It's Week 3 of the 2020 NFL Eliminator Challenge. The rules are simple: Pick a winner each week, and don't use the same team twice. If you win all 17 weeks (or outlast your fellow group members), you're the champ. You can find all the rules here.
This article will look at the top Eliminator options each week, using betting lines, ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI), trends, future schedules and anything else that can help determine the best picks. (For more on how FPI is calculated, click here and here.)
Here are our recommendations for Week 3:
Arizona Cardinals vs. Detroit Lions
The Cardinals are 2-0, beating Washington 30-15 at home following their 24-20 season-opening victory in San Francisco. The Lions, on the other hand, are 0-2 -- with a four-point loss at home to Chicago followed by a 21-point defeat in Green Bay. Arizona is the biggest favorite of the week according to the FPI and is currently the second-most popular choice in the Eliminator Challenge.
Line: Cardinals -5.5
FPI favorite: Cardinals 67.7%
Eliminator Challenge: 14% selected
San Francisco 49ers at New York Giants
The 49ers are playing their second straight game on the East Coast, in the same stadium no less. A week after blowing out the Jets 31-13, they should do the same to the 0-2 Giants, who have now lost star running back Saquon Barkley for the season. San Francisco is the second-biggest favorite this week according to the FPI, despite being on the road. The 49ers would be a much more popular Eliminator pick if they hadn't been used already by so many participants. San Francisco was selected by 26% of players last week, by far the most popular choice.
Line: 49ers -4.5
FPI favorite: 49ers 67.3%
Eliminator Challenge: 7% selected
Indianapolis Colts vs. New York Jets
The Colts suffered a stunning loss in Week 1, 27-20 in Jacksonville, but bounced back to win their home opener over Minnesota 28-11. They are by far the biggest favorites of the week according to the bookmakers, and by far the most popular choice in the Eliminator Challenge as well. But they're only the fourth-biggest favorites this week according to the FPI, which prefers Pittsburgh (66.3%) at home over Houston.
Line: Colts -10.5
FPI favorite: Colts 65.8%
Eliminator Challenge: 32% selected
Others to consider: Steelers (-3.5) over Texans, Patriots (-6.5) over Raiders, Browns (-7) over Washington
The Eagles, -6 at home over the Bengals, are currently the third-most popular Eliminator pick (10%). But they're only the ninth-biggest favorite of the week according to the FPI, at 60.4%.