Week 18 of the 2025 NFL season closes the regular season on January 3-4 with division titles, wild-card spots, and playoff seeding still live across both conferences – and the official injury report is a brutal one. The Commanders enter Philadelphia with both QBs Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota ruled OUT, leaving Washington scrambling at the most important position in football in the most consequential game of their season. The Lions, Eagles, Vikings, and Jets each carry five or more OUT designations into high-stakes matchups. On the other end of the spectrum, the Pittsburgh Steelers are the only team in the entire 32-team league with no players listed on the injury report heading into an AFC North showdown at Acrisure Stadium. Two quarterbacks OUT, one DOUBTFUL in the Chiefs game, and a Saints backfield without Alvin Kamara round out the most disruptive cross-slate injury picture of the regular season.
Here is the full breakdown, game by game, drawn from the official NFL.com injury report for all 16 Week 18 matchups. You can also track how these rosters shifted over the final month of the season in the Week 17 injury roundup.
Panthers vs. Buccaneers: Carolina loses four starters, Jamel Dean OUT for Tampa
Kicking off Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN from Raymond James Stadium, this matchup features significant absences on both sidelines. Carolina is without WR David Moore (elbow), G Robert Hunt (biceps), LB Claudin Cherelus (calf/ankle), and CB Robert Rochell (concussion) – four OUT designations that thin a Panthers roster already playing out the string. DT Tershawn Wharton (hamstring) and LB Krys Barnes (back) are both QUESTIONABLE.
Tampa Bay loses CB Jamel Dean (shoulder) and LB Anthony Nelson (knee) to OUT designations, with DT Calijah Kancey adding a QUESTIONABLE tag due to a pectoral issue – not ideal for a Buccaneers defense that needs all hands available to stay sharp entering any potential postseason push. Neither team is at full strength, but the Panthers’ volume of absences makes this a noticeably uneven contest on paper.
Seahawks vs. 49ers: Charles Cross OUT; San Francisco’s offense navigating five QUESTIONABLE
Saturday’s nightcap at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara carries legitimate playoff weight, and so does its injury report. Seattle loses OT Charles Cross (hamstring) entirely, with S Coby Bryant tagged DOUBTFUL with a knee injury – a designation that historically results in a scratch more than 90 percent of the time. OT Josh Jones is QUESTIONABLE with an ankle/knee issue, leaving the Seahawks’ offensive line protection scheme thin on both edges.
San Francisco’s five QUESTIONABLE players include names that matter enormously: TE George Kittle (ankle), OT Trent Williams (hamstring), WR Ricky Pearsall (knee/ankle), DE Keion White (groin), and CB Upton Stout (concussion). If Williams and Kittle are limited or absent, the 49ers’ offensive rhythm takes a significant hit against a Seattle defense playing for positioning. Can both stars suit up and deliver at full capacity when it matters most?
Titans vs. Jaguars: Tennessee down five starters including two OLBs and a CB
Sunday’s 1:00 p.m. ET opener in Jacksonville on FOX features a Titans team that is deeply depleted. Tennessee is without WR Van Jefferson (forearm), TE Gunnar Helm (toe), OLB Arden Key (hip), OLB Oluwafemi Oladejo (fibula), and CB Jalyn Armour-Davis (Achilles) – five OUT designations across offense and defense. S Amani Hooker adds a DOUBTFUL tag with an ankle/toe injury, which effectively makes him a sixth absence.
Jacksonville is without G Patrick Mekari (back) and LB Jalen McLeod (ankle). With both teams largely out of meaningful playoff contention, the volume of absences on the Tennessee side reflects accumulated season-long wear rather than late-week decisions. The Titans’ pass defense is the unit hit hardest, missing both starting outside linebackers and a starting cornerback simultaneously.
Colts vs. Texans: Anthony Richardson OUT with eye injury; Houston missing four defenders
QB Anthony Richardson is OUT with an eye injury for Indianapolis, which forces the Colts into backup territory in a 1:00 p.m. ET game on CBS at NRG Stadium. Richardson is joined on the OUT list by TE Will Mallory (lung), CB Sauce Gardner (calf), and S Daniel Scott (knee) – a backfield and secondary hit that compounds an already difficult situation. Houston presents a formidable defensive matchup for whatever quarterback Indianapolis sends out.
The Texans are without LB Jamal Hill (calf), CB Kamari Lassiter (ankle/knee), CB Ajani Carter (hamstring), and DE Darrell Taylor (ankle), with OT Trent Brown and Carter also carrying QUESTIONABLE tags. The Texans know firsthand what a quarterback injury can cost a team mid-season after C.J. Stroud missed three consecutive games with a concussion in Week 12, and Houston’s defensive depth will be tested even without four of its own starters active.
