The Green Bay Packers will face the Chicago Bears in Week 18. Here’s the latest fantasy football news and advice to help you with your lineups this week and moving forward, especially regarding QB Jordan Love.
Is Jordan Love Playing in Week 18?
Love is not listed on the injury report this week, so barring any setbacks, he is on track to play this weekend.
We’ll continue to monitor the Packers’ injury report. You can also visit and bookmark our NFL Injury Tracker and Fantasy News Tracker for the latest updates.
Should You Start or Sit Jordan Love in Week 18?
Over his past six games, Jordan Love has had five touchdown passes and zero interceptions against the blitz (previously this season: five touchdowns against five interceptions). What we might be seeing is the maturation of a young quarterback, and Packers backers should be thrilled by this development when it comes to their team’s long-term trajectory.
In the short term, this maturity could raise Love’s floor while potentially lowering his ceiling a touch if he proves hesitant to cut loose the risk/reward passes. Green Bay didn’t need much from him in the Week 11 win over Chicago (17 pass attempts), and that’s the only reason to proceed with caution this weekend.
I fully expect the Packers to come out and try to earn the NFC’s sixth seed in this spot (they need a win and a Commanders loss); while I don’t think they ultimately get there, that level of motivation gives me the green light to rank Love as a lineup lock in all formats.
Are you looking for start/sit advice for other players in your lineup? Read our Week 18 Fantasy Start-Sit Advice Cheat Sheet for every fantasy-relevant player in every game.
Jordan Love’s Fantasy Points Projection in Week 18
As of Sunday, Love is projected to score 19.8 fantasy points in Week 18. This includes 277.4 passing yards, 2.1 passing touchdowns, and 1.2 interceptions. It also includes 3.1 rushing attempts for 10.2 yards and 0.1 touchdowns.
Check out the free PFN Fantasy Start-Sit Optimizer for the latest projections and advice for your lineups this week.
PFN Insight on the Bears' Defense
Most defense-first teams need at least some level of support from the offense before the attrition of a long season wears them down. Unfortunately, the Bears' defense appears to be experiencing that, having slipped towards league average after a strong start.
To their credit, the Bears bounced back with their second-best Defense+ grade of the season (86.0) in the 6-3 loss to the Seahawks. Only the team's Week 5 performance vs. the Carolina Panthers (88.8) graded better this season.
Prior to that, each of Chicago's six worst grades had come over a six-week stretch. Week 17 was the first time since Week 10 that the Bears had finished in the top half of defenses in a single week.
Chicago's defense is more talented than the season-long ranking will indicate. But with the offense providing zero support and the playoffs long out of consideration, the final ranking will reflect a roughly league-average unit.
For more insight on all other team defenses, head to our PFN Defense+ Metric Analysis.
Jordan Love’s Fantasy Ranking
Our Weekly Consensus PPR Rankings are below — both positional and overall. They were last updated at 7:00 AM ET on Sunday, January 5. If you're in a Superflex league, make sure you check out our Week 18 Consensus Superflex Rankings.
Week 18 QB PPR Rankings
1) Lamar Jackson | BAL (vs. CLE)
2) Jayden Daniels | WAS (at DAL)
3) Baker Mayfield | TB (vs. NO)
4) Joe Burrow | CIN (at PIT)
5) Sam Darnold | MIN (at DET)
6) Jared Goff | DET (vs. MIN)
7) Jordan Love | GB (vs. CHI)
8) Bo Nix | DEN (vs. KC)
9) Kyler Murray | ARI (vs. SF)
10) Justin Herbert | LAC (at LV)
11) Drake Maye | NE (vs. BUF)
12) Bryce Young | CAR (at ATL)
13) Russell Wilson | PIT (vs. CIN)
14) Geno Smith | SEA (at LAR)
15) Caleb Williams | CHI (at GB)
16) Aaron Rodgers | NYJ (vs. MIA)
17) Joe Flacco | IND (vs. JAX)
18) Michael Penix Jr. | ATL (vs. CAR)
19) Mason Rudolph | TEN (vs. HOU)
20) Aidan O'Connell | LV (vs. LAC)
21) Mac Jones | JAX (at IND)
22) Tanner McKee | PHI (vs. NYG)
23) Kenny Pickett | PHI (vs. NYG)
24) Cooper Rush | DAL (vs. WAS)
25) C.J. Stroud | HOU (at TEN)
26) Drew Lock | NYG (at PHI)
27) Jimmy Garoppolo | LAR (vs. SEA)
28) Carson Wentz | KC (at DEN)
29) Davis Mills | HOU (at TEN)
30) Tyler Huntley | MIA (at NYJ)
31) Joshua Dobbs | SF (at ARI)
32) Spencer Rattler | NO (at TB)
33) Mitchell Trubisky | BUF (at NE)
34) Taylor Heinicke | LAC (at LV)
35) Bailey Zappe | KC (at DEN)
36) Dorian Thompson-Robinson | CLE (at BAL)
37) Sam Howell | SEA (at LAR)
38) Josh Allen | BUF (at NE)
Bears at Packers Trends and Insights
Chicago Bears
Team: After Thursday night’s loss, the Bears have a league-high nine games this season in which their offense has not been on the field with a lead for a single snap.
QB: Caleb Williams’ average QB+ this season is 71.04, an underwhelming grade in the scope of the NFL, but not that bad when put up against the average QB+ grades of the three quarterbacks taken first overall prior to him in their introduction to the league.
- 2020 Joe Burrow: 73.33
- 2021 Trevor Lawrence: 71.58
- 2023 Bryce Young: 68.30
Offense: Week 17 was the third time this season that Chicago averaged more yards per run than yards per pass.
Defense: The Bears held the Seahawks to a field goal on their lone red zone trip last week, improving their defensive red zone touchdown rate to 46.7%, the best mark by this franchise since 2011 (44.6%).
Fantasy: D’Andre Swift has the lead role in this backfield without much competition, but because of game script, he’s reached 15 carries just once in his past seven games.
Betting: Chicago is 0-3 ATS on extended rest this season, and all three have come on the road (cumulative score differential compared to the spread: -35 points).
Green Bay Packers
Team: The Packers have lost to just two teams since Week 2, and yet, they will finish third in the NFC North this season.
QB: Over his past six games, Jordan Love has five touchdown passes and zero interceptions against the blitz (this season prior: five touchdowns against five interceptions).
Offense: On Sunday, the Packers averaged a season-low 27.4 yards per drive (they are 3-3 this season when averaging under 32 yards per drive).
Defense: Green Bay’s four worst defensive efforts on third down this season have come on the road, three of which came in the division. They are going to be on the road this postseason, and there will likely be NFC North teams in their way at some point.
Fantasy: Josh Jacobs has a rushing score in seven straight games, tying Paul Hornung's franchise record.
Betting: Green Bay has covered each of their past three home games and their total cover margin in those contests has been 51.5 points (overall score: 102-27).