2022 NFL Week 18 Contract Incentives and Statistical Milestones for Fantasy Football and DFS
UPDATED: Friday, January 6 at 3:30pm ET
As the 2022 NFL regular season wraps up with Week 18 games on Saturday and Sunday, it is important to know every player or team's mindset and motivation heading into the matchups. Some players have real contract incentives and bonuses to play for, like Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Zay Jones possibly earning more cash with a big game in NFL Week 18. Other players will be looking to pad their stats to reach a yardage milestone, like Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes potentially breaking Peyton Manning's single-season passing record. Let's take a look at the quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends who may be personally motivated to play well in NFL Week 18 before the 2022 NFL Playoffs get underway. Take advantage of this information whether you're setting fantasy football lineups, playing in NFL DFS contests, or looking for NFL betting picks.
NFL Week 18 Quarterback Incentives & Milestones
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs – Needs 430 passing yards for single-season record (Peyton Manning in 2013)
Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Needs 390 passing yards to reach 5,000 yards on the season
NFL Week 18 Running Back Incentives & Milestones
Jamaal Williams, Detroit Lions – Can earn an extra $250K with 6 more rushing yards
Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans – Needs 71 rushing yards to reach 1,500 for the season
Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers – Needs 46 rushing yards to reach 1,000 for the second-consecutive season
Kenneth Walker, Seattle Seahawks – Needs 64 rushing yards to reach 1,000 yards in his rookie campaign
Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons – Needs 100 rushing yards to reach 1,000 yards in his rookie campaign
Samaje Perine, Cincinnati Bengals – Can earn an extra $100K with 124 more rushing yards
NFL Week 18 Wide Receiver Incentives & Milestones
Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings – 176 rec yards away from breaking single-season record
Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 2 catches away from first 100-catch year; 32 rec yards away from second-straight 1,000-yard season
Michael Pittman, Indianapolis Colts – 4 catches away from first 100-catch year; 105 rec yards away from second-straight 1,000-yard season
Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints – 18 rec yards away from 1,000-yard rookie campaign
Christian Kirk, Jacksonville Jaguars – Can earn and extra $500K with two more catches and another $500K with 91 more rec yards
Zay Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars – Can earn $250K with two more catches and another $500K with 98 more rec yards
DeAndre Carter, Los Angeles Chargers – Can earn an extra $250K with two more catches
Kalif Raymond, Detroit Lions – Can earn an extra $125K with two more catches and another $125K with 100 more rec yards
Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco Giants – Needs 44 rec yards for his first 1,000-yard season
A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles – Needs 99 rec yards for his first 1,500-yard season
JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kansas City Chiefs – Needs 102 rec yards for his second 1,000-yard season
DJ Moore, Carolina Panthers – Needs 112 rec yards for his fourth-straight 1,000-yard season
Isaiah McKenzie, Buffalo Bills – Can earn an extra $100K with 46 more rec yards
Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers – Can earn another $650K with 152 more rushing yards
NFL Week 18 TE Incentives & Milestones
Gerald Everett, Los Angeles Chargers – Can earn an extra $250K with five more catches
Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams – Can earn an extra $500K with 13 more rec yards
T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings – Needs 102 rec yards for his first 1,000-yard season
Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars – Can earn an extra $200K with 61 more rec yards
Hayden Hurst, Cincinnati Bengals – Can earn an extra $250K with two more catches and an extra $250K with 100 more rec yards
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Related NFL Links:
- 2022 NFL Injury Report Week 18: Derrick Henry, Deebo Samuel, and Jalen Hurts Injury Updates
- 2022 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Week 18: Jarrett Stidham and Trey McBride Headline Top Pickups
- 2022 Fantasy Football Stock Watch Week 18 Risers & Fallers: Aaron Rodgers Slipping Down QB Rankings
- NFL Week 18 Fantasy Football Player Rankings
- NFL DFS Week 18 Picks & Plays
Player News
Ryan Ramczyk retired after eight seasons in the NFL.
Ramczyk served as a stalwart member of the Saints’ offensive line from 2017-2023, battling through deteriorating cartilage in his knee. He was sidelined by the issue for the full 2024 season. Ramczyk’s NFL accolades include a spot on the 2017 PFWA All-Rookie Team, two second-team All-Pro nods (2018 and 2020) and one first-team All-Pro (2019) spot.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that Minnesota OT Aireontae Ersery is a player that “teams like a lot more than the media knows.”
Rapoport suggests that Ersery could make his way into the late first round, connecting him with the tackle-needy Chiefs. Ersery performed more consistently as a run-blocker than as a blindside pass protector over the last two seasons, but notably allowed just a 3.0 percent quarterback pressure rate last year, the 10th-lowest among Power Five left tackles with at least 400 pass-protection snaps.
Beat reporter Scott Bair reports that Bears DC Dennis Allen asked slot CB Kyler Gordon to learn a second position, either on the perimeter or at safety.
The Bears’ previous coaching staff spent two seasons trying this experiment before allowing Gordon to blossom in a full-time slot- and box-coverage role last season. Perhaps, Allen can succeed where others have failed. His intent is to “find some more playing time” for Gordon, which is understandable given Gordon’s significant on-field impact last year.
Bills signed CB Tre’Davious White, formerly of the Ravens, to a one-year, $6.8 million contract.
White, now 30 years old, returns to the team that drafted him in the 2017 NFL Draft’s first round. White was a force to be reckoned with early in his career, but a 2021 ACL tear and a 2023 Achilles tendon rupture have reduced his play quality. White will now compete for the Bills’ No. 2 perimeter role.
Bills waived TE Armani Rogers.
This is unfortunate. Rogers recently ruptured his Achilles tendon for the second time in three years. He showed promise as a 2022 rookie, earning a 65.3 PFF receiving grade and a 68.0 PFF run-blocking grade, but the injuries are taking their toll. The Bills also released DT Branson Deen.
Titans waived OT Nicholas Petit-Frere.
The team signed C Sam Mustipher and OT Oli Udoh in corresponding moves. Petit-Frere failed to meet expectations after the Titans spent a third-round pick on him in 2022, allowing 35-plus quarterback pressures in 2-of-3 NFL seasons.