Week 11 is nearly over, but the important games for some of the NFL’s worst teams are over.
In recent weeks, we’ve put together the NFL Tanking Rankings (is Tank for Tua out after what happened to Tagovailoa last week? Bust for Burrow is still there?) and it’s looking more like the top two spots in the 2020 draft are close to being locked up.
But there’s still plenty of time for everything to change. So we’ll keep it going as teams behind the top (bottom?) two jostle for position.
As always, we rank each team’s chances based on record, remaining schedule and other factors (are they benching their starting QB for a rookie?).
(All actual draft positions courtesy of Tankathon):
8. Denver Broncos (3-7)
Remaining schedule: @ BUF, vs. LAC, @ HOU, @ KC, vs. DET, vs. OAK
Actual position: 7th overall
Hmmm. They were up 20-0 at halftime against the Vikings and lost. So it’s possible they should be higher … but I saw some fight in them.
7. New York Jets (3-7)
Remaining schedule: vs. OAK, @ CIN, vs. MIA, @ BAL, vs. PIT, @ BUF
Actual position: 5th overall
Too many good games on this list for them not to win a couple more and get out of the top five.
6. Detroit Lions (3-6-1)
Remaining schedule: @ WSH, vs. CHI, @ MIN, vs. TB, @ DEN, vs. GB
Actual position: 10th overall
There are winnable games on that list, but will Jeff Driskel start the rest of the way?
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-7)
Remaining schedule: @ ATL, @ JAX, vs. IND, @ DET, vs. HOU, vs. ATL
Actual position: 6th overall
Look at that schedule and tell me which games you truly think the Bucs are certain to win. There’s not an easy one in the bunch. So I’ll stick them here, which isn’t far off where they are in the actual rankings (sixth after Week 11).
4. New York Giants (2-8)
Remaining schedule: @ CHI, vs. GB, @ PHI, vs. MIA, @ WSH, vs. PHI
Actual position: 3rd overall
Way to win the bye week, Big Blue.
3. Miami Dolphins (2-8)
Remaining schedule: @ CLE, vs. PHI, @ NYJ, @ NYG, vs. CIN, @ NE
Actual position: 4th overall
I see some potentially winnable games on that schedule, so their hold on this spot — both in the draft order and the unpower rankings — is tenuous.
2. Washington Redskins (1-9)
Remaining schedule: vs. DET, @ CAR, @ GB, vs. PHI, vs. NYG, @ DAL
Actual position: 2nd overall
Man, they looked terrible against the Jets … but that’s the idea, right?
1. Cincinnati Bengals (0-10)
Remaining schedule: vs. PIT, vs. NYJ, @ CLE, vs. NE, @ MIA, vs. CLE
Actual position: 1st overall
They’re two games up on any team not named the Redskins, and although there are games against similarly bad teams, they’re by far the top team in these rankings.
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