The NFL is set to wrap up the regular season, with a full slate of Sunday action in Week 17. With that comes the end of NFL Survivor pools for the year. If you’ve scuffled along to reach this point, you have to use whatever best option you have. Whether it be the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, or whomever, you have to use them.
Football survivor pool strategy/picks, Week 17: Ranking the best picks
We’re in the final week of NFL survivor pools. If you’re still alive in your pool, we are here to provide some tips to stay that way in Week 17!
Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
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 17
Rank | Team | Opp. | SK | DG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New England | vs. NYJ | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Minnesota | vs. CHI | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | Baltimore | vs. CIN | 4 | 4 |
| 4 | Seattle | vs. ARI | 5 | 3 |
| 5 | Detroit | vs. GB | 7 | 6 |
| 6 | LA Chargers | vs. OAK | 6 | 7 |
| 7 | Pittsburgh | vs. CLE | 3 | 10 |
| 8 | New Orleans | @ TB | 8 | 8 |
| 9 | Buffalo | @ MIA | 13 | 5 |
| 10 | Atlanta | vs. CAR | 9 | 12 |
| 11 | Denver | vs. KC | 11 | 11 |
| 12 | Washington | @ NYG | 14 | 9 |
| 13 | Tennessee | vs. JAC | 12 | 15 |
| 14 | Dallas | @ PHI | 15 | 13 |
| 15 | Indianapolis | vs. HOU | 10 | 20 |
| 16 | San Francisco | @ LAR | 17 | 14 |
| 17 | LA Rams | vs. SF | 16 | 19 |
| 18 | Philadelphia | vs. DAL | 18 | 18 |
| 19 | Jacksonville | @ TEN | 21 | 16 |
| 20 | Carolina | @ ATL | 24 | 17 |
| 21 | Houston | @ IND | 23 | 21 |
| 22 | NY Giants | vs. WAS | 19 | 25 |
| 23 | Kansas City | @ DEN | 22 | 23 |
| 24 | Tampa Bay | vs. NO | 25 | 22 |
| 25 | Miami | vs. BUF | 20 | 28 |
| 26 | Green Bay | @ DET | 26 | 27 |
| 27 | Oakland | @ LAC | 27 | 26 |
| 28 | Cleveland | @ PIT | 30 | 24 |
| 29 | Arizona | @ SEA | 28 | 30 |
| 30 | Cincinnati | @ BAL | 29 | 29 |
| 31 | Chicago | @ MIN | 31 | 31 |
| 32 | NY Jets | @ NE | 32 | 32 |
Derek Gordon
Best picks: Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens
Congratulations if you made it this far. You need just one more correct pick to win it and I recommend going with the Seattle Seahawks if they are still available. The Arizona Cardinals don’t have anything to play for and their head coach is likely done. They could play spoiler, but I see the Seahawks pulling out a close one at home.
The second team I like are the Baltimore Ravens. They are in a win and in situation and Cincinnati can keep it close, but the Ravens should be able to control the ball with their run game and Flacco has been playing better as of late.
Scott Kaliska
Best picks: New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers
The Patriots can lock up home field advantage with a win. The New York Jets will be starting their backup, Bryce Petty. New England is favored by more than two touchdowns and that seems almost low. The Jets haven’t beaten the Patriots since 2015. It looks like 2018 will be the soonest that they end this losing streak to New England. My secondary picks are Minnesota and Pittsburgh. The Vikings defense continues to dominate. If they win, a first round bye is locked up. Chicago has had their moments but their offense won’t be able to seize this one. Pittsburgh faces the winless Cleveland Browns. Cleveland hasn’t beaten Pittsburgh since 2014. I believe that Pittsburgh will beat Cleveland easily, despite the chance they may start to rest players early.
See More:
