Dec. 26 (UPI) — A meeting between the Las Vegas Raiders-New York Giants is among several Week 17 games with major implications for the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Giants and Raiders both sit at 2-13, but the Giants’ weaker strength of schedule has them in line to pick first. The Raiders are on track to pick second, but that could change with a loss Sunday in Las Vegas.
Despite many fans’ — and some general managers’ — desires to improve their teams through the draft, coaches and players contend that they will attempt to keep winning, even if it could hurt their future talent pool.
“I’m not really concerned about any of that,” Raiders coach Pete Carroll told reporters Monday. “I don’t think you want me to be.
“We are going to play the best we can play and see what happens.”
The Giants-Raiders matchup is the first in history to include two teams with active nine-game losing streaks.
The 2026 NFL Draft will be held from April 23 to 25 in Pittsburgh. The first 18 draft slots will be finalized after Week 18. The next six slots will go to wild card teams. The next four slots will go to divisional round losers.
Pick Nos. 29 and 30 will go to the losers of the respective conference title games. The loser of Super Bowl LX will earn the No. 31 pick, with the champion picking last.
The Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals currently sit in slot Nos. 3 through 6, respectively, due to their matching 3-12 records and strength of their schedules. They also could improve their draft positioning with Week 17 losses.
The Browns have the weakest strength of schedule of any team inside the Top 10 of the projected draft order and could climb inside the Top 2 this weekend. They will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6) in Week 17 and end the season with a matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals (5-10).
The Browns are 3.5-point underdogs. The Raiders are 1.5-point favorites to beat the Giants.
The New England Patriots (12-3) are 13.5-point favorites to beat the Jets. The New Orleans Saints (5-10) are 2.5-point favorites to beat the Titans (3-12).
The Bengals, who hold the No. 9 spot in the first round, are 7-point favorites over the Cardinals.
The Washington Commanders (4-12), who lost to the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday, currently hold the No. 7 spot. The Saints sit at No. 9, just ahead of the Bengals. The Kansas City Chiefs (6-10), who lost to the Denver Broncos (13-3) on Thursday, hold the No. 10 spot. They will end their season against the Raiders in Week 18.
The Miami Dolphins and the Los Angeles Rams, who own the Atlanta Falcons’ first-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, are set to pick at Nos. 11 and 12, respectively. The Dolphins will host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8) in Week 17. The Rams will meet the Falcons (6-9).
In the NFC, six of the seven playoff berths are finalized. In the AFC, five teams clinched berths. But teams from both conferences still will fight for playoff positioning over the final two weeks of the season.
The Steelers can secure a playoff berth and the AFC North title with a victory over the Browns. They also could clinch if the Baltimore Ravens (7-8) lose to the Green Bay Packers on Saturday, which could lead them to rest starters Sunday in Cleveland. Such a move could create a closer game, potentially hurting the Browns’ draft stock.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin told reporters “it may,” when asked earlier this week if the result of the Ravens-Packers game could impact his personnel decisions against the Browns.
The Patriots and Buffalo Bills are still fighting for the AFC East division title and could wrestle away the top overall seed from the Broncos, which comes with a first-round bye and home field advantage. The Bills (11-4) will take on the Philadelphia Eagles (10-5), who already clinched the NFC East.
Other impactful Week 17 NFC matchups feature the Carolina Panthers (8-7) and Seattle Seahawks (12-3) and Chicago Bears (11-4) and San Francisco 49ers (11-4). The Panthers are the only team of that group yet to clinch a playoff berth. They currently hold the No. 4 seed.
The Buccaneers remain in striking range for a playoff berth, which means the must-win nature of their final two games could lead the Dolphins to improve their draft stock with a loss Sunday in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Buccaneers are 3-point favorites.
The Los Angeles Chargers (11-4), who already clinched a playoff berth, but are still fighting for positioning, will host the Houston Texans (10-5) in the first NFL matchup of the weekend. That game will kick off at 4:30 p.m. EST Saturday in Inglewood, Calif.
The Texans currently sit in the No. 7 spot in the AFC playoff picture.
Current Top 10, matchups
1. New York Giants (2-13) at Las Vegas Raiders (2-13)
2. Las Vegas Raiders (2-13) vs. New York Giants (2-13)
3. Cleveland Browns (3-12) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6)
4. New York Jets (3-12) vs. New England Patriots (12-3)
5. Tennessee Titans (3-12) vs. New Orleans Saints (5-10)
6. Arizona Cardinals (3-12) at Cincinnati Bengels (5-10)
7. Washington Commanders (4-12) lost to Dallas Cowboys (7-8-1)
8. New Orleans Saints (5-10) at Tennessee Titans (3-12)
9. Cincinnati Bengals (5-10) vs. Arizona Cardinals (3-12)
10. Kansas City Chiefs (6-10) lost to Denver Broncos (13-3)
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