The Vikings are out of the playoff race, but Week 18 still matters. A win or loss against Green Bay could shift Minnesota’s draft slot.
The Minnesota Vikings only have one game left in the 2025 season. Week 18's outcome against the Green Bay Packers won't affect the Vikings' playoff chances, but it will help determine where they will select in the NFL Draft.
At 8-8, Minnesota currently owns the 17th pick in the draft. They are tied with three teams (Detroit, Baltimore, and Indianapolis) at 8-8. But the Vikings' .515 winning percentage places them behind the Lions and Ravens in the draft order.
At worst, a win against the Packers next week would only drop Minnesota down no further than the 18th pick. That's the lowest draft slot for non-playoff teams.
Meanwhile, a loss could help the Vikings realistically jump as high as the 13th overall pick when evaluating other 7-9 teams' strength of schedule. It's unlikely Minnesota could get a better draft pick than the Dolphins, who currently hold the 12th pick but have a much lower strength of schedule (.438).
But the Vikings will have a good chance of winning their season finale against the Packers. Green Bay is already locked into the NFC's No. 7 seed, giving them little to play for in the matchup.
Adam Schefter reported on Sunday morning that Green Bay plans to rest several key players. DraftKings Sportsbook has taken notice of that, making Minnesota a 6.5-point favorite as of Sunday night.
It would have been hard to envision the Vikings sitting on a five-game win streak when December began. They lost four straight games in November, losing by a combined 49-6 in their final two contests against the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks.
December has been kinder in terms of matchups, with wins over the Washington Commanders and New York Giants showing how superior the Vikings were despite their sub-.500 record.
But dominating defensive performances against the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions proved the legitimacy of Minnesota's win streak. Maybe they had a five-game heater in them all year, yet weren't able to bring together the mix of health and schedule fortune necessary to take advantage.
Some fans may have wanted the Vikings to lose out when December began. Now, Minnesota has played themselves to one of the lowest draft positions of any non-playoff team. They have a chance to secure the 18th draft slot with a win and a Colts loss.
Win or lose, that will officially turn the attention of Vikings fans to the draft, where hope springs eternal.