NFL Week 18 contract incentives for dozens of players, including best bets on Marquise Brown, Tony Pollard

Which players can reach some incentives that will pay big money in NFL Week 18? We think Marquise Brown and Tony Pollard can

It is one of the great NFL Week 18s in recent memory, with the top seeds in both conferences up for grabs as well as four division titles at stake -- including three head-to-head matchups that will decide a title. So there are plenty of teams with something to play for, but also some that will rest starters to ensure health for the playoffs -- Justin Herbert with the Chargers, Jalen Hurts with the Eagles to name two starters sitting -- or to keep tanking like the Raiders. Another group that has something to play or are those guys who are close to a major contract incentive in the regular-season finale.

If you are wondering, Cleveland's Myles Garrett remains at 22 sacks, one shy of breaking the single-season mark. Garrett is in an otherwise meaningless game Sunday in Cincinnati, so you'd expect the Browns' staff to just let him roam free to try and break the record held by Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt. But Garrett doesn't have a contract incentive to break the mark, per Spotrac. He already makes enough money. Garrett is -250 to break the record. 

Atlanta running back Bijan Robinson needs 255 scrimmage yards to break the NFL single-season record, Seattle wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba needs 256 receiving yards to break the league's single-season mark (+1800 just for 200 yards), and Buffalo's James Cook can become the first Bills player to win a rushing title since O.J. Simpson in 1976. No incentives for any of those, either, at least on record.

We personally are rooting for San Francisco wideout Kendrick Bourne to have at least 49 receiving yards Saturday in that huge home showdown vs. Seattle for the NFC West title and conference's top seed. Bourne reached a $500,000 bonus in Week 16 against the Colts when he reached 500 receiving yards on the year. But we didn't learn until  the Sunday night telecast in Week 17 vs. the Bears that Bourne told ESPN sideline reporter Melissa Stark about that cash: "So happy to have gotten it … it was perfect timing, right before Christmas, because my wife Vanessa is expensive."

Here's guessing Bourne got into a bit of trouble for sharing that nationally, and he needs only 49 yards Saturday for another $250,000. Quite sure Vanessa will be watching intently with her checkbook in hand (checks still a thing?). Alas, the SportsLine Projection Model forecasts Bourne for 29 yards against that terrific Seahawks defense. 

There are three guys who are potentially "cheating" karma in Week 18 as they could all play an unusual 18th game due to a midseason trade and how bye weeks worked out: Ravens linebacker Dre'Mont Jones (came from Titans), Eagles linebacker Jaelan Phillips (Dolphins) and Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (Saints). Since the NFL extended the regular season to 17 games over 18 weeks in 2024, only two players have ever played 18 games in a season per Pro Football Focus: Wideout Mike Williams in 2024 with the Jets and Steelers, and defensive tackle Leonard Williams in 2023 with the Giants and Seahawks.

Here are two offensive guys I believe can cash this week, with the full list below courtesy of the CBS Sports research team -- and that list includes Baltimore's Jones and a potential $1 million bonus. 

Marquise Brown: $750K for TDs, $625K for receiving yards 

Kansas City is concluding its worst season since 2012, which was the year before the franchise hired Andy Reid as head coach. Apparently, the future Hall of Famer will return in 2026. Not clear if the 28-year-old Marquise Brown will be a Chief in 2026 as he's playing on a one-year deal. Not sure Brown fits with the franchise going forward, as K.C. is expected to undergo a mini-reboot anyways and try to get younger around Patrick Mahomes as he works his way back from a torn ACL.

In 15 games, Brown has 46 catches for 523 yards and five touchdowns. He makes $750K for six total touchdowns, another $1 million for seven and an additional $625,000 for 625 yards -- I'm sure that bonus number and yardage were the same on purpose. With nothing to play for, you'd think the Chiefs would like to get Brown a few of those in Las Vegas on Sunday afternoon (4:25 ET on CBS). If Mahomes were healthy, I'd feel really good about about him getting a teammate some major scratch. 

But Sunday's QB will again be relative unknown and third-stringer Chris Oladukon, who had been on the Chiefs' practice squad for four straight seasons. In his first NFL start last week in a loss to the Chargers, the former South Dakota State star he threw for all of 66 yards. But that was against an excellent Denver defense and a team that cared about winning. 

