Eliminator Challenge is one of the simplest and most entertaining games during the NFL season. Pick one team to win each week. If that team wins, you advance to the next week. Lose once, and you're out. The only caveat is you cannot pick the same team twice.
While it sounds simple, getting a perfect season is always more difficult than it looks. The key is to find a good balance of picking winners while also keeping quality options open for future weeks.
Last week was an extremely difficult week on paper, and once again, we saw a massive amount of knockouts in Eliminator Challenge. Each of the two most popular picks lost, as the Kansas City Chiefs (25%) fell to the Indianapolis Colts, while the Los Angeles Chargers (22%) fell to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
This week, there is one obvious pick on paper in the Green Bay Packers, who host the New England Patriots. They are the only double-digit favorites this week, and according to ESPN's Football Power Index, it is the most lopsided matchup on paper all season, given quarterback Mac Jones' injury status. However, not only are the Packers the biggest favorites this week, they are also projected to be the biggest favorites in each of the next two weeks.
When it comes to choosing whether to use the Packers, consider how large your group is. Bigger groups incentivize saving teams for later because they are more likely to need all 18 weeks. If you are in a small group with most of the field eliminated, planning ahead is less important, and the Packers would be my top choice. However, in larger fields, I think there is value in picking an undefeated team to suffer its first loss of the season.