Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said on Monday that linebacker Terrel Bernard (calf) will not play in the Week 18 regular-season finale this Sunday versus the division-rival New York Jets due to the calf injury that he suffered in Sunday's 13-12 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, per Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. The 26-year-old linebacker will sit out the final game of the regular season, but the Bills will hope he can make enough progress to play in the wild-card round of the playoffs against a yet-to-be-determined opponent. Even though Bernard being ruled out will be a downgrade for Buffalo's defense in Week 18, their defense/special teams unit will still be a strong play in lineups where titles are still on the line against the lowly Jets. With Bernard out, Joe Andreessen and Dorian Williams will both see more playing time.

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Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh said on Monday that quarterback Justin Herbert won't play on Sunday in the Week 18 regular-season finale on the road against the division-rival Denver Broncos, according to Kris Rhim of ESPN. Harbaugh said that other starters with "the most bruises" and need "the most healing" won't play either. Herbert has been playing through a fractured left hand for weeks, but he's been practicing in full and hasn't missed any time. The Bolts are electing to give the 27-year-old signal-caller some extra rest before the start of the postseason. With Herbert sitting this Sunday, backup Trey Lance will be thrust into a starting role, and it remains to be seen what other offensive skill players the Bolts might rest. With a win this weekend, the Broncos would clinch the top seed in the AFC and a bye in the first round of the playoffs.

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Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is under contract through the 2027 season, but a prominent NFL agent said on Sunday that "the biggest story of the offseason is going to be Lamar. That is going to be crazy." Head coach John Harbaugh has downplayed stories suggesting that his relationship with Jackson has been strained amid a disappointing season for the two-time MVP QB. Jackson and Baltimore have been in this position before, but after a lengthy contract negotiation and a trade request from Jackson, the two sides agreed to a five-year, $260 million extension in April of 2023. "The fact that Lamar does not have an agent is really a big negative," an NFL team executive said. When he's been at his best (and healthy), Jackson has been elite at the QB position, but outside of two seasons, the dual-threat QB hasn't been consistently great. With a lengthy injury history, too, it makes sense as to why Baltimore might consider trading Jackson this offseason.

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Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said the team is looking to get rookie first-round wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan more involved in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Saturday, according to Joseph Person of The Athletic. McMillan was under the weather last weekend and ended up catching just one pass for five yards in the Week 17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, his worst performance of his rookie season. "Our focal point is T-Mac. We try to build formations and try to get him into spots to get him the ball," Canales said. "I didn't do a good enough job of that last week, and we'll make sure that that comes alive." McMillan saw a lot of man and press coverage, which was considered his weak spot coming out of college. In the first game against Tampa two weeks ago, McMillan had six catches for 73 yards and a touchdown. Fantasy managers playing for a title in Week 18 will be hoping the Panthers grease the squeaky wheel in the rematch.

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Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said on Monday that it would be "a stretch" for quarterback Marcus Mariota (hand, quadriceps) to play in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. The Commanders aren't closing the door on Mariota playing, but with Washington eliminated from the playoffs, it's unlikely. It means that veteran journeyman QB Josh Johnson is lined up to make a second straight start to close out the 2025 season. The 39-year-old went 15-for-23 passing 198 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions in the Christmas Day loss to the Dallas Cowboys last Thursday. Mariota is not moving at full speed yet after suffering multiple injuries in the Week 16 loss to the Eagles. He didn't practice at all last week and shouldn't be counted on for fantasy managers still playing for a title in Week 18.

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Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (knee) is "making outstanding progress, working extremely hard, and preparing for next season," league sources told Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. Dell tore his ACL, MCL, and LCL in Week 16 last year against the Kansas City Chiefs. There was never a realistic chance that he'd play for Houston in 2025, but if he continues to make progress and avoid setbacks in his rehab, the 26-year-old wideout could be back on the field next year. Dell required multiple surgeries for his knee injury, which initially looked like it might have been career-threatening. He still has a ways to go, though, and it's possible Dell won't ever be the same player he was before the injury. For fantasy purposes, we'll have a clearer picture of whether Dell might be a key contributor to the Texans' offense once training camp begins next summer.

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Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll said on Monday that quarterback Geno Smith (ankle) doesn't have a high-ankle sprain, but the injury is still significant, according to Ryan McFadden of ESPN. Smith left in the second half of Sunday's loss to the New York Giants and never returned. It was initially reported that the 35-year-old signal-caller suffered a high-ankle sprain, although Carroll has refuted that. Still, with one week left in the 2025 season, it seems unlikely that Smith will play in the Week 18 regular-season finale this Sunday against the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs. Smith has been a massive failure in his first year with the Raiders, going 2-13 in his 15 starts with 3,025 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and a league-high 17 interceptions. Backup Kenny Pickett will most likely get the start this weekend in a meaningless game against KC.

