Considering safe, value, & trap picks in Week 3 NFL Survivor pools

Welcome back for Week 3 of the 2019 NFL season. Last week showed us that yes, the Miami Dolphins truly are an abysmal franchise. Of course, they now hold three first round picks in the 2020 NFL Draft, and if Tom Brady retires in the next two or three years, maybe Miami is positioned with the young talent for division supremacy. Or, Tom Brady plays forever and Miami is never going to get back on top. Either/or!

The bigger news is that Ben Roethlisberger is done for the season due to an elbow injury, and Drew Brees is out for at least six weeks with a thumb injury. Mason Rudolph will take over as the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback the rest of the season, while Teddy Bridgewater is the New Orleans Saints quarterback for the next six or more weeks.

As we head into Week 3, those injuries mean it might be time to re-think some previous conceptions about your Survivor pool. We’re back once again to help you with your Survivor pools. You’re likely settling your traditional fantasy football lineups and DFS lineups, but don’t forget to get your Survivor pick in!

If you’ve never taken part in such a pool, it 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 the same team twice. You could use a heavy favorite in Week 1, but you would not have access to them later in the year if you’re alive in the closing weeks.

Put your knowledge to the test. Sign up for DraftKings and experience the game inside the game.

Whether you are in a single-elimination or double-elimination contest, there is plenty of strategy in determining which team you will take each week. DK Nation is here to help with a look at safe choices, value choices, and potential traps.

Last week, we had one notable misstep and a couple misconstrued options. The New England Patriots were indeed the safest pick, absolutely destroying the Dolphins. We did well with Baltimore over Arizona, but Carolina came up short against Tampa Bay. I’m in two pools, and used Baltimore in one and Carolina in the other. Welp!

On to Week 3 picks!

Safest picks

New England Patriots over New York Jets
Dallas Cowboys over Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins will be listed in the safest picks list all season. They might not go 0-16, but they have done nothing to prove they actually will win a game. At this point, their Week 5 bye could end up being the best opportunity for Survivor pools to clear out the chaff.

Meanwhile, the New York Jets will be a short term entrant for safest pick for the time being while Sam Darnold is sidelined with mono. They lost Trevor Siemian to an ankle injury on Monday, leaving them with Luke Falk and recently signed David Fales. If you already used Dallas, New England isn’t an awful pick if you want a near sure thing.

Best value picks

Dallas Cowboys over Miami Dolphins
Minnesota Vikings over Oakland Raiders

Miami is awful, and Dallas has a decent number of tough games on their schedule moving forward. Their road games against the Jets and Giants offer some options in Week 6 and Week 9, as does Washington at home in Week 17. Other than that, they have enough tough games that using them in Week 3 makes a ton of sense.

The Raiders looked live after their win over Denver, but the Broncos just don’t seem that good. As my man Nick Kostos pointed out, this is a perfect spot for Kirk Cousins. He does well against bad teams, but craps the bed against quality opponents. Cousins seems in line for a solid victory.

Trap pick

Tampa Bay Buccaneers over New York Giants

The switch to Daniel Jones might lure folks in to pick the Bucs both in Survivor and sports betting. Remember, it’s a trap! Jones might not be the long-term answer, but Eli Manning is finished, and Jones would seem to be at least a short-term upgrade. Stay away from this game.

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
Odds and lines subject to change. See website for actual odds.
*21+. NJ/WV only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.