Digging Deeper: See more Week 18 motivation links below.
Team-by-Team Motivation | Player-by-Player Motivation: QBs, RBs, WRs, TEs
The trickiest part of Week 18 is determining where teams stand regarding effort. Some teams have their backs against the wall, while others want to emerge healthy. Meanwhile, a few have perfected "1-2-3 Cancun" for weeks.
We go game by game to see who has things to play for, either from a team perspective or based on statistical milestones.
A note: "Motivation" is entirely made up and subjective. The players playing will give their all, but teams will make selective choices on who plays and who sits out.
What wide receivers are chasing contract incentives? What statistical milestones are in play?
Players In Must-Win Games
- Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati
- Tee Higgins, Cincinnati
- Justin Jefferson, Minnesota
- Jordan Addison, Minnesota
- Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit
- Jameson Williams, Detroit
- Mike Evans, Tampa Bay
- Jalen McMillan, Tampa Bay
- Drake London, Atlanta
- Darnell Mooney, Atlanta
- Zay Flowers, Baltimore
- George Pickens, Pittsburgh
- Courtland Sutton, Denver
- Marvin Mims Jr., Denver
- Tyreek Hill, Miami
- Jaylen Waddle, Miami
Players Who Could Sit
- Ladd McConkey, LA Chargers
- Nico Collins, Houston
- Green Bay WRs
- Terry McLaurin, Washington
Players Expected To Sit
- A.J. Brown, Philadelphia
- DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia
- Xavier Worthy, Kansas City
- Puka Nacua, LA Rams
- Cooper Kupp, LA Rams
- Buffalo WRs
*All Contract Incentives are from Spotrac
Must Win Players
Mike Evans, Tampa Bay
- Team Motivation: 10 / 10
- Current Stats: 65 receptions, 917 yards, 11 touchdowns
Contract Incentives: Evans has a $3 million 2025 escalator built into his contract that requires hitting 70 receptions, 1,000 yards, and ten touchdowns. The touchdowns are done; he needs five receptions and 83 yards to hit the other two marks. Evans has a $2 million annual bonus in his contract, but it requires finishing in the top 10 in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. His 65 receptions are 36th, and his 915 yards are 28th. The cutoffs for the Top 10 in each category are 96 and 1,084.
Statistical Milestones: Evans started his career with ten consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, the NFL's record for beginning a career. Jerry Rice’s 14 is the NFL record. Evans has every Buccaneers franchise record. Evans's career 12,595 is the 24th most in history. Art Monk is next, at 12,721. Evans’ 105 receiving touchdowns is the current active leader and ninth in history. Tony Gonzalez is above him at 111.
Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati
- Team Motivation: 10 / 10
- Current Stats: 117 receptions, 1,612 yards, 16 touchdowns
Statistical Milestones: Chase is the current NFL-receiving Triple Crown leader. The receiving triple crown has been won 16 times, with Don Hutson having done it five times between 1936 and 1944. It has only happened four times since 1966: Jerry Rice in 1990, Sterling Sharpe in 1992, Steve Smith in 2005, and Cooper Kupp in 2021. Chase’s receptions and yards are the Bengals single-season franchise record, but he needs one more touchdown to tie Carl Pickens’ 17 from 1995.
Chase’s 1,612 yards are the 26th most in a season. He could push into the Top 10 in a season with 137 yards. His 117 receptions are the 25th most. The threshold to crack into the Top 10 for receptions is Michael Thomas’s 125 in 2018. Nine players have recorded 16 touchdown receptions, in a large tie for the 15th most. There have been nine 17-touchdown seasons, creating another large tie. Davante Adams, Mark Clayton, and Sterling Sharpe have 18 touchdown seasons, the third most. Randy Moss has the record at 23, while Jerry Rice is second at 22.
Justin Jefferson, Minnesota
- Team Motivation: 10 / 10
- Current Stats: 100 receptions, 1,479 yards, 10 touchdowns
Statistical Milestones: Jefferson has the seventh most receptions, second most yards, and is fifth in touchdowns.
Jefferson needs six receptions to move into a tie with Steve Jordan for the fourth most in Vikings team history, at 498, with eight pushing him to an even 500. Cris Carter (1,004), Randy Moss (587), and Adam Thielen (534) are the top three. His 7,378 career yards are fourth behind Carter (12,383), Moss (9,316), and Anthony Carter (7,636).
Jefferson needs 21 yards for his third 1,500 season. Jerry Rice holds the record with four seasons at 1,500 yards. Antonio Brown, Julio Jones, Andre Johnson, and Marvin Harrison Jr. had three seasons of 1,500 yards. Rice had a 1,499-yard season in 1994 and 1,483 in 1989.
Tee Higgins, Cincinnati
Jordan Addison, Minnesota
- Team Motivation: 10 / 10
- Higgins Current Stats: 69 receptions, 858 yards, 10 touchdowns
- Addison Current Stats: 62 receptions, 875 yards, nine touchdowns
Statistical Milestones: Higgins and Addison are hunting for the 1,000-yard milestone, with Addison needing one touchdown to hit an even ten.
There have been 17 teammates in NFL history who have recorded 1,000-10 seasons in tandem. 2020 was the last time teammates accomplished this, as Seattle (DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett) and Kansas City (Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce) hit the marks.
Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit
- Team Motivation: 10 / 10
- Current Stats: 109 receptions, 1,186 yards, 12 touchdowns
Statistical Milestones: St. Brown has the fourth-highest receptions total in team history, with a chance to set the record of 123 held by Herman Moore. His touchdowns are the fifth most by a Lion, with each additional touchdown moving him up the list. As it stands, Calvin Johnson (16), Cloyce Box (15), Herman Moore (14), and Terry Barr (13) make the Top Four.
His 424 career receptions are four behind Brett Perriman for fourth in team history. His 4,774 career yards are the seventh most, trailing the sixth-place Charlie Sanders by 43.
Courtland Sutton, Denver
- Team Motivation: 10 / 10
- Current Stats: 76 receptions, 983 yards, seven touchdowns
Statistical Milestones: Sutton has an incentive-laden contract. He earns a $500,000 bonus for receiving yardage thresholds at 500 / 750 / 1,065 yards. An additional 82 yards will hit the last threshold. Ten touchdowns plus a playoff berth would unlock another $200,000. He could hit another $500,000 with 900 yards, and the Broncos finish in the top 10 in yards per pass attempt, but the team is 26th.
Receiver Milestone and Incentive Grab Bag
A host of receivers are chasing significant numbers:
| Player | Milestone | Threshold | Current Stats | Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zay Flowers | Ravens 2nd Most Receiving Yards | 1,201 | 1,047 | 154 |
| Jerry Jeudy | Browns Most Receptions | 89 | 84 | 5 |
| Brian Thomas Jr. | Rookie Sixth Most Receiving Yards | 1,313 | 1,179 | 134 |
| Jaxon Smith-Njigba | Seahawks Most Receptions | 100 | 96 | 4 |
| Garrett Wilson | Jets Most Receptions | 109 | 97 | 12 |
| Malik Nabers | Giants Rookie Receiving Yards | 1,305 | 1,140 | 165 |
| Malik Nabers | Rookie Receptions (Brock Bowers) | 108 | 104 | 4 + Bowers' Wk 18 |
| Terry McLaurin | Commanders Most Receiving Touchdowns | 12 | 12 | 1 (to break a tie) |
Others are chasing round numbers:
| Player | Milestone | Threshold | Current Stats | Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeAndre Hopkins | 13,000 Receiving Yards | 13,000 | 12,965 | 35 |
| DeAndre Hopkins | 1,000 Receptions | 1,000 | 984 | 16 |
| Tyreek Hill | 800 Receptions | 800 | 796 | 4 |
| Darnell Mooney | 1,000 Receiving Yards | 1,000 | 992 | 8 |
| Puka Nacua | 1,000 Receiving Yards | 1,000 | 990 | 10 |
| Davante Adams | 1,000 Receiving Yards | 1,000 | 975 | 25 |
| Nico Collins | 1,000 Receiving Yards | 1,000 | 968 | 32 |
| Jameson Williams | 1,000 Receiving Yards | 1,000 | 967 | 33 |
| Calvin Ridley | 1,000 Receiving Yards | 1,000 | 941 | 59 |
| Tyreek Hill | 1,000 Receiving Yards | 1,000 | 939 | 61 |
| DK Metcalf | 1,000 Receiving Yards | 1,000 | 939 | 61 |
| Jauan Jennings | 1,000 Receiving Yards | 1,000 | 923 | 77 |
| Jakobi Meyers | 1,000 Receiving Yards | 1,000 | 904 | 96 |
| George Pickens | 1,000 Receiving Yards | 1,000 | 900 | 100 |
| DJ Moore | 1,000 Receiving Yards | 1,000 | 880 | 120 |
| DJ Moore | 100 Receptions | 100 | 88 | 12 |
| Drake London | 100 Receptions | 100 | 90 | 10 |
Remaining achievable contract incentives:
| Player | Trigger | Incentive | Current Stats | Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deebo Samuel Sr. | 380 Rush Yards | $650,000 | 136 | 244 |
| Deebo Samuel Sr. | 3 Rush Touchdowns | $150,000 | 1 | 2 |
| DeAndre Hopkins | 6 Receiving Touchdowns | $500,000 | 5 | 1 |
| 65 Receptions | $250,000 | 56 | 9 | |
| 750 Receiving Yards | $250,000 | 610 | 140 | |
| Demarcus Robinson | 50% Snap | $500,000 | 81% | Clinched |
| Playoff Berth | $500,000 | In | Clinched | |
| Mack Hollins | 30 Receptions | $50,000 | 28 | 2 |
| 40 Receptions | $125,000 | 28 | 12 | |
| 275 Receiving Yards | $50,000 | 353 | Clinched | |
| 350 Receiving Yards | $125,000 | 353 | Clinched | |
| 425 Receiving Yards | $200,000 | 353 | 72 | |
| Justin Watson | 20 Receptions | $200,000 | 21 | Clinched |
| 40 Receptions | $400,000 | 21 | 19 | |
| 45% Snaps | $200,000 | 58.56% | Clinched | |
| 55% Snaps | $400,000 | 58.56% | Clinched | |
| 65% Snaps | $600,000 | 58.56% | Cannot Reach | |
| Cedrick Wilson Jr. | 350 Receiving Yards | $125,000 | 189 | 161 |
*Marquez Valdes-Scantling has been reported with incentives. His Bills contract was heavy on incentives. His Saints contract is not; it is a one-year deal for $1.125 M with no incentives | ||||