Updated: Tuesday, July 17, at 1:36 p.m. EDT

While simply entering a contract year is not a guarantee of increased fantasy football production, players look for any extra motivation to put their fake squads over the top.

The key when evaluating such data is to treat it as another piece of the puzzle and not get too caught up in this extra data. We’ll focus on players with the highest odds of using this incentive to put their best foot forward in an effort to land a huge deal on the open market.

All data is based on USA TODAY Sports partner Spotrac.com’s free-agent charts, and the sorting is factored from the highest 2018 salary atop each chart.

Each player is an unrestricted free agent as of March 2019. Ages listed are as of July 16. The * represents a restricted free agent.

(Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports)

Quarterbacks

Tyrod Taylor, Cleveland Browns: The drafting of Baker Mayfield means Taylor’s days are numbered, and at 29 years old next offseason, he still has enough runway to secure a fairly lucrative deal in a situation offering a starting job. No other quarterback has a chance to excel in 2018 and realistically earn a shot at a starting job in ’19. Everyone else on this list works as a backup or is on the verge of retirement.

(Charles LeClaire, USA TODAY Sports)

Running backs

Le’Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers: No other player is as lethal of a fantasy weapon as Bell and in such an intriguing situation to become a free agent in 2019. It appears as though this relationship is heading toward divorce after this year, and at just 26 years old, the star do-all back has plenty of upside for either a new team or a long-term pact with the Steelers.

Latavius Murray, Minnesota Vikings: The defection of Jerick McKinnon to San Fran and Dalvin Cook’s recovery from knee reconstruction could mean more Murray, particularly early in 2018. He isn’t a receiving outlet in the mold of McKinnon, though Murray could be used more than usual for the tough yards to help shield Cook until he’s fully recuperated.

Mark Ingram, New Orleans Saints: His suspension means gamers will have no more than three-quarters of a season of his utility, which also translates to a depressed draft stock. He could be a fine buy at the right price, and Ingram’s only hope for a last big deal will come in 2019 with a strong return this season.

Spencer Ware/Charcandrick West, Kansas City Chiefs: Both backs are 26 years old and get sprinkled in to help relieve second-year star Kareem Hunt. Presuming last year’s leading rusher stays healthy, Ware and West will fight each other for touches. The winner could find a fantasy-worthy role on the 2019 market as a complementary player.

T.J. Yeldon, Jacksonville Jaguars: It appears as though Yeldon never will be a full-time guy, but it doesn’t mean he cannot deliver quality fantasy points in a supplemental role. Receptions should fuel his fantasy worth in 218 and likely beyond. Target him as a low-cost upside bargain in PPR formats.

Tevin Coleman, Atlanta Falcons: Coleman’s name has swirled in trade rumors, and it possibly could still happen after Ito Smith was selected. Assuming he remains with the Falcons, Coleman’s days in Atlanta are winding down as he will set out to be more than Devonta Freeman’s sidekick. Among the most efficient players over the past few years, Coleman is poised for a strong showing in 2018.

David Johnson, Arizona Cardinals: The 26-year-old Johnson needs to prove he’s the special talent we saw in 2016. Provided he returns to form, look for Arizona to lock him into a long-term deal. He has incentive from several directions.

Jay Ajayi, Philadelphia Eagles: A third team in as many years could be the reality of Ajayi’s 2019 career path. Rather one-dimensional, Ajayi is unlikely to have a large role in 2018’s offense that naturally spreads the love anyway. He is an explosive two-downer whose contributions come in spurts, making Ajayi a risk-reward play most any matchup.

(Marc Lebryk, USA TODAY Sports)

Wide receivers

Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers: Jordy Nelson’s departure will open looks for Cobb, but he is injury-prone and lacks the explosiveness to take over games. PPR owners may benefit from a drastic increase in receptions. Cobb is a matchup play.

Donte Moncrief, Jacksonville Jaguars: Playing on a prove-it deal, Moncrief is in a critical juncture of his career. Only 24 years old and never “the guy,” this is a prime chance to prove what he is capable of doing as a newcomer in an offense begging for someone to stand out from the receiving corps.

