Week 18 in the NFL can mean everything and nothing for a team. For some franchises, like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or New York Giants, there's a lot on the line in the final week of the regular season. For others, like the Miami Dolphins and Houston Texans, there is nothing on the line that would radically change the team's future plans.
Because of this, teams approach the final week of the regular season much differently than they would any other week. A team that has already secured a playoff spot may choose to rest players even though they may still move up or down in the standings. A team with no chance of making the playoffs may also decide to rest players without risking a catastrophic injury to a key star in a meaningless game.
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Now that the final week of the regular season has arrived, here are the key players who will miss Week 18:
Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are firmly in the playoff picture, although the team could see some progress in its seeding depending on what happens in Week 18. The Texans enter the week as the No. 5 seed in the AFC, although the team could move up to either a No. 3 or a No. 7 depending on what happens in the final week of the regular season.
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Despite this, star player Nico Collins I'm not expected to play when the Texans take on the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. Collins is uninjured and is considered fit for the competition.
The 26-year-old is coming off another successful season in which he caught 71 balls for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns. This performance earned Collins his second straight Pro Bowl honor.
Instead of pushing Collins back another week, the Texans will give the star some rest before the playoffs begin. After missing some time last season, Collins remained relatively healthy in 2025, missing just one game this season. However, the Texans don't want to risk their star heading into the postseason.
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Impact of bets: Despite Collins' absence, there was no line movement in the competition.
De'Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins
At 7-9, the Miami Dolphins have nothing to play for in Week 18. With the season all but over, star running back De'Von Achane will reportedly miss the final game of the regular season. He won't be the only key player on the team to miss the matchup with the New England Patriots, as Jaylen Waddle is also expected to sit out.
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This third season proved to be an exceptional one for Achane, who rushed for a career-high 1,350 yards and eight rushing touchdowns. He led the league in yards per attempt with 5.7.
Achane was also a threat as a receiver, amassing 488 yards through the air and four receiving touchdowns. This performance earned him his first trip to the Pro Bowl.
With little on the line for the Dolphins in Week 18, the move was likely made to keep Achane healthy heading into the offseason. The Dolphins are a team that could see major changes after Week 18, as head coach Mike McDaniel could be fired and former starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa could also leave. This could make Achane the team's most important offensive player next season, which is a good reason not to risk a serious injury in Week 18.
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Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins
Like Achane, the Dolphins probably feel there's no point in risking one of their best offensive players on a meaningless game. Also like Achane, Waddle could be one of the most impactful offensive players on the team next season, especially if the Dolphins also move on from Tyreek Hill.
Waddle finished his fifth NFL season with 910 receiving yards and six touchdowns. He hasn't reached the heights he showed early in his career, but remains a strong player who could take a step forward if Hill is fired this offseason.
Impact of bets: With both Achane and Waddle expected to play against the Patriots, the Dolphins line moved from +11.5 to +13.
This story will be updated.
