Week 9 NFL Survivor pool strategy with safe, value, trap picks

The NFL is into November and the playoff race is heating up. As Week 9 opens, three divisions feature a team with a two game lead or great, while the remaining five are a game-and-a-half or less. Five matchups this week feature both teams with .500 or better records. It should be a fun week from start to finish.

If you’re still alive in your NFL Survivor pool, huzzah to you. If you’ve been eliminated there are still Survivor pools to join that open in Week 9 at DraftKings Sportsbook. If you’ve never played in a Survivor pool, you pick one team each week to win their game. If they win you advance to the next week, if they lose, you are eliminated. You cannot pick the same team twice and whichever person (or people) is standing at the end wins the prize.

I’m back with more Survivor strategy for anybody still playing. I offer up safe, value, and trap picks each week. Last week was a good week for my picks. I had the Dolphins and Bills as safe picks, the Chargers as a good value pick, and the Chiefs as a trap pick. The first three all won and the Broncos upset the Chiefs, so there you go. I won’t be perfect every week, but I’ve got some options for you.

Safest picks

Ravens over Seahawks

Seattle is a solid team, but in Baltimore, look for this Ravens team to handle its business. I don’t think this will be a blowout, so you might be left crossing your fingers in the fourth quarter, but Baltimore should win this one.

Best value picks

Browns over Cardinals

You could save Cleveland for Week 15, but with Clayton Tune getting the start for Arizona this week, roll with the Browns at home.

Trap pick

Falcons over Vikings

Kirk Cousins is done for the year and Jaren Hall is getting the start for Minnesota. Desmond Ridder has been benched for Taylor Heinicke. Hall makes this feel a little trappy. Heinicke is interesting in the Falcons lineup, but this is too difficult a matchup to call given all the questions.