2018 NFL Best Survivor Pool Picks: Week 11

This is a very tough week for survivor week pools, so if you made it this far Week 11 might take some luck to advance again. That said, these are my picks for the best locks of the week.

 

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1. Los Angeles Chargers (vs. Denver)

The Broncos are coming off a bye and have had extra time to prepare for a division foe, but the Chargers are the top survivor pick of the week. It’s not a huge homefield advantage in LA, but you should feel better about the Chargers playing at home instead of at Mile High. Again, this is a tough week, but Philip Rivers’ squad is one of the best picks for Week 11.

 

2. Baltimore Ravens (vs. Cincinnati)

Joe Flacco’s status is a concern, but Lamar Jackson and/or Robert Griffin III should play well if called upon. And there are a few things in Baltimore’s favor entering the game. One, they are coming off the bye; two, they are unlikely to lose three straight at home; and three, they probably don’t forget Andy Dalton lighting them up for four first-half touchdowns in their first matchup of the season. The Ravens should win no matter who is under-center.

 

3. Carolina Panthers (@ Detroit)

There have been some weeks where Carolina’s defense has had trouble stopping opposing offenses, so there’s a chance Matthew Stafford comes out and lights it up for the Lions. However, the Panthers should not put up two duds in a row after their bad 52-14 loss last Thursday night, and they’ve been a more consistent team this season.

 

4. Atlanta Falcons (vs. Dallas)

The Falcons probably burned a lot of people last week against Cleveland, but that game was on the road; now, they return home to face a Cowboys team that could be set for a letdown after their big Sunday night win. Dallas’ defense is strong, but Matt Ryan and company probably won’t be contained for two straight weeks. Meanwhile, Deion Jones’ return would be a major boost for a struggling Atlanta defense.

 

5. New Orleans Saints (vs. Philadelphia)

This probably isn’t the best week to use the Saints as your lock if you haven’t already, but it’s slim pickings for Week 11 with six teams on a bye. The defending Super Bowl champs really have their backs against the wall, which is the reason I warned against using them as a lock versus the Cowboys, who were in a similar situation, last week. The Saints are incredibly difficult to beat at home, so they’re an OK pick. But they have to lose at some point.

 

6. Arizona Cardinals (vs. Oakland)

You have some guts to trust Arizona as your lock, but there’s a decent chance you already used this week’s top five recommendations in the first ten weeks of the season. Oakland’s roster is nowhere near where it needs to be to compete, while the Cardinals do have star quality players like Chandler Jones, Patrick Peterson, David Johnson, and Larry Fitzgerald. Now is obviously the best week to attempt survival with the Cardinals.

 

7. Seattle Seahawks (vs. Green Bay)

The last two recommendations for Week 11 survivor pool picks are from tonight’s primetime matchup in Seattle. The Seahawks are pretty healthy entering the game, and the rushing attack should keep them in it. It’s a toss-up, but I’d feel more comfortable going with the home team as a lock.

 

8. Green Bay Packers (@ Seattle)

That said, it’s a Thursday night game, and crazy things tend to happen. Like Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers tends to make big plays in primetime games when his team needs it, and this is a critical game in the NFC playoff picture. Basically, it’s a 50/50 split, so just choose a team and hope you advance to Week 12.