ClutchPoints
Week 18 is the most unforgiving week on the fantasy football calendar. If you’re still playing, that is. Talent alone no longer guarantees production. Motivation, playoff incentives, snap management, and late injury news all shape the final outcomes. For wide receivers in particular, the difference often comes down to which teams still have something to play for. This week is about identifying receivers tied to meaningful games, stable quarterback play, and offensive game plans that won’t suddenly evaporate after the first quarter.
With that in mind, here’s how the wide receiver landscape stacks up heading into the final week of the 2025 regular season.
Puka Nacua didn’t repeat his historic Week 16 eruption. His Week 17 performance, though, still reinforced his reliability. He caught five passes for 47 yards and a touchdown in Monday night’s loss to Atlanta. Yes, the Falcons succeeded in limiting explosive plays. That said, Nacua again proved difficult to erase entirely.
More importantly, the Rams remain motivated. Sean McVay confirmed that healthy starters will play in Week 18. Los Angeles can still secure the NFC’s No. 5 seed. That keeps Nacua squarely in WR1 territory. He draws a Cardinals defense that has struggled to contain top receivers. Expect volume, urgency, and another strong finish.
Ja’Marr Chase finally snapped his lengthy touchdown drought in emphatic fashion. He hauled in two first-half scores against Arizona in Week 17. He finished with seven catches for 60 yards and reminded fantasy football managers that elite talent eventually wins out when opportunity persists.
Chase now sits at 1,316 receiving yards on a career-high 175 targets. Week 18 offers a clear milestone chase: another 84 yards would push him to 1,400 for the third time in his career. With Joe Burrow locked in, Chase profiles as a high-volume WR1 with multi-touchdown upside against Cleveland.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba continues to be the engine of Seattle’s passing game. He caught nine of 12 targets for 72 yards in Week 17. He dominated Sam Darnold’s attention as no other Seahawk saw more than three targets. Sure, his pace has cooled from historic levels. Still, the season-long body of work remains elite.
Smith-Njigba heads into Week 18 with 154 targets and over 1,700 receiving yards. Seattle is still playing for the NFC’s top seed. That means full usage and no snap limitations. Even against a tough 49ers defense, Smith-Njigba’s role makes him one of the safest high-floor options in fantasy football championships.
Nico Collins has been quieter than usual over the past two weeks. He combined for under 120 receiving yards while the Texans leaned on explosive early-game scores and spread-the-ball approaches. In Week 17, he caught three passes for 57 yards as CJ Stroud distributed targets evenly.
That modest output masks Collins’ upside. Houston still...
