Eagles will rest key Starters in Week 18 and that’s the right call

The Eagles are officially taking the cautious route in Week 18, and honestly, it makes all the sense in the world.

Philadelphia confirmed Wednesday that several key starters will rest in Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Washington Commanders. Not everyone will sit because roster rules make that impossible, but this will be a mix of rest, limited snaps, and some guys dressing without playing. The goal is simple. Get to the playoffs healthy.

Eagles will rest key starters in Week 18 vs Commanders

The Eagles say they will be resting some starters and others will be limited and some will dress for league rules, but bottom line is they are resting a lot of starters. But they are playing to win the game. pic.twitter.com/jM9xOnu6hr

— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) December 31, 2025

Eagles should absolutely rest the starters in Week 18 against the Washington Commanders

Nick Sirianni stopped short of saying it outright earlier in the week, but the writing was on the wall. He has been consistent about the value of rest and creating de facto bye weeks whenever possible. He pointed directly to past seasons where that approach paid off, including both Super Bowl runs under his watch. This is not new philosophy. It is a proven one.

The betting market reacted immediately. The Eagles opened as 7.5-point favorites and that number dropped to 3.5 once word got out. That tells you everything you need to know about how many starters are expected to sit.

Philadelphia enters Week 18 as the NFC’s No. 3 seed, with a narrow path to the No. 2 seed if they beat Washington and the Bears lose to the Lions. Both games kick at 4:25 p.m. But the Eagles are clearly prioritizing January over scoreboard watching.

And they should.

Washington is bad. There is no way around it. The Commanders are likely starting 39-year-old Josh Johnson at quarterback, and this roster is limping to the finish line. Tanner McKee is expected to start for the Eagles, and there is a very real chance the backups are good enough to win this game anyway.

Sirianni spoke highly of McKee, praising his decision-making, accuracy, and preparation. He also pointed out the value of McKee spending every day in the quarterback room with Jalen Hurts. That matters. This is not a throwaway situation. McKee is being trusted to run the offense competently, not just survive the game.

Because of roster limitations, some starters will still have to play. Others may be active but never see the field. This is not an all-or-nothing rest plan. It is calculated and intentional.

The Eagles have been here before. They know what works. Creating rest, avoiding unnecessary injuries, and entering the postseason fresh is worth far more than chasing a seed that still requires outside help.

If the backups win, great. If they do not, the Eagles still head into the playoffs healthy and prepared. That is the priority.

This is not overthinking it. This is smart football.

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