San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (ribs, wrist) has been ruled out for the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Arizona Cardinals. Samuel didn't practice at all this week. The 28-year-old veteran likely would have been able to suit up this weekend if the Niners were playing for something, but with San Fran eliminated from postseason contention, he will be rested to close out the year. Jauan Jennings should operate as the team's WR1 on Sunday in a good matchup, with rookies Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing and Chris Conley also seeing additional opportunities with backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs running the offense. Especially when considering the injuries to running back Christian McCaffrey (knee) and receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee), Samuel's 51-670-3 line as a receiver in 15 games was a huge disappointment for the 49ers and fantasy managers alike.

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Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson will get a tough matchup this Sunday night in a road tilt with the Detroit Lions. Hockenson had a nice total his last time out in a win against the Green Bay Packers, but he'll have a less vulnerable outing in store against a Lions defense that's limited TEs to 9.2 fantasy points per game in 2024 -; the second-fewest. However, it's worth noting that they've let up sizable performances twice over the past three weeks. Detroit just got torched by George Kittle in Week 17 for 112 yards on 8-of-8 receiving and let Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox of the Buffalo Bills combine for six catches and 95 yards two weeks prior. With a 57-point over/under on tap, there should be plenty of opportunities to go around for the veteran. The Iowa alum ranks as RotoBaller's PPR TE7 in Week 18.

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Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor gets an exploitable spot in his team's meeting with the division-rival Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football. The Michigan State product put together his best performance of the season in last weekend's 27-25 win over the Green Bay Packers -; racking up 81 yards and a touchdown on 5-of-5 receiving. It was a nice slump-breaking outing for the 25-year-old, as he recorded only eight receptions and 67 yards from Weeks 8-16. He'll get a chance to build on that production this weekend in a matchup that features a whopping 57-point over/under. Detroit has been a sieve on the back end this season, and quarterback Sam Darnold is elevating the entire offense with his exceptional play. Fantasy managers looking for a high-upside dart throw in Week 18 can do worse than Nailor. He'll land at RotoBaller's PPR WR47 ahead of this weekend's action.

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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (elbow) has officially been ruled out for Sunday's Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival Arizona Cardinals. Purdy suffered a right-elbow contusion at the tail end of the Monday night loss to the Detroit Lions on Monday night. While the injury isn't considered serious and Purdy should have a normal offseason, the Niners will hold him out in a meaningless game to close out the year. With Purdy sidelined, backup Joshua Dobbs will make his first start under center this year. The 25-year-old Purdy wasn't able to replicate his breakout 2023 season for San Fran, but he was still solid for fantasy purposes (QB10 overall heading into Week 18), especially when considering he was without All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey (knee) and receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) for most of the year.

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The Green Bay Packers defense and special teams unit should be one of the best plays in Week 18 as the Packers host the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field. The Bears have been losers of 10 straight games and head into Lambeau Field to face a defense that has been playing extremely well of late. Prior to last week against the Minnesota Vikings, the Packers had been a top-five fantasy defense against the Seahawks and Saints with a combined 10 sacks, three interceptions, and a fumble recovery in those two weeks. Facing a rookie quarterback in Caleb Williams at home should be a nice tune-up for the Packers, as Williams was sacked three times in the Packers' 20-19 win earlier in the season. Fire up the Packers D/ST as a starting fantasy unit in Week 18.

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According to Nolan Bianchi of the Detroit News, running back David Montgomery (knee) has been ruled out and running back Craig Reynolds (back) is listed as questionable for Week 18. Montgomery has been sidelined since suffering an MCL sprain during their Week 15 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Montgomery is currently eyeing a potential return in the postseason. Reynolds popped up on the injury report on Friday as a non-participant which is not a positive sign for his status for Sunday night. As a result, fantasy managers should expect Jahmyr Gibbs to lead the backfield once again and carry elite RB1 upside. If Reynolds were to be ruled out, Jermar Jefferson will likely slot in as the No.2 option. Jefferson saw a handful of carries near the goal line last weekend but Gibbs led the way as he tallied over 160 yards and a touchdown against the 49ers.

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Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison should be in store for another productive outing in Sunday night's divisional clash with the Detroit Lions. The second-year wideout has improved in his sophomore campaign, generating a modest 4.4 receptions and 62.5 yards per game compared to 4.1 and 53.5 from a season ago. After a shaky start to the year, Addison has posted just two single-digit fantasy performances since Week 9 -; rattling off 644 yards and nine touchdowns across 48 receptions in that span. The 22-year-old gets a dream matchup this Sunday night against a Lions defense that's let up the most receiving yards per game to WRs (3,040). Despite two fewer appearances thus far in 2024, he still has a chance to set new career-high marks -; needing eight receptions, two scores, and 37 yards. Addison clocks in as RotoBaller's PPR WR17 in this week's rankings.

