There isn’t much at stake in fantasy football in Week 18 — the final week of the 2025 NFL regular season. Most leagues end in Week 17, and while meaningful games are played for the sake of the standings, it’s always difficult to get too much fantasy out of the final week. But what we can do is highlight some takeaways from Week 18 that we can apply to the 2026 regular season in fantasy football almost a year later. Let’s take a look back at some of the standout performers.
Tyler Shough plays an interesting deep sleeper at QB
The Saints’ rookie quarterback had one of his best seasons in the 2025 regular season. It took Shough some time to adjust after taking over New Orleans in Week 9. From then until Week 17, Shough has been the No. 11 QB in fantasy scoring, averaging 17 points per game heading into Sunday’s game against the Falcons. Against Atlanta, even without Chris Olave and a tired backfield, he posted another 21.92 rating with 333 passes and two touchdowns.
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Assuming the Saints make some progress offensively and Shoff participates in a full training camp over the summer, he would be an interesting late-round quarterback option. If this season has taught us anything, it’s that waiting on a quarterback can pay huge dividends if you nail down some picks in the later rounds.
Jaden Blue could become part of Dallas’ backcourt
The Cowboys found a gem in Javonte Williams, who finished the fantasy season (as of Week 17) with a 225.3 RB11 grade. But Williams still has a long injury history, and this feels more like a peak or anomaly season. Blue, a fifth-round pick out of Texas, showed some flash in Week 18 against the Giants, rushing 16 times for 64 yards and a touchdown.
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Williams will be a free agent, and if he asks too much of Dallas, he may go elsewhere. You’d think the Cowboys would be adding more players anyway, but we could see Blue entering 2026 as a potential option to lead the backfield. He’s the overseer this offseason.
Bhayshul Tuten should feel confident if Travis Etienne Jr. walks
Another name set to hit free agency at RB is Etienne, who is coming off a resurgent season and ended up being a top-10 fantasy back. Etienne excels in Liam Cohen’s offense in 2025, but we also think rookie Tuten is a capable option all season long. He scored his seventh touchdown of the season in Sunday’s win over the Titans. If Etienne leaves, Totem could be the first to lead a very exciting offense in 2026.
Zach Charbonnet could be Seattle’s RB in 2026 draft
It’s unclear whether the Seahawks will retain running back Kenneth Walker III after this season. Despite rushing for over 1,000 yards, Walker had a very disappointing season in fantasy due to the frustrating usage of OC Klint Kubiak. It’s clear Kubiak prefers Charbonnet in goal-line situations, which is fantasy gold. He finished the season strong with 35 carries for 184 yards and three touchdowns in the final two games.
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Even if Walker returns, Charbonnet should be a priority for Seattle due to his touchdown rate. If Walker hits free agency, Charbonnet could become a sleeping giant in the draft.
Alec Pierce Should Be On Your Sleeper Radar
Pierce has been one of the best players on the waiver wire in fantasy this season. He threw for 132 yards in Week 18, pushing himself past 1,000 yards receiving for the season. That’s pretty impressive considering the Colts’ quarterback room (Daniel Jones, Philip Rivers, Riley Leonard). Pierce is clearly one of the best deep pass receivers in the NFL. If Indy can solidify the quarterback position, or Jones can return from injury and take over his spot, Pierce should be a quality late-round receiver option in PPR formats.
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Parker Washington is clear favorite in Jacksonville’s passing game
It feels like we’ve been waiting all season to take out Washington in the Jaguars’ passing attack. Injuries and inconsistent play have forced the third-year receiver into a major role in Cohen’s offense. After Week 18, it was clear that both Cohen and quarterback Trevor Lawrence liked Washington and what he could do outside of the game.
In three very important games, Washington totaled 19 receptions on 29 targets for 347 yards and two touchdowns. He will also lead Jacksonville in receptions despite having limited snaps in four of the first six games.
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Travis Hunter is coming back from a serious injury. Brian Thomas Jr. regressed significantly. Jakobi Meyers re-signed. But Washington is entering a contract year and should be a priority target for WRs in 2026 to achieve this exciting passing attack goal.