NFL Contract Incentives and Statistical Milestones: Nacua Eyeing A Pair of Rookie Records

The regular season comes to a close this Sunday, and many teams are either fighting hard for playoff positioning or have every reason to pack it in after being eliminated from contention. All of this has turned the NFL odds sideways.

But across the league, some players have plenty to play for, whether it be in the pursuit of history or the pursuit of contract incentives. Those incentives offer an interesting opportunity to take advantage of NFL player props.

Here are some notable milestones and pending contact incentives you should be mindful of before making your NFL picks for the  Week 18 slate.

Single-season records

Puka Nacua: Rookie receiving yard and receptions records

Puka Nacua has taken the football world by surprise and is in a good position to make NFL history in the final week of the season after having tallied 101 receptions for 1,445 yards through Week 17.

Nacua needs four receptions to break the rookie receptions record previously set by Jaylen Waddle in 2021 and needs just 29 yards to break the rookie receiving yardage record set by Bill Groman in 1960.

The Los Angeles Rams have clinched a playoff berth and currently hold the sixth seed, but could slip to the seventh seed in various scenarios. They do, however, play against the 49ers who are resting their starters after clinching the top seed last week.

Tyreek Hill: Single-season receiving yards record

Last week's 76 yards against the Ravens put Tyreek Hill at 1,717 on the year, and now needs a whopping 247 yards to break Calvin Johnson's record of 1,964.

After losing last week to Baltimore, the Miami Dolphins find themselves in a precarious Week 18. A simple win over the Bills locks them into the two seed and for a home game in the first round against one of Buffalo, Pittsburgh, or Jacksonville pending the results of other games. A loss to the Bills in Week 18 would lock them into a first-round road game against the Chiefs.

There is still a lot to play for so there is little reason to believe Hill won't play a full game, but his competition is more intense than the typical Week 18 opponent with the Bills fighting for their playoff life.

Sam LaPorta: Rookie tight end receiving yards record

Sam LaPorta now has 860 yards after racking up 84 yards last week against the Cowboys and is 216 yards short of Mike Ditka's record of 1,076 from 1961. The feat is unlikely, but the Detroit Lions can move up to the two seed on Sunday with a win, which at least guarantees he'll play a substantial amount.

Contract incentives

Joe Flacco: Wins

Joe Flacco is the Cleveland Browns' fourth starting quarterback of the year, and to motivate the former Super Bowl MVP to keep the Browns' playoff aspirations alive, they offered $75,000 for each regular season win.

The bonuses increase exponentially in the playoffs, with the Browns offering $250,000 for a Wild Card win, $500,000 for a divisional round win, $1 million for a conference championship win, and $2 million for a Super Bowl win.

With the Browns locked into the No. 5 seed, Flacco will rest this week in preparation for the Browns' first-round playoff game — a game now worth $250,000 to Flacco.

Baker Mayfield: Passing statistics

Another unlikely hero this year has been Baker Mayfield, who has kept the Tampa Bay Buccaneers unexpectedly competitive in the NFC South race. His contract offers him $300,000 for ranking Top 10 in the NFL or Top 5 in the NFC in many passing categories.

Those include passer rating (10th in NFL, fifth in NFC), touchdown passes (seventh and fifth), passing yards (12th and seventh), completion percentage (18th and eighth), and yards per pass (12th and seventh).

Mayfield had a great showing last week (309 yards, two touchdowns) and has an easy matchup on paper against the bottom-dwelling Panthers to help inch the Bucs closer to a playoff berth.

Alexander Mattison: Rushing yards

The career back-up to Dalvin Cook signed a two-year $7 million contract this offseason, which awards him $325,000 for reaching 500 rushing yards, $650,000 for 800+ rushing yards, and $750,000 for 1,100+ rushing yards.

Heading into Week 18 Alexander Mattison has tallied 676 rushing yards, but he has taken a backseat to Ty Chandler as of late and has managed just five carries for 16 yards in the last two weeks.

Devin Singletary: Rushing yards

Not many expected the former Bill to emerge as the Houston Texans' lead back, but he has done exactly that. Devin Singletary has rushed for 1,026 scrimmage yards this season and is within reach of some lucrative incentives.

If he manages to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards, Singletary will receive a $125,000 bonus and will receive another $125,000 if he reaches 1,100. In the unlikely event he reaches 1,200+ yards, he will receive another $250,000.

Odell Beckham Jr.: Receiving yards

After sitting out for quite some time after tearing his ACL two Super Bowls ago, Odell Beckham Jr. landed himself a contract with the Baltimore Ravens filled with various incentives.

OBJ surpassed 500+ receiving yards three weeks ago, which netted him a $500,000 bonus. If he can reach 750 yards (he is currently at 565), he will receive another $750,000.

More realistically, if he can reel in five catches on Sunday he will net $500,000 for reaching 40+ receptions. If he catches two more touchdowns in the process (he currently has three), he will earn another $500,000 for reaching five receiving TDs.

Dalton Schultz: Receiving yards

The former Cowboy signed a deal this offseason with the Texans that was laced with incentives. Dalton Schultz currently sits at 54 receptions on the year after adding just two last week, and another six will net him $250,000.

He also can earn $250,000 for reaching 700 receiving yards, and he currently sits at 593.

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