Who's playing, who's resting in NFL Week 18 with playoff seeds, draft picks on the line
The Rams "need to play better football," so their starters will play, while the Eagles and Chargers are among those who will rest players.
The final week of the NFL regular season is here, and the stakes are varied throughout the league. Even teams locked into the playoffs have seeding implications on the line, and the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft is still up for grabs.
Some teams are opting to use Week 18 as a tune-up before the playoffs begin, while others are making bold moves to keep their starters in. Here is a rundown of notable roster situations to watch in Week 18.
Expected to play starters
Los Angeles Rams
After a “humbling” 27-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on “Monday Night Football,” Rams head coach Sean McVay did not hesitate to declare his starters active for Week 18 against the Arizona Cardinals.
“We need to play,” McVay said. “We need to play better football.”
The Rams have lost their last two games and eliminated themselves from the NFC West and No. 1 seed race. Instead, Los Angeles is between the No. 5 or 6 seed. Quarterback Matthew Stafford might also want to use this week to redeem his MVP case after one of his most inconsistent showings against the Falcons. It’s worth noting a win by the Seattle Seahawks over the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday night would lock the Rams into the No. 5 seed — and a wild-card matchup with the NFC South champions — and perhaps change McVay’s approach.
Statuses to watch
Buffalo Bills
Coach Sean McDermott said quarterback Josh Allen will practice on Friday and “be good to go” against the New York Jets on Sunday. The quarterback missed some practice time earlier this week with a foot injury, bringing up speculation about how the team would handle his status — and the status of the other starters — against a lowly 3-13 Jets team. Buffalo is already locked into a wild-card spot in the AFC and could land anywhere between the No. 5 and 7 seeds.
There are two caveats here, though. First, Allen has a 139-game starting streak, across the regular season and playoffs, that is the longest active streak for a quarterback. Last season, he played one snap in Week 18 to preserve it.
Second, this is likely the final game at the Bills’ old Highmark Stadium.
Resting QB/key starters
Los Angeles Chargers
Quarterback Justin Herbert will not dress for his team’s Week 18 matchup with the Denver Broncos, coach Jim Harbaugh said earlier this week. Herbert fractured his left hand four weeks ago. He had surgery to stabilize the fracture and didn’t miss a start, but Harbaugh said “he’s got bruises that need to heal” before the Chargers’ playoff run.