There are so many different ways to get in on the action at DraftKings Sportsbook this NFL season. One of the best ways is by joining a weekly NFL Pick ‘Em pool. These pools require you to pick every game on the NFL slate against the spread.
You can enter the DraftKings NFL Pick ‘Em Pools here.
NFL Week 6 Pick’Em Pool Picks, Predictions and Strategy
Here are my five favorite selections to use this week in NFL against-the-spread pools.
Week 6 Picks
Browns +4.5 vs. Ravens — The Browns are a tough team to beat at home. They have a strong home-field advantage, and their defense always seems to elevate to another level in Cleveland. Since the start of the 2021 season, the Browns are allowing just 18.6 points per game at home. Only the Chiefs and Broncos rank ahead of them over that period. If teams are only scoring 18 points per game when they come to Cleveland, that makes it really difficult to cover a spread like this as a road favorite. If the Ravens hit that average number of 18, the Browns would need just 14 points to cover as 4.5-point underdogs.
The Browns lost in rainy conditions on the road against the Jets last week. However, the offense was really finding its footing before that rockfight of a matchup at MetLife. The Ravens’ defense is susceptible to giving up explosive plays. They rank 18th in the NFL in defensive EPA/play and 20th in explosive plays allowed (defined as a 10+ yard run or a 20+ yard pass). If Deshaun Watson can play the way he did the three weeks before last week’s loss to the Jets, the Browns should score enough to cover this spread against a Baltimore offense that could be without Lamar Jackson for another week.
Steelers -2.5 at Buccaneers — The Buccaneers pulled off an amazing upset last week against the Cowboys to get their first win of the season, and the first win of Jalon Daniels’ career. However, there are still some real issues with this team. It’s safe to say Tampa Bay likely would have lost that game if it did not win the turnover battle 3-0, something that is not sustainable long-term. In fact, Daniels is very turnover-prone himself, throwing two interceptions in his first start against the Packers.
Unlike the hapless Dallas defense, the Pittsburgh defense will be more than prepared to capitalize on any mistakes that Daniels makes. The Steelers’ offense is rolling, averaging over 29 PPG in its last three games. Aaron Rodgers should go get this win on the road.
Saints +1.5 at Giants — The Giants have been incredibly fortunate this season. They are 3-1-1 and lead the NFC East, but they could easily be 1-4. The Giants beat the Titans and Cardinals by intercepting passes inside the five-yard line when their opponents were driving to try to win with a touchdown. If Cam Ward and Jacoby Brissett could have delivered good balls on those occasions, the Giants would have lost both of those games. Then, last week, it took some of the worst late-game clock management in the history of the NFL for the Commanders to not attempt a game-winning field goal in overtime.
If not for three separate bizarre late-game plays in a row, the public would have a much different perception of this Giants team. New York ranks 22nd in defensive EPA/play and 26th in defensive success rate. The Titans are the only team that hasn’t been able to move the ball efficiently against the Giants this season. Since Week 2, the Giants have also ranked 28th in both offensive EPA/play and offensive success rate. Regression is bound to come for this Giants team that is really poor when digging into the numbers. The Saints rank a respectable 15th in the NFL in offensive success rate this season and should control this game.
Raiders +5.5 vs. Bills — The Raiders have now lost two straight games after starting the season 3-0. They put up a great fight at home against the Chiefs two weeks ago, but finally turned in a bad performance last week against the Patriots on the road. Las Vegas is now headed back home for another tough matchup against the Bills. Back at Allegiant Stadium, they should be able to keep it close as they did against Kansas City two weeks ago.
Despite the Bills’ strong record, they still have real issues in the secondary. Buffalo ranks 28th in defensive EPA/dropback and 29th in defensive dropback success rate. This is also a strange week for Buffalo, who is staying out on the West Coast after playing on Monday night in Los Angeles. A short week of preparation away from your home facility throws many variables at Buffalo. Kirk Cousins should bounce back in this game and score enough to stay within this number.
Cowboys +1.5 at Packers — The Cowboys can be a hard team to watch, but their offense is immensely talented. Dallas ranks in the top five in the NFL in offensive EPA/play and offensive success rate. Clearly, their defense is the issue. However, Green Bay might not be able to totally take advantage of those shortcomings. While the Packers offense popped last week, it has been very inconsistent this season. Green Bay ranks 26th in the league in offensive success rate, while Dallas ranks fourth.
The Packers are the worst running team in the NFL, ranking 32nd in offensive EPA/rush. That makes them easier to prepare for, especially for a bad defense like the Cowboys. Before last week, the Packers had not scored more than 17 points in regulation in three straight games. If Green Bay’s offense regresses back closer to those performances, the Dallas offense will take advantage of it and win this game.
