NFL Week 18 Odds: Building the Best Parlays from Early Spreads, Lines and Over/Unders
The final week of the NFL season has arrived, meaning fans are facing the last full slate of games until next fall.
For fans who enjoy parlay wagers, Week 18 represents the last shot at a complete collection of options. It's an intriguing slate because several teams could rest starters ahead of the postseason.
The Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers, for example, have already locked up the No. 1 seeds in the AFC and NFC, respectively. The Cleveland Browns have punched their ticket and are tied to the AFC's top wild-card spot.
Below, we'll examine several enticing Week 18 matchups to build three distinct parlays based on the early lines.
Check the latest lines at DraftKings.
Three-Game Parlay
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Bengals -5 versus Browns
Lions -5.5 versus Vikings
Cowboys -13.5 at Commanders
The Cincinnati Bengals were eliminated from playoff contention in Week 17, but they'll likely look to finish the season on a high note. They can do it by getting a home win over the rival Browns.
The Browns, meanwhile, are likely to send out their backups in preparation for the postseason. That's the plan, anyway, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Cincinnati has remained competitive with Jake Browning at quarterback, and he, Ja'Marr Chase and the rest of the Bengals offense should find success against the bottom of Cleveland's roster.
This game means nothing for Cleveland, and the Bengals should win by at least a touchdown.
The Detroit Lions' divisional matchup with the Minnesota Vikings could mean quite a lot. The Lions have already won the NFC North, but they could claim the No. 2 seed—though they'll need help.
Detroit needs a victory plus losses by the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles. With the Lions playing before either of those teams on Sunday, we're likely to see a full effort from Dan Campbell's squad.
The Vikings are still technically alive in the playoff race, but quarterback issues have finally caught up to them. They were blown out by the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night and could yield similar results in Detroit this weekend.
The Cowboys can clinch the NFC East and the No. 2 seed with a win over the Washington Commanders late Sunday afternoon. They face a large line for a road divisional game, but Dallas will want an emphatic win and should get exactly that.
Single-Game Parlay
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Cowboys -13.5 at Commanders
Cowboys -800 (bet $800 to win $100) to Win
Cowboys and Commanders Over 45.5 Points
Dallas only narrowly escaped Detroit on Saturday, and they've been much more reliable at home this season. However, Dallas isn't about to overlook a bad Washington team, given the playoff implications.
Should Dallas somehow slip up in this one, the Eagles can regain the NFC East lead by beating the New York Giants.
Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and the Cowboys passing attack should have few issues against one of the worst pass defenses in the league. Washington ranks 31st in net yards per pass attempt allowed, 31st in passing yards allowed and 32nd in passing touchdowns allowed.
Washington also ranks 30th with a mere seven interceptions on the season.
Expect Dallas to jump out to an early lead and to win by two or three touchdowns—it won by 35 points in the first meeting with the Commanders. Pairing the line with the money line should be a safe play, and we also like the over here.
It wouldn't be a total surprise to see the Cowboys score into the 40s by themselves. While the Commanders offense hasn't been consistent, it does feature enough talent to push the points total to the over.
Dallas' defense has also had its issues on the road this season, so big games from players like Terry McLaurin and Brian Robinson Jr. could allow the Commanders to hang around early.
Over/Under Parlay
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Cowboys and Commanders Over 45.5 Points
Bears and Packers Over 44.5 Points
Eagles and Giants Over 41.5 Points
We like the over in the Cowboys-Commanders matchup, and we feel the same way about Sunday's game between the Packers and Chicago Bears.
The Bears are looking to play spoiler, and while they're carrying a tremendous defense into the contest, They're unlikely to shut out Green Bay at Lambeau.
Packers quarterback Jordan Love is playing a fantastic brand of football right now, and if Green Bay wins, it will secure a wild-card spot. Expect at least a few scores from the Packers offense in this one.
The Bears have found a rhythm with Justin Fields at quarterback, and they'll have their fair share of scoring too. Green Bay's defense has struggled mightily over the last month before finding life against the Vikings on Sunday.
The first meeting between these two teams featured 58 total points. This one might not go as high, but it should still hit the over.
We'd also expect the Giants and Eagles to hit the over in their late-afternoon matchup. The Eagles pass defense has become laughable over the second half of the season, and the Giants aren't significantly better.
We saw a lot of offensive back-and-forth when these teams first met in Week 16, and we're likely to see a similar situation in the finale. Jalen Hurts and Tyrod Taylor are both capable of shredding bad defenses, and that's precisely what this matchup offers.
The Week 16 game featured 58 total points, and this line is unreasonably low to start the week.
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