Related: Game-by-Game | Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Tight Ends
Week 18 is here, and the big question on everyone’s mind is, who cares? As fans, we care, and the players participating care, but teams have different motivations and a clear picture of what can be achieved in Week 18. We looked through each 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.
Here's a look at some players with a little extra statistical Week 18 motivation.
All contract information comes from Spotrac.com.
WR Davante Adams, Las Vegas
- Team Motivation: 0/10
- Current Stats: 98 receptions, 1,098 receiving yards, seven touchdowns
Adams needs two receptions to hit 100 catches for the fourth straight season and his fifth overall. He is 16 receptions behind Keenan McCardell for 28th on the career NFL list. Adams already has over 1,000 yards for the fourth straight season. Adams is 44th on a career-receiving yardage list; a 128-yard day would push him past Roddy White and Gary Clark.
WR Jordan Addison, Minnesota
- Team Motivation: 10/10
- Current Stats: 66 receptions, 854 yards, nine touchdowns
Four more receptions will move Addison past Randy Moss for the second most by a Vikings rookie. Another 52 yards would be the third most receiving yards in a season by a Vikings rookie. Addison is also climbing the team rookie touchdown leaderboard, needing one to tie Sammy White’s ten and two to pass. Moss holds the team rookie record with 17, also the NFL rookie record.
WR Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco
- Team Motivation: 0/10
- Current Stats: 72 receptions, 1,317 yards, seven touchdowns
Aiyuk’s 1,317 yards are a career-high and the 12th-best total in team history.
WR Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers
- Team Motivation: 0/10
- Current Stats: 108 receptions, 1,243 receiving yards, seven touchdowns
Allen’s season ended early, and that is a shame as he was on pace to smash his career highs. His 108 receptions are a career-high, while his yardage total is the second-best of his career. He had two eight-touchdown seasons. He needs 51 receptions and 1,311 receiving yards to equal Antonio Gates’ career franchise record. His 59 touchdowns are third behind Gates at 116 and Alworth at 81.
WR Odell Beckham Jr Baltimore
- Team Motivation: 0/10
- Current Stats: 35 receptions, 565 receiving yards, three touchdowns
- Contract Incentives: Beckham’s contract triggers break down as follows
| Catches | Yards | Touchdowns | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | $250,000 | 250 | $250,000 | 3 | $250,000 |
| 40 | $500,000 | 500 | $500,000 | 5 | $500,000 |
| 50 | $750,000 | 750 | $750,000 | 7 | $750,000 |
| 60 | $1 million | 1,000 | $1 million | 9 | $1 million |
WR A.J. Brown, Philadelphia
- Team Motivation: 10/10
- Current Stats: 105 receptions, 1,447 receiving yards, seven touchdowns
Brown has his career high in receptions. Zach Ertz holds the franchise record with 116 receptions, and Brown’s 105 is second. Brown's 1,496 yards from 2022 are the franchise record; he needs 49 to top that and set a new career high.
WR Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati
- Team Motivation: 0/10
- Current Stats: 96 receptions, 1,197 receiving yards, seven touchdowns
Two Bengals have 100 catch seasons, T.J. Houshmandzadeh (112) and Carl Pickens (100). Four more catches push Chase to the mark.
WR Nico Collins, Houston
- Team Motivation: 10/10
- Current Stats: 71 receptions, 1,102 receiving yards, seven touchdowns
Collins has the 15th 1,000-yard season in team history. He has a chance to crack into the top 8 seasons, needing 114 yards to equal Andre Johnson’s 1,216 in 2010. Adding two receiving touchdowns would push him into the top five in single-season Texans history, equaling another Johnson season of nine in 2009.
WR Amari Cooper, Cleveland
- Team Motivation: 0/10
- Current Stats: 72 receptions, 1,250 yards, five touchdowns
Cooper set a new career high in receiving yards. Forty more yards would put him in second place in team history behind Josh Gordon’s 1,646 from 2013. In just two seasons with the team, Cooper is already appearing on the franchise career list, currently ranked 27th. He missed Week 17 due to injury, and his regular season is likely finished.
