NFL Best Bets for Week 18 (Predictions for Vikings vs. Lions, Commanders vs. Cowboys)

The Sports Illustrated Betting team shares their favorite bets on the board for Week 18 of the 2024 NFL season.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold is looking to lock up the No. 1 seed in the NFC. / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The final week of the 2024 NFL regular season is upon us, and the SI Betting team is still rolling with some more NFL Best Bets!

Not every team has something to play for when it comes to playoff seeding or simply earning a playoff spot, but there are a ton of implications for the 2025 NFL Draft in play during Saturday and Sunday's action.

The NFL has two Saturday games (both AFC North matchups with that division up for grabs), but the highlight of the week will be Sunday Night Football between the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings, as the winner earns the No. 1 seed in the NFC and the NFC North crown.

It doesn't get much better than that!

This week, SI Betting's NFL betting insider Iain MacMillan is targeting a team in that crucial Sunday night matchup while Peter Dewey has a road favorite that bettors should consider since it hasn't locked up its seed in the playoff picture despite clinching a spot in Week 17.

Here's a full breakdown of each of the best bets for Week 18.

NFL Week 18 Best Bets

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

• Washington Commanders -4 (-110) vs. Dallas Cowboys – Peter Dewey
• Minnesota Vikings Moneyline (+124) vs. Detroit Lions – Iain MacMillan

Washington Commanders -4 (-110) vs. Dallas Cowboys – Peter Dewey

Dallas has nothing to play for, and it’s been awful at home this season, going 1-5 against the spread as a home underdog and 2-6 straight up at Jerry’s World.

Cooper Rush has shown flashes of being able to move this offense – including in the win over Washington – but the wheels fell off for the Dallas offense without CeeDee Lamb last week. The star receiver is done for the season with a shoulder injury, and I’m expecting more tough sledding for the Cowboys on that side of the ball.

Dallas turned the ball over a ton in a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, and it only ended up scoring seven points in Week 17. That won’t get it done against a Washington offense that is humming as of late – especially since Daniels has thrown eight scores over the last two weeks. 

The Commanders are 1-1 against the spread as road favorites this season, but Daniels has matured so much as the season has gone on, making big play after big play in the last two weeks to clinch a playoff spot. 

Since Dallas has nothing to play – other than spoiling Washington’s position – I’m going to lay the points with the Commanders, who are arguably the most surprising team in the NFL in 2024. 

Minnesota Vikings Moneyline (+124) vs. Detroit Lions – Iain MacMillan

The plethora of injuries, especially on the defensive side of the football, that the Detroit Lions have suffered in the second half of the season is going to catch up to them on Sunday night with the No. 1 seed on the line.

The last few weeks have shown the Lions can still win, but their only hope of victory is getting in an offensive shootout with their opponent in hopes they can overpower them. That’s not going to work against a Vikings team that has one of the best defenses the NFL has to offer while also having the ability to match Detroit offensively.

The Vikings are a great underdog bet in the final week of the 2024 campaign.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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