Josh Jacobs, Kenneth Walker III, and Christian McCaffrey Impacting Week 18 Rankings

Week 18 in the NFL season is just around the corner. The majority of fantasy football leagues finished last week, but there are still some out there with championships on the line! If you’re still playing, you have to look at which players are playing in big games, as many teams rest their guys in the final week of the regular season.

This is the time of the year when many teams hold guys out for rest or they’re injured, which is especially true at the running back position. Here’s a look at Josh Jacobs, Kenneth Walker III, and Christian McCaffrey as we get closer to kickoff.

Latest News and Injury Updates Impacting Fantasy

Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders

Jacobs has long been a focal point of the Las Vegas Raiders offense, but he hasn’t played recently. In fact, Jacobs hasn’t suited up since the game against the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 10. Since then, he’s been dealing with a quadriceps injury.

On Wednesday, the Raiders listed Jacobs as a non-participant on their practice estimate. The Raiders last week were eliminated from the playoff race, and thus, it makes you wonder if they would even try and bring him back?

Zamir White has been solid in his absence over the last three weeks — averaging nearly 95 yards per game. This is a perfect opportunity for the Raiders to continue to see if White is a part of their future.

Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks

Walker was able to play in the loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers last week and finished with 10 rushes for 53 yards with a touchdown. He also had tacked on three catches for 22 yards.

However, Walker has been battling several ailments over the second half of the season, and right now, he’s currently dealing with a shoulder injury.

MORE: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor

The fact Walker was able to play last week should be a good sign that he’ll play in Week 18 against the Arizona Cardinals. The Seahawks have to win (and get help) in order to make the playoffs.

On Wednesday, Seattle held Walker out of practice, but this isn’t a major indicator that he won’t play. They gave him lots of rest last week before he made it back in time, and that would be the smart thing for them to do this weekend as well.

Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers

McCaffrey has put together an outstanding 2023 campaign from a fantasy football perspective. He outscored the RB2 in fantasy this year by a wide margin, as he has scored 21 total touchdowns. He has rushed for 1,459 yards and 14 touchdowns while catching 67 passes for 464 yards and another seven scores.

However, during the 49ers’ game last week, McCaffrey suffered an injury that knocked him out of the game and immediately put his Week 18 availability in jeopardy. On Monday, coach Kyle Shanahan ended any debate when he said that McCaffrey won’t play in Week 18 against the Los Angeles Rams.

McCaffrey is dealing with a mild calf strain, and the 49ers have already clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC. This is a perfect opportunity for him to get two full weeks of rest and then be ready for the NFC Divisional Round.

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