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Philadelphia Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell. Eric Canha-Imagn Images

NFC East X-Factors: Finding meaning in Week 18

By Bruce Ewing | Last updated Jan 2, 2025 11:27 AM ET

While three of four NFC East teams will end their regular season with meaningless matchups, these games give young players (and an old coach) the chance to shine. Here’s who could stand out in Week 18.

Brian Daboll | HC | New York Giants

The Giants have nothing to gain but everything to lose against the Eagles on Sunday. Before upsetting the Indianapolis Colts in Week 17, New York's chances of earning the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft stood at 42.5%, according to Pro Football Network. Now they have a 20.7% chance of winning the top pick, something the team’s head coach says he can’t think about.

“Our focus is on the opponent we’re playing and ourselves each week as a coaching staff and players.” Daboll said. “We do, again, try to do everything we can do to go out there and play as coach as good as we can.”

Daboll could be coaching his last game with the Giants with a 3-13 record in 2024 and 18- 31-1 overall in New York. If so, he doesn’t want to end his tenure with a loss against a division rival.

Jayden Daniels | QB | Washington Commanders

The Commanders have won four straight games thanks to the strong play of their rookie quarterback, Daniels. He has thrown at least one touchdown in his last six games and has 15 passing scores over his last five starts.

Washington will finish the regular season against a Dallas team that beat them 34-26 in Week 12 despite getting 349 total yards and three scores from Daniels. Of course, four sacks and two interceptions certainly didn’t help.

COMMANDERS 86-YARD TOUCHDOWN WOW

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— NFL (@NFL) November 24, 2024

A win against the Cowboys could give Washington the sixth playoff seed over Green Bay, whereas a loss would drop them to the seventh spot. Dallas may have nothing to play for on Sunday, but Daniels could be victimized by Cowboys players looking to pad their stats.

Kenneth Gainwell | RB | Philadelphia Eagles

With Philadelphia firmly locked into the No. 2 seed for the NFC playoffs, head coach Nick Sirianni said the team would rest its starters against the Giants on Sunday, disappointing fans who hoped to see running back Saquon Barkley break the single-season rushing record (2,105 yards) set by Eric Dickerson in 1984.

For obvious reasons, Gainwell may not be upset with Sirianni’s decision. The fourth-year running back saw just 64 carries in 16 games with 276 yards and a touchdown this season, but all that’s about to change.

Rookie running back Will Shipley missed last week’s game with a concussion and was limited in Wednesday’s practice, per Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia. With no other running backs on the active roster, the Eagles will likely elevate Tyrion Davis-Price from the practice squad. Still, Gainwell should have the backfield all to himself against the Giants.

Jalen Tolbert | WR | Dallas Cowboys

A third-round pick in 2022, Tolbert has a career-high 512 yards this season and a chance to finish the year as the Cowboys’ second-leading wide receiver behind CeeDee Lamb, who was placed on injured reserve before last week’s game against the Eagles.

Tolbert’s best game came in Week 5 with 87 yards and a score against the Steelers. He scored in his last three games and was the only Cowboys player to find the endzone in Week 16.

He had two catches for 22 yards and a score in a 34-26 win over the Commanders in Week 12 and will look to add to those numbers at home in Week 18.

Bruce Ewing

Bruce Ewing is 183 pounds of twisted steel and Happy Meals. His work has appeared on Yardbarker, 5th Down Fantasy, Inside the Iggles and MSN. Give a Philly fan a break and follow him on Twitter/X at @fantasybruce.

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