Browns vs. Bengals: Cleveland loses both starting TEs; Cincinnati down four
The 1:00 p.m. ET CBS matchup at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati features two injury-ravaged rosters. Cleveland is without both starting tight ends – TE Harold Fannin Jr. (groin) and TE David Njoku (knee) – alongside LB Winston Reid (back) and LB Carson Schwesinger (quad/ankle). G Teven Jenkins (concussion), C Kingsley Eguakun (knee/shoulder), and CB Myles Harden (shoulder) are all QUESTIONABLE, putting the Browns’ offensive line cohesion at further risk.
Cincinnati sends four players to the OUT list: WR Charlie Jones (ankle), C Matt Lee (knee), DE Joseph Ossai (ankle), and CB Josh Newton (hamstring). TE Cam Grandy (chest) and DT B.J. Hill (ankle) are QUESTIONABLE. Losing both Cleveland tight ends in the same game is a historically uncommon situation that will force the Browns to manufacture production from unconventional personnel groupings.
Packers vs. Vikings: Aaron Jones and T.J. Hockenson OUT; Dontayvion Wicks DOUBTFUL in Minneapolis
This 1:00 p.m. ET CBS game at U.S. Bank Stadium carries genuine NFC North seeding stakes. Green Bay is without WR Savion Williams (foot/illness), G John Williams (back), OL Donovan Jennings (throat), and LB Nick Niemann (pectoral), with WR Dontayvion Wicks tagged DOUBTFUL with a concussion. QB Malik Willis is also QUESTIONABLE with a right shoulder/hamstring issue – not ideal when a playoff push requires a functioning quarterback.
Minnesota loses RB Aaron Jones (hip) and TE T.J. Hockenson (shoulder) to OUT designations – two pivotal offensive contributors missing from a Vikings offense that has built its identity around both players this season. WR Myles Price (ankle) and TE Gavin Bartholomew (back) are also OUT. CB Dwight McGlothern is QUESTIONABLE. With Hockenson and Jones absent, how much does Minnesota’s offensive ceiling drop against a Packers defense that arrives undermanned but motivated?
Cowboys vs. Giants: Dallas without both RBs; New York down six starters
The 1:00 p.m. ET FOX matchup at MetLife Stadium features two of the most injury-depleted rosters in the league this week. Dallas is without RB Malik Davis (calf/eye), RB Javonte Williams (neck/shoulder), G TJ Bass (knee), LB DeMarvion Overshown (concussion), and CB Shavon Revel Jr. (concussion/neck). Losing both running backs to the same injury report is a significant backfield disruption, with RB Phil Mafah (shoulder) QUESTIONABLE as the potential lead option.
New York’s six OUT designations include WR Wan’Dale Robinson (rib), TE Theo Johnson (illness), OL Evan Neal (neck), DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches (ankle/toe), CB Cordale Flott (knee), and S Jevon Holland (knee/concussion). WR Jalin Hyatt is QUESTIONABLE with an illness. With both teams gutted and neither in playoff contention, this game functions primarily as a showcase for depth players – though it still carries statistical and draft-positioning significance.
Saints vs. Falcons: Alvin Kamara OUT; Atlanta’s skill positions carrying five QUESTIONABLE tags
New Orleans arrives in Atlanta for a 1:00 p.m. ET FOX matchup without RB Alvin Kamara (knee/ankle), WR Chris Olave (illness), DT Bryan Bresee (knee), and DT Nathan Shepherd (ankle/knee). QB Spencer Rattler is QUESTIONABLE with a right finger injury, adding quarterback uncertainty to an already stripped-down Saints offense. G Dillon Radunz (knee) and LB Demario Davis (calf) are also QUESTIONABLE.
Atlanta’s two OUT players – DL Brandon Dorlus (hamstring) and CB Clark Phillips III (triceps/illness) – are accompanied by five QUESTIONABLE designations, including WR Drake London (knee), WR Darnell Mooney (knee), TE Kyle Pitts (knee), DL Sam Roberts (knee/ankle), and S DeMarcco Hellams (hamstring). If London and Pitts are limited, the Falcons’ pass-game upside shrinks considerably against a Saints defense that, even depleted, will funnel pressure toward Atlanta’s skill group.
