The final week of the 2024 NFL season is upon us, and the postseason picture remains a bit cloudy as a champion has yet to be crowned in three divisions while the third and final wild-card berth in the AFC has yet to be claimed. The AFC North will be decided on Saturday as the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers are battling for the title, with the former hosting the Cleveland Browns and the latter hosting the Cincinnati Bengals.
Joe Burrow and the Bengals also are vying for the final AFC wild-card spot but will need losses by the Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins on Sunday should they defeat Pittsburgh. Denver controls its own destiny when it hosts the Kansas City Chiefs, who will be resting Patrick Mahomes, while Miami must beat the New York Jets and have the Broncos lose.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons have home games against the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers, respectively, as they attempt to capture the NFC South crown, while the NFC North - and the No. 1 seed in the conference - will be decided when the Minnesota Vikings visit the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football to conclude the regular season.
There are plenty of ways to get action on these games, including the "Bet & Get Up to $1,000 in No Sweat Bets" offer from Fanatics, which does not require a promo code. Here's how the Fanatics Sportsbook promo compares to other welcome bonuses available around the industry. Click on the offers in the table below to get started on more than $3,800 in bonus values:
Below, we'll guide you through the final week of the NFL season, providing everything that you need to know before you lock in your bets, including more details on the Fanatics promo, NFL expert picks and more.
Browns at Ravens (Saturday)
Kickoff 4:30 p.m. ET
Spread Ravens -20
Over/Under 41.5
Picks and more to know
The Ravens (11-5) already own a playoff berth but will claim their second straight division title with a win. They'll also be looking to avoid a third consecutive loss to the Browns (3-13), who posted a 33-31 victory at Baltimore in Week 10 last season and stunned the Ravens 29-24 at home in Week 8 this year.
Lamar Jackson is having a season worthy of his third NFL MVP award and second in a row. The 27-year-old quarterback has racked up a career-high 3,955 passing yards, is tied for second in the league with 39 touchdown tosses and has thrown only four interceptions. He also has rushed for 852 yards, his highest total since gaining 1,005 in 2020.
Meanwhile, Derrick Henry has made a huge impact in his first year with the Ravens, who are first in the league in total offense (424.2 yards). A two-time NFL rushing leader while with the Tennessee Titans, Henry ranks second in the league with 1,783 yards and shares second with 14 touchdown runs. Henry ran for 73 yards and a TD in the first meeting of the season with the Browns, who have lost five straight and may give both Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Bailey Zappe time at quarterback on Saturday. Cleveland also is still in the running for the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and would clinch it with a loss and victories on Sunday by Tennessee and New England.
The SportsLine Projection Model says one team covers in more than 50% of simulations in this matchup.
Bengals at Steelers (Saturday)
Kickoff 8 p.m. ET
Spread Bengals -1.5
Over/Under 48
Picks and more to know
It's amazing that the Bengals (8-8) still have a shot at the postseason, considering they lost four of their first five games this season and dropped to 4-8 with their 44-38 home loss to Pittsburgh in Week 13. But Cincinnati, which leads the league in passing offense (274.6 yards), has won four straight since that setback to keep its hopes alive.
Burrow also is in the conversation for MVP this year as he leads the NFL with career highs of 4,641 passing yards and 42 touchdown throws with just eight interceptions. In the previous meeting with the Steelers this season, the 28-year-old threw for 309 yards and three TDs -- including one to former LSU teammate Ja'Marr Chase, who is first in the league in both receiving yards (1,612) and scoring catches (16). Meanwhile, Tee Higgins has hauled in five touchdown passes over his last three contests.
Pittsburgh (10-6) is reeling, having lost three straight games, and could enter this one with only playoff seeding on the line as Baltimore will have secured the AFC North title with a win earlier in the day. If that's the case, the Steelers will lock up the No. 5 seed with a victory but could slip to No. 6 should they lose and the Los Angeles Chargers defeat the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
The SportsLine Projection Model says one team covers in well over 50% of simulations in this matchup.
Panthers at Falcons (Sunday)
Kickoff 1 p.m. ET
Spread Falcons -8
Over/Under 48
Picks and more to know
The Falcons (8-8) could have controlled their own destiny had they not squandered a 10-point halftime lead and dropped a 30-24 decision to the Washington Commanders in overtime last week. Now, they must defeat Carolina (4-12) and hope New Orleans upsets Tampa Bay in order to win their first division title since 2016 and reach the postseason for the first time since 2017.
Atlanta replaced veteran Kirk Cousins at quarterback with rookie Michael Penix Jr. in Week 17, and the 2024 eighth overall draft pick threw for 223 yards and a touchdown in his first NFL start. Meanwhile, second-year running back Bijan Robinson, who is fourth in the league with 1,286 rushing yards, ran for a pair of scores for the second straight week. The 22-year-old Robinson also had two rushing TDs in the Falcons' 38-20 triumph at Carolina in Week 6.
