Week 18 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Examining Fringe Fantasy Football Flex Starters

Many fantasy football leagues crowned champions at the end of Week 17 of the 2024 NFL season. But not all of them.

Some leagues hold their championship matchups in Week 18, the final week of the NFL regular season. For those managers, it can be difficult to make lineup decisions, considering some teams are likely to rest key players ahead of the playoffs.

Even if your fantasy season is over, daily fantasy can be a fun way to stay in the action for Week 18. So the following tips could be useful when creating a DFS lineup this weekend.

Here's some Week 18 start/sit advice for players in flex consideration.

The New York Giants are going on the road to face the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. Typically, that type of matchup would not be favorable for a running back. But Week 18 is different.

The Eagles have already clinched the NFC East title and are locked into the No. 2 seed. So they should be resting players ahead of the playoffs. So fantasy managers don't need to shy away from Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr., who could have a strong conclusion to his rookie campaign.

Tracy had a season-high-tying 20 carries during New York's Week 17 matchup vs. the Indianapolis Colts. Although the 25-year-old recorded only 73 total yards, it was an encouraging sign to see how much of the workload he's now getting out of the backfield.

Expect the Giants to put the ball in Tracy's hands plenty on Sunday, and because of that, he should have a solid showing against an Eagles defense likely filled with backups.

If you've still been trusting Rachaad White in fantasy lineups in recent weeks, it's time to stop doing so. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' rushing attack has been taken over by rookie Bucky Irving, and it's becoming clear that White will be much less of a factor moving forward.

White had only 10 touches in Week 16 vs. the Dallas Cowboys, then that number dropped to seven in Week 17 against the Carolina Panthers. The 25-year-old is coming off a 34-yard performance that could be a sign of what's to come.

The Bucs must try to beat the New Orleans Saints on Sunday with the NFC South title still up for grabs. Because of that, Tampa Bay should lean heavily on Irving and only give sporadic touches to the struggling White.

Find a better fantasy option than White, who has fallen out of the mix for the Buccaneers.

The first time the Detroit Lions faced the Minnesota Vikings this season, it was a quiet day for Jameson Williams. The Lions won 31-29 in the Week 7 matchup, but Williams had only one catch for minus-4 yards.

Williams should have a better performance in the high-stakes Week 18 rematch. The winner of Sunday night's meeting between Detroit and Minnesota will earn the NFC North title and the NFC's No. 1 seed, while the loser will be the No. 5 seed and go on the road for a Wild-Card Round contest.

Over the Lions' past three games, Williams has scored four touchdowns. The 23-year-old has also recorded at least five catches in five of his past six contests, so he's frequently been involved in Detroit's passing attack.

Feel confident in starting Williams in Week 18 against the Vikings, who have given up the most fantasy points to wide receivers this season (per NFL.com).

Jerry Jeudy was targeted a season-high 18 times during the Cleveland Browns' loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 17. However, the 25-year-old finished with only 94 yards on 12 catches and was kept out of the end zone for a third consecutive week.

It may be tougher for the Browns to get the ball into Jeudy's hands in Week 18. They're going on the road for a Saturday matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, who need to win to secure the AFC North title.

Baltimore's pass defense has been much improved of late. Over the past four weeks, the Ravens are allowing the seventh-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers (per NFL.com).

If possible, fantasy managers should try to stay away from Jeudy this week. He's had bright spots during the season, but it seems likely he'll finish the year on a bit of a low.