NFL Weekly Preview Week 18 2025: Key Injuries, Difference Makers & Games That Matter Most
January 3, 2026
Trevor Lawrence (YouTube)
We begin the 18th week of the 2025 NFL regular season on Thursday. Here are the key injuries, fantasy stars and projected upsets.
Key Injuries
With one week left in the National Football League regular season, it is always a mystery who will play and who will not. One player who appears will be in the lineup is Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen of Firebaugh, California. However, as Allen is battling a minor foot injury, do not expect the reigning NFL MVP to play a full 60 minutes against the New York Jets.
Meanwhile, do not expect Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love to play at all against the Minnesota Vikings as he is battling a concussion. Clayton Tune of Plano, Texas gets the start for the Packers. Green Bay is stuck in seventh in the NFC. They cannot move up and cannot move down.
Fantasy Stars
The top rated quarterback is Trevor Lawrence of the Jacksonville Jaguars. The native of Knoxville, Tennessee is projected to get 253 yards passing, 25 yards rushing and two touchdowns against the Tennessee Titans. The top rated running back is Jahmyr Gibbs of the Detroit Lions. The native of Dalton, Georgia is expected to get 126 total yards and one touchdown against the Chicago Bears. The top rated wide receiver is Puka Nacua of the Los Angeles Rams. The native of Las Vegas, Nevada is projected to get 110 yards receiving and one touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons.
What games matter the most?
Due to the fact week 18 is impossible to pick upsets, we will talk about the games that matter in this section. In the AFC, the Pittsburgh Steelers will play the Baltimore Ravens for first place in the AFC North and the final AFC playoff spot. In the NFC, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers play each other on Saturday. If the Panthers beat the Buccaneers, they win the NFC South. If the Buccaneers win, the game between the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints on Sunday has sudden meaning. Tampa Bay needs New Orleans to beat Atlanta to clinch a playoff spot. If Atlanta beats New Orleans, the Panthers are in the playoffs.
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