49ers' McCaffrey, Eagles' Brown among best bets to score

Updated Jan. 4, 2023 2:31 p.m. ET

Associated Press

It’s the last week of the regular season and there are still a lot of questions about who will earn their way into the playoffs. There are few questions about who the best bets to score this week are though. These are your Week 18 scoring machines.

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Running Back

CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY, 49ers

McCaffrey has scored in four consecutive games and this week he’s even more dialed in as a scoring option because of his advantageous pairing with the Arizona defense, a unit that is our second-best matchup for opposing RBs this week. McCaffrey has -200 odds to find the end zone, the best odds for any NFL player to score in Week 18.

DALVIN COOK, Vikings

Cook hasn’t scored in two weeks, but he’s primed for a windfall this week against the Bears, who have allowed the second-most points to RBs this season and are our third-best matchup for runners going into Week 18. Only Derrick Henry and Christian McCaffrey have better TD odds and Henry doesn’t have the matchup Cook does. Cook will look to make it TD No. 11 on the season, or better, as the Vikings look to get their momentum back after a lackluster Week 17.

NAJEE HARRIS, Steelers

A week out from his highest yard total of the season and his third score in his past four games, Harris is willing his team to playoff contention in this last week of the regular season. He’ll have to do most of the heavy lifting this week as the Steelers opponent, the Browns, are a top-10 defense in every category except against the run — they’re our seventh-best matchup for opposing backs. With 100 odds to find the end zone, his best odds in weeks, Harris is a best bet to score in Week 18.

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Wide Receiver

JUSTIN JEFFERSON, Vikings

Jefferson hurt a lot of folks with his one-catch performance in Week 17, but he’s back to make amends against the Bears, our eighth-best matchup for WRs going into Week 18. With the best odds to score for any receiver this week (-135), Jefferson is in a bounce-back spot against a team that has little to play for this season. He hadn’t either gotten fewer than 200 yards or 100 yards and a score in his four games prior to Week 17, so it’s likely last week was an anomaly.

CHRISTIAN WATSON, Packers

The Packers need Watson to have a strong game. As that could decide whether they get into the playoffs or not and early indications are that Watson will be good to go against Detroit, our second-best matchup for opposing WRs this week. They’ve given up the third-most fantasy points to WRs this season and Watson has the best odds (100) of any Packers pass catcher to find the end zone in what could be a high-scoring game.

A.J. BROWN, Eagles

Brown has the 10th-best matchup for opposing receivers in the Giants this week, a game that would give the Eagles the NFC East division and a first-round bye in the playoffs, if they win. Brown is certain to be an integral part of the Eagles game plan and he may be boosted by the possible return of QB Jalen Hurts. Brown, who played 100% of snaps last week, has -105 odds to score in this game, the second-highest odds of any receiver in Week 18. With the second-most receiving TDs (11) for a receiver this season, he’s expected to reach the end zone.

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This column was provided to The Associated Press by RosterWatch, www.rosterwatch.com.