2026 NFL Week 18 Picks and Predictions

NFL Week 18 arrives with the postseason picture nearly set-but not fully settled-as several contenders still have everything to play for. In the AFC, Denver and New England have already clinched at 13-3, while Jacksonville (12-4) and Houston (11-5) are locked into playoff spots but continue battling for seeding and momentum. Buffalo and the Chargers remain dangerous Wild Card teams, while fringe contenders like Pittsburgh and Baltimore are fighting to finish strong and keep postseason hopes alive. Meanwhile, teams at the bottom of the standings are playing spoiler, impacting seeding and draft positioning across the conference.

Over in the NFC, Seattle leads the conference at 13-3, surging into Week 18 with elite form, while Chicago and Philadelphia have clinched but are still jockeying for home-field advantages. San Francisco and the Rams headline a deep Wild Card group, making every late-afternoon matchup critical for playoff alignment. Bubble teams such as Minnesota, Detroit, and Dallas face win-or-go-home scenarios, while division matchups like Ravens-Steelers and Seahawks-49ers carry postseason-level intensity regardless of records.

With playoff spots, seeding, and momentum on the line, Week 18 features fewer “meaningless” games than usual. Below are our Week 18 NFL picks and predictions, breaking down every matchup using current standings, motivation levels, and betting lines to project how the regular season will close before the road to the Super Bowl begins.

Saturday, January 3, 2026

• Panthers @ Buccaneers – Pick: Buccaneers -3 | Prediction: TB 24, CAR 20
• Seahawks @ 49ers – Pick: 49ers -1.5 | Prediction: SF 27, SEA 24

Sunday, January 4, 2026 | 1:00 PM ET

• Saints @ Falcons – Pick: Falcons -2.5 | Prediction: ATL 23, NO 20
• Browns @ Bengals – Pick: Bengals -7 | Prediction: CIN 28, CLE 17
• Packers @ Vikings – Pick: Vikings -6.5 | Prediction: MIN 24, GB 16
• Cowboys @ Giants – Pick: Cowboys -5.5 | Prediction: DAL 31, NYG 24
• Titans @ Jaguars – Pick: Jaguars -10.5 | Prediction: JAX 34, TEN 20
• Colts @ Texans – Pick: Texans -10.5 | Prediction: HOU 27, IND 14

Sunday, January 4, 2026 | 4:25 PM ET

• Jets @ Bills – Pick: Bills -11.5 | Prediction: BUF 30, NYJ 16
• Lions @ Bears – Pick: Bears -2.5 | Prediction: CHI 28, DET 24
• Rams @ Broncos – Pick: Broncos -7.5 | Prediction: DEN 23, LAR 13
• Chiefs @ Raiders – Pick: Chiefs -6 | Prediction: KC 21, LV 14
• Cardinals @ Rams – Pick: Rams -9.5 | Prediction: LAR 31, ARI 20
• Dolphins @ Patriots – Pick: Patriots -10 | Prediction: NE 27, MIA 17
• Commanders @ Eagles – Pick: Eagles -8.5 | Prediction: PHI 30, WAS 19

Sunday Night Football

Ravens @ Steelers – Pick: Ravens -3.5 | Prediction: BAL 24, PIT 20