NFL Week 18 Early Parlay Odds, Picks & Predictions (2023)
We've reached the final week of the regular season. These four months have gone by so fast. I have to remind myself to really embrace these final games even if they aren't meaningful for my favorite team. I know that come August I will be so desperate for NFL action that I'll happily watch and bet on third-string players in preseason games.
For the Early Week Parlay for Week 18, all three legs feature games with meaningful outcomes for the playoffs. There is so much guesswork when you're looking at games in the final week of the season so I stick to a strategy of betting games that matter at least for one side of the matchup.
Keep reading below for the final regular season Early Week Parlay this season.
NFL Week 18 Early Parlay
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Leg 1 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers –5.5 @ Carolina Panthers (-110)
Carolina has already secured the No. 1 overall draft pick for the Chicago Bears. They had an empty stadium a couple weeks ago. This past week, owner David Tepper appeared to be emptying his drink in the direction of the crowd. They look like they cannot wait to turn the page on this season.
The Buccaneers, meanwhile, will make the playoffs with a win this week. Before a disappointing Week 17 loss to the New Orleans Saints, the Buccaneers were rolling, having won four consecutive games. In a game where one team can make the playoffs and another looks like they have already quit on the season, 5.5 points feels like too low of a number. I like the Buccaneers to cover.
Leg 2 – Buffalo Bills @ Miami Dolphins Over 49.5 (-110)
We will know more by kickoff but currently the variance for the result of this game for the Bills can be the No. 2 seed or miss the playoffs all together. That variance does a good job in capturing this season for the Bills. A few weeks ago they were the No. 10 seed and a playoff birth was starting to look out of reach. They have won four consecutive games since their overtime loss to the Eagles in November and have a shot at winning the AFC East.
The Dolphins have had a very different season. Rather than being good or bad at any specific part of the season, their results have been more reliant on their opponent. They have only beaten one team with an above .500 record this season. They are coming off a 56-19 loss to Baltimore in Week 17 where they may have lost one of their best defensive players Bradley Chubb.
Considering up and down play from both of these teams I don't feel comfortable picking either at the current line. I do love the Over though. Miami has allowed a lot of points this year and with defensive injuries mounting as the season goes I don't think their defense can all of a sudden shut down Buffalo. With the division on the line in this matchup I expect a high scoring game. Give me the Over 49.5 points.
Leg 3 – Houston Texans +1.5 @ Indianapolis Colts (-118)
This is a classic win and you're in/loser leaves town matchup. As a bonus, it's between division rivals. Expectations for both of these teams coming in to the season were pretty low. Now one of them will make the playoffs.
Both of these teams went in to the season with new first-time head coaches. Shane Steichen and DeMeco Ryans are both top-five in current Coach of the Year odds. Both of these teams started rookie quarterbacks that they drafted with a top-four pick. Both rookie quarterbacks looked really good this year, but unfortunately for the Colts, due to injury the sample size was significantly smaller for Anthony Richardson.
The Texans got to enjoy C.J. Stroud for a lot more of the season. He has missed some time due to injury but returned in Week 17 with a strong performance against another division rival, the Tennessee Titans. I like the Texans plus the points this week with a healthy C.J. Stroud in Indianapolis.
Three–Leg Parlay Odds: (+573)
Make sure to check out our other best bets for Tuesday:
- NFL Week 18 Early Parlay Odds, Picks & Predictions
- NFL Week 18 Line Movement Analysis: Odds, Picks & Predictions
- College Basketball Odds, Picks & Predictions
- Top NBA Odds, Picks & Predictions
- Top NHL Odds, Picks & Predictions
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