Bryce Young has thrown two touchdown passes in back-to-back games for the first time in his career and running back Chuba Hubbard, who will end the season on injured reserve, has recorded his first 1,000-yard season (1,195) while rushing for 10 scores. But the Panthers have lost five of their last six overall contests and each of their last two at Atlanta.
The SportsLine Projection Model says one team covers in more than 50% of simulations in this matchup.
Saints at Buccaneers (Sunday)
Kickoff 1 p.m. ET
Spread Buccaneers -13.5
Over/Under 43.5
Picks and more to know
The Buccaneers (9-7) can capture their fourth consecutive NFC South title -- and third in as many years with Todd Bowles as head coach -- with a victory. By doing so, they will become the first NFL team to start with a 4-6 record and reach the playoffs in back-to-back seasons and the only NFC club to qualify for the postseason each of the last five years.
After splitting the 2021 and 2022 campaigns between three teams, Baker Mayfield has found a home in Tampa Bay. The 2018 first overall pick of the Cleveland Browns, Mayfield set career highs of 4,044 passing yards and 28 touchdown tosses last year -- his first with the Bucs. Rewarded with a three-year contract that could reach $100 million, the 29-year-old has proven his worth in 2024 as he has eclipsed those personal bests with 4,279 yards and 39 TD passes to rank third and second in the NFL, respectively.
Mayfield has made 15 of those scoring throws over Tampa Bay's last six games, five of which were victories. Five went to wideout Mike Evans, who needs 85 yards to reach 1,000 for the 11th straight season despite missing three contests due to injury. The 31-year-old would tie Jerry Rice for the longest such streak in NFL history.
In Week 6, Mayfield threw four TD passes and Sean Tucker rushed for a career-high 136 yards and a score as the Bucs erased a three-point halftime deficit and rolled to a 51-27 win at New Orleans. The Saints (5-11) enter the regular-season finale having lost three straight while playing without most of their top offensive skill players.
The SportsLine Projection Model says one team covers in almost 60% of simulations in this matchup.
Chiefs at Broncos (Sunday)
Kickoff 4:25 p.m. ET
Spread Broncos -10.5
Over/Under 40
Picks and more to know
It's practically unheard of for a team with a 15-1 record to be a double-digit underdog. Such is the case with Kansas City this week, however, but only because it will be giving most of its starters an extra week off as it gets to sit home and watch the wild-card round unfold as the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Winners of six straight, the Chiefs will rest Mahomes in favor of Carson Wentz, who will become just the third quarterback in NFL history to start for a different team in five consecutive seasons.
Denver (9-7) nearly handed Kansas City its first loss of the season in Week 10, dropping a 16-14 decision on the road after Wil Lutz's 35-yard field-goal attempt was blocked as time expired. The Broncos are hoping the third time is a charm as they failed to end their eight-year playoff drought each of the last two weeks with losses to the Chargers and Bengals, the latter in overtime.
A victory over the nine-time reigning AFC West champions on Sunday gives Denver its first postseason berth since it won a fifth straight division title in 2015. The team also could back into the final wild-card spot in the conference with a loss should Cincinnati and Miami also be defeated this weekend.
The SportsLine Projection Model says one team covers in 60% of simulations in this matchup.
Dolphins at Jets (Sunday)
Kickoff 4:25 p.m. ET
Spread Dolphins -1
Over/Under 39
Picks and more to know
The Dolphins (8-8) are still alive for the last wild-card spot in the AFC, but things don't look very good for a third straight postseason appearance. They'll need to buck the trend and play well in cold weather -- potentially with Tyler Huntley under center in place of Tua Tagovailoa, who is questionable with a hip injury that sidelined him for last week's 20-3 win over Cleveland.
If Miami somehow manages to knock off the Jets, it still will need Denver to lose to a Kansas City team that will be fielding mostly backups. The Dolphins have won six of their last eight contests, with one of the victories being a 32-26 overtime triumph over New York at home in Week 14. Wideout Tyreek Hill, who needs 61 receiving yards to reach 1,000 for the fifth consecutive season but is questionable with a wrist injury, made 10 catches for 115 yards and a TD in that win -- Miami's fourth in a row against the Jets.
New York (4-12) would love nothing better than to spoil the Dolphins' playoff chances and end the season with only its second victory since defeating Houston on Oct. 31. Sunday's game could be the last in the career of four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, who likely won't be returning to the Jets in 2025 and could decide to retire. The 41-year-old needs one touchdown pass to become the fifth player in league history with 500 and would love to make the milestone throw to Davante Adams, who hauled in Rodgers' 200th and 400th career TD tosses when they were teammates with the Green Bay Packers.
The SportsLine Projection Model says one team covers in more than 50% of simulations in this matchup.
Vikings at Lions (Sunday)
Kickoff 8:20 p.m. ET
Spread Lions -3
Over/Under 56.5
Picks and more to know
This is the marquee matchup of Week 18, as the NFC North title and No. 1 seed in the conference are at stake. It's borderline criminal that the loser of this showdown will be the fifth seed despite having recorded 14 victories. The Lions are seeking their second straight division crown, while the Vikings are vying for their second in three years.
