Las Vegas Raiders

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Taylor Heinicke (ankle) is officially inactive for Week 18 versus the New Orleans Saints. He had been listed as questionable and was optimistic about his availability, but it appears that he wasn't quite healthy enough to play. In his absence, Desmond Ridder will return to the starting quarterback role. The 24-year-old has appeared in 14 games this season, completing 63.4 percent of his passes for 2,545 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He also has 193 rushing yards, five rushing touchdowns, 31 sacks, and six lost fumbles. Fantasy managers should view Ridder as a fringe QB2 option heading into Sunday's contest.

Las Vegas Raiders running back Zamir White has been the team's starting running back since Week 15 and has looked dominant in the role since taking over. White ran for 71 yards on 20 carries last week against the Indianapolis Colts. In addition to his massive workload on the ground, White brought in five of his six targets for 35 receiving yards. White has stepped up in the absence of Josh Jacobs, and he should continue to dominate in Week 18. White faces the Denver Broncos in the final game of the season. The Broncos have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to running backs this season. White is heavily involved on the ground and in the passing game, which makes him extremely valuable. Fantasy managers should not think twice because White is essentially a must-start.

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell completed 30 of 47 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns in Week 17 against the Indianapolis Colts. Despite having one of his best performances, O'Connell was stuck with the loss against Indianapolis. O'Connell picked up a win in arguably the worst start of his career the week prior, so it appears his impact on the team's wins and losses is negligible. The Raiders face the Denver Broncos in Week 18. The Broncos defense improved as the season went on, and their secondary is a solid unit. Despite having potent weapons around him, O'Connell is not a dependable starter. Fantasy managers should leave him on the waiver wire for the season's finale.

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers put together a decent performance against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 17. Meyers caught six passes for 56 yards on 10 targets last week. The Raiders take on the Denver Broncos this week for the final game of the regular season. The Broncos defense is much improved from the unit that started the season, and the team has allowed the 10th-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers per game. Despite the tough matchup, Meyers may see increased usage due to Pro Bowl corner Patrick Surtain II. Surtain will likely cover Davante Adams for most of the game, which could free up targets for Meyers in the middle of the field. Fantasy managers in the championship probably did it without Meyers, but he could be a sneaky start if you're desperate.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew completed 13 of his 24 passes for 142 yards in the team's 23-19 loss to the Houston Texans. Minshew struggled to move the ball through the air and wasn't able to convert on a 4th-and-one pass to running back Tyler Goodson with just over a minute left in regulation which ultimately decided the game. Minshew did an excellent job in relief of rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson (shoulder) this season, helping the team to finish with a 9-8 record. Minshew wraps up the 2023 campaign with 3,305 passing yards, a 15 to nine touchdown-to-interception ratio, and another 100 yards rushing. Barring the return of Richardson (shoulder) in the 2024 season, it's likely that Minshew will resume his role as the backup next season.