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Players with contract incentives heading into NFL Week 18, including Baker Mayfield, Odell Beckham Jr., and Jordan Love

contract incentives
Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

The final week of the NFL regular season is focused mainly games involving teams either vying for one of the remaining playoff berths or jockeying for position.

On a smaller scale, NFL Week 18 is also players reaching some statistical benchmarks that will activate their contract incentives.

Below is a list of players, in alphabetically, who are within range of making themselves more money in Week 18.

Related: NFL playoff scenarios, projected matchups, and odds heading into Week 18

Odell Beckham Jr, Ravens WR

Although the Ravens have nothing more to play for after locking up the No. 1 seed in the AFC, Beckham (35 catches, 565 yards, three TDs) can still reach some contract incentives with a strong final game against Pittsburgh. He needs five more receptions to reach 40 and earn $500K, 185 yards to reach 750 and earn $750K, and two more touchdowns to reach five and make another $750K.

Calais Campbell, Falcons DT

Campbell (5.5 sacks) needs at least eight sacks for a $500K incentive to kick in, so he’ll look for that additional 2.5 in New Orleans on Sunday.

Jadeveon Clowney, Ravens LB

At 8.5 sacks, Clowney needs just another half-sack to get a $750K incentive. He’ll also earn an additional $500K if he’s on the field for at least 50 percent of their defensive snaps, and another $500K if he gets to at least 60 percent. He’s currently at 57.4 percent heading into the Ravens’ regular-season finale against Pittsburgh.

Bud Dupree, Falcons LB

Like his teammate, Calais Campbell, Dupree (5.5 sacks) has a sack incentive, but he only needs 1.5 more Sunday to reach seven sacks and hit a huge contract milestone: $1 million.

Austin Ekeler, Chargers RB

The Chargers must rank outside the bottom five in the league in average yards per rushing attempt (they are fifth from the bottom now) for Ekeler’s contract incentives to kick in. If the Chargers succeed, Ekeler then needs 1,125 scrimmage yards (he’s at 1,015) to earn a $115K incentive and 10 TDs (he’s at six) to earn an additional $100K.

DeAndre Hopkins, Titans WR

Hopkins, who has 68 receptions for 1,011 yards and six touchdowns, has already made $750K in contract incentives, but he can earn an additional $250K with seven more receptions (75), $250K with two more touchdowns (8), and another $250K with four TDs (10) in the Titans’ Week 18 game against Jacksonville.

Chris Jones, Chiefs DT

Think Jones has something to play for? The four-time Pro Bowl performer, who has 9.5 sacks, just needs a half-sack to reach a lucrative contract milestone: $1.25 million. Jones and the AFC West champion Chiefs, who are currently the No. 3 seed in the AFC, close out the regular season at Tennessee.

Arden Key, Titans DE

Key (six sacks) need to finish with at least eight for a $500K incentive and nine for another $250K. He’ll be chasing after Trevor Lawrence in the Titans’ season finale Sunday against Jacksonville.

Jordan Love, Packers QB

In his first season as a starting quarterback, Love is on the verge of leading Green Bay to the playoffs, and that would earn him an additional $500K. The Packers (8-8) are currently the No. 7 seed in the NFC and have a 60-percent chance of making the playoffs. They just need to beat Chicago on Sunday.

Alexander Mattson, Vikings RB

Mattson, who has 676 rushing yards, needs 750 total to earn a $250K incentive. He’ll need 74 yards at Detroit on Sunday.

Baker Mayfield, Bucs QB

Mayfield, who’s had a comeback season in Tampa Bay, can receive a maximum of $1.5 million in contract incentives if he can finish ranked in the top 10 in the NFL and the top five in the NFC in the following categories (with each category worth $300K): passer rating, passing touchdowns, passing yards, completion percentage, and yards per attempt.

Here is where Mayfield stands in each category heading into Tampa Bay’s Week 18 game against Carolina.

NFLNFC
Passer rating9th5th
TD passes4th (tied)4th (tied)
Passing yards8th5th
Completion percentage18th9th
Yards/attempt10th6th

If the season ended today, Mayfield would receive an extra $900K in bonuses.

Keisean Nixon, Packers CB

Nixon, who has one interception this season, can reach a $250K incentive with one pick Sunday and another $250K with two picks against Chicago on Sunday.

Dalton Schultz, Texans TE

Schultz (54 receptions, 593 yards, five TDs) needs 60 catches for a $250K incentive and 700 yards receiving for another $250K. So, he must catch six passes from C.J. Stroud for 107 yards against Indianapolis to make $500K.

In addition, he can earn $500K in contract incentives if he plays in at least 73 percent of the Texans’ offensive snaps during the regular season, or $250K if he plays in at least 71 percent. Heading into Houston’s Week 18 game against Indianapolis, Schultz sits at 64.5 percent.

Devin Singletary, Texans RB

Singletary is in good shape to gain some contract incentives. If he’s on the field for at least 55 percent of the Texans’ offensive snaps during the regular season, he’ll make $250K. That drops to $125 if he’s part of 50 percent. Heading into Week 18, Singletary sits at 53.9 percent.

While he’s already earned a $125K bonus for gaining more than 1,000 total yards, he can make $125K more if he gets to 1,110. With 1,026, Singletary needs just 84 more yards in Week 18 against Indianapolis.

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