The first quarter of the NFL season is in the books, and now teams turn to Week 5. We have the first official byes of the season even though a few teams were forced to sit out last week due to a COVID situation. So far this season there have been a handful of upsets, which means your survivor pools are starting to thin out as the season progresses. We have some big spreads this week, and a few teams are going to be popular selections. Lets recap Week 4 and take a look at what we have this week for Week 5 NFL Survivor picks.
What is a Survivor Pool?
There are several variations of the Survivor Pool format, but the most basic and common one is each week everyone in the pool has to select one team to win a game straight up, not against the spread. If the team wins, you survive the week and move on, and if the team you pick ties or loses, you are eliminated from the pool. The twist is that you can only use any team once, so anyone you pick is no longer available for weeks in the future, making it increasingly difficult as the season goes on. The pool ends when there is one player left, and usually that player will take home a big pay day depending on the pool and the structure.
Week 5 NFL Schedule
Thursday |
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Buccaneers (-4.5) at Bears | ||
Sunday |
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Panthers at Falcons (-2.5) | Bills at Titans (OTB) | Raiders at Chiefs (-13) |
Cardinals (-7) at Jets | Eagles at Steelers (-7) | Rams (-7.5 ) at Washington |
Bengals at Ravens (-13)Â | Jaguars at Texans (-6) | Dolphins at 49ers (-8.5) |
Colts (-1.5) at Browns | Giants at Cowboys (-9.5) | Broncos at Patriots (OTB) |
Vikings at Seahawks (-7) | ||
Monday |
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Chargers at Saints (-7.5) |
Week 4 NFL Survivor Picks Recap
Rams
A massive 50% of people took the Rams last week, as they were a two-touchdown favorite at home against the Giants. The game certainly wasn’t smooth sailing, but ultimately the Rams were able to shake off a slow start and find a way to win. The Giants have such a bad offense that they are a team to try and target in survivor, and I doubt it’s the last time their opponent will be a popular survivor choice this season.
Ravens
This was the other massive favorite in Week 4 as Baltimore was also a two-touchdown favorite against the Football Team. They weren’t super sharp, but Lamar Jackson broke off a 50-yard touchdown run, and the Ravens never looked back, winning 31-17. Almost 19% of teams went with the Ravens and moved on, but they lost one of the best teams to target going forward. That could come into play as the season goes on and less options remain.
Seahawks
Another 13% of teams targeted the Seahawks, who traveled to Miami to take on the Dolphins. Seattle was able to slowly grind the game away, and the 31-23 victory moved them to 4-0 on the season. Similar to Baltimore, this is a top-end team in the league, and losing them isn’t ideal even if they were able to get the job done in Week 4.
Week 5 NFL Survivor Picks
Cowboys
The most popular team in Week 5 is expected to be the Cowboys, who are 1-3 on the season. The defense has been nonexistent, leading to some massive shootouts, but they draw the perfect matchup against the Giants. Vegas has this game at 9.5 points with the Cowboys at home in a borderline must-win scenario. So far the Giants have put up just 47 points through four games, which is easily the lowest in the league. This is a welcomed site for a Cowboys defense that has given up 146 points this season, which also leagues the league. Something has to give here, but most likely the Cowboys will find a way to get a much-needed win at home against the winless Giants.
Cardinals
We have already talked about how the Giants are a team to target in survivor pools, but sadly they probably are still better than their other hometown team in the New York Jets. Both are winless, but the Giants at least have had difficult opponents while the Jets are just hopeless. The Cardinals are the winners of the Jets sweepstakes this week, and they are 7-point favorites despite being on the road. Add in that Jets quarterback Sam Darnold is questionable with a shoulder injury, and the Jets could be even more shorthanded than they already are. Arizona is coming off two disappointing losses, but this is a get-right spot for a team with a lot of talent.
Ravens
Many people chose to burn the Ravens last week, but if you didn’t, then you have them available this week against a bad Cincinnati team. They are massive 13-point favorites, which is the largest on the slate along with Kansas City, so it should be another easy win if this is where you want to use them. Again, it is more a matter of trying to strategically save them and the other top teams for later in the season when we have fewer options to choose from.
My Week 5 NFL Survivor Pick: Cowboys
Teams I’ve already used: Colts (L) , Buccaneers (W), Eagles (T), Rams (W)
There are easier teams to take than the Cowboys this week, but as we talk about often, it is about planning for the long haul with survivor. Burning teams like Baltimore or Kansas City will make the later weeks harder, and so far the Cowboys look like a team we want to get rid of. There isn’t a better matchup at home against a team like the Giants, and although they are much more likely to lose the game than the Ravens or Chiefs, it still feels relatively safe. Divisional games aren’t ones I like to target if I can avoid them, but this is still a spot worth considering. If you are able to survive you get rid of an NFC East team and preserve two of the best teams in football, which will pay dividends as we move into the second half of the season.
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