UPDATE: Bucs-Raiders is set to happen on Sunday after a Covid-19 scare. OT Trent Brown and S Johnathan Abrams won’t play, but there have been no other positive tests. Additionally, Panthers-Saints is on track with no positives since Emmanuel Sanders.
We’re back for Week 7 of the 2020 NFL regular season. Thursday Night Football is back after a one-week Covid-19 hiatus. Of course, with the game featuring the Giants and Eagles, maybe it would be better to skip it.
Last week did not see many upsets. The Broncos upended the Patriots and the 49ers beat the Rams, but otherwise it was a mostly chalk week. Of course, those two were significant enough that they shook up some Survivor pools.
If you’ve never played in a Survivor pool, it’s a pretty straightforward deal. You pick one team each week that you think will win. If your team loses in Week 1, you’re eliminated (unless it’s a double elimination pool). 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.
Survivor pools are usually either a single elimination contest or a double elimination contest. I was in one of each and got eliminated from both in Week 5. But, we’re still here to help you win your pools with a look at safe choices, value choices, and potential traps. Last week I thought Steelers-Browns was a trap game, but Pittsburgh rolled as favorites. However, I was right in warning you off of Patriots-Broncos.
On to Week 7!
Covid questions
The Raiders sent their offensive line home on Wednesday after Trent Brown went on the Covid-19 injured reserve list. They face the Buccaneers this week, and it’s not really a great Survivor play either way.
Safest picks
The Jets stink and it’s hard to see them beating anybody the rest of the way.
Best value picks
Bills over Jets
Saints over Panthers
The Bills are the play if you haven’t used them. Yes, they will be a popular play, but this is the week to use them. If you have already used the Bills or reeeeeally want to wait because of how popular they’ll be, the Saints don’t have many great matchups the rest of the way and the Panthers are not quite what some might have thought during their recent win streak.
Trap pick
Chargers over Jaguars
Rams over Bears
The Chargers and Rams are favorites, but I just can’t see any reason to jump no either this week. The Jaguars stink, but LA has a rookie quarterback, and that means inconsistency. The Rams are coming off a tough loss to the 49ers in which they looked bad, but the Bears just keep winning games. Stay away from both.