49ers Stack Helps Build Perfect Saturday Week 18 DFS Lineups
In this story:
The final week of the NFL’s regular season is set to kick off on Saturday, with two division titles on the line. The Carolina Panthers will take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the NFC South title, while the Seattle Seahawks will match up against the San Francisco 49ers for the NFC West crown. Saturday’s DFS lineups will feature a plethora of stars for fantasy managers looking to build ideal lineups for the first two matchups of Week 18. Here is the ideal DFS lineup for Saturday’s slate of action.
QB - Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
No quarterback in the NFL has been on a bigger tear than Brock Purdy over the last three weeks, leading the 49ers to wins in each game during that stretch. In that span, Purdy has completed 74.3% of his passes for 893 yards and 13 touchdowns, adding two touchdowns on the ground.
With the NFC West title and the conference’s No. 1 seed on the line, Purdy will look to continue his recent trend of stellar production. A matchup against Seattle’s 12th-ranked pass defense will provide a tough matchup for the 49ers offense, but I’m bullish on Purdy’s ability to continue his recent streak of output.
RB1 - Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
Christian McCaffrey has pieced together arguably the most compelling MVP case of any non-quarterback in the NFL this season. Entering Week 18, McCaffrey ranks second in the NFL in scrimmage yards and total touchdowns, stringing together consistent production for a banged-up 49ers squad throughout the season thus far.
He comes into Saturday’s game as San Francisco’s leading rusher and receiver, racking up at least 140 yards in each of his last two games, finding the end zone three times during that span. Despite a tough matchup against a stout Seahawks defense, McCaffrey’s volume and production during the season make him a must-start in Week 18 lineups.
RB2 - Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks
The RB2 spot is something of a toss-up for Saturday’s slate. I also considered the likes of Bucky Irving and Rico Dowdle for this slot, but feel Kenneth Walker III makes a better case in Week 18. Walker checks into the week in the midst of a solid streak of production over his last two games, racking up 221 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown during that span.
The former second-round pick has seen relatively limited volume in a committee backfield alongside Zach Charbonnet at points of the season, but a matchup against San Francisco’s defense provides a favorable matchup for the Seahawks back. The 49ers’ run defense has allowed 110 yards in three of its last four games, a trend that could continue against a prominent Seahawks rushing attack.
WR1 - Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks
Jaxon Smith-Njigba has emerged as one of the top wideouts in the NFL this season, commanding a significant share of the total volume among Seattle’s group of receivers. The Ohio State product checks into Week 18 as the NFL’s leading receiver, hauling in 113 passes for 1,709 yards and 10 touchdowns to this point of the season.
Njigba, who’s eclipsed 70 yards in each of his last four games, will sustain his integral role in Seattle’s passing attack as Sam Darnold’s top target. San Francisco’s defense checks into the week ranked as the 25th unit in the NFL against the pass, presenting a favorable matchup for the league leader in receiving yards.
WR2 - Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It’s difficult to make a confident WR2 pick behind Njigba for Saturday’s slate, but I feel Mike Evans makes the most compelling case among the remaining field of wideouts. The future Hall of Famer has been solid over his last three games, posting 14 catches for 194 yards and two touchdowns over such a span. Evans will look to continue his recent streak of output in the most crucial game of the season as the Buccaneers look to keep their playoff hopes alive.
On Dec. 21st against the Panthers, Evans commanded nine targets and found the end zone, posting the best fantasy production of any Buccaneers wideout for the week. He will sustain such volume in a must-win contest, with Tampa Bay’s offense looking to overcome recent internal struggles.
TE - George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
George Kittle’s status was up in the air coming into Week 18, but the star tight end insisted he will suit up against the Seahawks with the No. 1 seed on the line. The 49ers are coming into the week with a plethora of injuries, especially on offense. With star wideout Ricky Pearsall sidelined, Kittle could emerge as the team’s premier threat in the passing game, with McCaffrey performing in more of a bell-cow role in the backfield over recent weeks.
Kittle has been dominant over his last six games, sustaining consistent TE1 production for fantasy lineups. During that stretch, the All-Pro pass-catcher is averaging 6.7 catches for 83.2 yards per game, finding the end zone for five scores in that time. Coming off a seven-catch, 115-yard performance, Kittle will remain an integral contributor for a banged-up 49ers team.
Read More Fantasy On SI News
Ethen Hutton is a MLB, WNBA, College, and Fantasy contributor at On SI. Previously, he's covered the NBA, WNBA and NFL for Sportskeeda. Hutton is also a passionate fantasy football player and an immense music lover.