in a game since Oct. 22, and he has averaged fewer than three yards per carry in the last three. That coincides with McLaughlin’s uptick in work, including more carries on early downs. Coach Sean Payton said Monday, “He’s very sudden, and he’s earned those touches.” With quarterback Jarrett Stidham set to start in the finale, Payton has said the run game will be important to help get Stidham settled in for his second start of the season and just the fourth start of his career. – Jeff Legwold
With the Lions locked into a No. 2 or No. 3 seed, will they rely on Craig Reynolds and Kalif Raymond against the Vikings in Week 18?
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Lions coach Dan Campbell’s philosophy on resting players to prepare for the playoffs is simple: “When we’re done with the season, they’re going to rest.” So I don’t see the Lions dialing back from using their key starters in the regular-season finale. I wouldn’t expect roles for Reynolds or Raymond to be any more or less significant than other weeks. Detroit has an opportunity to win 12 games for just the second time in franchise history, so it’ll be hard to imagine them doing anything differently in Week 18. – Eric Woodyard
With the Rams locked into a wild-card spot, who will lead the backfield against the 49ers: Royce Freeman or Ronnie Rivers?
While the Rams have a wild-card spot, their seed is not locked in. Coach Sean McVay said Monday he hasn’t made the decision on whether he will rest players in Week 18 against the 49ers but that he hopes to have clarity on that decision when the players return on Wednesday. “We had some similar situations like this before, but you still have to stay sharp, you still have to stay crisp,” McVay said. “But if there are some guys that could use the time or that actually need it based on their injury situation, then that kind of makes those decisions for you.” – Sarah Barshop
Will the Saints lean on RB Jamaal Williams if Alvin Kamara cannot play against the Falcons due to an ankle injury?
Yes, as rookie Kendre Miller has been hurt most of the year. The Saints turned to Williams in the run and pass game after Kamara left against the Bucs. He carried the ball 19 times for 58 yards and caught four passes. However, the run game hasn’t been very effective this year and neither has Williams, who has only 280 rushing yards this season and no touchdowns. Go with Williams at your own risk after looking at the body of work this season. – Katherine Terrell
Having clinched the NFC’s No. 1 seed, will the 49ers give RBs Elijah Mitchell or Jordan Mason more work against the Rams?
With Christian McCaffrey sitting out the finale, it’s safe to expect both Mitchell and Mason to get the carries against the Rams. But don’t be surprised if it’s more Mason than Mitchell. Mitchell is the team’s No. 2 back, and though he just returned from injury, the Niners would like to keep him fresh and healthy for the postseason, which opens the door for Mason to get more opportunities. – Nick Wagoner
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