FantasyPros publishes approximately 7.7 million pieces of weekly fantasy football content to help you win your league and eventually take home fantasy gold. It can be difficult to read such a vast amount of content, which is why we’ve rounded up a few of the most actionable, can’t-miss stat nuggets you absolutely need to know each week to aid with fantasy football start sit decisions.
We’ve broken down this weekly TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read) article by each of the four main skill positions in fantasy football (quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end), with at least two stats per position. We’ve also added a streaming D/ST section for the fantasy playoffs. Click on each author’s byline to read the entire article. Good luck this week.
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TL;DR Fantasy Football Week 18
Must-Know Quarterback Fantasy Football Stats
Tyler Shough (QB – NO)
We should probably start taking Tyler Shough seriously, and maybe we even need to consider him as a late-round quarterback target for 2026. Over his eight starts, Shough has completed 69.6% of his passes, averaging 249.6 passing yards a game and 7.7 yards per pass attempt, with nine touchdowns and four interceptions.
Shough’s numbers are comparable to (and better than in some categories) Drake Maye‘s rookie numbers. And like Maye, Shough adds some fantasy value as a runner. Shough has 150 rushing yards and two touchdown runs in his eight starts.
Bo Nix (QB – DEN)
Last week, Bo Nix was productive in the Broncos’ close Christmas Day win over the Kansas City Chiefs. He had 182 passing yards, one passing touchdown, 42 rushing yards, one rushing score and 19.5 fantasy points. However, the second-year pro had 38 pass attempts, averaging 4.8 yards per throw. Furthermore, the former Oregon star had averaged 1.2 passing touchdowns and 15.9 fantasy points per game over his previous six contests, totaling 16 points or fewer in all but two. Meanwhile, Nix and the Broncos can secure the AFC’s No. 1 playoff spot with a win.
However, Nix faces an impressive Chargers pass defense. They have held quarterbacks to 12.6 fantasy points per game, the third-fewest in the NFL this season. Furthermore, Los Angeles has surrendered only 10.3 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks over their past nine contests, allowing 13.8 or fewer points in all but two, including 0.4 to Jalen Hurts in Week 14. Reportedly, the Chargers will sit Justin Herbert and other critical starters on Sunday. While that is good news for Denver securing the No. 1 seed, it limits Nix’s fantasy upside.
Must-Know Running Back Fantasy Football Stats
Ashton Jeanty (RB – LV)
Hopefully, fantasy players survived last week with Jeanty having an awful performance despite facing the New York Giants. The rookie had only 9.3 PPR fantasy points, totaling 16 rushing attempts for 60 yards (3.8 yards per attempt) and two receptions for 13 receiving yards despite facing one of the NFL’s worst run defenses. Furthermore, he has been awful for fantasy players lately. Jeanty dominated the Houston Texans in Week 16. However, the rookie averaged 2.8 yards per rushing attempt and 8.7 fantasy points per game over his previous three contests.
After failing to take advantage of an appealing matchup in Week 17, fantasy players should have no confidence starting Jeanty against the Chiefs on Sunday. Kansas City has held running backs to 19.7 fantasy points per game this season, the sixth-fewest in the NFL. Furthermore, they’ve shut down elite running backs, including Jonathan Taylor, allowing only 58 rushing yards and 8.6 fantasy points to the superstar. More importantly, Jeanty had 21 rushing yards and 4.4 fantasy points against the Chiefs in Week 7, setting a career low in fantasy points (3.9).
Tyrone Tracy Jr. (RB – NYG)
Tyrone Tracy Jr. since Week 15: 17 touches and 77.4 total yards per game — RB21 in fantasy points per game. Has 69.2% of the Giants’ running back red-zone rushing attempts.
Tracy’s Week 18 opponent, the Dallas Cowboys, since Week 13: Third-highest explosive run rate allowed, the 10th-highest missed tackle rate and the ninth-most yards before contact per attempt allowed.
Tracey is a volume-based RB2 with RB1 upside this week.
Must-Know Wide Receiver Fantasy Football Stats
Parker Washington (WR – JAX)
Trevor Lawrence has the Jaguars’ offense humming, and Parker Washington has been Lawrence’s favorite target over the last two weeks. Washington had six catches for 145 yards and a touchdown against the Broncos in Week 16, and he had eight catches for 115 yards against the Colts in Week 17.
Washington gets a Week 18 matchup against the Titans, who have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points and eighth-most receiving yards to wide receivers.
Zay Flowers (WR – BAL)
Zay Flowers is a more volatile option with a banged-up Lamar Jackson or Tyler Huntley. Flowers had just five targets, four receptions and 30 receiving yards last week, but he salvaged his fantasy line with a touchdown. According to the Fantasy Points data suite, Flowers has recorded the following numbers in Huntley’s two starts this year: 45 routes, 14 targets, 93 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown
Flowers is a low-end WR3/Flex option in season-long leagues this week.
Must-Know Tight End Fantasy Football Stats
Oronde Gadsden II (TE – LAC)
Although his clumsy attempt to haul in a very catchable throw from Justin Herbert against the Texans in Week 17 turned into an interception, Oronde Gadsden II later made it up to his quarterback with a one-yard touchdown catch.
Gadsden finished with three catches for 32 yards against Houston on six targets. It’s been an up-and-down season for Gadsden, but the rookie tight end might need to be prominently involved in the Chargers’ regular-season finale against the Broncos. Denver has allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers, but the 10th-most fantasy points to tight ends.
Colston Loveland (TE – CHI)
Colston Loveland has flashed his potential at times, and the rookie tight end is coming off a massive effort with tasty underlying data in Week 17.
Loveland had an 80.4% route participation rate, 10.9-yard average depth of target (aDOT), 36.8% air yards share, 23.8% target share, 0.27 targets per route run (TPRR), 10 targets, six receptions, 94 receiving yards, 2.54 yards per route run (YPRR) and a receiving touchdown last week. He’s secured at least three receptions in 11 straight games and at least 40 receiving yards in six of his last nine games.
Must-Know Streaming D/ST Fantasy Football Stats
Cincinnati Bengals D/ST vs. Cleveland Browns
The Bengals’ defense hasn’t been an appealing fantasy option for most of the season. However, Cincinnati’s defense looked good against Arizona in Week 17, holding the Cardinals to 14 points and 233 yards of offense while sacking Jacoby Brissett four times.
The Bengals’ home matchup against the Browns in Week 18 looks attractive. Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders has thrown seven interceptions in his last three games and has been sacked 15 times in his six starts.
Buffalo Bills D/ST vs. New York Jets
The Bills’ defense should be a good play thanks to how awful the Jets have performed with Brady Cook at quarterback. In four starts, he has one passing touchdown (three weeks ago), seven interceptions and a fumble.
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