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We’re back for Week 15 of the 2020 NFL regular season. The week opens with the Raiders hosting the Chargers on Thursday Night Football, and then we get our first Saturday football of the season. Last week saw a sizable upset as Jalen Hurts and the Eagles upended Taysom Hill and the Saints. It’s safe to say that knocked out a few people remaining in NFL 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, three of our four safe picks (Ravens, Packers, Titans) survived, while the Rams lost a shocker to the Jets. We were 1-1 with our dice roll picks, with the Cardinals holding off Jalen Hurts and the Eagles while the Raiders lost to the Chargers.
On to Week 16!
Safest picks
Ravens over Giants
Chiefs over Falcons
Browns over Jets
Bears over Jaguars
Chicago could be the big pick that makes or break things for folks. They’ve got a great matchup against a lousy Jaguars team, but the Bears have been inconsistent.
Roll the dice pick
Buccaneers @ Lions
Texans @ Bengals
Most big names are likely not available, so we’re at the point where there isn’t much value. This week it’s time to roll the dice. If you haven’t used the Texans, there is some value to be had against a Bengals team that seems primed for a letdown after a huge win over Pittsburgh.