A survivor pool can add some extra intrigue to your NFL watching each week. Picking which team will win to keep you alive in the pool longer can be tough, especially as the season wears on. Getting your strategy right in the early weeks can make all the difference. Therefore, to hopefully help you get through Week 1 of your NFL survivor pool, here are our picks.
NFL survivor pool strategy
Picking one team that is a virtual certainty to win each week sounds easy in theory. However, NFL survivor pool rules do not make it that easy. Once you pick a team, you then cannot select them again during the season. Therefore, if you play it safe and take the consensus best teams in the early weeks, you can be left with tough decisions in the later weeks.
Planning ahead is crucial
It is crucial to think ahead. Look at what games appear to be potential selections for each week of your NFL survivor pool. However, all of that is irrelevant if you are eliminated from your survivor pool in Week 1 of the 2021 NFL season. As such, do not try to get too cute early in the season or you could be eliminated.
Week 1 NFL survivor pool picks
Which games could be potential survivor pool selections for Week 1 of the 2021 NFL season?
Los Angeles Rams (vs. Chicago Bears)
The Rams at home against Andy Dalton and the Bears should be an easy selection for Week 1 of your survivor pool. However, the Rams have some soft points in their schedule later in the year. Thus, you may want to consider looking away from Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford.
Baltimore Ravens (@ Las Vegas Raiders)
The Raiders’ offense is a strong unit, but their defense is a major concern. They have huge question marks at all three levels, and the Ravens should be more than capable of exploiting them. The Ravens have had a turbulent offseason with injuries, but they still have Lamar Jackson and a well-coached defense.
San Francisco 49ers (@Detroit Lions)
Picking a West Coast team on the road in a 1 PM ET kickoff can be risky. However, Week 1 often negates that as teams have more time to acclimate. The Lions have a major talent deficiency on both sides of the ball, and the 49ers have an advantage that the Lions likely prepared for both Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance.
The risk here is that the 49ers get too cute with Garoppolo and Lance, and the Lions get a lead. If that is the case, your Week 1 NFL survivor pool pick is in the hands of Garoppolo and a rookie QB in his first NFL game.
Week 1 potential trap games
Which games are tempting to select for your NFL survivor pool in Week 1, but could be trap games this week?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. Dallas Cowboys)
The Buccaneers are favored by more than a touchdown in many places for the NFL opening game. However, writing off this Cowboys team is extremely risky. Their defense has had a major overhaul, and they have Dak Prescott back under center. The Cowboys’ offense can match the Buccaneers’ offense, making them a dangerous proposition.
Buffalo Bills (vs. Pittsburgh Steelers)
The lasting memory of the Steelers from 2020 was the fading force they were down the stretch. Meanwhile, the Bills fought hard in the AFC Championship Game and are favored by nearly a touchdown in this one.
However, Ben Roethlisberger is well-rested and has a number of weapons at his disposal. The Bills should win, but this Steelers team is still capable. Picking Buffalo in Week 1 of the NFL survivor pool is a big risk when they should have easier matchups later in the year.