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Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs looks to keep up the momentum following a voluminous Week 17 to the Packers' Week 18 contest with the Chicago Bears. Doubs led the Packers with 11 targets in Week 17's loss to the Minnesota Vikings and brought in seven of those targets for 58 yards. Over the last seven games since the Packers' Week 10 bye, the Packers have focused more on a ground-and-pound approach with Josh Jacobs leading the charge, but even with the passing volume lacking, Doubs still maintained a solid target floor last week. If Doubs continues to get featured with the status of Christian Watson (knee) up in the air, that should make him the most desirable Packers pass-catcher. However, that only equates to flex-level fantasy value in Week 18 against the Bears.

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According to Can Inman of the Bay Area News Group, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (ankle/hamstring) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals. Kittle opened the week as a non-participant but was able to upgrade to limited participation on Thursday and Friday. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status over the weekend as he may end up being a game-time decision. Kittle saw his typical workload on Monday evening as he logged 56 offensive snaps and was able to bring in all eight of his targets for 112 yards. Even though Joshua Dobbs is slated to get the start, fantasy managers should still view Kittle as a TE1 even without Brock Purdy (elbow) under center. He will be facing an Arizona defense that has allowed the fifth-fewest PPR points to opposing tight ends this season.

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According to Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post, Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler (concussion) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys. Ekeler has been on the injured reserve since suffering a concussion during their Week 12 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. However, Ekeler has been able to practice in full all week which suggests he has a good chance to return on Sunday. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status leading up to kickoff as his return could shape up the Washington backfield. While sidelined, Brian Robinson Jr. has seen a significant uptick in work on passing downs. However, when Ekeler returns, fantasy managers should expect him to reclaim his third-down role. If Ekeler does play this weekend, Robinson should be downgraded to a low-end RB2.

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Green Bay Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks could see an increased workload for the Packers' Week 18 contest against the Chicago Bears. Wicks played a bit more with Christian Watson (knee) out for Week 17's game and with Watson questionable in Week 18, Wicks could continue to see plenty of work if Watson is out. Earning the second-most targets (5) on the Packers in Week 17 against the Minnesota Vikings, Wicks caught 4-of-5 passes for 43 yards. The Packers' passing game has been de-emphasized since the team's Week 10 bye week in favor of a strong running game where Josh Jacobs has flourished. Wicks is more of a low-end flex for fantasy purposes in the team's final regular season game before the playoffs.

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Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is primed for a massive outing this Sunday in his team's road matchup with the Detroit Lions. The LSU product reached 1,400 receiving yards for the fourth time in five years in last weekend's win over the Green Bay Packers. He's now tied for the third-most 1,400-yard seasons in NFL history -; trailing only Jerry Rice (6) and Julio Jones (5). Jefferson has notched ten touchdowns in 2024, tying his career-best set in 2021. He'll stand an excellent chance to break that in Week 18 against a Lions defense that's been abysmal on the back end this season. Detroit's allowed the second-most passing yards per game in the NFL (250.4) and the second-largest fantasy points per game figure to WRs (40.3). With a battle for the NFC North and the conference's No. 1 seed on tap, the superstar wideout ranks as RotoBaller's PPR WR1 ahead of the season's final slate of action.

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Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed has been on a steep backslide in the second half but looks to right the ship against the Chicago Bears in Week 18. Over the last seven games, Reed has been a top-30 fantasy wide receiver just once. In Week 17 against the Minnesota Vikings, Reed caught 1-of-4 targets for seven yards in a disappointing performance. The Packers' passing game has taken a backseat to the run game since Green Bay's Week 10 bye week. With a strong running game featuring a flourishing Josh Jacobs, quarterback Jordan Love hasn't needed to pass as much as when they do, targets are usually spread out amongst multiple weapons. For Week 18, Reed is more of a risky low-end flex for fantasy knowing how low the floor is with the Packers' wide receivers.

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Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (non-injury related) put in a full practice after two limited sessions this week and he looks to end his regular season on a high note as the Packers host the Chicago Bears in Week 18. While Kraft was second on the team in receiving yards (53) in Week 17, he only caught 2-of-3 passes. Kraft has been a top-12 tight end in just two of the last seven weeks with just one game where he amassed over five targets. With the Packers utilizing the run much more than the pass since Green Bay's Week 10 bye, it's hampered the Packers' passing game and the pass-catchers' fantasy value with the lack of consistent passing volume. In Week 18 against the Bears, Kraft is a low-end TE1 but with a much lower floor than a typical TE1.

