Week 18 Fantasy Picks: Start 'Em, Sit 'Em for 49ers vs Rams in Fantasy Football Playoffs

The NFL's slate of Week 18 matchups includes an NFC West showdown between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams. FanDuel Sportsbook is favoring the Rams as the 4-point home favorites.

Fantasy Football Playoffs Advice

If you need some help with your fantasy lineups, here's some start 'em, sit 'em advice for this Week 18 showdown.

Deebo Samuel Fantasy

Start Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers: A win on Sunday will clinch a playoff berth for the 49ers. So, it's only natural that they'll turn to their top offensive weapons to get the job done. Deebo Samuel has been a revelation this season, entering Week 18 as the WR2 in PPR formats. While the Rams do have a top-11 defense against wideouts, Samuel shredded them for 25.3 fantasy points (WR1) back in Week 10. Lightning doesn't always strike twice, but San Francisco needs their No. 1 WR to find a way to make it happen this Sunday.

Odell Beckham Jr Fantasy

Start Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Los Angeles Rams: After an uneventful Rams debut against the 49ers in Week 10, Odell Beckham Jr. has touchdowns in five of his last six games. He's seen at least seven targets in three of his last four outings as well, so it's clear that his chemistry with Matthew Stafford is growing. Now, Beckham has a promising fantasy matchup against a 49ers defense surrendering the 11th-most points to wide receivers. With the Rams wanting to clinch the No. 2 seed in the NFC, expect OBJ to be heavily involved from the get-go.

Trey Lance Fantasy

Sit Trey Lance, QB, San Francisco 49ers: Trey Lance looked impressive in his second NFL start last week, finishing as QB10 in fantasy. With Jimmy Garoppolo's Week 18 status uncertain, there's a chance that Lance could start again. Unfortunately for the rookie, the Rams have held quarterbacks to the fifth-fewest fantasy points this season. Lance might be a top quarterback option one day, however, he still has a long way to go and the pressure of this must-win game might be a lot. Pivot elsewhere if you have options.

Cam Akers Fantasy

Sit Cam Akers, RB, Los Angeles Rams: Cam Akers was slated to be the Rams' No. 1 running back this season until he tore his Achilles back in July. Now, with the power of modern medicine, Los Angeles is expected Akers to make his 2021 NFL season debut in Week 18. While his comeback has been impressive, it's important to remember that Akers hasn't played a meaningful game in about a year. There's no telling what he'll look like or even how much playing time he'll get since Sony Michel has excelled as the team's starting RB. It's probably wise not to touch Akers until next season.

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Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. The views expressed in his articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.