Fantasy Football Today Express – EARLY Week 18 Waiver Wire TARGETS!

Episode Date: December 29, 2025
Hosts: Adam Aizer, Jamie Eisenberg

Episode Overview

This episode of Fantasy Football Today Express is aimed at fantasy football managers playing into Week 18—addressing the brave souls still chasing glory through the NFL’s regular season finale. Host Adam Aizer and analyst Jamie Eisenberg break down the waiver wire’s best pickups by position, flag vital injury and rest alerts, and decode playoff seeding’s impact on player availability. The rapid-fire format delivers actionable advice for championship-deciding moves, with thoughtful debate about late-season strategy.

Key Discussion Points

1. Recap of Last Night’s NFL Action [01:12–02:11]

• Standout Performances:
  Jamie highlights major games from Brock Purdy, Jake Tonjas, Caleb Williams, Luther Burden, Colston Loveland, Juwan Jennings, Christian McCaffrey, and Deandre Swift.
• Implication for Fantasy:
  Luther Burden’s breakout makes him an intriguing Week 18 waiver wire add, pending his injury update.

“It was great to see Brock Purdy have another solid, amazing game... Amazing to see Luther Burden look like the potential star he could be. So Bears have themselves a very nice offense not just for this season, but also for the years to come.”
— Jamie Eisenberg [01:32]

2. Teams Likely to Rest Starters in Week 18 [02:34–04:33]

• Playoff Team Watch:
  Jamie projects playoff teams are most likely to rest key contributors, especially those with nagging injuries (e.g. Javonte Williams, Harold Fannin).
  • Packers: Expected to sit Josh Jacobs and possibly Jordan Love.
  • Bills: Josh Allen may not play due to foot injury, depending on playoff seed implications.
• Debate on Seed Preferences:
  Adam and Jamie differ on whether wild card teams should prefer facing the Ravens or Steelers in playoffs.

“The two that you have to be most concerned about right now would be the Packers in the NFC and the Bills in the AFC.”
— Jamie Eisenberg [02:34]

Waiver Wire Targets by Position

Quarterbacks [04:33–06:28]

Top recommendations, with reasoning:

• Tyler Shock:
  • Consistent (6 of last 7 games with 19+ fantasy points), top-12 option for Week 18, faces beatable defense.
  • “Chuck, to me as a top 12 quarterback...I think he finishes the year strong. By the way, he's now the betting favorite to be rookie of the year.”
    — Jamie Eisenberg [04:53]
• Bryce Young:
  • Despite a bad recent outing, got a favorable matchup (Tampa Bay allows high QB fantasy points).
• Cam Ward:
  • On a hot streak (four straight games with 2+ TDs), can benefit if Jacksonville rests defensive starters.

Running Backs [07:04–09:03]

• Malik Davis (Broncos):
  • Likely starter vs. Giants if Javonte Williams sits.
• Dylan Sampson (Browns):
  • Lead back, faces a Bengals defense that struggles against RBs.
• Emmanuel Wilson (Packers):
  • Could start if Packers rest Josh Jacobs; tough matchup vs. Vikings but high-volume upside.
• Also Mentioned: Isaiah Pacheco, Audrey Estimé, Devin Singletary, Ray Davis

“I do not expect Javonte Williams to play… After him, it's a little bit of a guessing game...So I have Dylan Sampson second just with the way that he was the lead back for the Browns.”
— Jamie Eisenberg [07:11]

Wide Receivers [09:03–10:48]

• Luther Burden (Bears):
  • 34% rostered; strong matchup if healthy (faces Detroit, the league's second-worst vs. WRs).
• Parker Washington (Jaguars):
  • Emerging favorite target for Trevor Lawrence.
• Jalen Coker (Panthers):
  • Viable option in a good matchup.
• Deep Leaguers: Chimary Dike, Trey Tucker, Jaylen McMillan, Kyle Williams

Tight Ends [10:59–12:36]

• Next-up Priority:
  • Joanne Johnson, Colston Loveland, Dalton Schultz, Brenton Strange (check shallow leagues first).
• Monitor Status:
  • Jake Tonjas if George Kittle sits (health questionable).
• Deep Drops:
  • Michael Mayer (if available), AJ Barner, Colby Parkinson, Gaston, Steelers’ and Titans’ TEs (depending on injury and role shifts).
• Possible Bills Streaming:
  • Dawson Knox if Dalton Kincaid is ruled out.

DSTs and Kickers [12:36–13:21]

• Defenses:
  • Vikings: Top choice vs. backup-laden Packers.
  • Ravens: Good matchup vs. the struggling Steelers.
  • Chargers: Play against turnover-prone Broncos if starters play.
• Kickers:
  • Eddy Piñeiro (Panthers), Will Lutz (Broncos), Andres Borregales (Buccaneers) remain solid waiver options.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Week 18 Participation Rates:
  “I did a poll on Twitter...About 7 or 8% of people still play in Week 18...some people clearly are still paying attention.”
  — Jamie Eisenberg [04:41]
• On Resting Key Running Backs:
  “I don't know why they would risk [Javonte Williams]...not wanting to risk getting hurt.”
  — Jamie Eisenberg [07:13]
• Cautious about DSTs:
  “I just think there's a chance the Chargers are resting guys...That is one that scares me a little bit.”
  — Adam Aizer [13:21]
• AFC Playoff Picture Conundrum:
  “So there's a lot of moving parts...conference record and stuff like that.”
  — Adam Aizer [15:28]

Playoff Seeding: Real-Time Impact [13:40–15:56]

• Extensive back-and-forth about AFC and NFC wild card seeding, including scenarios that would affect player participation.
• Seeding ambiguity means managers must closely monitor news leading up to kickoff.

Timestamps for Segment Navigation

• Recap of Previous Night’s Games: [01:12]
• Resting Starters & Playoff Picture: [02:34]
• Waiver Wire QB Targets: [04:33]
• Waiver Wire RB Targets: [07:04]
• Waiver Wire WR Targets: [09:03]
• Waiver Wire TE Targets: [10:59]
• DST & Kicker Calls: [12:36]
• Playoff Seeding Deep Dive: [13:40]

Takeaways & Strategy Tips

• Monitor Injury Reports and Beat Writer Info All Week: Many selections hinge on which teams rest starters.
• Target RBs and WRs Expecting Elevated Snap & Touch Counts: Particularly from teams with playoff seeding locked.
• Prioritize Defenses Facing Backup QBs/Resting Offenses.
• In Deeper Leagues, Don't Hesitate to Stream Unproven Young Players Slated for Big Workloads.

In summary:
Adam and Jamie’s insight-packed exchange provides a practical roadmap for navigating the uniquely chaotic waters of Week 18 fantasy football. Monitoring news throughout the week remains critical, but decisive waiver wire moves offer a real shot at season-ending glory.