Which NFL Teams Will Rest Starters in Week 18?

It’s Week 18 of the NFL season and some teams have already clinched their spot in the playoffs while others are still fighting for their lives. So, which teams will rest their starters in preparation for the playoffs?

NFL Week 17

The final week of the NFL regular season is upon us, and with it comes some interesting decisions for teams around the league. Some teams have clinched their spot in the playoffs, while others are still fighting for their lives. For some teams, resting starters in Week 17 makes sense. Here are a few teams that may elect to do just that.

Starters Who May Sit

The following is a list of NFL starters who may sit out the final week of the regular season, based on recent reports. This list will be updated as new information emerges.

QB Russell Wilson, Seahawks: Head coach Pete Carroll has said that he plans to rest some starters in Week 17, although he has not yet specified which players will sit. It’s possible that Wilson could be one of them, given that the Seahawks have already clinched the NFC West title and a first-round bye.

RB Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys: Elliott is reportedly “likely” to rest in Week 17, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Dallas has already clinched the NFC East title, so there’s no reason to risk Elliot getting injured in a meaningless game.

WR Julio Jones, Falcons: Jones missed Week 16 with a hamstring injury and is considered unlikely to play in Week 17, according to Rapoport. The Falcons have nothing to play for in the final week of the season, so they may as well let Jones rest up for the playoffs.

TE George Kittle, 49ers: Kittle is “unlikely” to play in Week 17 due to a knee injury, according to Rapoport. The 49ers have already clinched the NFC West title and a first-round bye, so there’s no reason to risk further injury by playing Kittle in a meaningless game.

DE Ezekiel Ansah, Lions: Ansah is nursing a shoulder injury and is considered unlikely to play in Week 17, according to Rapoport. With the Lions out of playoff contention, there’s no need to push Ansah and risk further injury.

Starters Who Will Play

The NFL regular season is coming to a close, and with it, the playoff seeding will be decided. In Week 17, there are a few teams who have already clinched their spot in the playoffs and will rest their starters. Here is a list of teams that have clinched their playoff berth and will rest their starters in Week 17:

-New England Patriots
-Philadelphia Eagles
-Minnesota Vikings
-Pittsburgh Steelers

If your team is on this list, don’t worry! They will still have a chance to compete in the playoffs.

NFL Week 18

Week 18 of the NFL season is upon us and with it comes the final week of the regular season. This is the week where teams will be resting their starters in preparation for the playoffs. So, which teams will be resting their starters?

Starters Who May Sit

The National Football League’s collective bargaining agreement stipulates that each team must play all of its starters for at least three quarters in the final preseason game. This is to ensure that each club’s regulars are ready for the regular season. However, once the regular season starts, NFL teams can do as they please with their lineups.

Some coaches decide to rest their starters in the final week of the season if their team has already clinched a playoff spot and they don’t want to risk injury. Other coaches will play their starters in Week 17 even if their team is out of playoff contention because they want to finish the season on a high note or because they’re fighting for their jobs.

Here are some starters who may sit out Week 17:

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees could sit out Week 17 against the Carolina Panthers if the Saints have already clinched the top seed in the NFC playoffs. Brees has thrown for 4,368 yards and 32 touchdowns this season, but he doesn’t need to add to those numbers with the postseason looming.

Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is another player who could see limited action in Week 17. The Texans have already clinched the AFC South title, so there’s no need to risk Watson’s health in a meaningless game against the Tennessee Titans. Watson has thrown for 3,852 yards and 26 touchdowns this season.

Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay has already said that he plans to rest some of his starters in Week 17 against the San Francisco 49ers. The Rams have clinched a first-round bye in the NFC playoffs, so there’s no reason to risk injury to players like quarterback Jared Goff or running back Todd Gurley.

Starters Who Will Play

In Week 18 of the NFL season, there are several teams that have already clinched a playoff spot and will therefore be resting their starters. However, there are also several teams that are still fighting for a playoff spot and will need to play their starters in order to have a chance at making the playoffs.

The following is a list of teams that have already clinched a playoff spot and will likely be resting their starters in Week 18:
-New England Patriots
-Baltimore Ravens
-Kansas City Chiefs
-New Orleans Saints
-Los Angeles Rams
-San Francisco 49ers
-Green Bay Packers
-Seattle Seahawks

The following is a list of teams that are still fighting for a playoff spot and will need to play their starters in order to have a chance at making the playoffs:
-Pittsburgh Steelers
-Tennessee Titans
-Houston Texans
-Buffalo Bills