Bears can leap 49ers in draft order with a loss tonight

Yes, it is only week 8 and we are already looking at the draft order to determine where the San Francisco 49ers stand. With the season going the way it is, the 49ers' draft status might be one of the few silver linings. Last week, the 49ers moved into the number two spot with a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That means that had the season ended after seven weeks of play, the 49ers would have been drafting second overall.

The 49ers and Chicago Bears have the same 1-6 record. However, the 49ers are currently one spot above the Bears due to a weaker strength of schedule (SOS). The Bears and Minnesota Vikings play on Monday Night Football tonight. Should the Bears lose the game, they would leap the 49ers for the number two pick due to their 1-7 record.

The Bear's SOS would rise from .569 to .576 while the 49ers' would remain at .510. So depending on the outcome of Week 9's matchup between the 49ers and the New Orleans Saints, the 49ers could potentially regain their number two spot in the projected draft order. The Bears will be entering their bye week following tonight's game.

The 49ers and Bears play each other on December 4. Head-to-head is not a factor in determining the draft order, but if the two teams enter the game with similar records, it will have an impact.

Below is the current top 10 draft order.

Below is what it would look like with a Vikings win over the Bears tonight.

* Trades show the record of the origin team