Fantasy Football Quarterback Outlook for Week 18: Tyler Shough, Jaxson Dart, C.J. Stroud and More

Week 18 of the NFL regular season is a tough one to predict from a fantasy football perspective, which is why most leagues wrap up in week 17. For those still playing in week 18, FantasySP is here to help!

Instead of putting together rankings for each position (like we usually do, and will again in the playoffs), let's go over fantasy football outlooks for each position instead. We'll start with quarterbacks and then cover running backs, wide receivers and tight ends in other articles.

Check out week 18 fantasy football projections for quarterbacks on FantasySP as well.

Resting/Hurt Quarterbacks

Green Bay's Jordan Love has cleared concussion protocol, but will not be starting in week 18 against the Vikings. Backup Malik Willis won't start either.

Instead, it will be Clayton Tune starting for the Packers. The team added Desmond Ridder this week, so he might serve as QB2 for a meaningless game for the NFC's No. 7 seed.

Minnesota is a very tough test, so Tune is just a deep-league option this week, and not a very good one.

Baltimore's Lamar Jackson has practiced in full this week and says he will play in week 18. He will be facing the Steelers in a battle for the AFC North crown and a spot in the playoffs. 

It's a favorable matchup for Jackson, so he is a pretty good fantasy/DFS option this week, even after missing a game. He had 219 passing yards, a touchdown and an interception in the last meeting against Pittsburgh, plus 43 rushing yards and a score.

Indianapolis will start Riley Leonard over Philip Rivers in week 18 against the Texans.

Houston is a brutal test for fantasy quarterbacks, so Leonard is another fantasy QB to skip in fantasy/DFS this week.

Los Angeles Chargers' Justin Herbert is sitting out week 18 against the Broncos to rest his hand injury. Trey Lance is expected to start in his place.

Denver is another tougher test for fantasy quarterbacks, but it's more just below average than a truly brutal test. I'd still only consider playing Lance in deeper fantasy leagues.

The Eagles are expected to sit Jalen Hurts, and other starters, in week 18 against the Commanders. Tanner McKee would start for Philly.

Washington is a super favorable fantasy test for quarterbacks, so McKee could surprise in week 18. He's still a better deep-league option, but in the great matchup, it's fine to consider him in standard leagues, and especially in DFS formats.

Buffalo's Josh Allen might end up sitting to rest his foot injury. That would leave Mitchell Trubisky to start against the Jets.

New York is a super favorable matchup as well, so Trubisky could surprise if he ends up starting. He's a fine starting option in deeper leagues, and is worth considering in standard leagues with starting experience in his past.

Kenny Pickett will start for Las Vegas in week 18 against the Chiefs, and he might split snaps with Aidan O'Connell. Geno Smith is banged up with an ankle injury.

The Chiefs are a slightly below-average matchup for quarterbacks, but with no clear No. 1 guy, no Las Vegas QB is worth trying in fantasy or DFS.

Trustworthy Fantasy QBs

New England's Drake Maye has had a good season and is lined up well in week 18 against Miami, which is an above-average fantasy test.

Maye had 230 passing yards, two scores and no picks in the first meeting between the teams this season. He added 31 rushing yards and a score on the ground. Start Maye confidently this week.

Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence has a favorable matchup against the Titans in week 18, so he might be able to keep rolling late in the season.

He threw for 229 yards, two touchdowns and no picks in the last meeting between the teams. Lawrence had 25 rushing yards as well. Start Lawrence with confidence in week 18.

San Francisco's Brock Purdy has a tougher test against Seattle, but is worth trying after his late-season surge.

Purdy faced the Seahawks back in week 1, throwing for 277 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He had 17 rushing yards. Purdy has been over 25 fantasy points in three straight, so I'd be happy to start him in all formats in week 18.

Dallas' Dak Prescott is starting in week 18, and if he plays a full game, he could deliver a big fantasy score against a weak Giants' defense.

Prescott had 361 passing yards, two touchdowns, one pick and 17 rushing yards back in week 2 against New York. He's another QB to be confident in for week 18.

