Week 7 NFL Survivor Pool Tips: Best Picks and Strategies to Stay Alive
Week 6 felt like an outlier because we didn't see any monumental upsets in the NFL. Surprising outcomes have been the norm in 2024, which has made life increasingly difficult for survivor pool participants.
No teams are winless, while only the Kansas City Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings remain undefeated.
The Chiefs and Vikings will be back in action this week after spending last week on bye. However, neither has a particularly favorable matchup, so won't really help anyone's survivor pool.
Who can fans trust in Week 7? Below, you'll find a few survivor tips, along with some top picks for the week using the latest odds as a guideline.
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.
General Survivor Tips for Week 7
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It's impossible to truly trust the Chiefs or the Vikings this week because of their matchups—and knowing which games to avoid should always be Step 1 in survivor play.
The Chiefs (+1.5) will visit the San Francisco 49ers this week as underdogs. The Vikings (-2.5) are favored but will have a tough test against the Detroit Lions. Detroit's loss of start pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson (leg fracture) does hurt the Lions, but their offense has found its rhythm. That makes the Lions dangerous, and we usually opt to avoid divisional matchups when possible.
We'd recommend avoiding the Cincinnati Bengals (-6) against the Cleveland Browns, even though Cincinnati is a substantial favorite and has the better overall team. However, Joe Burrow has often struggled against Cleveland, and the Browns' embattled offense—now without Amari Cooper—might have Nick Chubb back in the lineup.
Cincinnati should win, but banking on the two-win Bengals to do what they're supposed to do would be a risky move.
Another game we don't like this week is the afternoon between the Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts. The Colts (-3) might have Anthony Richardson (obliques) back under center for this one. They might also be better with Joe Flacco.
While the Dolphins have struggled offensively without Tua Tagovailoa, they're coming out of the bye and have had an extra week to adjust to Tyler Huntley. This may not be a great game, but it'll be a close one that could go either way.
Sunday's matchup between the Houston Texans (+2.5) and Green Bay Packers should be a terrific contest. Of course, both teams are good, and it wouldn't be shocking to see either emerge victoriously.
Trust the Commanders Against the Panthers
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The Washington Commanders suffered their second loss of 2024 in Week 6, dropping a 30-23 contest to the surging Baltimore Ravens. Washington (-7.5) should get right back on track against the Carolina Panthers this week.
Though the Ravens started the year 0-2, they've won four straight and are again playing like Super Bowl contenders. Lamar Jackson is playing at an MVP level once again, and Derrick Henry has added a new element to Baltimore's offense.
The Commanders and rookie sensation Jayden Daniels can hold their heads high after giving the Ravens a battle in Baltimore.
"He played a tremendous game out there," Jackson said, per Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk. "They just came up short."
Washington isn't likely to come up short against Carolina. The Panthers offense has been better with Andy Dalton under center, but it's still not great. Their defense is genuinely bad. The Commanders are potent on both sides of the ball and should win big at home.
Trust the Bills Against the Titans
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Cooper is no longer with the Browns because the Buffalo Bills acquired him on Tuesday. His addition should have a massive impact on Buffalo's offense, though it might not make a significant difference in Week 7.
The Bills, though, shouldn't need a ton of help to hold off the Tennessee Titans (+8.5). While Tennessee's defense has been terrific this season—it ranks first in yards allowed—its offense has been a disaster.
Quarterback Will Levis has been good for at least one turnover in every game, and the Titans have regularly found themselves in bad positions because of his mistakes. That's not good for any team up against Josh Allen and the Bills.
While Allen's play has been in inconsistent this season, he has been taking care of the football. With Buffalo discovering a new playmaker in rookie Ray Davis and playing smart, physical defense, the Bills should hold serve at home.
While this game has a bigger line than the Commanders-Panthers tilt, Washington should be considered this week's top option. Buffalo, however, is a close second.
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