Lions vs. Bears: Penei Sewell OUT; Detroit’s offensive line depth stretched thin in Chicago
Detroit arrives at Soldier Field for a 4:25 p.m. ET FOX matchup as heavy favorites, but OT Penei Sewell’s OUT designation with an ankle injury is the headline. Sewell is joined on the OUT list by OL Trystan Colon-Castillo (wrist), DT Alim McNeill (abdomen), LB Alex Anzalone (concussion/personal), and S Thomas Harper (concussion). WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (knee/ankle), OT Taylor Decker (shoulder/illness/rest), and three others are QUESTIONABLE – meaning Detroit’s offensive line could look substantially different from its regular-season starting configuration.
Chicago is without DL Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (concussion), with WR Rome Odunze (foot), OL Ozzy Trapilo (knee/quad), and two defensive backs QUESTIONABLE. For a Lions team with postseason seeding implications, protecting the quarterback without Sewell – arguably the best offensive tackle in football – is the central question. Can Detroit’s backup combination hold the line against a Bears pass rush playing for pride?
Jets vs. Bills: Breece Hall OUT; New York carries eight OUT players to Orchard Park
The Jets arrive at Highmark Stadium for a 4:25 p.m. ET CBS game carrying eight OUT designations – the largest volume of any team on the Sunday slate. New York is without RB Breece Hall (knee), RB Isaiah Davis (concussion), TE Mason Taylor (neck), TE Jelani Woods (hamstring), OL Xavier Newman-Johnson (knee), DL Micheal Clemons (ankle), CB Brandon Stephens (neck), and CB Qwan’tez Stiggers (knee). QB Tyrod Taylor is QUESTIONABLE with a knee issue. Eight OUT players at a premium opponent is a brutal situation regardless of playoff context.
Buffalo is without DT DaQuan Jones (calf), LB Terrel Bernard (calf), and S Jordan Poyer (hamstring), with TE Dalton Kincaid (knee), DE Joey Bosa (hamstring), DT Jordan Phillips (ankle), and DT Deone Walker (illness) all QUESTIONABLE. The Bills are managing their own depth concerns, but relative to the Jets’ situation, Buffalo enters this matchup in significantly better shape. With Hall out of the Jets backfield, New York’s already limited offensive ceiling hits the floor.
Dolphins vs. Patriots: De’Von Achane DOUBTFUL; Minkah Fitzpatrick OUT in Foxborough
Miami travels to Gillette Stadium for a 4:25 p.m. ET FOX game with S Minkah Fitzpatrick (calf) and K Jason Sanders (right hip) OUT, and RB De’Von Achane tagged DOUBTFUL with a shoulder injury. Achane’s DOUBTFUL designation effectively removes him from the game plan – players at that tag rarely dress. WR Jaylen Waddle (ribs) and five other Dolphins are QUESTIONABLE, including OL Aaron Brewer, OL Austin Johnson, LB Quinton Bell, LB Jordyn Brooks, and LB Chop Robinson.
New England is without G Jared Wilson (concussion), DL Khyiris Tonga (foot), LB Harold Landry (knee), and LB Robert Spillane (ankle), with FB Jack Westover (ankle) and CB Charles Woods (foot) QUESTIONABLE. For a Dolphins team still managing its playoff position, losing Achane and playing Waddle at limited health is not the preparation Miami wanted. The Dolphins’ offensive backfield depth will be tested in a cold-weather road environment.
Commanders vs. Eagles: Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota both OUT in Philadelphia
The most damaging QB situation on the entire slate: Washington enters Lincoln Financial Field for a 4:25 p.m. ET CBS game with both QB Jayden Daniels (left elbow) and QB Marcus Mariota (right hand/quad) listed as OUT. That leaves the Commanders without their top two quarterbacks in a game that directly affects playoff seeding. OT Laremy Tunsil (oblique) is also OUT, stripping pass protection from whoever Washington’s third quarterback option turns out to be.
Philadelphia’s injury list is significant in its own right: TE Dallas Goedert (knee), RT Lane Johnson (foot), DT Jalen Carter (hip), OLB Jaelan Phillips (ankle), LB Nakobe Dean (hamstring), and S Marcus Epps (concussion) are all OUT – six starters ruled out for a team with NFC seeding implications. The Eagles lose their top tight end and starting right tackle simultaneously, which reshapes their offensive structure. Can Washington’s emergency quarterback option keep this competitive enough to protect whatever seeding position they’re fighting for?