Cincinnati's Joe Burrow will look to keep rolling in week 18 against the Browns.

It's a tough matchup on paper for Burrow, but with above-average fantasy scores in four of the past five games, I'd be confident in him for week 18. Burrow had 113 passing yards, a score, no interceptions and three rushing yards against Cleveland way back in week 1.

Los Angeles Rams' Matthew Stafford will face the Cardinals in week 18. It's an average fantasy test for the quarterback.

Stafford went off for 281 passing yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in the last meeting between the teams. Stafford is expected to play this week, but there's a chance he's pulled early, so keep that in mind when deciding whether or not to play him.

Other Fantasy QB Options

Chicago's Caleb Williams has an above-average test against the Lions in a meaningful game for the Bears.

Williams had 207 passing yards and two scores, but a pick in the first meeting against Detroit. He added 27 rushing yards.

New York Giants' Jaxson Dart has the best fantasy matchup against the Cowboys in week 18. He didn't start against Dallas in week 2.

Denver's Bo Nix has a tough battle coming against the Chargers, but that could be a touch easier if LA rests more than just Herbert.

Nix had 153 passing yards, a touchdown and no picks in the first meeting. He added 33 rushing yards.

New Orleans' Tyler Shough will look to cap a nice late-season run with a good showing against the Falcons.

It's a pretty average fantasy test for Shough, who had 243 passing yards, no touchdowns and a pick, plus 22 rushing yards and a fumble, against Atlanta back in week 12.

Houston's C.J. Stroud will have an average matchup against the Colts.

Stroud finished with 276 passing yards, but no touchdowns and an interception, in the last meeting against Indy.

Tampa Bay's Baker Mayfield has a tougher test against the Panthers in a must-win game for the Bucs.

Mayfield had 145 passing yards, a score and an interception against Carolina two weeks ago. He added 49 rushing yards.

Seattle's Sam Darnold has a slightly above-average test against the 49ers in week 18.

Back in week 1, Darnold had 150 passing yards, no scores or touchdowns and then 14 rushing yards and a fumble against San Fran.

Detroit's Jared Goff has a pretty favorable matchup coming against the Bears. 

He erupted for 334 passing yards, five touchdowns, no picks and six rushing yards in the first meeting between the teams this season.

Arizona's Jacoby Brissett has a below-average test against the Rams.

He faced them in week 14, going for 271 passing yards, two touchdowns, a pick and 22 rushing yards.

Pittsburgh's Aaron Rodgers has an above-average test against the Ravens. 

Rodgers had 284 passing yards, a score, no picks and a rushing score against Baltimore back in week 14.

Tennessee's Cameron Ward has a pretty average test coming against the Jaguars, who he had 141 passing yards, seven rushing yards and no scores or turnovers against in week 13.

The Other Fantasy QBs

Atlanta's Kirk Cousins has a below-average test against the Saints, who he had 199 passing yards, five rushing yards, two passing scores and a pick against a couple weeks ago.

Carolina's Bryce Young has an awesome matchup coming against the Buccaneers. Young had 191 passing yards, two touchdowns, 20 rushing yards and no turnovers against them two weeks ago.

Cleveland's Shedeur Sanders has a good matchup against the Bengals. He didn't start against them back in week 1.

Kansas City's Chris Oladokun has a pretty average test against the Raiders in week 18. He hasn't faced them this season, and has been underwhelming in his limited playing time.

Miami's Quinn Ewers has a slightly below-average test coming against the Patriots. This will be his first start against the Pats, and he's coming off a pretty solid fantasy outing.

Max Brosmer or J.J. McCarthy will start for Minnesota in a below-average test against the Packers. With Green Bay not playing for anything, it's a bit more favorable fantasy situation.

New York Jets' Brady Cook will make another start against Buffalo, which is a very tough fantasy challenge. He's been underwhelming since taking over as the team's starting QB. 

Washington's Josh Johnson should start against the Eagles in week 18. He'll have a tougher fantasy test, and was picked off in some time against Philly two weeks ago.