Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox hasn't been able to much on the field this season. In fact, Knox has two receptions or less in each of the last five games. The 28-year-old is now the backup tight end with Dalton Kincaid emerging as the top option in Buffalo. Knox has fallen back on the pecking order with the Bills having a handful of viable receiving options. That being said, Knox won't be much of a fantasy option for the Week 18 matchup against the New England Patriots. Possibly, Knox gets more chances if the Bills rest some starters, but fantasy managers should look elsewhere for help this weekend.

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Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Adonai Mitchell has been fairly quiet outside of his six-catch performance in Week 10. Last week, Mitchell hauled in two of his four targets for 22 yards in the loss to the New York Giants. The rookie wideout has put together a lackluster rookie season with 23 receptions for 312 yards and zero touchdowns heading into the Week 18 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Mitchell is too far down on the depth chart to be considered a viable option right now.

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Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry posted a huge game to finish off the regular season and help the team go back-to-back as AFC North champs. The veteran back posted 138 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries to go along with two catches for 23 yards on three targets. He averaged a ridiculous 6.9 yards per carry as he punished the Browns' defense. Henry now has six seasons with over 1,000 rushing yards and fell just 106 yards shy of his career high. The Ravens now wait to see who they will host in the first round of the playoffs.

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Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Kenny Pickett (ribs) has been ruled out ahead of the Week 18 matchup against the New York Giants. Pickett suffered a ribs injury in relief of Jalen Hurts (concussion) in Week 16. Pickett received the start last week, but only made it through three quarters before exiting due to his ribs issue. Pickett hasn't practiced this week and won't suit up for the regular season finale. That means, Tanner McKee will be under center with a majority of the Eagles backups playing on Sunday.

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Buffalo Bills kicker Tyler Bass has a lower floor in Week 18 given the expectation that many of his teammates will play a limited number of snaps. The Bills have already secured the AFC's No. 2 seed, and that won't change with the outcome of Sunday's contest against the New England Patriots. As a result, several key starters, including quarterback Josh Allen, are expected to only play a select number of drives in the regular-season finale. Mitchell Trubisky and Mike White are both in line to earn meaningful snaps against the Patriots, but the Bills' offensive upside is capped given that Trubisky and White have combined for just five pass attempts all year long. If the two veteran quarterbacks have some trouble moving the ball down the field, scoring opportunities will be much harder to come by for Bass. He still ranks as a fringe top-12 fantasy kicker, but both his ceiling and floor have been reduced for Week 18. Managers would be wise to at least explore alternative options before Sunday's games kick off.

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Tennessee Titans kicker Matthew Wright is not a household name in fantasy football, but he should generate some buzz on the waiver wire in deep leagues. Wright is replacing Nick Folk (abdomen) for the second week in a row, and as he takes on the Houston Texans this Sunday, he'll look to build on last week's solid stat line that included one extra point and a 2-for-2 success rate on field goals. The 28-year-old kicker has been dependable in stints with the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs this year, helping him rank as a top-18 fantasy kicker for the final week of the regular season. Wright warrants consideration among fantasy managers seeking a last-minute fill-in.

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Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin remains an unreliable option in fantasy football lineups ahead of Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Kansas City Chiefs. Franklin, a rookie out of Oregon, has continued to showcase his existing rapport with quarterback Bo Nix, catching 26 passes for 251 yards and a pair of touchdowns in 2024. However, he hasn't caught more than two passes in a single game since Week 7, and he remains behind Courtland Sutton, Devaughn Vele, and Marvin Mims Jr. in the offensive pecking order. As long as the Broncos' top three receivers stay healthy, Franklin won't see enough snaps or targets to justify starting him in fantasy football. He can be benched in dynasty leagues and left on waivers in redraft formats.

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Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson warrants some consideration in deeper fantasy leagues as he continues to take on an expanded role. With both Stefon Diggs (knee) and Tank Dell (knee) done for the season, Hutchinson has been tasked with stepping up as the Texans' No. 2 receiver behind Nico Collins. He caught two of four targets against the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas Day, but he certainly wasn't alone as the entire offense stalled repeatedly. He and his Texans teammates have a chance to get back on track in Week 18 against the Tennessee Titans, who have allowed the third-most points to opposing teams in 2024. Tennessee has surrendered the second-fewest receiving yards and fantasy points to wide receivers in 2024, but we still like Hutchinson's ability to build on last week's subpar showing and catch at least a few passes from quarterback C.J. Stroud on Sunday. The second-year receiver out of Iowa State ranks as a low-end WR4 in fantasy football.

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New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton is not a reliable fantasy option for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Philadelphia Eagles. Slayton did catch a 32-yard touchdown pass last weekend, but he has just one catch in each of his last three games. The 27-year-old has settled into the No. 3 receiver role, taking a backseat to both Malik Nabers and Wan'Dale Robinson. He took advantage of opportunities to shine earlier in the year, but as long as Nabers and Robinson are both healthy, Slayton's floor and productivity are both limited. Fantasy managers can leave Slayton on waivers in most leagues as the Giants take on the Eagles in their final game of the season.

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With Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (quad) off the Week 18 injury report, backup Cam Akers is not a starting option against the Detroit Lions. Though the veteran has become Minnesota's clear second option out of the backfield and scored touchdowns in two of the past three weeks, he has recorded fewer than 40 rushing yards in eight straight games. With only six catches during that time frame, Akers simply isn't getting enough volume to be trustworthy in the Vikings' most important game of the regular season. Managers in formats that play Week 18 should look for another option at running back.