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Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said that quarterback Dak Prescott will play on Sunday in the Week 18 regular-season finale versus the division-rival New York Giants, according to Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Neither the Cowboys nor the Giants has anything to play for in the final game of the 2025 season, but Dallas will run out their starters to close things out. The 32-year-old Prescott is having one of the finest seasons of his career, as he heads into Week 18 with 4,482 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions on the year. He has added 178 rushing yards and two rushing TDs. Since the team's Week 10 bye, Prescott is averaging 300 passing yards with 13 touchdowns and only four interceptions. He is the QB4 in overall fantasy points and should be considered a must-start for anyone still playing for something in Week 18.

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Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (knee) is considered day-to-day with his knee injury for the Week 18 regular-season finale this Sunday versus the division-rival Chicago Bears, according to Eric Woodyard of ESPN. St. Brown has been dealing with irritation in his knee, but he played through it in the Christmas Day loss to the Minnesota Vikings that eliminated the team from postseason contention. The 26-year-old caught eight of his 13 targets for 68 yards on a day in which Detroit's offense could hardly move the ball at all. The Lions don't have anything left to play for but pride this weekend, which means they probably won't push St. Brown to play if he's not 100 percent. As of right now, it sounds like St. Brown will be ready to play, but fantasy managers who have something still on the line will want to keep a close eye on his practice status throughout the week. Rookie Isaac TeSlaa had another touchdown last Thursday and would benefit even more if St. Brown sits out the season finale.

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Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said on Monday that quarterback Lamar Jackson's (back) status for Sunday's game at the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 18 is "to be determined," according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN. "I think we'll know a lot more on Wednesday," Harbaugh said. Jackson was sidelined in Week 17 in the win over the Green Bay Packers due to a back contusion that he suffered in the Week 16 loss to the New England Patriots. The Ravens obviously want the two-time MVP available in a winner-take-all showdown for the AFC North this Sunday night, but Jackson's status will be determined later this week. The 28-year-old was feeling better late last week, but he missed practice all week. If Jackson is unable to play against the Steelers, Tyler Huntley would make another start after going 16-for-20 for 107 yards and a touchdown against the Packers, adding 60 rushing yards on eight carries.

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Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. (illness) was a late inactive for the team's Week 17 Christmas loss to the Cowboys, clearing the path for rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt to put up 105 yards and two scores on the ground. With roster crunches ratcheting up during the fantasy playoffs, there's a real chance that Rodriguez may be available on some waiver wires this week, making him a must-add in any league with a Week 18 championship game. While Croskey-Merritt has looked brilliant at times this year, Washington has repeatedly shown that, when healthy, they prefer Rodriguez to handle the majority of their groundwork. Rodriguez has cracked double-digit points in Half-PPR formats in three of his last six games played, and should slot in as a low-end RB2/flex in a plus matchup with the Eagles in Week 18.

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Detroit Lions rookie wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa has caught touchdowns in four of his last five games, and he needs to be rostered in any leagues with a Week 18 fantasy championship. With the Lions now mathematically eliminated from playoff contention and Amon-Ra St. Brown seemingly banged up late in the team's Christmas Day loss to the Vikings, TeSlaa should see additional run against a Bears defense that just allowed almost 500 yards in a Monday Night loss to the 49ers. On the season, Chicago has been the fourth most favorable fantasy matchup for opposing wide receivers, and with TeSlaa currently rostered in less than a quarter of redraft leagues, he is one of the first names fantasy managers should be checking the waiver wire for ahead of any meaningful Week 18 games.

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Houston Texans rookie wide receiver Jayden Higgins got things started in Saturday's Week 17 win over the Chargers with a 75-yard touchdown strike from C.J. Stroud less than two minutes into the game. Four minutes later, it was Higgins' college teammate and fellow rookie Jaylin Noel on the receiving end of a 43-yard touchdown. While neither contributed much during a second half that saw the Texans struggle to maintain drives, Higgins, who finished the day with two catches for 88 yards and the aforementioned score, is still the player to roster heading into any Week 18 fantasy championships. While Saturday was easily his best performance of the season, he has strung together usable weeks in the past, including a stretch from Weeks 8-12 that saw him finish with double-digit points in Half-PPR formats in three of five games. Against a reeling Indianapolis defense in Week 18, Higgins has the potential for one more meaningful flex performance as a plug-and-play option available on most waiver wires.

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Houston Texans rookie wide receiver Jaylin Noel caught three of four targets for 54 yards in a Week 17 win over the Chargers, while hauling in his first touchdown since Week 5. The Texans' offense came out of the gates looking unstoppable, as C.J. Stroud connected with both Noel and fellow Iowa State rookie Jayden Higgins on long first-quarter touchdowns. Unfortunately, things stalled after that, and they managed only two field goals the rest of the way, casting into doubt how things will look in a Week 18 divisional matchup with the Colts. Noel's 14% target share on Saturday marked the first time he cracked double digits since Week 8, but against a Colts defense that has struggled to defend the pass, he could be in play as a desperation flex start that is readily available on most waiver wires.