Minnesota (14-2) is looking to become the first franchise in NFL history with multiple 15-win seasons after going 15-1 in 1998. It enters Sunday with a nine-game winning streak and is hoping to avenge a 31-29 home loss to Detroit in Week 7. The Vikings entered the fourth quarter trailing by 11 points but rallied to take the lead before Jake Bates booted a 44-yard field goal with 15 seconds remaining to give the Lions the win.
Both teams are in the top five in passing offense, with Detroit ranking second (266.1 yards) and Minnesota fifth (243.8). Lions QB Jared Goff is second in the NFL with 4,398 yards and fourth with 36 touchdown passes, while Sam Darnold of the Vikings is fourth (4,153 yards) and fifth (35 TDs), respectively. Detroit's Amon-Ra St. Brown is fourth in receiving yards (1,186) and tied for second in TD catches (12), and Minnesota's Justin Jefferson is second (1,479 yards) and tied for fifth (10 TDs).
The Vikings are second in the league against the run with an average of 88.1 yards allowed, with the Lions right behind them in third place (97). Minnesota will need a strong effort against Jahmyr Gibbs, who ranks sixth in both rushing yards (1,273) and touchdown runs (13). The 22-year-old has gained the most yards on the ground by a Lion since Barry Sanders racked up 1,491 in his final season in 1998 and is one scrimmage TD away from matching the franchise record of 17 set by Sanders in 1991 and tied by Jamaal Williams two years ago.
The SportsLine Projection Model says one team covers in almost 60% of simulations in this matchup.
Explaining and comparing the Fanatics promo
The Fanatics Sportsbook welcome bonus has a structure that works as 10 days of bet insurance promos, as opposed to just one wager. You can earn up to $100 in No Sweat Bets daily for 10 days, adding up to $1,000 in potential value.
Your first bet each day during the promotional period is matched at a 100% rate. So if you place your first bet for $10, you receive $10 in bonus bets. If you placed a $100 first bet for all 10 days, you would receive $1,000 in No Sweat Bets from the promo.
Follow the steps below to sign up for a Fanatics Sportsbook account and claim the welcome promo:
- Head to the Fanatics Sportsbook mobile app.
- Register for a new account at Fanatics Sportsbook, create a username and password, supply the last four digits of your SSN and permit the site to check your location.
- Agree to the terms and conditions of Fanatics Sportsbook.
- Make your first deposit.
- Place your first bet of at least $5 on any market at -200 odds or longer.
- Earn a bonus bet for your first bet equal to whatever you wagered for a maximum of $100 in bonuses.
- Continue this process for 10 days, earning as much as $1,000 in No Sweat Bets.
The current Fanatics Sportsbook promo is complex compared to most industry sign-up bonuses, especially other bet insurance promos. This offer can be viewed as 10 individual first-bet insurance offers instead of an overarching one.
Sign up for an account, deposit and start placing bets. Your first bet each of the 10 days is matched by 100%, for a maximum of $100 in No Sweat Bets daily. For example, if you place a $20 first bet, you get $20 in bonus bets. If you place a $250 first bet, you get $100 in bonus bets for the day.
Your first bet must be for at least $5 and on -200 odds or steeper to qualify for a bonus. Each wager can be placed on any betting market if it meets the minimum odds requirement. All bonus bets you receive are only subject to a 1x playthrough requirement, so using them once will unlock any profit you get as withdrawable cash. Your first bet doesn't have to win for you to recover a bonus; it just has to be settled, win or lose.
The period between signing up and accessing the bonus is 10 days. Because this period starts immediately after registering, it makes sense to start quickly. All bonus bets you receive from the Fanatics Sportsbook promo must be used within seven days of receipt.
Bonus bets at Fanatics Sportsbook work like other online sports betting sites. When you use them, you never recover the value. If you place a winning wager using a $100 No Sweat Bet at Fanatics Sportsbook, you only get back the potential profit, not the $100 value.
See the Fanatics sportsbook review for a detailed breakdown of the bonus.
The primary advantage of exploring the welcome bonus with Fanatics is that the possibility of earning up to $1,000 in bonus bets is a far greater incentive than is offered at most other sportsbooks. One drawback would be for low-volume novice players who would rather not place bets for 10 consecutive days in order to maximize this promotion, instead preferring the more simple single bet unlocking bonuses.
Responsible gaming with Fanatics
If you click on the "Responsible Gambling" icon on the Fanatics Sportsbook mobile app, you will be taken to the web. There, you will find all kinds of helpful self-service tools that you can set for yourself, such as deposit limits, single wager limits, time-based wager limits, timeouts and a self-exclusion list.
Also on this page are resources for helping those in need of problem gambling assistance.
- National Council on Problem Gambling: 1-800-522-4700
- Gamblers Anonymous
Moreover, Fanatics posts state-specific resources on this page that will differ depending on which state your account is registered in.
