Survivor pool strategy: Rams, Chargers among top options in Week 9

ESPN Eliminator Challenge is 1 of the astir amusive games to play this NFL season. The rules are simple: prime 1 team, and arsenic agelong arsenic they triumph (or tie), you beforehand to the adjacent round. If they lose, you are out. The caveat is you cannot prime the aforesaid squad twice. If you've made it this far, springiness yourself a pat connected the back.

Last week, favorites went 11-2 consecutive up and against the spread. However, the 2 underdog wins knocked retired 39% of remaining Eliminator Challenge entries, the second-most devastating week of the season. The Cincinnati Bengals nonaccomplishment knocked retired 20% of the tract arsenic they were the most-selected squad past week. The Atlanta Falcons besides mislaid arsenic the fourth-most fashionable pick.

However, this file survives different week arsenic the Indianapolis Colts won easy implicit the lowly Tennessee Titans. Less than 8% of ESPN entries stay progressive entering Week 9.

This week features 4 high-end options. The Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit Lions are each large favorites, and nary are apt to beryllium favored by this overmuch the remainder of the season. There's nary crushed to pivot elsewhere arsenic determination is simply a monolithic drop-off successful triumph equity, truthful prime your favourite of the four.

This column's prime volition beryllium the Rams, who are the astir fashionable enactment for a reason.

Mike Clay's Eliminator Challenge cheat sheet

1. Los Angeles Rams (vs. New Orleans Saints)

This is the second-most lopsided matchup the remainder of the play according to ESPN Analytics. While the Rams person immoderate aboriginal value, including Week 13 successful Carolina, that isn't capable crushed to walk up this overmuch triumph probability. The biggest crushed to pivot elsewhere is enactment rate, arsenic the Rams volition beryllium the astir fashionable pick. However, the clip to devour that chalk is connected a 14.5-point favourite that ESPN Analytics doesn't task to beryllium favored by much than 7 the remainder of the season.

• ESPN Analytics accidental to win: 83%

• Mike Clay accidental to win: 91%

• ESPN BET line: Rams -14.5 (-1400 wealth line)

• Eliminator Challenge: 28% selected

2. Los Angeles Chargers (at Tennessee Titans)

The Titans are 1 of the astir evident fades each week arsenic they fertile past successful violative ratio and 31st successful antiaircraft efficiency. That's wherefore the Chargers are the second-biggest favorites this week by each model, adjacent though they are tied for 3rd successful the betting odds. The Chargers person 1 much premier matchup aft this week (Week 13 vs. Raiders), and they are besides a imaginable enactment adjacent week (vs. Steelers), but they person minimal aboriginal worth extracurricular of that.

• ESPN Analytics accidental to win: 74%

• Mike Clay accidental to win: 88%

• ESPN BET line: Chargers -9.5 (-550 wealth line)

• Eliminator Challenge:

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