The San Francisco 49ers stood to lose draft position on Sunday had the New York Giants continued their losing streak against the Kansas City Chiefs. That did not happen, and the 49ers will reap the benefits.
The Giants went into Sunday's game against the Chiefs coming off of a 31-21 loss to the then-winless 49ers the week before. Had the Giants lost on Sunday, both teams would have been 1-9, and New York would have moved into the number two spot in the 2018 NFL Draft.
The Giants, who were heavy underdogs in the matchup, managed to defeat the Chiefs 12-9 in overtime, which improved their record to 2-8 and leaves them slotted for the number three pick. The one-win 49ers remain at number two while the winless Cleveland Browns sit comfortably at the top spot.
The 49ers are currently on their bye week with players returning to the team's facilities on Monday. San Francisco will use the week to prepare for its November 26 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.
Below is the current order for the top-three draft selections next year. Draft position is determined by final records and then the strength of schedule with a coin flip as the only tiebreaker. Head-to-head matchups are not a factor.
- Cleveland Browns (0-10, .545 SOS)
- San Francisco 49ers (1-9, .515 SOS)
- New York Giants (2-8, .516 SOS)