Survivor Pools are the perfect way to add some extra excitement to the NFL season. After a fairly chalky Week 1, most people's Survivor entries are still alive. But advancing another week is the hard part. With that in mind, here are the four best picks to help you advance another week.
4. Buffalo Bills (opponent: New York Jets)
To nobody's surprise, the Buffalo Bills arguably look like the NFL's best team. They mounted a shocking comeback against the Baltimore Ravens, and once again, nobody seems to have an answer for Josh Allen. This team will likely only lose a few games this year, and dropping one to the New York Jets feels unlikely.
Sure, the Jets are at home, and their offense looked surprisingly good against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. However, there's no stopping this Bills team, and they're 6.5-point favorites for a reason. Notably, the Bills are 8-2 against the Jets over the past five years, and this is the best version of Buffalo yet.
While it might be ideal to use up such an elite team early if you want a safe Survivor pick, the Bills could be the team for you.
3. Arizona Cardinals (opponent: Carolina Panthers)
Last week, the Arizona Cardinals were our top Survivor pick. But if you didn't already use them last week, they could be a wise play in Week 2. Arizona plays host to the Carolina Panthers. Assuming the New Orleans Saints finish below .500 (which feels likely), the Cards are now 7-1 against below .500 squads in the past two seasons.
To that point, the Panthers look like one of the worst teams in the NFL. The Jacksonville Jaguars dominated them 26-10 on Sunday. In a home matchup where Arizona is a 6.5-point favorite, they are poised to get an easy win.
Bryce Young struggled, throwing two picks and completing just over 50 percent of his passes. And the Panthers' defense gave up 200 rushing yards. On both ends of the field, a rock-solid Cardinals team should have its way with Carolina. If you like to save the best teams for later in the year, the Cards are a perfect Survivor pick for you this week.
2. Baltimore Ravens (opponent: Cleveland Browns)
The Ravens enter Week 2 as the largest favorites with a monster -12.5 line against the Cleveland Browns. In Week 1, the Ravens dominated the Buffalo Bills for most of the game before a shocking fourth-quarter collapse. However, expect Baltimore to bounce back against their division rivals. The Ravens are still one of the best teams in the league, while the Browns are one of the worst. Don't overthink this one.
Cleveland was competitive against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1, losing 17-16. Regardless, the Browns, led by a 40-year-old Joe Flacco, don't have the firepower to stay competitive with the Ravens' explosive offense led by Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. Sure, you could say the Bengals also have an elite offense, but they notoriously start the season slow.
The Ravens' defense struggled in Week 1, but against a weak Browns offensive line, expect them to turn up the pressure. Despite their poor showing on Sunday night, this is still a talented group. Furthermore, the Ravens are 4-1 against the Browns in their last five home games. Unless you want to save the Ravens for later in the season, there's no reason not to pick them in your Survivor pool.
1. Dallas Cowboys (opponent: New York Giants)
The Dallas Cowboys didn't win in Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles. However, they looked better than many expected, losing by just four points. Conversely, the New York Giants looked even worse than expected, losing 21-6 against the Washington Commanders.
The Cowboys enter this game as 5.5-point favorites at home, a line that I could see being moved up before Sunday. Having some extra rest will benefit the Cowboys as well. Crucially, the Cowboys have dominated this rivalry in recent years, winning every game in the past three, and they haven't lost a home game to the Giants since 2016.
Expect the Cowboys to pressure Russell Wilson due to the Giants' weak offensive line. New York will similarly struggle to match the explosive element of Dallas' offense. By all accounts, the Cowboys are a very safe Survivor pick.