The Raiders are absolutely tanking for the top pick in the 2026 draft and already have shut down by far their best defensive player in pass-rusher Maxx Crosby. The awful New York Giants hung 34 points on that unit in Week 17. Reid surely will let Oladukon air it out a few times just for giggles. Maybe he hits Brown on a long TD pass (I'm not expecting him to get a second TD for seven) and Marquise also gets the 102 yards overall needed. The SportsLine Projection Model has Brown at 30 yards receiving and 0.23 TDs. But the model doesn't take incentives into account. Brown is +3000 for two TDs at DK. No receiving yardage props yet. 

Tony Pollard: $250K each for TDs, rushing yards

Might be the first time I have even spoken about the Titans this season they are so bad and anonymous -- I feel bad for former Hurricanes QB Cam Ward. The rookie No. 1 overall pick might be broken by the time Tennessee gets good. If it ever does. I find it utterly hilarious that Matt Nagy is the +250 favorite as the team's next head coach. Coming from a Bears fan, you better hope that's not true. Nagy even broke the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes this season.

Probably the last game with the Titans for Tony Pollard, as it would be blasphemy to take on a $9.5 million cap hit in 2026 on an average, 28-year-old running back when your team is going to be lousy again. He is having a pretty solid season, though, rushing for 1,034 yards and five TDs, but tailbacks like him are a dime a dozen and not worth nearly $10 million in cap space. 

Pollard gets $250,000 for both 1,100 rush yards and seven rush TDs. Can't say I think he will get the two TDs, simply as that offense is so terrible and facing a very good Jacksonville defense, but I also believe that if he gets the one that Titans interim coach Mike McCoy will at least try and get him a second if near the goal line. Pollard is +1100 for two TDs and +101 for at least 70 rushing yards -- he needs 66 to reach 1,100 and earn another potential $250K. He has rushed for at least 85 yards in four straight but was held to 60 on 10 carries in the first meeting with the Jaguars. 

Jacksonville defensive tackle Arik Armstead also has plenty of incentive Sunday as he is at 5.5 sacks, 1.5 shy of a $1 million bonus. Armstead has not had more than one sack in a game this season. He missed the first Titans matchup injured. Ward has been sacked a whopping 55 times, among the most in the NFL. 

All NFL player contract incentives to know

Calais Campbell (Cardinals)

• $1M for 7.5 sacks (Currently at 6.5) -- I like this one too

Dre'Mont Jones (Ravens)

• $1M for 9.0 sacks (Currently at 7.0)

Khalil Shakir (Bills)

• $150K for 5 rec TD (Currently at 4)
• $300K for 6 rec TD (Currently at 4)

Dawson Knox (Bills)

• $100K for 400 rec yds (Currently at 393)
• $100K for 4 TD | $150K for 6 TD (Currently at 3)

DaQuan Jones (Bills)

• $500K for 4.0 sacks | $1M for 5.0 sacks (Currently at 3.0)

Joey Bosa (Bills)

• $250K for 6.0 sacks (Currently at 5.0)
• $750K for 8.0 sacks (Currently at 5.0)
• $1.5M for 10.0 sacks (Currently at 5.0)
• $2M for 12.0 sacks (Currently at 5.0)

Michael Jackson (Panthers)

• $500K for 6 interceptions (Currently at 4)
• $500K for 4 interceptions & playoff berth
• $500K for 6 interceptions & playoff berth

Rico Dowdle (Panthers)

• $1M for 1,350 scrimmage yards (Currently at 1,343)
• $250K for 8 total TD (Currently at 7)

Joseph Ossai (Bengals)

• $250K for 6.0 sacks (Currently at 5.0)
• $500K for 8.0 sacks (Currently at 5.0)
• $750K for 10.0 sacks (Currently at 5.0)

Roy Lopez (Lions)

• $250K for 3.0 sacks | $250K for 5.0 sacks (Currently at 2.0)

Keisean Nixon (Packers)

• $50K for 2 INT | $100K for 3 INT | $150K for 4 INT (Currently at 1)

Tyquan Lewis (Colts)

