Fantasy Football Week 18 RB Preview: Waiver adds, DFS plays, and more

If you are playing Fantasy Football in Week 18, I have waiver adds below if you need them. If you're playing DFS, there is advice for that as well. But, to be honest, I am ready to start thinking about the 2024 Fantasy Football season. At least part of that is because Jamey Eisenberg is compiling our top 12 at each position for 2024. And running back is going to be a trip. 

Christian McCaffrey is going to be No. 1 next year and after that, I have no idea what the consensus will look like. Raheem Mostert currently ranks No. 2 in total Fantasy points, but he'll turn 32 before the NFL Draft. As awesome as he's been, he doesn't crack my way-too-early top-12 at the position. Kyren Williams has been the clear No. 2 in terms of FPPG, but I'm not sure he has the pedigree to get the No. 2 spot based strictly on that. 

While I do think Williams is in contention, there are at least six other young backs I expect him to be right there with him. Breece Hall (assuming Aaron Rodgers is 100%), Travis Etienne, De'Von Achane, Jonathan Taylor, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Bijan Robinson (especially if they have a new head coach and QB). None of those backs will be over 25 when next season starts, which is quite the change from how we entered 2023. 

The changing of the guard has happened at running back, at least once you get past McCaffrey.

You can find more in my weekly projections over at SportsLine. Now let's get to the rest of the Week 18 RB Preview:

Week 17 RB Preview

Who's Out

Numbers to Know

Matchups That Matter

Waiver Wire Targets

DFS Plays

Projections

RB Preview

Who's Out

The following players are not being projected to play Week 17 at this time. Here's what it means:

Kyren Williams RB

LAR L.A. Rams • #23
Age: 24 • Experience: 3 yrs.

We expect the Rams to rest their starters. Royce Freeman and Darrell Henderson should lead the backfield.

Isiah Pacheco RB

KC Kansas City • #10
Age: 25 • Experience: 3 yrs.

We expect the Chiefs to rest their starters, Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Lamical Perine should lead the backfield.

Gus Edwards RB

LAC L.A. Chargers • #4
Age: 29 • Experience: 7 yrs.

We expect the Ravens to rest their starters. Melvin Gordon should lead the backfield.

Christian McCaffrey RB

SF San Francisco • #23
Age: 28 • Experience: 8 yrs.

We expect the 49ers to rest their starters. Jordan Mason should lead the backfield.

Jerome Ford RB

CLE Cleveland • #34
Age: 25 • Experience: 3 yrs.

We expect the Browns to rest their starters. Pierre Strong should lead the backfield.

RB Preview

Numbers to know

• 128 -- Derrick Henry is from the Jacksonville area and has terrorized the Jaguars with at least 128 total yards in four of his last five games against them. 
• 115 -- Austin Ekeler needs 115 total yards in Week 18 to earn a $100,000 bonus.
• 85 -- Jahmyr Gibbs needs 85 rushing yards to reach 1,000 yards for the season. His teammate David Montgomery needs 25 yards to hit the same mark.
• 6.4 -- Mercury Morris holds the single-season running back record for yards per carry in the Super Bowl era at 6.4. De'Von Achane is currently averaging 8.0 YPC and needs 14 carries in Week 18 to qualify.

RB Preview

Matchups that matter

Matchups that Matter

Rachaad White RB

TB Tampa Bay • #1
Age: 25 • Experience: 3 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ CAR TB -5.5 O/U 37.5

OPP VS RB 19th

PROJ PTS 17.4

RB RNK 2nd

YTD Stats
RUYDS 915	REC 60	REYDS 531	TD 9	FPTS/G 15.9

Ty Chandler RB

MIN Minnesota • #32
Age: 26 • Experience: 3 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ DET DET -3 O/U 45.5

OPP VS RB 22nd

PROJ PTS 9.8

RB RNK 28th

YTD Stats
RUYDS 392	REC 19	REYDS 139	TD 3	FPTS/G 5.6

Zamir White RB

LV Las Vegas • #3
Age: 25 • Experience: 3 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs DEN LV -2.5 O/U 38

OPP VS RB 9th

PROJ PTS 14.4

RB RNK 11th

YTD Stats
RUYDS 339	REC 14	REYDS 89	TD 1	FPTS/G 3.8

RB Preview

Waiver Wire Targets

Week 18 Adds (RB Preview)

Jordan Mason RB

SF San Francisco • #24
Age: 25 • Experience: 3 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs LAR SF -3 O/U 42.5

OPP VS RB 29th

RB RNK 29th

ROSTERED 9%

YTD Stats
RUYDS 170	REC 2	REYDS 19	TD 3	FPTS/G 2.4

If both Christian McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell are out Jordan Mason could be looking at a monster workload. Mason has been extremely efficient in his career, averaging 5.5 yards per carry, and you shouldn't have to worry about the Rams great run defense because we're expecting them to rest their starters as well.

Melvin Gordon RB

BAL Baltimore • #33
Age: 31 • Experience: 9 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs PIT PIT -3.5 O/U 36.5

OPP VS RB 1st

RB RNK 32nd

ROSTERED 2%

YTD Stats
RUYDS 63	REC 3	REYDS 46	TD 1	FPTS/G 6.6

Gordon is another third-string running back who should be thrust into action with the Ravens expected to rest Gus Edwards. This week a big projected workload is about all it takes to be a starting Fantasy running back, but the Steelers have given up some big games to backs this season as well.

RB Preview

DFS Plays

Top DFS Play

Zach Charbonnet RB

SEA Seattle • #26
Age: 23 • Experience: 2 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ ARI SEA -3 O/U 47.5

OPP VS RB 32nd

PROJ PTS 11.3

RB RNK 12th

YTD Stats
RUYDS 430	REC 31	REYDS 181	TD 1	FPTS/G 6.6

We're expecting Ken Walker to miss Week 18 which leaves Charbonnet in line for 20 touches against a Cardinals defense that has surrendered the most FPPG to running backs this season. Charbonnet saw at least 18 touches in three games earlier this year and averaged 13.9 PPR Fantasy points. While that isn't a great mark, those games were against the Cowboys, 49ers, and Rams.

Contrarian DFS Play

Bijan Robinson RB

ATL Atlanta • #7
Age: 22 • Experience: 2 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ NO NO -3 O/U 42.5

OPP VS RB 28th

PROJ PTS 14.2

RB RNK 8th

YTD Stats
RUYDS 948	REC 51	REYDS 384	TD 7	FPTS/G 13.8

Robinson's price is down to $6,900 and I love betting on talent like this at a discount. He has run well the past two weeks, he just hasn't gotten into the end zone. His role in the passing game combined with his big play ability make him a threat to be the top running back on the slate any given week.

RB Preview

Heath's Projections

My full set of Week 18 Fantasy Football projections for every position are now available on SportsLine. Find out which of my favorite plays are projected to score higher than consensus rankings and which don't live up to their draft hype, at least in Week 18. Projected stats for all starting quarterbacks are available, so be sure to check out the full set of projections at SportsLine.