Top 5 takeaways from week 18

Featuring Trevor Lawrence, Parker Washington, and more.

January 05, 2026

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Yooo!

The regular season is officially in the books. Time flies. Iā€™m looking forward to the playoffs because it doesnā€™t feel like there is any runaway contender this year. Should make for some great games!

Last Friday, I asked you all: ā€œWhat upside does Mendoza have as a dynasty QB?ā€

It was a close one! 40.8% of you said QB 7-12 and 38.8% said QB 13-18.

Best subscriber comments:

  • QB 13-18: ā€œIt took Goff a number of years to develop with the Rams. Be patientā€

  • QB 19-24: ā€œTeams needing a franchise qb are picking and hoping though their o-lines may be better place to draft. ā€

Our take: I could see Mendoza cracking into the QB 13-18 range over time, but I wouldnā€™t draft him expecting much more than that. Would leave the door open to be pleasantly surprised, though.

Alright, now letā€™s dive into 5 of the most important takeaways from week 18.

Giddy up.

QB - Trevor Lawrence (JAX)

  • Trevor Lawrence experienced a breakthrough season in 2025, emerging as a top-tier fantasy quarterback after years of development. He finished as the QB4 in the fantasy regular season and was the second-best quarterback since Week 5, behind only Josh Allen.

  • Lawrence's performance was exceptional during an eight-game winning streak, throwing for 2,009 yards with 19 touchdowns and only five interceptions. His impressive stats included a 102.65 passer rating, 8.2 yards per attempt, and an additional 187 rushing yards with four rushing touchdowns.

  • The Jaguars finally built an effective supporting cast around Lawrence in 2025, including mid-season acquisition Jakobi Meyers, emerging slot receiver Parker Washington, and tight end Brenton Strange. With first-year coach Liam Coen's tactical approach, Lawrence has a potential path to becoming the best fantasy quarterback in the upcoming season.

  • Our take: Everything is finally clicking around Lawrence, and if you held onto him all these years, you deserve this. I donā€™t see any reason he canā€™t build on this for years to come.

WR - Parker Washington (JAX)

  • Washington emerged as a critical part of the Jacksonville Jaguars' passing attack, particularly in three important games where he accumulated 19 catches on 29 targets for 347 yards and two touchdowns, despite playing limited snaps in the early part of the season.

  • The article suggests that both offensive coordinator Liam Coen and quarterback Trevor Lawrence have developed a strong preference for Washington, especially in his slot receiver role, making him a priority receiver to target in 2026.

  • With Washington entering a contract year and showing significant potential in the Jaguars' exciting passing offense, he appears poised to be a key fantasy football asset, especially given the uncertainty surrounding other receivers on the team.

  • Our take: Iā€™m so glad I spent $40 in my dynasty startup on Brian Thomas Jr. I wish I spent $40 in my dynasty startup on Parker Washington. (Jokes aside, Iā€™m skeptical about next year for Parker. My heart wants to be all-in, but my gut is not there yet).

TE - Travis Kelce (KC)

  • In what could potentially be the final game of his career, Travis Kelce had a notably underwhelming performance, catching only three of six targets for just 12 yards. This continued a trend of single-digit fantasy point games with Patrick Mahomes sidelined.

  • Despite his poor Week 18 showing, Kelce still managed to finish as the overall TE3 in scoring for the year, demonstrating his consistent value throughout the season.

  • The article frames Kelce's performance in an emotional context, suggesting this might have been his last game, which adds significance to his modest statistical output.

  • Our take: Heā€™s gotta retire, right? Right???

RB - R.J. Harvey (DEN)

  • RJ Harvey experienced his worst performance since Week 10, being held to just 28 rushing yards on 15 carries against the Chargers, with only a five-yard catch to supplement his stats. This marked his first single-digit fantasy point performance since Week 11.

  • Despite this underwhelming game, the article remains optimistic about Harvey's future, describing him as the running back of the future in Denver and projecting him as a strong fantasy RB2 for the 2026 season.

  • Harvey's rookie season has shown promise, with this Week 18 performance viewed as an anomaly rather than a definitive reflection of his potential.

  • Our take: It will be interesting to see if DEN brings back Dobbins next year. Even if they do bring him back, I could see them flip-flopping roles from earlier in the year, where Harvey is now the 1A and Dobbins reverts to a 1B to limit his touches and preserve his health.

QB - Lamar Jackson (BAL)

  • Lamar Jackson was not the same runner this year because of multiple injuries, missing a chunk of time in the middle of the season and never fully regaining his elite mobility.

  • He had electric improvisational moments late in the final game against Pittsburgh but doesn't look the same when he gets the ball in his hands, no longer inspiring the same level of fear.

  • At 29 years old, he may need more weapons around him rather than being the sun of the offense where everything orbits around him, as the supporting cast has been insufficient.

  • Our take: My gut says the injuries played a big role in his rushing output this year. Iā€™d be optimistic he returns to his MVP-self next year, but there are rumors he could be gone (or the coaches will be). Weird situation in BAL right now. Hard to read.

This time next year, will Lamar Jackson be a top-10 dynasty suprerflex asset?

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Thatā€™s all for tonight!

See ya pizza,

Joe

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