• $250K for 5.0 sacks | $400K for 7.0 sacks (Currently at 3.0)

Arik Armstead (Jaguars)

• $1M for 7.0 sacks | $2M for 10.0 sacks (Currently at 5.5)

Austin Johnson (Jaguars)

• $250K for 2.0 sacks | $500K for 4.0 sacks (Currently at 1.0)

George Karlaftis (Chiefs)

• $250K for 8.0 sacks (Currently at 6.0)
• $500K for 9.0 sacks (Currently at 6.0)
• $750K for 10.0 sacks (Currently at 6.0)
• $1M for 11.0 sacks (Currently at 6.0)

Marquise Brown (Chiefs)

• $750K for 6 total TD | $1M for 7 total TD (Currently at 5)
• $625K for 625 rec yds (Currently at 523)
• $750K for 750 rec yds (Currently at 523)
• $1.5M for 1,000 rec yds (Currently at 523)

Kareem Hunt (Chiefs)

• $25K for 750 scrim yds (Currently at 719)
• $125K for 905 scrim yds (Currently at 719)
• $375K for 1,000 scrim yds (Currently at 719)
• $625K for 1,250 scrim yds (Currently at 719)

Keenan Allen (Chargers)

• $250K for 6 total TD | $250K for 8 total TD (Currently at 4)
• $750K for 80 receptions (Currently at 74)
• $250K for 750 rec yds (Currently at 741)
• $250K for 875 rec yds (Currently at 741)
• $750K for 1,000 rec yds (Currently at 741)

Bradley Chubb (Dolphins)

• $900K for 11.0 sacks (Currently at 8.5)
• $900K for 13.0 sacks (Currently at 8.5)

Stefon Diggs (Patriots)

• $500K for 90 receptions (Currently at 82)
• $500K for 100 receptions (Currently at 82)
• $500K for 1,000 rec yds (Currently at 970)
• $500K for 1,100 rec yds (Currently at 970)
• $500K for 1,200 rec yds (Currently at 970)
• $500K for 1,300 rec yds (Currently at 970)

Hunter Henry (Patriots)

• $250K for 60 receptions (Currently at 55)
• $250K for 65 receptions (Currently at 55)

Mack Hollins (Patriots)

• $400K for 50 receptions (Currently at 46)

Nick Folk (Jets)

• $125K for 30 FGM (Currently at 28)

Saquon Barkley (Eagles)

• $250K for 1,500 scrim yds | $250K for 2,000 scrim yds (Currently at 1,413)

Kendrick Bourne (49ers)

• $250K for 600 rec yds (Currently at 551)

Sam Darnold (Seahawks)

• $500K for 100+ passer rating (Currently at 99.2)
• $500K for 28 pass TD (Currently at 25)
• $500K for 4,000 pass yds (Currently at 3,850)
• $500K for 67.5% comp pct (Currently at 67.2%)

Uchenna Nwosu (Seahawks)

• $1M for 9.5 sacks from 2023-25 (Currently at 9.0)
• $2M for 13.0 sacks from 2023-25 (Currently at 9.0)

Sterling Shepard (Buccaneers)

• $125K for 40 receptions | $125K for 50 receptions (Currently at 39)
• $125K for 400 rec yds | $125K for 500 rec yds (Currently at 371)

Tony Pollard (Titans)

• $250K for 1,100 rush yds (Currently at 1,034)
• $200K for 7 rush TD (Currently at 5)

Deebo Samuel (Commanders)

• $650K for 80 receptions (Currently at 70)
• $450K for 800 rec yds (Currently at 707)
• $550K for 900 rec yds (Currently at 707)
• $250K for 8 total TD (Currently at 6)
• $375K for 9 total TD (Currently at 6)
• $500K for 10 total TD (Currently at 6)
• $625K for 11 total TD (Currently at 6)
• $750K for 12 total TD (Currently at 6)

Von Miller (Commanders)

• $500K for 9.0 sacks (Currently at 8.0)
• $500K for 11.0 sacks (Currently at 8.0)
• $500K for 13.0 sacks (Currently at 8.0)
• $500K for 15.0 sacks (Currently at 8.0)

Jake Martin (Commanders)

• $125K for 7.0 sacks (Currently at 5.5)