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Week 18 DraftKings Cash-Game Picks

By Jared Smola | Updated on Tue, 01 Aug 2023 . 2:08 PM EDT

QBs

Taysom Hill, Saints ($6,200)

Hill has scored 17+ DraftKings points in 3 of his 4 starts this season. He’s averaged just 204 yards and .75 TDs through the air – but 63 yards and .5 TDs on 11.3 carries.

Hill is in a sweet spot this weekend vs. a Falcons defense that’s bad against the pass and the run. Football Outsiders ranks Atlanta 26th in run defense and 30th in pass defense. Hill made 2 starts against this defense last season, compiling 465 yards and 2 TDs passing and 132 yards and 2 scores rushing.

Also consider: Tyler Huntley ($5,700), Trey Lance ($5,500)

RBs

With Chase Edmonds ruled out, James Conner ($6,300) currently checks in as the 2nd best dollars-per-point value at RB. He does come with elevated risk coming off the heel injury, though, so he’s not a must in cash. These 3 guys are safer plays:

Jonathan Taylor, Colts ($9,300)

Our Week 18 projections have Taylor as the top dollars-per-point value at RB – and a better value than Cooper Kupp.

His Colts are 15-point favorites vs. the Jaguars and have the highest implied total on the week at 29.5 points. It’s an ideal spot.

David Montgomery, Bears ($6,800)

Monty is still too cheap for the volume he’s been getting. He’s averaged 18.4 carries and 6.6 targets over his last 5 games, tallying 21+ DK points in 3 of those.

He scored just 12.3 points in the 1st meeting with Minnesota. But bet on better in the rematch. The Vikings rank 25th in Football Outsiders’ run defense DVOA and 21st in adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs.

Sony Michel, Rams ($6,000)

Like Montgomery, this is a volume play. Michel has averaged 21.6 carries and 3.2 targets as the Rams’ lead back over the past 5 weeks.

He gets a tough matchup on Sunday vs. a 49ers squad that Football Outsiders ranks 2nd in run defense. But Michel was in a tough matchup against the Ravens last week and put up 18.9 DK points on 19 carries and 5 targets.

Also consider: Najee Harris ($7,200), Elijah Mitchell ($6,000), Devin Singletary ($6,000)

WRs

Christian Kirk, Cardinals ($6,000)

Only 5 WRs have more targets than Kirk’s 30 over the past 3 weeks. He’s caught 22 of those for 221 yards and 1 TD, averaging 16.7 DK points per game.

Kirk’s Cardinals are home for the Seahawks on Sunday and own the 4th highest implied total on the main slate at 27.25 points.

Chase Claypool, Steelers ($5,100)

Claypool is priced as if he’ll be battling for targets with Diontae Johnson on Sunday. He won’t be. Johnson will miss the season finale on the COVID list, leaving behind 10.6 targets per game. When he was sidelined back in Week 3, Claypool posted a 9-96 line on 15 targets.

On top of a strong volume projection, Claypool gets a plus matchup on Sunday vs. a crumbling Ravens secondary that’s allowed 1,079 yards and 10 TDs to WRs just over the last 5 weeks.

Update: Diontae Johnson's return from the COVID list dings Claypool's projection. He's now just the #21 dollars-per-point value at WR and a fringe cash play. WR Jakobi Meyers ($5,200) is an easy pivot. WR D.J. Moore ($5,800) is also worth considering if you can find the money.

Gabriel Davis, Bills ($4,900)

WR Emmanuel Sanders didn’t practice on Wednesday or Thursday with his knee injury and looks unlikely to play this weekend. That’d again put Davis in a full-time role. In the 2 games Sanders has missed so far this season, Davis has run a route on over 90% of Buffalo’s pass plays and garnered 16% of the team’s targets.

He’s in a great spot on Sunday against a bad Jets defense. Buffalo’s 29-point implied total is 2nd highest on the main slate.

Also consider: Cooper Kupp ($9,700), Amon-Ra St. Brown ($6,800)

TEs

John Bates, Washington ($3,000)

I’d love to fit in Zach Ertz ($5,300), who’s racked up 33 targets over the past 3 weeks and gets Seattle’s league-worst TE defense on Sunday.

But we need to save somewhere if we want to play Jonathan Taylor (or Cooper Kupp). Bates is a good spot to do it. He’ll be Washington’s top TE this weekend with Logan Thomas and Ricky Seals-Jones out. Washington TEs have combined to average 6.1 targets per game this season, which is a fair projection for Bates vs. the Giants.

Also consider: Cole Kmet ($3,400)

DSTs

Browns ($2,600)

The Browns are priced as if they’ll be facing the Bengals’ 1st-team offense. They won’t be. RB Joe Mixon is on the COVID list, and QB Joe Burrow said he won’t play on Sunday. We’re not expecting to see much, if any, of WRs Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd.

Cincinnati’s 16-point implied total is 4th lowest on the main slate.

Also consider: Washington ($3,100)