NFL Survivor 2026 Week 2 Picks
And just like that, over 30% of survivor pool entries were eliminated. Arizona pulled off the upset over the LA Chargers and shocked participants everywhere.
Last week’s article covering Week 1 picks introduced the strategy of targeting teams favored by 7 or more points. Three teams met that criteria, allowing me to spread my entries across multiple picks — though I still moved into Week 2 with one-third fewer tickets thanks to the Arizona stunner.
The big favorites that delivered in Week 1 were Jacksonville over Cleveland and Detroit over New Orleans. Detroit had to survive a scare, escaping with a 1-point victory in overtime.
Week 1 is a perfect reminder of why diversification is so critical in survivor pools. No matter how confident you are in a team, never put all of your entries on the same pick. This is the NFL — on any given Sunday, anything can happen. Spreading your entries across multiple elite teams each week maximizes your chances of surviving into the following week, which is, of course, the entire point.
Week 2 Strategy: Targeting 7-Point Favorites or More
Sticking with the same approach this week. There are plenty of options to work with:
| Matchup | Line |
|---|---|
| Philadelphia at Tennessee | -7 |
| Baltimore vs. New Orleans | -8.5 |
| Tampa Bay vs. Cleveland | -8.5 |
| San Francisco vs. Miami | -12.5 |
| LA Rams vs. NY Giants | -7 |
Don’t let the road game scare you off Philadelphia. As outlined in the survivor strategy, game location has little bearing on expected outcome — the spread is the better indicator. Think of it this way: if the game were played on a neutral field or in Philadelphia, that line would only be larger.
Fading Cleveland each week looks like a sound long-term approach — they’ll likely be a sizable underdog in most games this season. The one matchup giving me pause is the Rams. They made a grueling trip to Australia, got handled soundly, then turned around and flew home. They’ve had over a week to get their legs back under them, but they looked flat in that game. Meanwhile, their opponents — the Giants — look sharp and energized under new head coach Harbaugh.
This Week’s Picks
My selections this week: Philadelphia, Baltimore, Tampa Bay, and San Francisco.
- Contest 1 (6 of 10 entries remaining): Doubling down on Tampa Bay and San Francisco, with single entries on Baltimore and Philadelphia.
- Contest 2 (3 of 5 entries remaining): Going with Tampa Bay, San Francisco, and Philadelphia.
Good luck to everyone still alive — let’s keep it rolling into Week 3!
