Sportsnaut
Las Vegas Raiders fans have turned their attention to the 2026 NFL draft. Where will the Silver and Black pick in the order? Many hope it’s at the top for a quarterback.
The Raiders would claim the No. 1 draft pick if they lose their remaining three games against the Houston Texans, New York Giants and Kansas City Chiefs.
Currently in the No. 2 spot, Las Vegas could move up before the end of the campaign. This week, the Giants (No. 1) and Tennessee Titans (No. 3) may put their opponents, who are also eliminated from playoff contention, on upset alert.
Let’s take a look at the matchups for the top three teams in the 2026 draft order and break down the draft implications.
Related: NFL Power Rankings 2025: Week-by-Week NFL Evaluations of All 32 Teams
The Giants’ two wins are at home, but they’ve lost eight consecutive games. Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart has provided an offensive spark, though he’s a reckless playmaker with his willingness to absorb hits on the run.
With Dart as their starting quarterback, the Giants are averaging 22.3 points per game. Minnesota is averaging 20.6 points per contest, with second-year pro, first-year starter J.J. McCarthy under center.
Big Blue is capable of pulling off an upset if Dart stays healthy throughout the contest. Though it’s worth noting his tough matchup against the fifth-ranked pass defense.
Pay close attention to this game; it could come down to the fourth quarter. If the Giants win, the Raiders would move into the No. 1 draft spot.
If Las Vegas loses out, Tennessee can’t leapfrog into the top spot. However, the Titans’ game results could come back into play if the Raiders win another game this season.
For now, the Titans have the same record as the Giants and Raiders, but they have a stronger strength of schedule than both teams, which is the determining factor among clubs with the same record.
Over the last two weeks, Titans rookie quarterback Cam Ward has made moderate progress, throwing for four touchdowns and one interception. Given his recent improvement, the Titans have a shot to knock off the Kansas City Chiefs at home.
Without Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City is only a slight favorite over Tennessee. Eliminated from playoff contention, the Chiefs may have a lack of focus in the final three weeks of the season. As the Titans look for positives in a rebuild around Ward, they could give the Chiefs their fourth consecutive loss.
Related: 2025 NFL QB Rankings
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