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NFL Player Incentives – See Which Players Have Bonuses on the Line in Week 18

Ryan Metivier

by Ryan Metivier in NFL Football

Updated Jan 6, 2023 · 7:36 AM PST

Tyler Higbee and Gerald Everett are chasing NFL player incentives
Jan 1, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee (left) and Los Angeles Chargers tight end Gerald Everett pose with jerseys after theg ame at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
  • Not only are playoff positions and draft spots on the line in Week 18, but so too are a whole host of NFL player incentives
  • Both Zay Jones and Christian Kirk need two more catches on Saturday night to hit their bonuses
  • See the full list of key players seeking performance bonuses in Week 18 for sacks, catches and yards

It’s the final weekend of NFL regular season play. And while playoff positions, seedings and draft positions are all still to be decided, for many players, there are also performance bonuses in the balance. See the list of key players chasing down NFL player incentives in Week 18 here.

Analyzing this list could create some key betting opportunities for NFL player props to make in Week 18. On Saturday night, not only is Jacksonville chasing a playoff spot, but both Zay Jones and Christian Kirk have money on the line if they have good days.

But, given the circumstances, for the Jags, and any team that needs a win or is playing for improved playoff positioning, surely the focus will be on winning, versus getting their players extra catches or yardage. Keep that in mind for players on teams that need the win or are still playing for something.

Some of these player bonuses may be easier to hit between two teams with nothing to play for. See our list of players to monitor below.

NFL Player Bonuses to Hit in Week 18

Player (Team) Incentive Current Stats Team Playing for Something?
Justin Houston (BAL) $500k for 10 sacks 9 sacks YES
Jason Pierre-Paul (BAL) $500k for 5 sacks 3 sacks YES
Isaiah McKenzie (BUF) $100k for 450 yards 404 yards YES
Hayden Hurst (CIN) $125k for 50 catches 48 catches YES
Kalif Raymond (DET) $125k for 600 yards 550 yards YES
Preston Smith (GB) $1m for 10 sacks 8.5 sacks YES
Zay Jones (JAC) $250k for 80 catches / $500k for 900 yards 78 catches / 802 yards YES
Christian Kirk (JAC) $500k for 80 catches / $500 for 1,100 yards 78 catches / 1,009 yards YES
DeAndre Carter (LAC) $100k at 45 catches / $100k at 550 yards 43 catches / 495 yards NO
Gerald Everett (LAC) $250k for 60 catches 55 catches NO
Tyler Higbee (LAR) $125k for 600 yards 587 yards NO
Za’Darius Smith (MIN) $250k for 10.5 sacks 10 sacks YES
Carl Lawson (NYJ) $200k for 8 sacks 7 sacks NO
Quinton Jefferson (SEA) $250k for 7 sacks 5.5 sacks YES

See some of the top players to monitor for player props based on Week 18 incentives above. Note that many of the players above have additional bonuses on the line for even higher targets. We’ve included the most realistic targets they can reach this weekend. 

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Had Jamaal Williams not gone off for 144 yards last week, he’d be a prime candidate to target this week. He’ll receive $250k for hitting 1,000 rushing yards and he currently sits at 994.

Juju Smith-Schuster is two receiving yards away from $1.5 million. He cashes that check for hitting 900 yards, of which he’s totaled 898 so far. Obviously being so close to those totals, incentives really won’t factor into their props this week.

Jaguars Receivers Incentives for Jones and Kirk

It’s a huge game on Saturday for Jags and Zay Jones. Firstly, to get into the playoffs. But secondly for the potential extra girth to Jones’ wallet. He’s two catches away from 80, which unlocks a $250k bonus. He’s also 98 yards away from cashing in on another cool $500k. Jones has played in 15 games this season and has only caught fewer than two passes once. He’s only topped 100 yards or more twice all year so reaching 900 yards may be tough, but a play on his receptions props is surely worth a bet.

Teammate Christian Kirk is sitting in a nearly identical situation in Week 18. He also sits on 78 catches and will cash a bonus for $500k at 80 catches. He just cashed $500 for hitting 1,000 yards last week, but can cash another $500k at the 1,100-yard mark as well. He’s at 1,009 yards heading into the weekend.

Raymond, Higbee, Hurst, Everett & More Chasing Receiving Incentives

All of these players could be worth targeting for prop bets as they can pocket a few extra dollars by hitting key incentives.

Kalif Raymond

Over in Detroit, Kalif Raymond can grab $125k each for finishing the year with 50 catches, 600 yards and five TDs. With 43 catches and no touchdowns, two of those three may be out of reach. But a 50-yard day, something he’s done in two of his past three games, could be possible.

Tyler Higbee

Tyler Higbee is just 13 yards away from hitting 600 on the year and a cool extra $125k. He only had 11 yards last week but finished with 94 and 27 in the two weeks prior. Surely, Baker Mayfield looks his way a few times on Sunday against the Seahawks.

Hayden Hurst

Bengals’ tight end Hayden Hurst is in a similar situation being two catches shy of a $125k bonus himself. That kicks in at 50 catches, of which he has 48. Hurst hasn’t played since December 4 but is expected to suit up in Week 18. In the 12 games he’s played this year. he’s had two or more catches in 11.

Hurst can also cash incentive bonuses at 60 catches, 500 and 600 yards (he has 400) and five touchdowns (he has two), but those look less likely to be achieved this week.

Gerald Everett

With just five more catches Chargers’ tight end Gerald Everett banks an additional $250k for reaching 60 catches on the season. He’s failed to record five catches in either of the past two games, but has done so in 7/14 games overall, including in his last game against Denver earlier this year. Only the Arizona Cardinals have allowed more receptions to tight ends this year so Everett certainly has a shot at reaching this incentive.

DeAndre Carter

Sticking with the Chargers, Deandre Carter has $100k on the line for 45 catches and another $100k on the line for 550 receiving yards. With 43 catches and 495 yards so far, all he needs is a two-catch, 55-yard day to end the season with extra $200k.

Isaiah McKenzie

Bills receiver Isaiah McKenzie has several incentives built into his contract. But the one that looks most attainable in Week 18 is hitting 450 yards. He has 404 right now, so 46 more and he collects another $100k.

This one could either way. In his last game he only saw two targets and had zero catches. He’s only had 46 or more yards once in his past 11 games and twice in 14 games overall.

Sacks Incentives in Week 18

A pair of Ravens have a combined $1 million riding on racking up three more sacks this weekend. Justin Houston is one sack shy of ten for $500k, while Jason Pierre-Paul is two away from five sacks and a cool $500k of his own.

Green Bay’s Preston Smith gets $1 million for hitting 10, 12 and 14 sacks. He’s sitting on 8.5 and didn’t record any in Week 17. But in four of five previous games, he recorded anywhere from 0.5 to 2 sacks.

If you can find a sack prop bet for Za’Darius Smith of the Vikings, you should probably jump on that. He needs 0.5 sacks to earn an extra $250k. He’ll be chasing down a backup quarterback in Nathan Peterman of Chicago to do so. The Bears’ offensive line is pitiful and allowed starting QB Justin Fields to sustain the most sacks in the league this year at 55.

Meanwhile, while the Jets’ playoff hopes may be over, the dream of $200k for getting one more sack for Carl Lawson is still alive against Miami in Week 18.

The playoffs aren’t out of reach for Seattle in Week 18, and neither is another $250k for DE Quinton Jefferson. That check gets cashed at 7 sacks, of which he has 5.5 this season.

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