Carnage has already struck survivor contests across the country after just one week of the NFL season. At Circa Sports, which hosts the world’s largest Survivor Contest with 14,266 entries and a winner-take-all prize of over $14 million, 4,895 entries (34%) were eliminated when the Bengals, favored by more than a touchdown, lost at home to the Cardinals. This week’s slate gets a bit tricker with only one team currently favored by more than 7 points. Let’s get you ready for NFL survivor pool picks in Week 2 with some of my top recommendations.
NFL Survivor Pool Picks for Week 2 (2024)
NFL Survivor Pool Picks for Week 2: Ravens, Chargers or Cowboys?
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Ravens (-9.5) vs. Raiders | NFL Survivor Week 2
The Baltimore Ravens will likely be the most popular pick in survivor contests for NFL Week 2. Following a close loss last Thursday in Kansas City, the Ravens will be champing at the bit to get into the winning column against a weaker opponent in the Las Vegas Raiders. Baltimore is listed as a -480 moneyline favorite at FanDuel, suggesting an 83% implied win probability.
If you have multiple entries, consider using the Ravens as your safe pick for at least one of them. However, don’t go overboard, as Baltimore has several favorable matchups later in the season, and you might want to save the Ravens for those opportunities.
Chargers (-6.5) at Panthers | NFL Survivor Week 2
Much like former Arizona Cardinals head coach Dennis Green famously said after blowing a lead to the Chicago Bears in 2006, “They are who we thought they were!” — the same can be said about the Carolina Panthers following their season opener. The division rival New Orleans Saints blew out the Panthers 47-10. Ironically, Carolina was considered a “sharp” play last week, catching around +4 on the point spread, but suffice to say, there was never a glimmer of hope for the Panthers to cover.
Now heading into Week 2, the Panthers (who were last year’s worst team) might be on trajectory for a similar outcome, which makes the Los Angeles Chargers an attractive survivor pick. While I don’t disagree, I advise treading lightly. Road teams, though certainly capable of winning throughout the NFL season, are risky choices for survivor contests. I try to avoid picking them whenever possible.
The Chargers finally looked like a competent team last week, thanks to their new head coach Jim Harbaugh. If they can continue doing the little things right, they might find themselves with a 2-0 record after this Sunday.
Cowboys (-6.5) vs. Saints | NFL Survivor Week 2
Speaking of doing the little things right — how about them Cowboys? They closed around +2.5 underdogs last Sunday but ended up crushing the Browns 33-17 on the road. This week, they’ll return to Jerry World to host Derek Carr and the Saints. Dallas is listed at -290 (74.4%) on DraftKings.
Saints head coach Dennis Allen has a 4-10-1 record against the spread after a win, giving him a cover rate of just 28.6%, which is the worst mark in the NFL since he took over in New Orleans in 2022.
Credit to the Saints for routing the Panthers last weekend, but they’re not as strong as the box score suggests. That game was more about how bad Carolina is — and will likely continue to be. I’m much more impressed with how Dallas’ offense put up 33 points on the road against last year’s top defense.
This is my favorite survivor pick for Week 2. The Cowboys’ next-easiest home game will be on Thanksgiving Day against the Giants, which is a long ways away. Plus, on Black Friday that week, there is another strong option to consider: The Kansas City Chiefs. The defending Super Bowl Champs will be hosting the Raiders, and I feel confident using them as opposed to the Cowboys that week.
Best NFL Week 2 Survivor Pick: Dallas Cowboys
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