With the Pro Bowl honors announced yesterday, it also settled a wide number of incentives that hinged on being named on the original ballot to the honor. As I tweeted yesterday, of 126 such incentives worth up to $47.012 million, only 4 players–Demarcus Lawrence, Kyle Juszczyk, Nico Collins, and Ross Matiscik–managed to earn them, for a measly total of just $1.05 million, or 2.2%.

It’s a regularly stark example of how the grand majority of all incentives won’t be earned. But as we approach the conclusion of the regular season, where most incentives will be determined, on this Christmas Eve I thought would be good to highlight some of the exceptions that are on the line as possible gifts for Christmas or belated within the last two weeks, as something to perhaps root for in games that otherwise have little meaning, given that 14 teams are already eliminated from the playoffs.

The incentives mentioned below will mostly focus on individual metrics based on traditional statistics. Incentives earned based on playing time or postseason performance may be studied at a later date.

Sam Darnold is on the verge of cashing in

Darnold’s three year contract signed with the Seahawks this season contains annual incentives in nine different metrics of $500,000 each, thus up to $4.5 million per season. Four of those are based upon postseason performance, and Darnold has already earned one of those due to Seattle making the playoffs. A fifth needs the Seahawks to be in the top ten of net yardage on offense, which the team is well on the way to achieving.

The remaining four are individual metrics directly in Darnold’s control. Here’s what they are, where he’s at, and where he needs to go–and they are all very close:

Rico Dowdle could get a near clean sweep

The only incentive Dowdle won’t earn for sure on his one year contract with a base value of $2.75 million, but with $3.5 million in incentives, is $500,000 for being named to the Pro Bowl.

However, Dowdle should have already earned $1.5 million more due to gaining scrimmage yards that was also based on one of many individual or team improvements, one of which has already been achieved. Dowdle has also earned a $250,000 incentive for scoring at least 6 total touchdowns.

Dowdle can earn another $250,000 if he gets one more total total TD to bring the total to 8–he currently has seven. Dowdle can also earn the largest incentive of $1 million if he gets 1,350 scrimmage yards. He is currently at 1,280–thus, only 70 more yards to go.

Stefon Diggs’s comeback could get lucrative

Diggs is having a good season after signing a three year, $63.5 million contract with the Patriots. It can get even better for him as he closes in on a set of incentives based on receiving yards and receptions, each containing a four tier package of $500,000 each, for a total of up to $4 million.

Diggs currently has 76 receptions for 869 receiving yards. The receptions are in increments of 70, 80, 90, and 100, so he has already earned the first $500,000 here, and can earn another $500,000 with just 4 more catches. The yardage increments are 1,000, 1,100, 1,200, and 1,300. Diggs needs 131 more yards to reach the first increment.

Kendrick Bourne has more possible paydays ahead

On the last Monday Night Football broadcast, it was observed in real time that Bourne earned a $500,000 incentive for crossing 500 receiving yards. Bourne can earn another $250,000 if he crosses 600 yards–he is currently at 526. Bourne can also earn $500,000 for crossing 45 receptions, and another $250,000 if he crosses 55. Bourne is currently at 36.

Multiple Dolphins have incentives hinging on team performance

In their incentives, the Dolphins regularly have clauses that tie them to team performance that typically requires the team to be in the top 20 of points scored (offense) or points allowed (defense). The Dolphins currently rank 22nd in both metrics.

Two players, Bradley Chubb and Ifeatu Melifonwu, are players that have achievable incentives on these top 20 metrics are as follows:

A third player, Larry Borom, has the same top 20 points scored metric on a pair of playtime incentives of $250,000 each for crossing 60% and 75% of the offensive snaps. Borom is currently at 69.7%.

And a fourth player, Ashtyn Davis, has similar playtime incentives of $250,000 each for crossing 50% and 60% of the defensive snaps. Davis is currently at 64.1%. However, for Davis, the team rank on points allowed is top 25, not 20. That means that as things stand now, Davis would earn his incentives, but the other three players would not.

Where this is also potentially troublesome for the Dolphins is in 2026 compensatory picks. All three of Melifonwu, Borom, and Davis are on the bubble of qualifying as compensatory free agents. The Dolphins can only afford to have one of them qualify in order to receive a 4th rounder for Jevon Holland leaving for the Giants. Any of these players earning these incentives could make it more likely that they qualify as compensatory free agents.

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Week 17 schedule of incentives on the line, by day/time window

In addition to the players above that have very detailed incentive scenarios, there are plenty of more where the scenario is simpler. I’ve grouped these players by when they play for Week 17, so you can follow along to see if the players get there–similar to following one’s fantasy team, or bet placed, but for the greater cause of securing players some bags.

Thursday, December 25 (Christmas)

Saturday, December 27

Sunday, December 28 (early afternoon games)

Sunday, December 28 (late afternoon games)

Sunday, December 28 (evening)

Monday, December 29