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Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (hand) is progressing in his injury recovery, and the swelling has come down in his throwing hand, according to head coach Kevin O'Connell. McCarthy has a hairline fracture in his right hand that kept him out of the team's Week 17 win over the Lions. Still, there remains a possibility that he could return for the final game of the season, a Week 18 divisional matchup with the Packers. McCarthy has had a rough showing in his first year as a starter, making Justin Jefferson one of the biggest disappointments in fantasy this season. That said, in any leagues with a Week 18 championship, the return of McCarthy is the only way fantasy managers should consider starting Jefferson one last time. In the two games started by undrafted rookie Max Brosmer, Minnesota has averaged 161.5 total offensive yards, with Jefferson finishing as the WR94 and WR48.

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Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (foot, ankle) will not return this season, league sources told Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. The expectation all along has been that Mixon would not return at all in 2025, but now it's official. The Texans haven't released many details on the nature of Mixon's foot/ankle injury, but we know that he hasn't played since back in the spring. The 29-year-old remains on the Non-Football Injury list. At this point, it's fair to wonder if he'll be effective at all if he's able to make it back and play in 2026. The Texans will continue to move forward with rookie Woody Marks as their primary ball-carrier, with veteran Nick Chubb and rookie Jawhar Jordan backing him up heading into the Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival Indianapolis Colts.

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Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro linebacker T.J. Watt (lung) is considered a "long shot" to play in Week 18 against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night with the AFC North title on the line, a source with knowledge of the situation told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. "Never say never, but not an ideal timeline to be fully cleared," the source said. Head coach Mike Tomlin said Watt won't play until he has a full week of practice as a full participant. Watt had surgery on Dec. 12 to fix a partially collapsed lung and has missed the last three games. The 31-year-old pass-rusher's lung was punctured during a defective dry-needle procedure. A report on Sunday suggested that Watt would make it back for Week 18 or the first round of the playoffs if Pittsburgh qualifies, but that might not be the case now. Not having one of the most disruptive defensive players available against Baltimore would be a huge loss for the Steelers.

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The Green Bay Packers are unsure who will be starting under center for the Week 18 regular-season finale versus the division-rival Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, but head coach Matt LaFleur has made it clear that Jordan Love (concussion) is the team's starting quarterback when healthy. When Love clears the league's concussion protocol, Malik Willis (shoulder), who threw for 288 yards and a touchdown and ran for two TDs in Saturday night's loss to the Baltimore Ravens, will return to his backup role. "Certainly have a lot of confidence in both of those guys, but it's clear that Jordan is our franchise quarterback, and when he is healthy, he's going to be our starter. So, just want to squash all that," LaFleur said. Willis injured his right shoulder on Saturday night, but he's expected to be fine to play in Week 18 if the Packers decide to hold Love out or if he doesn't clear the concussion protocol. The Packers are locked into the No. 7 seed for the NFC playoffs, so it remains to be seen if Green Bay wants to give Love more time off if he's able to clear the concussion protocol later this week.

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Chicago Bears linebacker Noah Sewell (Achilles), who has been a key part of Chicago's defense this year, is believed to have suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Sunday night's loss to the San Francisco 49ers, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Sewell is undergoing an MRI exam on Monday to confirm. The 23-year-old former fifth-rounder from Oregon was carted off the field in Santa Clara in Week 17 after he suffered a non-contact injury in the third quarter. It's a key loss for a ball-hawking Bears defense, and Amen Ogbongbemiga will need to take on a bigger role in the middle of the defense for Chicago the rest of the way. Sewell will finish his third year in the NFL with a career-high 59 tackles (33 solo), three tackles for loss, and a forced fumble in his 13 games played (nine starts). He had just 13 combined tackles in 22 games in his first two years in the NFL.

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Green Bay Packers standout pass-rusher Micah Parsons (knee) announced on his Instagram account on Monday that he's undergoing surgery on his torn ACL, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. "See y'all soon, love y'all," Parsons wrote. The 26-year-old All-Pro defensive end suffered a torn ACL in his left knee in the loss to the Denver Broncos on Dec. 14, ending his first season in Green Bay early. Given the timing of his injury, Parsons isn't expected to be ready for the start of the 2026 season, which will put pressure on the likes of Lukas Van Ness, Rashan Gary, and Kingsley Enagbare to step up for the Packers' defense early on next season. When fully healthy, Parsons, a five-time Pro Bowler, is one of the best pass-rushers in football. In his 14 games in 2025, he had 41 tackles (19 solo), 12.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, 26 QB hits, and two forced fumbles in 14 games.

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