The NFL has wrapped up its bye weeks, and we get a heavy does of Thursday football as Thanksgiving is upon us. The week gets going with the turkey day tripleheader and closes with the Baltimore Ravens hosting the Houston Texans.
Football survivor pool strategy/picks, Week 12: Time to start using the big names
We’re fast approaching the home stretch of many NFL survivor pools. If you’re still alive in your pool, we are here to provide some tips to stay that way in Week 12!
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The opening of Week 12 means it is time to look at some of the best options for NFL survivor pools. The New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Philadelphia Eagles are the three big favorites to pick this week. If you still have them, the time is fast approaching to use them to stay alive.
For those new to this kind of contest, a survivor pool involves picking one team each week that you think will win. If your team wins in Week 1, you can make a pick in Week 2. If your team wins in Week 2, you can make a pick in Week 3, and so on. The catch is that you cannot pick a team twice. You could very well use a heavy favorite in Week 1, but you won’t have access to that team later in the year if you’re alive in the closing weeks.
There is plenty of strategy in determining which team you will take each week, and SB Nation is here to help. We have two experts providing rankings for each week, and then some thoughts on weekly strategy. First up, we have a consensus ranking of all 32 teams and which are most likely to win this week. That is followed by each writer making a pick, some reasoning for the pick, and some alternatives to consider.
Survivor rankings, Week 12
Rank | Team | Opp. | JG | SK | DG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New England | vs. MIA | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2 | Pittsburgh | vs. GB | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 3 | Philadelphia | vs. CHI | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 4 | Atlanta | vs. TB | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| 5 | Kansas City | vs. BUF | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| 6 | Washington | vs. NYG | 8 | 8 | 5 |
| 7 | Jacksonville | @ ARI | 6 | 10 | 7 |
| 8 | Cincinnati | vs. CLE | 7 | 6 | 11 |
| 9 | Seattle | @ SF | 12 | 9 | 3 |
| 10 | Baltimore | vs. HOU | 10 | 7 | 10 |
| 11 | Carolina | @ NYJ | 9 | 12 | 16 |
| 12 | Tennessee | @ IND | 15 | 14 | 8 |
| 13 | Minnesota | @ DET | 14 | 13 | 12 |
| 14 | Oakland | vs. DEN | 11 | 11 | 18 |
| 15 | LA Chargers | @ DAL | 13 | 15 | 15 |
| 16 | New Orleans | @ LAR | 16 | 17 | 13 |
| 17 | LA Rams | vs. NO | 17 | 16 | 14 |
| 18 | Dallas | vs. LAC | 20 | 18 | 17 |
| 19 | Indianapolis | vs. TEN | 18 | 19 | 21 |
| 20 | Detroit | vs. MIN | 19 | 20 | 20 |
| 21 | Denver | @ OAK | 22 | 22 | 19 |
| 22 | NY Jets | vs. CAR | 24 | 21 | 24 |
| 23 | Houston | @ BAL | 23 | 26 | 22 |
| 24 | San Francisco | vs. SEA | 21 | 24 | 30 |
| 25 | Arizona | vs. JAC | 27 | 23 | 26 |
| 26 | Cleveland | @ CIN | 26 | 27 | 25 |
| 27 | NY Giants | @ WAS | 25 | 25 | 28 |
| 28 | Buffalo | @ KC | 29 | 28 | 23 |
| 29 | Tampa Bay | @ ATL | 28 | 29 | 29 |
| 30 | Chicago | @ PHI | 30 | 30 | 27 |
| 31 | Green Bay | @ PIT | 31 | 31 | 32 |
| 32 | Miami | @ NE | 32 | 32 | 31 |
Jeff Goldberg
Best picks: New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles
We are getting down to the nitty gritty in Survivor Leagues. The weeks get harder and the options get narrower. Hopefully, for Week 12, you still have the Patriots available in your pool because that is by far the best matchup on the board. Imagine what Tom Brady will do this week with all the extra oxygen moving through his lungs? The Steelers are my second favorite play of the week, as I totally disregard future value and go into true survival mode. This has been a bloodbath of a season -- my actual survivor entry went up in smoke last week (Thanks, Chiefs!) -- so getting through week-to-week is more important than being cute. The Steelers at home against the crippled Packers offense seems safe to me. The Eagles at home vs. Chicago also feels safe, although I worry a little about a letdown after the dismantling of Dallas last week. At least the Eagles are home.
Scott Kaliska
Best picks: New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles
New England has won six games in a row, and Miami has lost four straight. The quarterback situation for Miami is up in the air. I don’t think it matters who starts because the Patriots have really turned things around on defense. This will probably be a blowout win for New England. My secondary picks are Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Both teams have a strong advantage playing at home. They face two NFC North teams that are struggling in Green Bay and Chicago. Pittsburgh has won five straight and during that time has not allowed its opponents to score more than 17 points. Philadelphia is on an eight-game winning streak. The Eagles are favored by almost two touchdowns.
Derek Gordon
Best picks: New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks, Atlanta Falcons
After suggesting the Kansas City Chiefs last week and watching them lose to the two- win New York Giants, I feel like going with a proven winner. The New England Patriots have beaten the Miami Dolphins in seven of the last 10 games. The Dolphins can barely get their offense going, and the Patriots have the best offense in the league. New England should make easy work of the Fins this week.
If the Patriots aren’t an option, I would go with the Pittsburgh Steelers who play the Aaron Rodgers-less Green Bay Packers at home on Sunday. Also give the Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons a look as both are playing bottom-of-the-barrel division rivals.
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