Vanek's Views: DraftKings NFL DFS Picks for Week 18 (Saturday Slate)

by Jordan Vanek (vanekjordan) Last Updated 2026-01-02 16:16:34 Premium Content Part of the product NFL DFS

Using his experience as a former scout and staff member at Central Florida under Josh Heupel, Jordan Vanek takes an in-depth look at the upcoming NFL DFS Saturday slate on DraftKings for Week 18. Formerly of The 33rd Team and 4for4 Fantasy Football, Jordan’s deep dive into each game is a must-read before you start building your lineups.

Saturday’s slate features teams operating in desperation mode alongside teams fighting for a bye week. Due to the slate size, we’re likely to see massive ownership on Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Christian McCaffrey. A 12–15 point game from each feels like the floor, and raw points will matter most, but there are still interesting paths to failure.

If you’re playing 150 lineups, I’d recommend something like 100 with both of them, 20 with just one, and 10 with neither. When you play the lottery, it’s great to win, but tying with everyone else doesn’t feel the same if it’s a significantly smaller prize. Those 10 lineups without either player are what give you a chance to hold the winning ticket by yourself.

To see their pOWN%, check out our NFL DFS projections, which are updating constantly to reflect the news and change when inactives get announced. Our team does a great job removing and adding the smallest of projections for those looking to late swap to a guy who won’t be getting played at all.

Editor’s Note: Looking for more places to play? Check out our Underdog promo code and PrizePicks promo code, two of the best DFS apps available today.

NFL DFS DraftKings Picks: Week 18 Saturday Slate Breakdown

Carolina Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Panthers Offense

These teams met in Carolina two weeks ago, and the Panthers’ offense was extremely inefficient. Bryce Young threw for 191 yards on 32 attempts, which in hindsight looks better than the 54 passing yards he put up last weekend. On the ground, Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard combined for 15 carries and 56 yards, with Jimmy Horn Jr. adding 25 rushing yards and Bryce Young contributing another 20. In the passing game, Tetairoa McMillan finished with 6 catches for 73 yards and a touchdown, while Jalen Coker added 3 receptions for 47 yards, including a key 34-yard catch on the game-winning drive.

Projecting this matchup is relatively straightforward in my opinion. The Buccaneers are going to challenge these wide receivers and dare Bryce Young to beat them through the air, similar to what the Seahawks did last weekend. I expect Tampa Bay to shade a safety toward Tetairoa McMillan frequently, especially with Jamel Dean out, which puts pressure on the secondary pass catchers to step up. Jalen Coker won in the first matchup and has solidified himself as the WR2 in this offense. Xavier Legette should see more opportunities, but his role took a hit after a poor showing last week, allowing Jimmy Horn Jr. and Brycen Tremayne to earn additional snaps. At tight end, Ja’Tavion Sanders is on IR, which should lead to Tommy Tremble playing around 70% of the snaps, with Mitchell Evans also seeing increased usage. Both Tremble and Evans are strong tight end options on this slate, as the Buccaneers rank bottom 5 in touchdowns allowed to tight ends and 10th in total yardage surrendered to the position.

From a coverage standpoint, Tampa Bay played a lot of Cover 2 in the first meeting, but I don’t expect that approach again. Instead, I anticipate more single-high shells with press coverage. That adjustment is why I believe the safety will frequently lean toward McMillan, forcing the secondary options to win their matchups. Jalen Coker is the obvious candidate to step up, but Jimmy Horn Jr. also has real big-play potential here; his speed adds an element this passing game desperately needs.

For the Panthers to find success through the air, they’ll need to establish something on the ground against a very strong Buccaneers run defense. Since the bye week, Rico Dowdle has held onto the starting role, though the split remains roughly 60–40. Last weekend, a Chuba Hubbard fumble significantly swung the game’s momentum. Dowdle has shown more burst and is drawing increased ownership for that reason. It’s also worth noting that in the first matchup that Hubbard handled more of the red-zone snaps, but that role flipped against Seattle.

Buccaneers Offense

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