NFL Week 5 Survivor Pool Picks: 49ers Predicted to Roll Panthers, Buccaneers, Dolphins Bounce Back

It took just four weeks for a winner to be crowned in the 2022 BetSided Survivor Pool, as our guy Reed Wallach’s pick of the Los Angeles Chargers gave him the win in Week 4. 

Not only are we going to deliver Reed’s picks each week as the season goes along, but the rest of the BetSided editors are back in the fold as well, sharing their favorite Survivor pick each week to help you make your decision. 

With each week, these Survivor picks get harder and harder, but our goal is to deliver winners for you. Let’s dive into this week’s picks!

NFL Week 4 Survivor Pool Pick Results

• Iain MacMillan: Indianapolis Colts (L)
• Ben Heisler: Detroit Lions (L)
• Reed Wallach: Los Angeles Chargers (W)

NFL Week 5 Survivor Pool Picks

San Francisco 49ers

The Carolina Panthers are quickly trending towards firing Matt Rhule and it's clear that the Baker Mayfield experiment isn't working out for the club, so let's fade this team until there are changes. While backing the San Francisco 49ers as favorites isn't for the faint of heart, I do believe they got the Panthers covered here with their ability to pressure Mayfield.

Trent Williams will likely miss this game, but I don't believe the Panthers are the ones to take advantage of that just yet. San Francisco is going to pull ahead on the scoreboard and lean on the run game to secure the victory. – Reed Wallach

Now, for the picks from everyone buying back in…

San Francisco 49ers

This is a matchup against one of the worst offenses in the NFL, and the league's best defense. The Panthers rank 27th in the NFL in yards per play, and now they have to take on a 49ers defense that ranks 1st in opponent yards per play, allowing an average of just 3.8 yards per snap. I'll also add that the Panthers rank dead last in the NFL in third down conversion percentage.

The Panthers couldn't move the ball against one of the league's worst defenses last week in the Arizona Cardinals, and now I'm supposed to expect them to move it against the league's best defense? Not a chance. The 49ers are going to still be a risky play against elite teams, so taking them in survivor against a bad team with a particularly bad offense, is the way to go this week. – Iain MacMillan

Even with my reservations about Jimmy Garoppolo as a quarterback, he’s still tiers above where Baker Mayfield is at right now. Mayfield has thrown under 200 yards in three straight games, completed less than 50% of his passes in two games this season and currently has the lowest QBR in the league.

The Panthers are lost at quarterback, so there’s no way I can trust them against a defense that has only allowed 46 points all season. We all know the magic number for the Panthers is 17. If they allow at least 17 points, they are going to lose that game. I don’t see that changing this week either.

San Francisco has Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and Jeff Wilson Jr. Carolina is stuck with Baker Mayfield. – Donnavan Smoot

I'll take any opportunity I can to fade Matt Rhule, and we're likely running out of games before he gets fired.

Baker Mayfield might be the worst starting QB in the NFL, completing a pathetic 54.7% of his passes with four TDs to three interceptions. He hasn't thrown for 200 yards since Week 1, and the vibes around Carolina could not be worse.

Now, the Panthers get to face a San Francisco defense that leads the NFL in opponent yards per play (3.8). If I'm being honest, the 49ers defense may outscore Carolina's offense this week.

Even if the offense actually has to score, San Francisco is in good shape regardless. The Panthers allow 4.4 yards per rush at home, and Kyle Shanahan should have a field day against the overmatched Rhule.

Back the 49ers to build off a great Monday Night Football win and destroy Carolina. – Joe Summers

Miami Dolphins

Sure, you could go with the massively-favored Buffalo Bills this week at home vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers, but so will everybody else. We're trying to gain some leverage here, right? And let's not forget this Bills' team dropped a stinker to Pittsburgh at the beginning of last year. It's not likely, but crazier things have happened.

The New York Jets may have knocked out my Week 4 pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers last week, but I'm not scared of them, even in a road divisional matchup. Miami's Mike McDaniel has come up with terrific game plans each week, and Teddy Bridgewater is more than serviceable to fill in for Tua after an extended week to handle a Jets' defense that ranks 25th in rushing, rushing touchdowns allowed, and 24th in net yards/allowed.

Miami, with the exception of quarterback, is healthy, and as showed last week, teams can't stop both Tyreek Hill AND Jaylen Waddle. I think the Dolphins blow the doors off the Jets in the Meadowlands. – Ben Heisler

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have not looked the part on offense this season, but their defense was the best in the NFL before facing the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4. 

Now, the Bucs have a get-right spot at home against an Atlanta Falcons team that won’t have Cordarrelle Patterson (injured reserve). The Falcons ran the ball all over the Cleveland Browns in Week 4, but things won’t come as easy against a Bucs team that still ranks fifth in opponent yards per play. 

Marcus Mariota basically was taken out of the offense after throwing a pick last week, and you can’t be one-dimensional against this Tampa Bay defense. Plus, the Bucs at least have their receivers healthy for this game. It’s a bounce-back spot for Tom Brady and company. – Peter Dewey