Subscribe
Follow Us
We are down to the final week of the NFL regular season, and if you are reading this, you likely are facing a Week 18 matchup for your fantasy football championship. Our Week 18 waiver wire pickups will help set up your team for your championship matchups, providing you with options across all positions.
Week 18 is a bit of a tough week to predict, solely because there will be teams that are not playing their starters and teams that will be playing their starters. The following list includes players that are rostered on fewer than 50 percent of all ESPN rosters making the chances you can pick them up pretty high.
1. Jalen McMillan, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – WR
39.4% Rostered
Atop our Week 18 waiver wire pickup list is wide receiver Jalen McMillan, who has become a mainstay in the end zone for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Four-plus receptions and at least one touchdown scored in each of his past four games, McMillan has absolutely become a favorite target for Baker Mayfield.
While Mike Evans is nearing yet another 1,000-yard season, McMillan has filled in nicely for the injured Chris Godwin. McMillan hauled in five receptions, the third-consecutive game with five catches, for 51 yards and two scores in TB’s Week 17 win over Carolina, and the Bucs still have a divisional title to play for in Week 18.
2. Jaleel McLaughlin, Denver Broncos – RB
18.1% Rostered
While it has been tough to pick out which of the three running backs is the starter each week, the Denver Broncos seem to be going back to Jaleel McLaughlin. While factoring into the backfield alongside rookie Audric Estime, McLaughlin has held one of the more consistent workloads as of late.
In a win-and-in scenario for the final spot in the AFC playoffs, expect Denver to leave everything out on the field Sunday, and that should include a solid workload for McLaughlin.
3. Ray Davis, Buffalo Bills – RB
11.2% Rostered
Locked into the number two seed, the Buffalo Bills have nothing to play for in their Week 18 matchup with the New England Patriots. With that being the case, expect players like backup running back Ray Davis to get a ton of run with the offense.
Davis has had his fair share of impressive moments in the Buffalo offense but has clearly taken a back seat to James Cook and his strong 2024 season. Having found the end zone five times this season, Davis and Ty Johnson will likely factor into the backfield in Week 18.
4. Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers – QB
47.1% Rostered
The only quarterback in our Week 18 waiver wire pickups is Russell Wilson, who has led the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 10-win season. Still with an outside chance to clinch the AFC North division, the Steelers will be playing for that potential on Saturday in Week 18.
The AFC North will be on full display, as all four teams are playing in the two Saturday matchups. With Wilson facing a Cincinnati Bengals defense that is below average against the pass, look for Wilson to finish out the season strong.
5. Khalil Herbert, Cincinnati Bengals – RB
4.4% Rostered
With Chase Brown suffering an ankle injury in Cincy’s Week 17 game with the Broncos, former Chicago Bears running back Khalil Herbert came in to replace him. Herbert should be the next man up for the Bengals if Brown is forced to miss time.
Even if Brown isn’t commanding his 100 percent touch share like most weeks, that would give Herbert the potential to make your Week 18 starting lineups. Keep up with the news this week on Brown’s health, and let that determine how you can potentially utilize Herbert.
6. Wan’Dale Robinson, New York Giants – WR
38.0% Rostered
Wan’Dale Robinson has been a big-time benefactor of Drew Lock being the starter for the New York Giants, and he has seen a healthy target share as the season has wound down. Seeing six-plus targets, including two games of 11 or more, has helped elevate Robinson into the FLEX conversation, exactly where he can help your roster out in Week 18.
Article Continues Below
The Giants face off with the Dallas Cowboys to round out the regular season, in a matchup that means nothing for either squad. With rookie Malik Nabers commanding most of the headlines, Robinson has gotten himself up to WR37 on the season, according to ESPN.
7. Ameer Abdullah, Las Vegas Raiders – RB
33.4% Rostered
The shuffle of running backs for the Las Vegas Raiders has shifted toward including Ameer Abdullah as the bell-cow, as the journeyman has seen a ton of work over the course of this season.
Commanding double-digit touches and rushing for 100 yards for the first time in his career, Abdullah put up a strong showing against the New Orleans Saints in Week 17. While Abdullah is no world-beater, the Raiders face the Chargers in a game that can provide a potential look into who will be sticking around for the Raiders next season.
8. Marvin Mims Jr., Denver Broncos – WR
4.0% Rostered
The final wide receiver in our Week 18 waiver wire pickups is Marvin Mims Jr., who is coming off a career performance against the Bengals. Crossing the century mark, Mims caught a prayer from rookie Bo Nix to send their eventual Week 17 loss into overtime.
Mims has largely been off the radar for your fantasy football rosters but has been picking up steam over the past few weeks. Recording at least three receptions or a score over the past seven contests, Mims has a Week 18 matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs on deck.
9. Antonio Gibson, New England Patriots – RB
16.9% Rostered
Antonio Gibson earned the higher amount of touches between him and Rhamondre Stevenson for the New England Patriots, as Gibson earned most of the touches when the game was out of control. Stevenson failed to do much with his workload, and he did enter Sunday’s game in the dog house again with his fumble problems.
Four weeks of seven-plus carries has helped elevate Gibson back into RB3 territory for your fantasy football rosters, and while rostering, much less starting, anyone from the New England offense is tough, Gibson might be the one to do so.
10. Trey Benson, Arizona Cardinals – RB
19.1% Rostered
The final player in our Week 18 waiver wire pickups is rookie running back Trey Benson, who missed last week’s contest but could be in for a starter’s workload in Week 18. With James Conner leaving Sunday’s matchup early with a knee injury, practice squad call-up Michael Carter ended up earning double-digit touches in the loss.
If Benson cannot suit up again, you should be able to fire up Carter as a potential option for your FLEX spot. As the Arizona Cardinals wrap up their regular season against the San Francisco 49ers, Benson (or Carter) likely will assume the starting role, as AZ has nothing left to play for and Conner’s status is murky.
