Dec. 31 (UPI) — Las Vegas Raiders-Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals-Cleveland Browns season finales are among Week 18 games with major NFL Draft implications.
While some teams still fight for playoff spots and conference and division titles with an eye on the postseason, other franchises are looking forward to April’s 2026 NFL Draft. Several teams with their playoff spots sealed also plan to rest starters in Week 18, which will most likely impact results.
NFL teams are slotted in the draft order based on records, with the worst teams receiving earlier picks. Non-playoff teams receive pick Nos. 1 through 18. Losers from the first round will get picks 19 through 24.
Divisional-round losers receive picks 25 to 28. Conference runners-up will pick No. 29 and 30. The Super Bowl loser will pick 31st, with the winner picking last, at No. 32.
If teams have the same record after the season, the first tiebreaker is strength of schedule, with the team having had the weakest picking earlier. Division tiebreakers, conference tiebreaks, interconference tiebreaks and a coin toss are the additional ways the league settles draft slots.
The NFL-worst 2-14 Raiders, who currently hold the No. 1 spot in the first round, are mathematically guaranteed of a Top-2 pick. They can cement their top pick status with a loss to the Chiefs on Sunday in Las Vegas. Still, Raiders coach Pete Carroll maintains his goal is to win.
“I fight the thought that we would make decisions that would go in advance of winning,” Carroll told reporters Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs (6-10), are in unfamiliar territory after appearing in five of the last six Super Bowls, including the last three. They sit at No. 9 in the draft order, but could clinch a Top 10 pick and potentially improve their stock with a season-ending loss to their AFC West foe. They can’t pick higher than No. 8.
“It’s not where you want to be, but it is where we are,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said.
The Raiders will host the Chiefs at 4:25 p.m. EST Sunday in Las Vegas.
The Bengals (6-10) will host the Browns (4-12) in another divisional matchup. With a loss, the Browns could improve their positioning while also hurting their AFC North rival’s draft stock.
The Browns sit at No. 6 in the current draft order and are out of the running for the No. 1 pick, but could pick as high as No. 2 if they lose and get an unlikely string of four victories from the New York Giants, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals.
Alternatively, the Bengals, who sit in the No. 10 spot, could climb as high as No. 8 with a loss and several other scenarios unfold. A Week 18 loss, paired with wins by the New Orleans Saints and Chiefs would guarantee the No. 8 pick for the Bengals, but several other results could change their positioning, when considering tiebreakers.
The Atlanta Falcons could play spoiler in several ways. A win over the New Orleans Saints would result in playoff elimination for the division rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are fighting with the Carolina Panthers for the NFC South title and final playoff spot in the conference playoff picture.
With a loss, the Falcons could improve on their current No. 12 position, while hurting the Saints’ draft stock. The Saints currently hold the No. 8 spot in the first round.
The Giants (3-13) still have an outside shot at getting the No. 1 overall pick. They currently sit in the No. 2 slot, behind the Raiders.
A loss to the Dallas Cowboys, paired with the Raiders win over the Chiefs would move the Giants back into position to pick first. But they would still need some help from other teams in order to win a strength of schedule tiebreaker with the Raiders.
The Cowboys (7-8-1), who sit in the No. 14 spot, can improve or hurt their draft positioning, but can’t move inside the Top 10 regardless of their Week 18 result.
The Panthers and Buccaneers’ battle for the NFC South title also includes draft implications for both of those teams.
If the Panthers win, they can’t earn an earlier draft pick than No. 19. But with a loss, they could climb inside the Top 15. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers could would only be stuck in the scenario with a draft pick no better than No. 19 if they win, the Saints beat the Falcons and they make the playoffs. Otherwise, they also could climb inside the Top 15 with a loss.
The Week 18 wave of season finales features two games on Saturday with 14 on Sunday. The playoffs will be Jan. 10 to Feb. 8.
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