Week 7 of the NFL season is here! Whether you got knocked out or never got in before the season, it’s not too late to join a survivor pool. You can enter DraftKings NFL pools here.
The rules for NFL Survivor Pools are simple. Each week, you pick a team to win their game straight-up. If that team wins, you move on to the next week. If they lose, you are eliminated. However, you can only use each team once. So, while you want to prioritize picking a team that will win, you also have to consider your season-long strategy.
NFL Week 7 Survivor Pool Picks, Strategy and Best Teams to Use
Week 7 Survivor Pool Best Pick
Texans over Giants
These are two teams headed in opposite directions. After an unlucky 0-4 start to the season, the Texans have won back-to-back games and are looking to keep the momentum going. Meanwhile, after an incredibly fortunate 3-1-1 start, the Saints exposed that this Giants team has real issues. Houston has performed much better at home, compared to on the road under DeMeco Ryans. The Giants are likely switching to J.J. McCarthy at quarterback. If they do so, Ryans will have a good game plan to shut him down. If the Giants roll out Jameis Winston again, we have already seen that doesn’t work. C.J. Stroud is playing with his top target back healthy, and the Texans should win this one.
Week 7 Survivor Bold Pick
Jets over Dolphins
These are two teams that are likely already out of any sort of playoff contention before November even rolls around. However, the Jets have displayed a level of competence this season that the Dolphins simply have not. New York knows it won’t win many games this season, and a home game against one of the worst teams in the league is a big chance for Aaron Glenn to win a game. The Jets have proven they can beat teams that are more on par with them talent-wise, defeating the Titans and Browns already.
The Jets rank 16th in the NFL in offensive success rate, while the Dolphins rank 29th. The Jets rank 14th in defensive EPA/play, while the Dolphins rank 29th. By a lot of metrics, the Jets are close to a league-average team, while the Dolphins are clearly a bottom-three team in the NFL. If you are ever going to use the Jets in survivor, this is the week to do so.
Week 7 Survivor Favorite to Avoid
Broncos over Cardinals
Denver is 4-2, but it has scraped by in some very tight games. Last week, the Broncos beat the Seahawks in overtime. Their other three wins also all came by one possession. Denver is 1-2 on the road this season, and the one win came by six points thanks to a fourth-quarter comeback against the winless Chargers. The Broncos are not the same team on the road. The offense has struggled no matter where they play, but the defense has not been as good on the road.
Arizona ranks 18th in offensive EPA/play, while Denver ranks 24th. Arizona also ranks 11th in offensive success rate, while Denver ranks 28th. The Cardinals have the superior offense and the home-field advantage in this game. They should also be building confidence after last week’s big win over the Rams. The Broncos are not a team I would be looking to back in survivor, especially on the road against a feisty Cardinals team.
