People often recommend not playing fantasy football in week 18. The reason is that many teams have locked up their spots in the playoffs so they may rest or limit their best players. Here are some teams to avoid in week 18.

Teams to Avoid

AFC:

• The Baltimore Ravens have locked up the 1 seed
• The Kansas City Chiefs have locked up the 3 seed
• The Cleveland Browns have locked up the 5 seed

NFC:

• The San Francisco 49ers have locked up the 1 seed
• The Philadelphia Eagles cannot drop a spot and may have little faith in the Commanders beating the Cowboys (which is their only hope at advancing in the rankings) so may rest their starters
• The Los Angeles Rams cannot overtake the 49ers in division so may rest their starters since they have locked up a playoff spot

Eliminated Teams

The New England Patriots, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans, Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals, Washington Commanders, New York Giants, and Chicago Bears have all been eliminated from the playoffs. They may not rest their starters, but they also may be more cautious in the way they play to avoid injuring themselves in relatively meaningless games.

Wrap-Up

You also need to follow the games. Some teams play on Saturday, some play earlier on Sunday, and some pay later on Sunday. The playoff picture can change as these results are finalized.

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