Sections

Advertisement

Which NFL teams may rest its starters in Week 18? A guide for bettors everywhere

It’s arguably the hardest week of football to forecast in the NFL: Week 18, in which the playoff picture is decently clear, but there are still plenty of scenarios in which those still alive can make it to the postseason.

That means some teams have something to play for, whether it’s a higher playoff seed, a division title or just making it to the postseason. Then there are those who have a game that doesn’t matter to them either way.

And it’s that latter group we want to focus on to help you out. Here’s a guide to all the teams who could be sitting their starters in Week 18, which will no doubt affect spreads on their games:

1
Baltimore Ravens (vs. Pittsburgh Steelers)

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) during timeout against the San Francisco 49ers in the third quarter at Levi's Stadium

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

John Harbaugh hasn’t said it out loud yet, but with the Ravens clinching the AFC’s No. 1 seed, it’s likely that Baltimore will rest its starters at some point, whether it’s most of the game against the Steelers or all of it.

2
Cleveland Browns (vs. Cincinnati Bengals)

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The Browns can’t move from the No. 5 seed in the AFC, so my guess is Cleveland will rest a bunch of its starters ahead of the postseason.

3
Detroit Lions (vs. Minnesota Vikings)

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

If they win and get help, they could be as high as the No. 2 seed in the NFC. Plus, Dan Campbell has said out loud that the plan is to play the starters. But keep an eye on that throughout the week.

4
Philadelphia Eagles (vs. New York Giants)

(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

On the one hand: They can win the NFC East if they win and the Cowboys lose or tie. But the Cowboys face the hapless Commanders and the Eagles will face the similarly hapless Giants. So you may see some benching here.

5
Kansas City Chiefs (vs. Los Angeles Chargers)

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

They’re the No. 3 seed in the AFC, so you may not see much out of their starters.

6
San Francisco 49ers (vs. Los Angeles Chargers)

(Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

The NFC’s No. 1 seed is locked in, so no need to play their starters much.

7
Los Angeles Rams (vs. San Francisco 49ers)

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

They’re in the postseason but their going to be a Wild Card team no matter what. You may see a light load from their starters.

Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside.

More BetFTW