Related: Game-by-Game | Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Tight Ends
Week 18 is here, and the big question on everyone’s mind is, who cares? As fans, we care, and the players participating care, but teams have different motivations and a clear picture of what can be achieved in Week 18. We looked through each game to see who has things to play for, either from a team perspective or based on statistical milestones.
A note: "Motivation" is entirely made up and subjective. The players playing will give their all, but teams will make selective choices on who plays and who sits out.
Here's a look at some players with a little extra statistical Week 18 motivation.
All contract information was pulled from Spotrac.com
TE Evan Engram, Jacksonville
- Team Motivation: 10/10
- Current Stats: 104 receptions, 884 receiving yards, three touchdowns
Engram has career highs in receptions and receiving yards. He has the third most receptions in Jaguars’ history and the most for a tight end. Zach Ertz holds the NFL record for tight end receptions with 116, which is also the Jaguars team record held by Jimmy Smith. Engram hit ten or more thrice in 2023, but 12 would be a career-high. His yardage total is a Jaguars tight end record.
TE Jake Ferguson, Dallas
- Team Motivation: 10/10
- Current Stats: 65 receptions, 692 yards, five touchdowns
Jason Witten and Dalton Schultz are the only Cowboys tight ends to post 65 receptions, 700 yards, and five touchdowns in a season. Witten did it six times, while Schultz did it once. Witten first accomplished it his first year; throughout his Cowboy career, he averaged 78 receptions, 84 yards, and five touchdowns.
TE Mike Gesicki, New England
- Team Motivation: 3/10
- Current Stats: 28 receptions, 239 receiving yards, two touchdowns
- Contract incentives: Gesicki has incentives at 40 catches, 450 yards, and 46% of offensive snaps. The catches and yards would be difficult, but he has played 49% of the snaps to this point.
TE Travis Kelce, Kansas City
- Team Motivation: 0/10
- Current Stats:93 receptions, 984 receiving yards, five touchdowns
Kelce still has a shot at a 100-1,000 season. His 93 receptions are the fifth most in a season, and 16 yards would give him eight straight 1,000-yard seasons. Kelce needs nine more receptions and two more touchdowns to equal Tony Gonzalez as the Chiefs’ career leader in both categories. Kelce already leads in receptions.
TE Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo
- Team Motivation: 10/10
- Current Stats: 66 receptions, 589 receiving yards, two touchdowns
Kincaid broke Sammy Watkins’ team record of 65 receptions by a rookie. With an additional 48 receiving yards, he would equal Andre Reed’s rookie total of 637. Watkins holds the team's rookie record with 982 yards. Pete Metzelaars holds the team record for receptions by a tight end with 68. Paul Costa holds the team record for receiving yards by a tight end at 726; Kincaid would need a 137-yard game to equal it.
TE George Kittle, San Francisco
- Team Motivation: 0/10
- Current Stats: 65 receptions, 1,020 yards, six touchdowns
Kittle recorded his first 1,000-yard season since 2019. He leads all tight ends in receiving yards for the 2023 season. He moved into the top five in receptions and receiving yards in team history.
TE Cole Kmet, Chicago
- Team Motivation: 1/10
- Current Stats: 70 receptions, 678 yards, six touchdowns
Kmet can become the third Bears tight end with a 70-700 season, joining Mike Ditka and Martellus Bennett. With five receptions, Kmet would tie Ditka’s career-high of 75 catches.
TE Sam LaPorta, Detroit
- Team Motivation: 7/10
- Current Stats: 81 receptions, 860 yards, nine touchdowns
LaPorta needs one reception to break a tie with Keith Jackson and set the NFL rookie tight end record. Two receptions to post the highest tight end total in team history, a mark Brandon Pettigrew holds with 83. His 81 receptions are nine behind St. Brown’s rookie record of 90. LaPorta already has the team record for tight end receiving yards; with 34 more, he will have the third-highest total for a rookie in NFL history.
TE Trey McBride, Arizona
- Team Motivation: 1/10
- Current Stats: 78 receptions, 791 receiving yards, two touchdowns
McBride broke the team record for tight end receptions. His yardage is the third most by a tight end, trailing Jackie Smith’s 810 for second. Smith holds the team record for a tight end with 1,205 yards.
TE David Njoku, Cleveland
- Team Motivation: 0/10
- Current Stats: 81 receptions, 882 receiving yards, six touchdowns
Njoku’s 81 receptions are tied for the ninth most in team history. Ozzie Newsome and Kellen Winslow hold the team record with 89.