Chargers vs. Broncos: Omarion Hampton OUT; two Chargers DOUBTFUL in Denver
Los Angeles heads to Empower Field at Mile High for a 4:25 p.m. ET CBS game without RB Omarion Hampton (ankle) and CB Nikko Reed (hamstring), with G Jamaree Salyer (hamstring) and S Elijah Molden (hamstring) both tagged DOUBTFUL. Losing Hampton removes a key piece of the Chargers’ ground game, and two DOUBTFUL players at guard and safety further compromise Los Angeles’s structural depth.
Denver is without LB Karene Reid (hamstring) and LB Dre Greenlaw (hamstring), with DL John Franklin-Myers (knee) QUESTIONABLE. The Broncos’ linebacker corps absorbs two absences heading into a divisional game with potential seeding implications. The Chargers’ hamstring cluster – three players at that injury type on one injury report – signals accumulated late-season wear across the Los Angeles roster.
Chiefs vs. Raiders: Trey Smith OUT; Xavier Worthy DOUBTFUL as Kansas City rests key players
Kansas City arrives at Allegiant Stadium for a 4:25 p.m. ET CBS game with G Trey Smith (ankle) and TE Jake Briningstool (hamstring) OUT, and WR Xavier Worthy tagged DOUBTFUL with an illness. RB Isiah Pacheco (rest), OT Jaylon Moore (knee), DE George Karlaftis (rest), and DE Jerry Tillery (personal) are all QUESTIONABLE – the rest designations for Pacheco and Karlaftis confirming the Chiefs are actively managing workload with seeding largely secured.
Las Vegas is without QB Geno Smith (ankle), G Dylan Parham (illness), and DT Adam Butler (biceps), with RB Raheem Mostert (knee/ankle) QUESTIONABLE. Smith’s ankle injury removes the Raiders’ starting quarterback from the equation entirely. With Kansas City in load-management mode and Las Vegas without its starter at quarterback, the competitive stakes of this game are noticeably lower than most Week 18 matchups – though the Chiefs still carry their own meaningful health concerns heading into the postseason.
Cardinals vs. Rams: Kyren Williams and Davante Adams QUESTIONABLE for Los Angeles
Arizona arrives at SoFi Stadium for a 4:25 p.m. ET FOX matchup with just OL Evan Brown (personal) OUT and LB Josh Sweat (ankle/knee) QUESTIONABLE – one of the cleaner injury reports on the Sunday slate. The Rams are a different story: CB Josh Wallace (ankle), OL Kevin Dotson (ankle), and S Quentin Lake (elbow) are OUT, TE Terrance Ferguson is DOUBTFUL with a hamstring issue, and RB Blake Corum (ankle), RB Kyren Williams (ankle), WR Davante Adams (hamstring), TE Tyler Higbee (ankle), OL Alaric Jackson (knee), and LB Omar Speights (ankle) are all QUESTIONABLE.
Six QUESTIONABLE players for Los Angeles – including both starting running backs and a wide receiver acquired specifically for his big-play ability – represents a meaningful uncertainty cloud over the Rams’ offensive output. If Williams and Adams are limited or absent, the Rams’ skill-position depth gets a real test against a Cardinals defense playing with something to prove in the final week.
Ravens vs. Steelers: Pittsburgh enters with a clean injury report; Baltimore carries three QUESTIONABLE
The Sunday night finale at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock from Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh closes the 2025 regular season with the only team in the league carrying zero injury report entries: the Pittsburgh Steelers. Baltimore lists WR Rashod Bateman (illness), DT Taven Bryan (knee), and CB Marlon Humphrey (illness) as QUESTIONABLE – three players whose availability will be determined by late-week health tracking.
Pittsburgh’s clean bill of health heading into an AFC North division game with playoff seeding implications is the single most significant roster health advantage of the entire Week 18 slate. The Ravens have enough talent to absorb three QUESTIONABLE designations, but Humphrey’s illness status bears watching – he is a cornerstone of Baltimore’s coverage structure. With the cleanest injury report in football, does Pittsburgh convert that health advantage into a meaningful result in the most important regular-season game of its year?
Across all 16 Week 18 games, the injury landscape is historically disruptive: two starting quarterbacks OUT in the same game (Washington), a team carrying eight OUT players (New York Jets), and no fewer than a dozen offensive linemen listed across all designations league-wide. The Commanders’ QB situation is the most destabilizing single-game development on the board, but the Lions, Eagles, and Vikings all enter critical games with significant structural absences. Final inactives post 90 minutes before each kickoff Saturday and Sunday – that is when the last pieces fall into place. Which team best navigates its injury situation and carries momentum cleanly into the postseason?
