Survivor pool strategy: The top teams to take in Week 2

ESPN Eliminator Challenge is 1 of the astir amusive and elemental 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 lone caveat is you cannot prime the aforesaid squad twice.

While past play featured a ton of aboriginal eliminations, Week 1 this play was comparatively tame with lone 1 underdog of astatine slightest a tract extremity winning outright (Los Angeles Chargers implicit Kansas City Chiefs).

Week 2 features the azygous astir lopsided matchup each play according to some ESPN Analytics and Mike Clay's model. The 2 models mean retired to springiness the Baltimore Ravens an 87% accidental to decision the Cleveland Browns.

If you are successful an highly tiny group, picking the Ravens makes sense. However, successful larger groups, pivoting elsewhere could beryllium optimal arsenic the Ravens volition beryllium among the apical favorites galore much times this season, meaning we volition look elsewhere for our apical pick.

Mike Clay's Eliminator Challenge cheat sheet

1. Arizona Cardinals (vs Carolina Panthers)

The Cardinals cheque virtually each container this week for an Eliminator pick. They are the second-biggest favorites this week according to ESPN Analytics and the third-biggest favourite based connected the constituent spread. Mike Clay's exemplary has this arsenic the easiest crippled the remainder of the play for the Cardinals, with lone a location crippled against the Tennessee Titans successful Week 5 lasting retired arsenic different evident accidental to usage them. Despite each that, they are little than 10% selected this week by Eliminator Challenge participants arsenic of Wednesday morning.

• Mike Clay accidental to win: 69%

• ESPN Analytics accidental to win: 66%

• ESPN BET line: Cardinals -6.5 (-290 moneyline)

• Eliminator Challenge: 8% selected

2. Baltimore Ravens (vs Cleveland Browns)

play

1:01

Jeff Saturday: Baltimore's roster 'best successful the NFL'

Jeff Saturday explains wherefore helium isn't disquieted astir the Ravens aft their Week 1 loss.

As mentioned successful the introduction, this is the azygous most-lopsided matchup each play according to some Mike Clay and ESPN Analytics. If you don't similar the different elite options, determination is thing incorrect with burning Baltimore. However, successful ample contests, redeeming a squad that is projected to...