The final regular season game of the 2021 NFL season will go down in Sin City where the Raiders will host the Chargers in a (likely) "winner-take-all" affair. There is a bizarre scenario in which a tie would allow both the Raiders and Chargers to clinch postseason berths, but that would require the Colts -- still on the outside looking in themselves -- losing to the Jaguars. We have to paint the full picture, but we’re anticipating a high-stakes contest for Week 18's installment of Sunday Night Football. With both teams undoubtedly going all-in for a win, we're excited about our FanDuel single-game DFS ineup.
Here are the notable scoring settings for FanDuel single-game contests: The point total for the "MVP" is multiplied by 1.5, but he doesn't cost any additional money like the "Captain" in DraftKings Showdown contests. FanDuel's default scoring is half-point PPR and four-point passing TDs, and there are no bonuses for 300-yard/100-yard games like on DraftKings.
MORE FD SINGLE GAME: How to win a FanDuel single-game contest
FanDuel Single Game DFS Picks: Chargers vs. Raiders
$60,000 budget, need at least one player from each team
MVP (1.5x points): Justin Herbert, Chargers ($17,500)
Big games call for big players, and in a "win-or-go-home" spot, Herbert will have the organization resting on his shoulders. He comes equipped with 30-point upside and will take aim at a defense that ranks 25th in passing DVOA, an advanced efficiency metric.
WEEK 18 DFS LINEUPS: FanDuel | DraftKings | Yahoo
FLEX RB Austin Ekeler, Chargers ($15,000)
Ekeler has been a strong performer all season, routinely flirting with the 20-point plateau. He’s scored a touchdown in seven straight games, and whether it’s on the ground or through the air, he will likely find himself in position to extend that streak to eight.
MORE WEEK 18 DFS: Best stacks | Best values | Lineup builder
FLEX RB Josh Jacobs, Raiders ($12,000)
The Chargers' defense ranks dead last in rushing DVOA and allows 4.7 yards per carry. Jacobs has breached the 20-touch barrier four times in his past six, and this is a situation in which he would appear primed to handle another hefty load. He’s averaged five targets per game over the past five, so we’re excited about his increased role in the passing game.
SATURDAY SINGLE-GAME DFS:
KC-DEN FD | KC-DEN DK | DAL-PHI FD | DAL-PHI DK
FLEX K Daniel Carlson, Raiders ($9,000)
Carlson has scored double-digit fantasy points in four of the Raiders' past six games -- including a 21-point outburst on Thanksgiving. He’s unlikely to go off like that, but another 10-plus is solidly within his range of outcomes.
SATURDAY FULL-SLATE DFS: DraftKings | FanDuel
FLEX TE Tre’ McKitty, Chargers ($5,500)
This is a roll of the dice, but McKitty has received his highest snap counts of the season over the past three weeks -- 41 in Week 15 and 35 in Week 17. McKitty will play behind Jared Cook, who appears in line to be active after missing last Sunday’s matchup while on the COVID list. However, if he plays ahead of -- or is at least targeted instead of -- Stephen Anderson, McKitty could pay off here.
WEEK 18 SNF LINEUPS: DraftKings