With only three games left in the 2024 campaign, the Las Vegas Raiders currently hold the top pick in next year's draft, according to Tankathon.com.
However, the race for the No. 1 overall pick is tight and there are a handful of incompetent teams battling it out at the bottom of the NFL's standings.
A team's record is only one component of the draft order, however, as teams commonly end the season with the same record.
Strength of schedule is the next tiebreaker, and whichever team has the lower strength of schedule gets the higher pick.
So, not only do the Raiders need to have the worst record in the league if they want the first pick, they have to have the lowest strength of schedule.
Many in Raider Nation are cheering for this exact scenario, so I've compiled a guide if you are one of those fans who is embracing the tank.
Which teams to cheer for in Week 16
Winner | Loser |
|---|---|
Houston Texans | Kansas City Chiefs |
New York Giants | Atlanta Falcons |
Arizona Cardinals | Carolina Panthers |
Indianapolis Colts | Tennessee Titans |
New York Jets | Los Angeles Rams |
New England Patriots | Buffalo Bills |
Jacksonville Jaguars | Las Vegas Raiders |
San Francisco 49ers | Miami Dolphins |
Dallas Cowboys | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
Green Bay Packers | New Orleans Saints |
Battle for the No. 1 pick
Jacksonville Jaguars beat Las Vegas Raiders
New York Giants beat Atlanta Falcons
These two results would guarantee the Raiders the No. 1 pick because Las Vegas would be the only two-win team in the league.
New York has a chance against a struggling Atlanta team that is debuting a rookie quarterback in Week 16.
Major help with strength of schedule
Houston Texans beat Kansas City Chiefs
Dallas Cowboys beat Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Because the Raiders have played the Chiefs twice this season, a loss from them lowers Las Vegas' strength of schedule two-fold.
Same goes for the Cowboys, who the Giants have played twice. A win by them would dramatically increase New York's strength of schedule while decreasing the Raiders' because they just played the Buccaneers.
Arizona Cardinals beat Carolina Panthers
New York Jets beat Los Angeles Rams
San Francisco 49ers beat Miami Dolphins
Green Bay Packers beat New Orleans Saints
Indianapolis Colts beat Tennessee Titans
Losses by Carolina, Los Angeles, Miami and New Orleans are critical because the Raiders have played each of these opponents this year. These four results would dramatically decrease Las Vegas' strength of schedule.
A Colts win would increase the Giants' strength of schedule because they played Indianapolis earlier this year.
Less crowded at the bottom
New England Patriots beat Buffalo Bills
Cleveland Browns beat Cincinnati Bengals
While neither of these games directly affect the Raiders or Giants' strength of schedule, wins by New England and Cleveland would clear things out at the top of the draft board.
Both of these teams have three wins, and getting them to four wins would give the Raiders a bit of breathing room.
These games have no effect
Denver Broncos vs Los Angeles Chargers
Pittsburgh Steelers vs Baltimore Ravens
Detroit Lions vs Chicago Bears
Philadelphia Eagles vs Washington Commanders
Minnesota Vikings vs Seattle Seahawks
None of these games will affect the Raiders or Giants' strength of schedule, they will all break even.