What Week 11 means for the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft

The 2020 playoff race is getting more interesting coming down the home stretch, but don’t forget about the race for the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft! The Miami Dolphins were sizable favorites coming into the season, but have managed to win two straight games to “drop” in the standings. The Cincinnati Bengals are in the driver’s seat, although Washington is creeping right behind them.

Here is what the top of the draft order looks like heading into Week 11. Strength of schedule provided courtesy of Tankathon, and it is followed by their Week 11 opponent.

1. Cincinnati Bengals: 0-9 (.557) — @ Raiders
2. Washington: 1-8 (.524) — vs. Jets
3. New York Giants: 2-8 (.469) — BYE
4. Miami Dolphins: 2-7 (.473) — vs. Bills
5. New York Jets: 2-7 (.476) — @ Washington
6. Atlanta Falcons: 2-7 (.584) — @ Panthers

We get a big matchup this weekend with Washington host the Jets. If Washington loses, they hang right in the mix with the Bengals. If the Jets lose, Washington takes a hit and it’s hard to see the Bengals finding two wins the rest of the season. This could be make or break time.

We had tracked eight teams in last week’s look at the draft order, but three wins seems a reasonable cut-off at this point. Aside from the Jets-Washington game, Miami and Atlanta are both worth watching. Miami is on a roll, while the Falcons got a monster upset of the Saints last week. Can either build on it, or will they come crashing back to earth? Odds seem decent for the latter.

The Jets-Washington game could offer a little more clarity, but otherwise, none of these teams has a decent shot in their matchups. Look for Cincinnati to remain on top (or bottom) of this mess.