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Philadelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley (concussion) is officially listed as questionable for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the New York Giants. However, given that he logged a full practice on Friday, the rookie should be able to suit up for Sunday's regular-season finale, barring a setback. Shipley has taken a backseat to Saquon Barkley and Kenneth Gainwell this season, but with Barkley expected to sit out Week 18, the rookie out of Clemson has a chance to earn increased opportunities. The 22-year-old has been mostly used as a ball carrier this season, rushing 20 times while failing to command a single target. He's likely headed for a change-of-pace role in Week 18, but with his exact involvement unknown, Shipley is tough to trust in fantasy football. He ranks as a low-end RB4 and should be avoided in most leagues.

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Denver Broncos wide receiver Devaughn Vele is a desperation WR5 option with the Broncos at Kansas City in Week 18. The rookie has just five catches in his past four games after a nice run from Weeks 10-12, and played only half of the Broncos' offensive snaps last week. However, Denver looks to be getting a second-rate opponent with Kansas City resting many of its key players in the regular-season finale. The Broncos do not have that luxury and need a win to assure a Wild Card berth. Vele figures to be part of the action for Denver, but probably not enough to warrant a starting spot in standard-format leagues that play Week 18.

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Atlanta Falcons wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge should not be considered a playable option despite a possible opportunity Sunday against Carolina. With the Falcons unlikely to have wide receiver Darnell Mooney (shoulder), the Falcons have an opening, but the journeyman receiver hasn't been reliable enough to count on in Week 18. Earlier this year, he one catch against Dallas despite playing 81% of offensive snaps. Hodge has just one catch in the past five weeks total, a rookie quarterback in Michael Penix Jr., and a solid Atlanta running game that figures to be the central part of the gameplan on Sunday. Managers in formats that play Week 18 have better options elsewhere.

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Cincinnati Bengals tight end Drew Sample caught all four of his targets for 14 yards on Saturday in his team's 19-17 victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Though the yardage total wasn't anything to write home about, the veteran tight end tied a season high in catches. More importantly, Cincinnati's offense did just enough to earn a fifth straight victory that kept its playoff hopes alive for another day. Whether Sample and the Bengals get a shot in the Wild Card round will come down to Week 18, when Cincy needs both Denver and Miami to lose.

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Denver Broncos running back Tyler Badie (back) has been downgraded to out for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Kansas City Chiefs. In order for Badie to play, the Broncos would have been required to activate him from injured reserve on Saturday afternoon. That transaction did not happen as the Broncos reaffirmed their plan to move forward with a backfield featuring Jaleel McLaughlin, Javonte Williams, and Audric Estime on Sunday. All three running backs should carve out significant roles, but McLaughlin has the most fantasy appeal as an RB3/FLEX option.

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Cincinnati Bengals kicker Cade York had a perfect night Saturday in Pittsburgh, converting all four field goal attempts and his lone extra point in a 19-17 victory that kept the Bengals' playoff hopes alive. After a brutal miss last week that forced the Bengals into a tense overtime against Denver, there was no such kicker drama in Week 18. The journeyman converted field goals from 48, 27, 35, and 23 yards, the last of which proved to be the game-winner as Cincinnati held on in the fourth quarter. Whether York gets the chance to kick in the postseason will come down to results elsewhere, as the Bengals need Denver and Miami to lose Sunday to make the AFC playoffs.

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Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (hip) is unlikely to play Sunday against the New York Jets, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Miami will once again start backup quarterback Tyler Huntley, who oversaw the win in Cleveland last week, as they attempt to qualify for the playoffs, which would require another victory today and help elsewhere. Though Tagovailoa was widely expected to miss Week 18, the quarterback said this week that he can play next week if Miami advances. Rapoport, however, reported his status would be "up in the air" if Miami plays a Wild Card game. But first, the Dolphins have to get to that bridge before they can cross it.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers held the red-hot Cincinnati Bengals offense to 19 points while recording four sacks, an interception, and two forced fumbles in a Week 18 loss. While the Bengals were able to move the ball effectively on Saturday night, the Steelers' defense stepped up in the red zone and forced them to kick four field goals. Rookie defensive back Beanie Bishop Jr. picked off quarterback Joe Burrow late in the second quarter with Cincinnati in Pittsburgh territory. The viability of Pittsburgh's DST for playoff fantasy leagues and DFS contests will largely depend on its opponent in the wild-card round.

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Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell nailed his only field goal attempt and both of his extra-point tries in a 19-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Boswell's field goal, a 54-yarder, came in crunch time with Pittsburgh down by five points with fewer than three minutes remaining in the contest. Unfortunately, the Steelers were unable to move the ball into field goal range on their final possession to give Boswell an opportunity for a game-winner. The 33-year-old will conclude the most prolific campaign of his career with 41 made field goals and without missing a single extra-point attempt. Boswell can be started as a high-end option in playoff fantasy leagues and DFS contests when the wild-card round begins next weekend.

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Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth finished with eight receptions for 85 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets in a 19-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. The lone bright spot for Pittsburgh's offense, Freiermuth led the team in all major receiving categories on Saturday night and came down with a 19-yard score in the fourth quarter on a throw by quarterback Russell Wilson. Freiermuth has an excellent track record against the Bengals and again had a strong showing against his division rival. He did, however, drop a pass on 4th and 12 that could have put the Steelers in range to kick a game-winning field goal with just seconds remaining on the clock. Nonetheless, Freiermuth has been rather productive for fantasy lately and will remain a solid starting option next weekend in playoff leagues and DFS contests.

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