2023-24 NFL Contract Incentives and Player Milestones to Know for Week 18
Modern NFL contracts are loaded with incentives. They not only benefit the players but also the organizations as certain incentives don’t count against the cap. And Week 18 of the NFL regular season is the last game to hit them before the 2023-24 NFL PLayoffs. These incentives can present a rare opportunity for us when it comes to NFL DFS contests and for NFL betting picks. But it’s not just the contracts that matter to some players and teams. There are also records and milestones at stake that could influence how teams operate. Here is a clear-cut example from 2017 involving Todd Gurley, Kareem Hunt, and the NFL rushing title.
Perhaps this year Sean McVay will be a little more cognizant of that with his rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua being four catches and 29 yards away from breaking a couple of rookie records. Or maybe they just don’t care and are worried about the playoffs. It’s a tricky line to balance but we’re going to take a look at what is on the line for Week 18 and how we might be able to take advantage.
Quarterback Contract Incentives and Milestones for NFL Week 18
Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
Love can hit a $500K bonus if the Green Bay Packers make the playoffs. Win this week and they are in, lose and they are out.
Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
Geno Smith has even more on the line - $2 million if the Seahawks make the playoffs. They need to win and they need the Packers to lose so only one of Love or Geno will get their money.
Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker has several different incentives he can hit. The short and sweet is that he gets $1 million if the Bucs make the playoffs and an extra $300K if he finishes top 10 or NFC Top 5 in any of the categories:
- Pass TDs (currently tied for 4th in both the NFL and NFC)
- Passing Yards (currently 8th in NFL, 5th in NFC)
- Passer Rating (currently in 9th in NFL, 5th in NFC)
- Yards Per Pass Attempt (currently 9th in NFL, 6th in NFC)
- Completion Percentage (currently 18th in NFL, 10th in NFC)
Running Back Contract Incentives and Milestones for NFL Week 18
Devin Singletary, Houston Texans
He has a $125K bonus for 1,000 rushing yards (currently at 835). That 165 yards seems like a lot but he also has two more manageable bonuses. He already hit one $125K “yards from scrimmage” bonus at 1,000 yards and needs 74 for another at 1,100. He can also get another $125K if he plays 55% of the snaps on the season and he sits at 53%. His typical usage over the last couple of weeks would get him there.
Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers
This one has multiple components to it. For the incentives to hit, the Chargers must be outside the bottom five in league average net yards gained per rushing play (they are JUST inside of that at 27th). He has incentives at 1,125 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns for an extra $100K and $150K respectively. The touchdowns would be tough because he has six but he’s at 965 scrimmage yards so a huge day could do it.
Alexander Mattison, Minnesota Vikings
Unfortunately, Ty Chandler seems to have taken over the job. But maybe the team helps Mattison out here. He gets an extra $250K at 750 yards rushing and he’s sitting at 659.
Rookie Rushers
A couple of rookie running backs are close to cracking the coveted 1,000-yard make for their first season. Bijan Robinson needs 52 yards and Jahmyr Gibbs needs 85. If Bijan has 88 rushing yards, that would also break Tyler Allgeier’s rookie franchise record. De’Von Achane needs 64 scrimmage yards to reach 1,000 yards from scrimmage.
Wide Receiver Contract Incentives and Milestones for NFL Week 18
DeAndre Hopkins, Tennessee Titans
The contract Hopkins signed was heavy with incentives. I’ll break these down in terms of what would need to happen this week to get there.
- 11 yards this week = $250K
- 61 yards this week = $250K
- 4 receptions this week = $250K
- 14 receptions this week = $250K
- 2 touchdowns this week = $250K
Odell Beckham., Baltimore Ravens
Odell probably won’t hit his receiving yard number of 750 unless he has a MONSTER 218+ yard day. That would land him $750K. He would also get $500K with a two-touchdown day. More reasonable are the following receptions:
- 6 receptions this week = $500K
- 16 receptions this week = $750K
Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins
The winner of this game wins the AFC East so the focus will obviously be on that. But Tyreek Hill needs 247 yards to break Calvin Johnson’s record that he set his eyes on. If he hadn’t gotten hurt and missed a game, this one might have been in the bag. It also speaks to how insane of a season Calvin Johnson had.
Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Evans has already hit his 1,000-yard milestone but he also has 13 touchdowns. His career high (which is also the single-season Buccaneers record) is 14.
Rookie WR Milestones
Puka Nacua could set a record for rookie catches if he has four this week and for rookie receiving yards if he has 29 this week. First-year standout Rashee Rice is 62 yards away from a 1,000-yard season. Zay Flowers is 142 yards away from 1,000 receiving yards and 86 yards away from 1,000 yards from scrimmage as a rookie.
Tight End Contract Incentives and Milestones for NFL Week 18
Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans
Dalton Schultz needs six receptions to earn a $250K bonus this week. He would also earn another $250K with 107 receiving yards.
Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions
Lions tight end Sam LaPorta is currently tied with Keith Jackson for most receptions by a rookie, so one catch would give him sole possession of the record. He’s also 140 yards from a 1,000-yard season and 216 yards away from the all-time rookie tight end record set by Mike Ditka.
Player News
49ers placed OT Andre Dillard on season-ending injured reserve.
San Francisco placed Dillard on the PUP list ahead of training camp. Dillard underwent offseason ankle surgery and was still recovering from the procedure. He came off the PUP list earlier this week. It’s unclear if he suffered a setback or if this is a new issue. Either way, the 49ers are down a potential swing tackle as the season approaches.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Rashee Rice’s disciplinary hearing is scheduled for September 30th.
Rice was sentenced to five years of probation and 30 days in jail for his involvement in a multi-car crash in Dallas over a year ago. The ruling allowed the NFL to move forward with its disciplinary process, which will now take place after Week 4. Rice is expected to be given a multi-game suspension, though estimates for how long that will be range from two to eight games. No matter the length, it’s unlikely the suspension prevents him from playing in the fantasy playoffs. Fantasy managers should still expect to be without him for roughly four games.
ESPN’s Tony Grossi reports Browns QB Dillon Gabriel (hamstring) is expected to be “full go” in Thursday’s practice.
Gabriel has been dealing with a hamstring injury for over a week. He has been getting in some reps during team drills and now appears to be back at full strength. Gabriel is in line to start the Browns’ second preseason game versus the Eagles if he makes it to Saturday without any setbacks. With Shedeur Sanders and Kenny Pickett both sidelined because of injuries, Gabriel will get plenty of playing time if he’s active.
Lions coach Dan Campbell said Sam LaPorta (undisclosed) will miss “a little bit of time.”
Campbell didn’t give any specifics on the injury, only calling it a minor issue. Barring a setback, it doesn’t sound like this is something that will have any effect on LaPorta for Week 1. Still, it’s something for fantasy managers to monitor. LaPorta got off to a slow start last year after suffering an ankle injury in Week 3. He didn’t top 53 yards in a game until Week 15. LaPorta then surpassed 60 yards three times in his final four appearances. He should be able to ride that momentum into the start of the 2025 season as long as this current injury doesn’t spiral.
Falcons agreed to terms with CB C.J. Henderson, formerly of the Steelers.
Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Henderson still has to pass his physical. The deal will be official once that happens. Henderson spent a month on the Steelers’ practice squad last year before being called up to the active roster. He did not, however, appear in a single game as a Steeler. His last live reps came with the Panthers in 2023. He made 10 starts, appeared in all 17 games, and broke up six passes with two interceptions.
The PewterReport’s Scott Reynolds “would be shocked” if Chris Godwin (ankle) doesn’t start the year on the PUP list.
That would sideline Godwin for at least four games. Godwin suffered a dislocated ankle in Week 7 last year and has yet to return to practice. He underwent an initial surgery after suffering the injury and needed a second procedure in the spring, though that was reportedly for a minor cleanup. Godwin looks like a safe bet to miss Week 1. Now the question is whether or not Tampa Bay will put him on ice for four games to open the year. First-round rookie Emekea Egbuka will take his place in the lineup for at least Week 1. Egbuka has drawn rave reviews in training camp and is pushing for a WR3 ranking based on recent ADP.