NFL Week 18 DraftKings Main Slate Breakdown

Welcome to week eighteen of the Add More Funds DraftKings Main Slate Rundown. Remember, this is a weekly column. We are very excited to bring you high-level content using tools from our website. At AMF, we want to help both the experienced-player and beginners alike. To do this, every week we will release our favorite weekend classic slate plays. We will go position by position highlighting different price points. We will try to find the plays that provide value, whether they are underpriced or possibly, projected to be under-owned. Plays will be denoted as cash game or tournament specific. 

Before we start for this week it's critical to understand that we need to be looking for teams motivations as far as playing time this week. Some teams need to clinch divisions still or even win to have a shot at making the playoffs and will play their starters the whole game. Others have a playoff spot locked up but can only move up or down one spot or even not at all in seeding and may sit everyone. And some teams have nothing to play for either way and may only play starters if they are fully healthy. It is a tough week to gauge, but the variance can pay off big time for those who guess right. 

Here is our week eighteen NFL DraftKings main slate rundown.

Quarterback: 

Josh Allen ($8100) Prefer in tournaments still strong in cash

I have probably written up Allen more than any other QB this season and for good reason. They need to beat a woeful Jets team to clinch the division and the only reason Allen would sit is if they have already locked the game up. In those cases, I think it’s fair to assume Allen has already heavily contributed with both his arm and legs. I could be wrong but I think you are getting him at lower ownership than previous weeks as DFS players look to stack other games. 

Matthew Stafford ($6,700) Prefer in tournaments still strong in cash

The Rams need a win badly. They host the 49ers in a game that will likely decide the winner of the NFC West (and if they get to host a playoff game or have to travel). The 49ers while improved the second half of the season or beyond decimated in the secondary due to injury and Covid. Not to mention that was already the big weakness of the team. I look for Stafford and company to be throwing it all over the field all night allowing for a great chance at the yardage bonus and big-time TD upside. 

Taysom Hill ($6,200) Cash-game play 

Purely viable in cash as I don’t like stacking quarterbacks with players like Hill’s skillset. The Saints need a win and a 49ers loss (see above) to get in. I think both things can happen and they will hold nothing back on their end of the bargain. This is a road game for Hill, but it’s in a dome and that will likely aid him as he has speedy outside targets and likes to run himself. I see an outside chance at the rushing bonus for Hill and even if he falls short with some TD luck could be a home run play for a very reasonable price. 

Other QB thoughts:

Once again I like a lot of quarterbacks this week. Huntley ($5,700) in a tough matchup is still too cheap. Keenum ($4,800) should draw a defense resting a lot of players and is crazy cheap for those looking to spend up elsewhere. If there is any reason to think a QB may not play the whole game I will likely dismiss them from my player pool. Think Green Bay, Tampa, or even San Francisco. 

Running Back: 

Jonathan Taylor ($9,300) Play in all formats

Last week he was $300 cheaper but he feels like a better value this week. The Colts need to win to get in and are playing the lowly Jaguars. We could see Taylor get force-fed all game unless it gets way out of hand and like Allen above that probably means Taylor has already had a huge game. Using our AMF tools to find many different stats you can see that Taylor leads the NFL in rush attempts, yards, red zone attempts, red zone yards, and touchdowns. He has also hit the 100-yard bonus in ten of the Colt's last thirteen games. Taylor has the best floor/ceiling combo of any back this week and it’s not close. Fire him off with confidence.

David Montgomery ($6800) Prefer in cash but will play in tournaments 

I wrote about Montgomery last week as well, but once again he’s a top play. The Bear's entire offense revolves around him and it’s clear he’s still got plenty of juice in his legs even at this point in the season. He faces a Vikings team that also has nothing to play for and is a strong candidate to roll over if things don’t start well. I’ll be playing Monty in all formats this week but do prefer in cash as I think he will be very popular and there is little to stack with that is strong for correlation other than Justin Jefferson. 

Michael Carter ($5,000) Tournament play only

Carter will likely get the bulk of the touches this week in a meaningless game for the Jets. When healthy, he has proven he is the Jets clear top backfield option in both the run and pass game. I like this game to be a bit higher scoring and will likely be pairing Carter in some if not most of my Josh Allen tournament lineups. 

Other RB thoughts:

Lots of teams need to win this week and will ride starters as much as possible. Look for Kamara, Michel, Conner, and Najee Harris to see massive workloads and parlay that into solid DK performances. I will be fading any backfield where touches are murky or clouded with injury or playing time concerns. 

Wide Receivers: 

Cooper Kupp ($9,700) Play in all formats

Another week, another Kupp write-up. I am not going to go too deep into our AMF advanced stats because you already know he leads the league in seemingly everything. But, what you need to know is he is 136 yards and twelve catches away from breaking the NFL single-season receiving records in those categories. If Sean Mcvay wants to get his guy some shine (which I completely think he does and should factor into this) I think they force-feed Kupp the ball. As I wrote up for Stafford the 49ers defense and secondary aren’t exactly equipped to shut that down either.

A.J. Brown ($7,000) Prefer in tournaments

This man is a target hog when healthy. The Titans need this game and the Texans do not. I think this is going to be another classic “A.J. Brown game” where Tannehill doesn’t even get to 250 yards but somehow Brown finishes with 125+ on eight catches and a TD. I will probably run Brown solo in my tournaments unless I come back with Cooks ($6,300). 

Allen Robinson ($4,000) Play in all formats but is stronger in tournaments

There are no stats to explain why this is a good play, no matchup data that makes me love Robinson either. But, I think he’s got a lot to play for contract-wise as he has one final game to make a statement. Also, as a lifelong Vikings fan, I know how games like this usually go. I think Robinson still has a little left in the tank and with Minnesota's corner situation will have plenty of opportunities to showcase that. Andy Dalton starting helps too. 

Other WR thoughts: 

Christian Kirk, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Jaylen Waddle all project strong this week. They are also in that mid-tier 6k price range that I think will be low owned in tournaments as people flock to Kupp, Jefferson, and Samuel plus the cheap WR options. This allows you to get nice leverage without sacrificing projected points. 

Tight Ends:

Zach Ertz ($5,000) Prefer in tournaments

Arizona still lacks weapons with Edmonds and Hopkins ailing. I think they continue to use Ertz, including around the goal line at a high rate. This game is very important to the Cardinals as they have a chance to clinch the division and a home playoff game with a win and Rams loss. 

Cole Kmet ($3,400) Cash-game play 

Andy Dalton has historically not loved tight ends but I am still willing to roll with Kmet here at this price. The matchup with Minnesota is pretty average and I think he is boosted by playing in a dome. I would not stack him with other Bears options as I feel he is solely a cash-game play as his ceiling does trend low. 

Other TE thoughts:

Per usual, paying up for Gronk or Kittle gives you access to the highest ceiling but leaves you with significantly less money to spend at other positions. I may run Kittle back in Ram's stacks or Gronk in any tournament lineup but will likely have neither in cash. 

Defense: 

Washington ($3,100) Play in all formats

This is a play not on Washington, but against the Giants. That franchise is somehow sadder than either of the dumpster fires in the AFC South. 

Browns ($2,600) Cash-game play 

Facing a Bengals team likely sitting everyone I think their upside is very high at a near basement price.