It is finally that time of year again. Football is back, and we have quite the Week 1 slate. NFL Survivor pools are a great way to enjoy the season. Simply choose one winner each week throughout the season, and we’re golden. But don’t forget once you use a team, you can’t use them again. Easier said than done. Here, I’ll outline my NFL Survivor Picks for Week 1, and we’ll take a glance at the entire slate!
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NFL Survivor Picks Week 1
Look Around the League Week 1
Thursday 8:20 PM
Ravens at Chiefs (-3) NBC/Peacock
Friday 8:00 PM – NFL São Paulo Game
Packers vs. Eagles (-2.5) Peacock
Sunday 1:00 PM
Steelers at Falcons (-3.5) FOX
Cardinals at Bills (-6.5) CBS
Titans at Bears (-4) FOX
Patriots at Bengals (-7.5) CBS
Texans at Colts (+3) CBS
Jaguars at Dolphins (-3.5) CBS
Panthers at Saints (-4) FOX
Vikings at Giants (+1.5) FOX
Sunday 4:05 PM
Raiders at Chargers (-3) CBS
Broncos at Seahawks (-6) CBS
Sunday 4:25 PM
Cowboys at Browns (-2.5) FOX
Commanders at Buccaneers (-3.5) FOX
Sunday 8:20 PM
Rams at Lions (-3.5) NBC/Peacock
Monday 8:20 PM
Jets at 49ers (-4.5) ABC/ESPN/ESPN+
Something that sticks out to me is that every home team is favored besides the Giants and Colts. Also, our two largest spreads of the week are Bengals -7.5 and Bills -6.5. Although the Bengals are the most selected Survivor pick for Week 1, I’ll be saving them for down the line.
Lock In Selection: Seattle Seahawks
Although I do not believe in Seattle this season, I really like them in this spot against Denver. The Broncos turned some heads when they drafted Bo Nix 12th overall, but it made perfect sense to me. Say what you want about the 24-year-old Nix, but one thing he excelled at in college was getting the ball out early. This works well for a Sean Payton offense and is why Russell Wilson is out the door.
But…going to Seattle for your first-ever NFL start is a tall order for any rookie. Seattle has one of the biggest home-field advantages in the league. Former Ravens and University of Michigan defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald comes over to coach this team, and I expect this defense to improve significantly in 2024.
The 6-point spread is the third largest in Week 1, and I am completely fine with not having Seattle for the rest of the season.
Contrarian Selection: Chicago Bears
What an offseason it’s been for the Chicago Bears. Caleb Williams got all the headlines, but Chicago upgraded in many significant positions. The Bears brought in Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, D’Andre Swift, Kevin Byard, and Gerald Everett, as well as some depth adds in the trenches.
The Bears have two new coordinators and a rookie QB, so we’ll see how it all comes together. I like this team to make the playoffs in 2024 and maybe even win the division.
They are facing the Tennessee Titans, who have a brand-new coaching staff. I give the Titans credit; they are more or less all-in in 2024. They brought in Calvin Ridley, Tyler Boyd, and L’Jarius Sneed. We’ll know for sure if Will Levis can hack it after this season.
I think the Bears take care of business in this spot at home.