WR Stefon Diggs, Buffalo
- Team Motivation: 10/10
- Current Stats: 100 receptions, 1,096 receiving yards, eight touchdowns
Diggs has topped 100 receptions and 1,000 yards for the fourth straight season, doing it every year he has been in Buffalo. He is fourth on the team’s career reception list, trailing Thurman Thomas by 18, and fifth on the team’s receiving yardage list, nine yards behind Elbert Dubenion. His 37 receiving touchdowns as a Bill are six behind Lee Evans and 11 behind Eric Moulds, who currently sits second on the career list.
WR Demario Douglas, New England
- Team Motivation: 3/10
- Current Stats: 47 receptions, 548 receiving yards
With four receptions, Douglas would move into a tie for second-in-team rookie receptions. Terry Glenn holds the team record with 90. Douglas is the first rookie since Glenn to hit 47 receptions and the first since Aaron Dobson in 2013 to top 500 receiving yards. Douglas is the only rookie in NFL history with 47 receptions and over 500 yards without a receiving touchdown. LaDanian Tomlinson holds the high water mark with 59 catches without scoring. Douglas’s 548 yards are the most by an NFL rookie without a touchdown.
WR Josh Downs, Indianapolis
- Team Motivation: 10/10
- Current Stats: 65 receptions, 723 receiving yards, two touchdowns
Downs yardage total is the sixth most by a Colts rookie, just three away from John Mackey. With a 138-yard performance, he could get to second place T.Y. Hilton. A more achievable goal is 98 yards to pass Andre Rison for fourth. His next reception will break a tie with Bill Brooks for the most by a Colts rookie WR.
WR Mike Evans, Tampa Bay
- Team Motivation: 10/10
- Current Stats: 76 receptions, 1,233 receiving yards, 13 touchdowns
At age 30, Evans recorded one of his best statistical seasons. He has four receptions from his third 80-catch season, and 88 receiving yards would be his second-highest career total. He leads the league with 13 touchdown catches; one more would tie his career high. The Buccaneers’ single-season record is Evans’ 14 in 2021.
WR Zay Flowers, Baltimore
- Team Motivation: 0/10
- Current Stats: 77 receptions, 858 receiving yards, five touchdowns
Flowers holds the Ravens rookie record for receptions and receiving yards. He has the seventh 77-858 season in team history, the fifth player to record one.
WR Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay
- Team Motivation: 10/10
- Current Stats: 77 receptions, 973 receiving yards, two touchdowns
Godwin has topped 80 receptions and 1,000 yards in three of the last four seasons. Three receptions and 27 yards would make it four of five. He is second in Buccaneers history in receptions and yards, but one more touchdown would break a tie with Jimmie Giles and put him in second by himself in that category.
WR Tyreek Hill, Miami
- Team Motivation: 10/10
- Current Stats: 112 receptions, 1,717 receiving yards, 12 touchdowns
An injury that cost him Week 15 likely ended Hill’s bid for 2,000 yards, though a huge 283-yard performance would still get him there. Calvin Johnson's single-season NFL record of 1,964 is 247 yards away. Hill broke his own team record of 1,710 receiving yards in 2022; that total was also his career high. He needs seven receptions to tie his career high and the Dolphins team record, set in 2022. He has tied Antonio Brown and Wes Welker as the only players in NFL history to record three straight 110-catch seasons. His 12 touchdowns are the second most of his career, trailing 15 in 2020.
WR DeAndre Hopkins, Tennessee
- Team Motivation: 0/10
- Current Stats: 68 receptions, 1,011 receiving yards, six touchdowns
- Contract Incentives: Hopkins is close to multiple incentives broken down below
| Receptions | Receiving Yards | Touchdowns | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 65 | $250,000 | 750 | $250,000 | 4 | $250,000 |
| 75 | $500,000 | 850 | $500,000 | 6 | $500,000 |
| 85 | $750,000 | 950 | $750,000 | 8 | $750,000 |
| 95 | $1 million | 1,050 | $1 million | 10 | $1 million |
Hopkins recorded his seventh 1,000-yard season. His season was the 28th 1,000-yard year in Titans history. Hopkins sits 24th on the NFL all-time receiving list, 42 yards from passing Brandon Marshall. He is a healthy season away from pushing into the top 20. He is 22nd on the all-time receptions list, seven behind Antonio Brown.
WR Justin Jefferson, Minnesota
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- Team Motivation: 10/10
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- Current Stats: 56 receptions, 882 yards, four touchdowns
Jefferson needs 118 yards to continue his streak of 1,000-yard seasons, hitting the mark in each of his first three years.
WR CeeDee Lamb, Dallas
- Team Motivation: 10/10
- Current Stats: 122 receptions, 1,651 yards, ten touchdowns
Lamb is the Cowboys’ single-season leader in both receptions and yards. He leads the league in receptions, with ten more than Tyreek Hill, but trails Hill in yardage by 66 yards. With seven receptions, he can tie Antonio Brown for sixth most in a season; he would need 14 to catch Brown and Julio Jones for the fourth most. Additionally, 95 yards would move him from 18th on the single-season list to eighth.
WR Drake London, Atlanta
- Team Motivation: 10/10
- Current Stats: 65 receptions, 864 yards, two touchdowns
London has longshot odds on a 1,000-yard season. He topped 136 yards once in 2023. Seven receptions and two yards would equal his rookie season totals.
WR Terry McLaurin, Washington
- Team Motivation: 0/10
- Current Stats: 73 receptions, 946 receiving yards, four touchdowns
McLaurin is hunting his fourth straight 1,000-yard season, needing 54 yards. His 5,166 yards are ninth in team history; eighth place, Hugh Taylor is 67 yards away. McLaurin has finished with 77 receptions in each of the last two seasons.
WR D.K. Metcalf, Seattle
- Team Motivation: 10/10
- Current Stats: 65 receptions, 1,104 receiving yards, eight touchdowns
Metcalf has the second-most yards of his career. His total sits 13th in team history. With a big game (136 yards), third-place Koren Robinson is in play. Two touchdowns would give him his third double-digit total season.
WR D.J. Moore, Chicago
- Team Motivation: 1/10
- Current Stats: 92 receptions, 1,300 yards, eight touchdowns
Moore is one reception away from equalling his career high. Eight catches would make him the sixth Bear to record a 100-catch season. His 1,300 yards are a career-high and the fifth most in franchise history. The top four are Brandon Marshall (1,508), Alshon Jeffery (1,421), Marcus Robinson (1,400), and Jeff Graham (1,301). The second best is in play; Moore has topped 121 yards thrice in 2023.
WR Puka Nacua, LA Rams
- Team Motivation: 3/10
- Current Stats: 101 receptions, 1,445 receiving yards, five touchdowns
Nacua has the third most yards for a rookie and needs 28 more to tie Bill Groman’s rookie record, passing Ja’Marr Chase’s 1,455. He is the third rookie to top 100 receptions and three away from Jaylen Waddle’s rookie record of 104. His receptions are the fifth most in team history, and the current yardage puts him seventh.
WR Chris Olave, New Orleans
- Team Motivation: 10/10
- Current Stats: 84 receptions, 1,067 receiving yards, four touchdowns
Olave posted career highs across the board. With four receptions, he will move into a top-ten reception season in Saints’ history. A 135-yard game in Week 18 would also give him a top-ten-yard season for the team.
WR George Pickens, Pittsburgh
- Team Motivation: 10/10
- Current Stats: 63 receptions, 1,140 yards, five touchdowns
Pickens’ 1,140 yards sits 21st on the Steelers single-season list. He tied Juju Smith-Schuster as the youngest receiver in team history to hit 1,000 yards, doing it in their age 22 seasons. Pickens's yardage is the most by any player in the 2022 NFL draft class.
WR Michael Pittman Jr, Indianapolis
- Team Motivation: 10/10
- Current Stats: 104 receptions, 1,108 receiving yards, four touchdowns.
Pittman’s 104 receptions are the sixth most in team history, tying Reggie Wayne’s 2007 season. The highest he can realistically climb is Marvin Harrison’s 115 from 1999, which ranks second. Wayne has a 111 season in 2010 that sits third on the team list. Pittman Jr.’s yardage total is 23 on the team career list; with 39 yards, he would top 17th place Marvin Harrison from 2005. The next threshold would require 103 yards to pass Reggie Wayne’s 2004 season.
