Week 18 Saturday Fantasy Football WR/TE Start/Sit Decisions: Should You Start Diontae Johnson, Rashod Bateman, Dalton Schultz, Josh Downs and Others?

Week 18 of the NFL season is here. A majority of fantasy football leagues have wrapped up, but a few leagues use this coming week as their championship round.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some starting wide receivers and tight ends from Saturday’s pair of games and determine the best starting options from the game. We covered quarterbacks and running backs in another story. Check back later in the week for possible start/sit decisions between players in games on Saturday and Sunday.

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Wide Receiver Options

There’s a handful of quality starting options in Saturday’s two games. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers have George Pickens and Diontae Johnson. The Houston Texans are dealing with a number of injuries, but definitely will have Nico Collins to throw to. The Indianapolis Colts have Michael Pittman, Josh Downs and Alec Pierce as options. The Baltimore Ravens’ options are up in the air with the team resting starters, but could turn to Zay Flowers, Odell Beckham, Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor.

Pickens has been on an absolute tear over the past couple weeks, and has at least six targets over the past four weeks. He went for 130 yards and a touchdown on six grabs and 10 targets the last time these teams met.

Johnson has gone over 50 receiving yards in three of the past four games, and has three touchdowns over the past five weeks. He didn’t play in the first matchup.

The matchup against the Ravens’ defense is slightly below average, but Baltimore could also choose to rest several top-end defenders with the No. 1 seed already locked up. 

Flowers has led the Baltimore wideouts pretty much all season, and with him dealing with a calf injury, it would make sense for the team to give him the week off. They could choose to do the same with Beckham, but he’s healthy, so I’d expect him to play at least for a while.

I think Beckham, Bateman and Agholor are the wideouts you’ll want to focus on as starting options. Bateman has 20 targets over the past four games, so he’d be my pick to lead the team. The matchup against the Steelers is average for the Baltimore wideouts.

Robert Woods and Noah Brown didn’t practice on Tuesday or Wednesday this week, so their week 18 statuses are shaky at best. That could force John Metchie and Xavier Hutchinson into larger roles. It also means Collins could be targeted early and often - he’s already led the team most of the season.

The Texans’ matchup with the Colts is a slightly below average one. In the team’s first matchup way back in mid-September, Collins went off for 146 yards and a touchdown on seven grabs and nine targets. Woods had 74 yards on six catches and nine targets.

Pittman has been Indy’s top pass catcher most of this season. Down and Pierce have been involved, but combined for just three targets last week.

It’s a pretty average matchup for the Colts’ wideouts. Pittman had 56 receiving yards on eight catches and 12 targets the last time the teams met. Down had 37 yards on four grabs and five targets, while Pierce had 28 yards on two catches and targets.

At this particular week, I’m going with the hottest fantasy option and guys that should play the most.

Pickens is by far the hottest wideout playing Sunday, and I think he goes off again, so I’m taking him first. I like Collins next, regardless of what other receivers on the team suit up. I’d take Pittman next.

There’s a bit of a dropoff after those three guys. I like Johnson next, followed by Woods if he can play. I’d take Bateman here, and then Downs. If Flowers plays, I’d like him here, otherwise I’d go with his teammate Beckham (or Agholor if Beckham also is out). Brown would go here if he can play, and then I like Pierce and Agholor (if Flowers or Beckham suits up). That leaves Metchie and Hutchinson, who I’d take in that order and in these spots, regardless if Woods or Brown play or not.

Tight End Options

At tight end, Pittsburgh has Pat Freiermuth. Isaiah Likely is Baltimore’s tight end. Dalton Schultz and Brevin Jordan are options for the Texans. Indy could turn to Kylen Granson, Will Mallory or Mo Alie-Cox.

Freiermuth has four targets in two of his past three games, but was held without a grab in the other contest. He didn’t play against Baltimore in the team’s first meeting. It’s a pretty average matchup for him.

Likely only had three targets last week, but scored twice. I’d expect him to play a decent amount this week, but could also see him getting some rest after a few series or a half.

Likely only had one catch for 4 yards in the last matchup with Houston. It’s a pretty average matchup for Likely.

Schultz has 20 targets over the past three games, while Jordan has six targets. They could be heavily involved if Woods or Brown are out.

It’s an average matchup for those two TEs. Jordan had two grabs on as many targets for 27 yards the last time the teams played. Schultz had 34 yards on four catches and seven targets.

Indy doesn't utilize the tight end spot all that much. Granson does have 10 targets over the past two weeks, so he’s the guy I’d focus on. Mallory has five targets over that span, while Alie-Cox has four targets. Alie-Cox has three of the four touchdowns between the trio.

It’s an above-average matchup for the Indy TEs. Mallory had 49 yards on two catches and targets the last time these teams met. Granson had 16 yards and a score on three grabs and three targets. Alie-Cox caught his only target for 15 yards.

Give me Schultz as the top starting TE option in the Saturday games. Give me Freiermuth next, and then Likely and Granson. Jordan, Alie-Cox and Mallory are how I’d round things out and are just too risky for me.