Let's take a look at which teams are in contention to make the first pick of the 2016 NFL Draft, and how the rest of the early draft order is shaping up heading into Week 16.
Leader of the pack
With Marcus Mariota sidelined after suffering an MCL sprain, the Tennessee Titans are clearly the front-runners to secure the No. 1 overall pick. Tennessee currently holds the strength-of-schedule tiebreaker over the Cleveland Browns for the first choice.
While the Titans' remaining games -- against the Houston Texans at home and Indianapolis Colts on the road -- wouldn't appear to be overly intimidating, winning with Zach Mettenberger (0-8 as a starter) starting under center has been impossible to date.
However, the race for the No. 1 overall pick is still close enough that it's highly unlikely the pick will be clinched before Week 17.
Still in the running
The Cleveland Browns, who currently hold the second overall pick, showed some life in the first half of their matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, and you know that Johnny Manziel wants to come out and look sharp each time he steps on the field. However, winning on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs or at home to a desperate Pittsburgh Steelers squad in the final two weeks would appear to be highly unlikely.
The Baltimore Ravens, slotted for the third pick at the moment, have games against the Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals remaining, and they will also be underdogs in both spots. The one wild card could be if the Bengals decide to rest players in the last game of the season as they prepare for the playoffs. Baltimore is still a big longshot for the top pick, as it would need to lose out and have the Browns and Titans each win a game to fall into a strength-of-schedule tiebreaker.
Picking inside top 5
The San Diego Chargers, holders of the fourth pick, showed signs of life in their blowout win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, but they finish their season on the road against the Oakland Raiders and the Denver Broncos. Beating the Raiders on the road is not out of the question.
The Dallas Cowboys, positioned at No. 5 in the draft order, have failed to score 20 points or more in five of their last six. They have games against the Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins remaining, and are unlikely to have enough offense to win in Buffalo or even at home against a Redskins team that can be potent at times on offense.
Picking inside top 10
The San Francisco 49ers, who hold the sixth pick, currently have the inside track on picking inside the top five, but with their final game of the season being at home against the St. Louis Rams, I could see that pushing the 49ers to five wins. The 49ers have a very high strength of schedule, so moving to five wins could drop them a bit in the draft order.
The Miami Dolphins, currently at No. 7, have two home games left against the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots with five wins under their belts. While a win at home against the Colts looks like a possibility, the Colts are still in the playoff hunt while the Dolphins are finished. The New Orleans Saints are positioned at No. 9 after losing to the **Detroit Lions** on Monday night, and have a winnable home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars awaiting them in Week 16. However, keep in mind that the Saints have lost home tilts to the Titans and Lions this season, and are allowing 35.3 points per game over their last four.
The matchup between the Chicago Bears and Lions at Soldier Field on the final day of the regular season could push one of those teams into the top eight with a loss, while the other will likely end up outside of the top 10. Chicago has a road game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 16, while Detroit is at home against the hapless 49ers.
Follow Lance Zierlein on Twitter @LanceZierlein.