Golden Tate, Detroit Lions: At 29 years old in 2018, Tate is playing as Matthew Stafford’s top target in what should be the former Seahawk’s last chance at a premium deal. Unless an injury derails Tate’s season, look for similar WR2 results from the veteran. We likely have seen his ceiling, however.

Terrelle Pryor, New York Jets: The former quarterback’s self-gamble went bust in 2017 with the one-year deal he signed to join the Washington Redskins. He never looked comfortable in the system, and there was no chemistry with Kirk Cousins. The 28-year-old Pryor will try his luck once again with a single-season pact. Gamers have a low-cost option for a quality rebound target.

Kevin White, Chicago Bears: The offense is promising for opening up the passing game, even if it will emphasize the ground. White, for all of his potential, has shown no ability to overcome even a hangnail. In an offense finding its way, a player with more incentive than just about anyone in the NFL could be a dangling carrot worthy of a bite. If nothing else, he’s cheap. Being practical, White has earned no benefit of the doubt and has burned too many gamers.

Tyrell Williams, Los Angeles Chargers: The Bolts will give last year’s first-round pick, Mike Williams, every opportunity to live up to his billing. Tyrell Williams has mostly overachieved, but if he can hold off the Clemson star or capitalize on the Hunter Henry injury, it will go a long way for his 2019 free agency options.

Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants: This one could be moot with a stroke of a pen in the coming months. OBJ really doesn’t have much to prove, even after an injury-shortened season, but wanting quarterback money will require another signature season.

Brandin Cooks, Los Angeles Rams: The well-traveled 24-year-old has a chance to score big in free agency, whether it be in LA or another city. The Rams gave up a first-rounder for him and will showcase the incendiary asset. Expect big numbers on a near weekly basis.

Phillip Dorsett, New England Patriots: There probably won’t be enough balls to go around to make Dorsett a consistent fantasy option in 2018, but he will try to leverage every reception to make himself desirable to any team in ’19.

Kelvin Benjamin, Buffalo Bills: Few players are in need of a booming season like Benjamin. He has no one of note blocking his path to success in 2018. Chronic injuries, a rookie quarterback, and a run-heavy system present concerns, yet none of them can outright remove him from rebound consideration.

Devin Funchess, Carolina Panthers: This offense needs a go-to guy in the red zone, an area where Funchess could butter his bread. The offense has an intermediate weapon in Greg Olsen and a safety valve in Christian McCaffrey. Rookie D.J. Moore will see a ton of looks. Torrey Smith and Curtis Samuel could be the more explosive components. Funchess is a modest possession and scoring target, profiling as a fringe WR3.

Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks: He played all 16 games in 2017 after suffering a broken leg late in 2016. Lockett still battled minor ailments throughout the ’17 season and struggled to display explosiveness. Two years removed from any major injury could help the 25-year-old’s cause.

Martavis Bryant, Oakland Raiders: Several reasons, including a lucrative deal in the 2019 offseason, could incentivize the once-promising wideout. Bryant figures to be the third wheel on any random play behind Amari Cooper and Jordy Nelson, though neither player is without his share of downside. Anything reminiscient of Bryant’s first two years in the NFL can be considered a fantasy success.

Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings: The streaky Diggs has to acclimate to a new quarterback and offensive system in Minnesota. He has flashed a number of times but also has induced several fantasy headaches in the past two years. Former first-rounder Laquon Treadwell could press Diggs’ target share in a more meaningful way, yet it is tough to envision Diggs slipping south of WR2 territory.

(David Kohl, USA TODAY Sports)

Tight ends

Luke Willson, Detroit Lions: A career backup, Willson comes over from Seattle and will fight for the starting job in Detroit. He is primarily credited for his blocking skills, though Willson is an underrated receiver. The biggest question here is just how many passes can possibly go around in this offense.

Tyler Eifert, Cincinnati Bengals: A free agent this March, Eifert renewed with the Bengals for one year. Staying healthy has always been his biggest enemy, and even if he plays out of his mind, teams will hold his fragility against him. Eifert offers midrange TE1 talent as one of the riskiest players at his position.

Jesse James, Pittsburgh Steelers: A better blocker than receiver, James often gets lost in the shuffle of the dangerous weapons in this offense. He’s a capable pass-catching tight end, though he won’t take over games. Perhaps a slight uptick in stats can lead to a larger role elsewhere in 2019.