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According to the team, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (coach's decision) is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos. With the Chiefs already in sole possession of the top seed in the AFC, they will opt to rest some of their starters to ensure they are fully healthy when they attempt to win their third straight Super Bowl. Kelce was a full participant in practice this week, which suggests this move is to rest him and that he is not dealing with any injury. Since Week 12, Kelce has seen a hefty 8.8 targets per game. During this span, he has tallied 52.7 yards per game with one touchdown. As a result of Kelce likely sitting out on Sunday, Noah Gray should be expected to operate as the top tight end, making him a solid play in deeper formats this week and an intriguing value play in DFS.

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Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love looks to put forth a momentum-building effort heading into the playoffs as the Packers host the Chicago Bears in Week 18's regular season finale. Love has been non-startable in fantasy for the most part since Green Bay's Week 10 bye week with just two top 12 fantasy finishes in seven games. He has gone over 250 yards just twice in that span along with only three multi-touchdown games. The passing game has been a secondary focus for the Packers as they have been fueled by the run game and Josh Jacobs. Despite a hugely successful season by the offense, it hasn't manifested into fantasy scoring for Love or his wide receivers for the most part. With the Bears coming up north to Green Bay, consider Love a low-end starter, but probably more of a streaming candidate.

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Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (quad) is without designation for Sunday night's divisional clash with the Detroit Lions. The eighth-year pro picked up a quad injury in last weekend's bout against his former team -; kicking the week off with back-to-back limited sessions. However, on Friday, he was a full participant and enters the road tilt all systems go. Jones is the RB14 on the season -; averaging 14.3 fantasy points per game. Although Detroit's D has been friendly through the air, they've been staunch against opposing rushing attacks. The Lions are letting up just 97 yards per game on the ground (third-fewest) and the fifth-least fantasy points per game to RBs (19.1). Still, in a game with the highest over/under of the week (57) -; there should be plenty of offense to go around. The 30-year-old ranks as RotoBaller's PPR RB13 in Week 18.

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Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (wrist) practiced in full on Friday after two limited practice sessions on Wednesday and Thursday and will be good to go for Sunday's season finale when the Packers host the Chicago Bears. Jacobs has been fantastic since the team's Week 10 bye with a rushing touchdown in seven consecutive games and a top-12 fantasy finish in six of the last seven games. He's been the engine that powers this Green Bay offense as of late and as Jacobs goes, so do the Packers. Quietly, Jacobs has also put up at least four targets in four of the last seven games as well. With the Packers facing division-rival Chicago in Week 18, Jacobs is a solid RB1 for the team's regular season finale.

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According to the team, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (ankle) is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos. Mahomes suffered this ankle injury during their Week 15 victory over the Cleveland Browns. Mahomes has yet to miss time due to the injury but is expected to take a seat on Sunday with the Chiefs already locked into the top seed in the conference. As a result, Carson Wentz is expected to get the starting nod. This ankle injury has not seemed to bother Mahomes as he has averaged a strong 27.8 PPR points per game over the past two weeks. During this span he has scored five total touchdowns. Wentz should be viewed as a risky QB2 facing the Denver Broncos who need a victory to clinch a playoff spot. Wentz will be without Isiah Pacheco (ribs) and is also expected to not have Kareem Hunt and Travis Kelce who are both listed as doubtful.UPDATE: Per A to Z Sports' Charles Goldman, head coach Andy Reid said that Mahomes will not play in Week 18.

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Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold is an excellent play in Sunday night's meeting with their division-rival Detroit Lions. The former first-round pick has been a revelation in 2024, working his way to 4,153 yards and 35 passing scores -; obliterating his previous career bests. Those numbers are good enough for fourth and fifth amongst league leaders, respectively, while his 68.1% completion percentage is a hair better than Lamar Jackson's 67.9. Darnold has undoubtedly played himself into another year of starting and will get a chance to put the cherry on top of his sensational season on Sunday Night Football against a vulnerable Detroit Lions pass defense. The Lions have allowed their opponents the second-most passing yards per game (250.4) and have afforded fantasy QBs 20.1 fantasy points per contest -; the eighth-highest in the league. The 27-year-old comes in at RotoBaller's QB5 ahead of this weekend's slate.

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