WR Jayden Reed, Green Bay
- Team Motivation: 10/10
- Current Stats: 60 receptions, 681 receiving yards, eight touchdowns
Reed holds the Packers rookie record with 60 receptions. The team rookie receiving yardage record is 1,231 yards. Reed is not going to break it. Reed could miss Week 18 as he left the Week 17 game early with an injury.
WR Rashee Rice, Kansas City
- Team Motivation: 0/10
- Current Stats: 79 receptions, 938 receiving yards, seven touchdowns
Rice is the Chiefs rookie record holder for receptions and touchdowns. He needs 57 yards to equal Dwayne Bowe’s franchise record of 995. No rookie has more receptions or receiving yards under Andy Reid.
WR Calvin Ridley, Jacksonville
- Team Motivation: 10/10
- Current Stats: 70 receptions, 910 receiving yards, seven touchdowns
- Contract Incentives: Ridley’s incentives are a bit different as they tie to compensation returned to Atlanta from his trade. He needed to play 60% of snaps, catch 75 passes, or top 1,000 yards to turn a 4th round pick into a 3rd round pick. Ridley has the snap threshold and could clear all three. The pick could climb to a 2nd with an in-season extension, but that window is rapidly closing.
Ridley is shooting for the 18th 1,000-yard season in Jaguars history. His receptions and yardage are the second-best of his career, and his touchdowns are third.
WR Deebo Samuel, San Francisco
- Team Motivation: 0/10
- Current Stats: 58 receptions, 871 receiving yards, seven touchdowns, 214 rushing yards, five touchdowns
- Contract Incentives: $650,000 for 380 rushing yards (unlikely) / $150,000 for three rushing touchdowns (earned)
If Samuel were to play and gain an additional 129 receiving yards, the 49ers would become the sixth team in NFL history with three 1,000-yard receivers. The 2008 Cardinals were the last with Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Bolden, and Steve Breaston. Samuel recorded his second-best statistical season across the board.
WR DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia
- Team Motivation: 10/10
- Current Stats: 81 receptions, 1,066 receiving yards, seven touchdowns
The Eagles have two seasons with receivers over 1,000 yards in team history: Brown and Smith in 2022 and again in 2023.
WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle
- Team Motivation: 10/10
- Current Stats: 60 receptions, 614 receiving yards, four touchdowns
Fellow Buckeye Joey Galloway’s team rookie record of 67 receptions is in play.
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit
- Team Motivation: 7/10
- Current Stats: 112 receptions, 1,371 yards, nine touchdowns
One hundred twelve receptions are the third most in team history. The top two are Herman Moore (123) and Calvin Johnson (122). St. Brown has caught over 11 passes in three games in 2023, making this a live record chase. His yardage total is sixth in team history; 129 yards would put him at 1,500 and move him into fourth. One more touchdown would make him the 13th in team history with double digits.
WR Adam Thielen, Carolina
- Team Motivation: 5/10
- Current Stats: 101 receptions, 1,002 yards, four touchdowns
Thielen recorded the fourth 100-1,000 season in team history. His 101 receptions are the fifth most, and with six more, he moves into a tie with Christian McCaffrey for the second-best season in team history. This was Thielen’s second career 100-catch season and his first 1,000-yard season since 2018.
WR Jaylen Waddle, Miami
- Team Motivation: 10/10
- Current Stats: 72 receptions, 1,014 receiving yards, four touchdowns
Waddle is the first Dolphin to start their career with three straight 1,000-receiving-yard seasons. An injury ended his regular season and resulted in his lowest career totals. He was still able to record the 26th 1,000-yard season in Dolphins history.
WR Garrett Wilson, New York Jets
- Team Motivation: 0/10
- Current Stats: 93 receptions, 1,008 receiving yards, three touchdowns
Wilson’s 93 receptions are tied with Al Toon for the second most in team history, trailing Brandon Marshall’s 109 in 2015. With seven catches, Wilson would become the second Jet to post a 100-reception season. He has topped 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons. He is the only player in team history to start his career with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.
