Yahoo Daily Fantasy: Week 18 NFL Low-Rostership Plays

Awesemo has a ton of great tools and NFL DFS strategy to help tackle all the largest contests for Week 18 NFL DFS. This Yahoo Daily Fantasy article will walk through some of the standouts in the early Awesemo rostership projections. It will look at who is projected to be highly rostered, who makes for good chalk plays, which highly rostered players may be worth fading and who the low-rostered pivots are in large-field tournaments. With that said, let us get into the Yahoo daily fantasy NFL picks for Week 18.

Week 18 Yahoo Daily Fantasy NFL Picks & Rostership

Awesemo has some of the best rostership projections on the planet for NFL DFS. If playing in large-field GPPs every week, then using rostership projections can bring a massive edge by knowing where the good pivot and leverage spots will be.

Quarterback

Good Chalk: Kyler Murray $35 (Yahoo Projected 15.4% Rostered)

The Cardinals still have tons to play for this week with the division total still up for grabs, and Kyler Murray looked good last week in a return to form against the Cowboys. From a strategy standpoint, he is projecting for some decent rostership, but it is nothing too crazy. Murray’s rushing totals have risen dramatically since returning from injury. He is in the top three of the point projections at quarterback this week and makes for a good target.

Chalk to Fade: Carson Wentz $26 (Yahoo Projected 4.8% Rostered)

Carson Wentz is not coming in with crazy rostership projections, but one does have to wonder just how much upside there is with Wentz. He will just be handing the ball off to Jonathan Taylor as much as possible if the Colts do get up late in this game (a very likely scenario since they are 15-point favorites). Wentz has only cracked 20 Yahoo points once in his last seven games and makes for fade candidate based on the fact that there are numerous other cheap quarterbacks with less rostership and better or equal upside.

Low-Rostered Pivot: Russell Wilson $26 (Yahoo Projected 1.6% Rostered)

Russell Wilson does have plenty of upside and has shown it in his last few starts. He may be playing his final game as a Seahawk this week and comes into this game with eight touchdowns and one interception over his last four games — two of which have produced 20 or more Yahoo points. Wilson takes on the Cardinals in a game with a 48-point total and good shootout potential. He is projected for little to no rostership.

Running Back

Good Chalk: Rashaad Penny $25 (Yahoo Projected 13.4% Rostered)

One of the best late-season stories to monitor has bene the rise of Rashaad Penny to elite status in Seattle. Penny was a near write-off at the beginning of the season, but he has grabbed the lead status in the Seattle running back corral and ran for 305 yards (and averaged 7.1 yards per carry) over his last two games alone. Penny does not have terrible matchup either against a weaker run defense in Arizona, and he is in the top eight of the running back point projections this week.

Chalk to Fade: Rex Burkhead $13 (Yahoo Projected 17.4% Rostered)

Rex Burkhead had a decent showing last week, posting a surprise six catches on six targets for over 10 Yahoo points. Burkhead is getting the main workload in the Texans backfield, but his matchup this week is significantly tougher, as the Titans have been the best run defense in the league over the last month or so. Tennessee is allowing just 3.6 yards per carry over their last three games and will not be an easy defense to find the end zone against either, as they have allowed just 20 points combined the last two games.

Low-Rostered Pivot: Saquon Barkley $18 (Yahoo Projected 6.2 % Rostered)

The Giants do not have a ton to play for in Week 18, but considering how little Saquon Barkley has played in 2021, the Giants should give him a decent workload in the finale. Barkley is coming off a 102-yard effort last week (on 21 carries) but needs to find some big plays to break out for fantasy players in Week 18. Washington has regressed a bit as a run defense as the season has worn on and allowed 4.5 yards per carry over their last three games. Barkley is a sold pivot play.

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Wide Receiver

Good Chalk: Cooper Kupp $41 (Yahoo Projected 17.4% Rostered)

The Rams can seal the division title with a win this week, and there is little doubt that they would also take big pleasure in eliminating a huge rival in the 49ers while doing so. Motivation should not be an issue, and there is also the fact that the Rams Cooper Kupp can break some single-season records if he reaches 136 at least 11 catches this week. He is expensive, but Kupp is likely going to be force-fed in what is actually a pretty solid matchup against a 49ers secondary that has allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing wideouts this year.

Chalk to Fade: D.J. Moore $15 (Yahoo Projected 10.9% Rostered)

The Panthers do not have anything to play for this week, and with D.J. Moore having nursed a hamstring injury over the last month, one has to wonder how much he will push it in this season finale. He has had a brutal connection rate with the Panthers quarterbacks of late too, converting just eight of his last 20 targets into catches. Moore is a decent fade candidate at double-digit rostership.

Low-Rostered Pivot: Diontae Johnson $27 (Yahoo Projected 7.4% Rostered)

Diontae Johnson may not reach double-digit rostership, but he has a great matchup. Yes, Ben Roethlisberger has trouble throwing the ball more than five yards, but Johnson is taking on a Ravens secondary that has allowed nine touchdowns to the position over the last five games. Johnson has averaged 10 targets over his last five games and makes for a solid GPP pivot against one of the worst secondaries in the league.

Tight End

Good Chalk: Zach Ertz $20 (Yahoo Projected 24.4 % Rostered)

Zach Ertz is coming in with some solid rostership numbers this week, as he is projected for over 20% rostership on Yahoo. While he has not produced any big games over his last couple of starts, Ertz is averaging an astounding 11 targets per game over the last three and takes on a Seattle defense that has allowed the fourth-most touchdowns to the position this year. Ertz is a top-five play, making him an easy chase candidate.

Chalk to Fade: Rob Gronkowski $21 (Yahoo Projected 16.6% Rostered)

The Buccaneers do not have too much to play for this Sunday, as they already have the division wrapped up. One wonders if veterans like Rob Gronkowski may be given an early seat in this one, and with his rostership projecting at over 15% this week, he is likely a good fade candidate based off of usage concerns alone. If there is news that Tampa will not be resting anyone, then Gronkowski would be a solid roster, as he is top five in the projections and has seen his targets go up of late with all the injuries Tampa has endured at receiver.

Low-Rostered Pivot: Tyler Conklin $12 (Yahoo Projected 4.4% Rostered)

The Vikings are another team that does not have much to play for and could conceivably shut down one or two of their star players early (i.e. Dalvin Cook or Justin Jefferson). Tight end Tyler Conklin could benefit as a result, and he comes into this game having averaged six targets over his last three games. He is a top-five play in the projections this week and has one of the best value scores for play on Yahoo at his position.

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