X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

NFL Survivor League Picks - Week 1

It's finally back! Football is finally back and now I don't have worry about what I'll be watching on Sunday for the next five months.

I always try to figure out what the most exciting part of the year is - right before the NCAA Tournament, or now? It's a tough one, but I'd have to say right now. What a feeling it is with fantasy football coming up and survivor pools.

For those of you unfamiliar with survivor pools it’s very simple; pick a team to win each week, if they win you move on to the next week. But you cannot use that team ever again. There is no point spread involved.

Editors Note: RotoBaller's NEW Survivor Grid Tool provides an easy-to-use color-coded interface with each team's full schedule, including Vegas spreads. Plan your picks, create multiple entries, and save your progress. Click here to use the Survivor Grid today.

 

Survivor League Strategy

I tried an interesting tactic this year. I tried planning out who I would pick each week, but got stuck at Week 3. How do you pick between the Jets and Dolphins and Colts and Browns? So after Week 3 I stopped. This is a week to week competition, but there are several rules to follow.

  1. Try to save the top teams for the end of the season. You do not want to be alive in Week 10 choosing between the Browns and the Jets. Try and pick teams you won't use later. For example, the Rams get the Luckless Colts this Sunday in LA.
  2. Try to avoid divisional rivalry games also. Anything can happen with a rivalry game. Some weeks it will be really hard to not pick a divisional game, because there is no better option.
  3. Never pick an underdog.

 

Before making any picks, look at the point spreads. Vegas has the best minds, smarter than any of us, use them to get a glimpse at how each team is projected to fare that week. There will be a game or two a week where the line makes NO SENSE, but that means Vegas is giving you an inside scoop and they're mostly always right.

The biggest favorites in Week 1 per sportsbook (home team in caps);  BILLS -9.5 vs. Jets; PATRIOTS -9 vs. Chiefs; Steelers, -9 @ BROWNS; Falcons -7 @ BEARS; Panthers -6 @ 49ERS.

If you're reading this article on Thursday or later, these lines were from Tuesday. Check the current spreads and see how the line moved.

 

Top Survivor Picks for Week One

This week is ALWAYS the hardest week. We have no prior history with any of these teams (no I don't care for pre-season). Some will surprise and some will bust. It's impossible to tell.

I will not be picking the Patriots this week or Steelers. I want to hold on to those two teams for a much later week.

 

 Rams -3.5 vs. Colts

Somehow this line has stuck at three and a half since Andrew Luck was ruled out. I don't understand how the Rams are only a half point better than the Colts without their best player on a neutral field. I think this line will probably go to at least five by kickoff when the public finally realizes Scott Tolzien is the starting quarterback.

The Colts organization should be ashamed of themselves. They ruined Luck. They never gave him any help on the offensive line and therefore he was continually knocked on the ground. The Colts spent money on Frank Gore and Andre Johnson when they desperately needed offensive line help and defensive help. Luck is injured because of ex-GM Ryan Grigson's incompetence and Jim Irsay's ineptitude.

With Luck being out here's a perfect nugget for this game fromthe IndyStar- "The offensive line is banged up, and without the downfield threat of Luck-to-Hilton to worry about, teams will likely stack the box and dare Tolzien beat them."

The Rams have an above average defense with a good home crowd. As much as it was fun to laugh at Jared Goff last year, I think he takes a big step forward with the help of their new head coach Sean McVay. He has good weapons around him, Todd Gurley, newly acquired Sammy Watkins, and training camp sensation Cooper Kupp. You won't get a chance like this to pick the St. Louis Rams again.

 

Panthers -6 @ 49ers

Cam Newton vs. Brian Hoyer. I'll be honest, I had to google who the 49ers quarterback is, that's how bad they are. The Panthers will have a bounce back year after missing the playoffs last year. The 49ers have ZERO appeal and no weapons that could challenge Cam Newton's torrid offense. Christian McCaffrey returns to his college town, and I think he'll put on a big show in his first game. I always get scared of picking teams on the road, but Newton is an MVP and the Panthers' defense is no joke. They will stifle whatever the 49ers do on offense, which I expect to be nothing.

 

Top Survivor Picks to Avoid 

Bills -9.5 vs. Jets

Everyone is saying how bad the Jets will be. The offense will be atrocious, but the defense is a prideful bunch. They can play. Their first round pick Jamal Adams is going to be a star. Their defensive line has pro-bowlers Muhammad Wilkerson and Leonard Williams and their linebacking corps should get better behind Darron Lee. The Jets' defense will get them to four wins, but I hope not. They'll have just enough wins to finish outside the top three and not be able to draft Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, or Josh Allen (I'm a Jets fan if you can't tell).

The Bills have NO business being nine and a half point favorites over anyone, even the Jets. This game is divisional game and the Jets usually play the Bills tough. Seam McDermott is making his coaching debut and I'm not sure what kind of play calling I'll be seeing so that scares me. The battle I can't wait to watch is the Bills offensive line that paved the way for the number one rushing attack last year against the Jets d-line. If the Jets d-line gets the early push up front, that'll force the Bills to throw the ball. I don't trust Tyrod Taylor to throw the ball out especially after he just got out of concussion protocol. He isn't the best thrower to begin with. The Bills played well last season when they got out ahead, but struggled when they got behind.

The Jets will have to score 16-20 points to win this game, but I think their defense can hold the Bills under 16. I'd definitely take the Jets with the points.

 

Falcons -7 @ Bears

I think the Falcons take a GIANT step backwards and miss the playoffs entirely. I'll even go out and say they won't finish .500 or above. You don't blow a Super Bowl like that and be the same team the year after. They had a whole offseason to read about the 28-3 memes and listen to everyone mock them. Matt Ryan will revert to the inconsistent  player who he was for majority of his career.

Can Mike Glennon shock the world and knock out 30% of the survivor pool in week one? It may seem far fetched, but I have a good feeling about Da Bears.

 

More Week 1 Lineup Prep




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

NHL

Vladislav Gavrikov Inks Seven-Year Deal with Rangers
NHL

Tanner Jeannot Moves to Boston
NHL

Corey Perry Joins Kings on One-Year Deal
K'Andre Miller

Hurricanes Pick Up K'Andre Miller
Zac Gallen

Fans 10 in Tuesday's Win
Hunter Goodman

Hits Two More Homers Tuesday
Josh Hader

Stays Perfect In Save Conversion On Tuesday
Milwaukee Bucks

Taurean Prince Staying in Milwaukee
Shane Baz

Fans 11 Against Athletics
Grant Holmes

Strikes Out 10 in Scoreless Outing
Houston Rockets

Jeff Green Signs One-Year Deal to Remain in Houston
T.J. Watt

Trying to Become Highest-Paid Non-QB?
Willson Contreras

Doubtful for Wednesday
George Springer

Clubs Two Homers in Seven-RBI Day
Joshua Palmer

Could be a Sleeper
Los Angeles Lakers

Jake LaRavia Lands with Lakers
Laviska Shenault Jr.

on the Bubble
Orlando Magic

Tyus Jones Signs One-Year Deal With Magic
Raheem Blackshear

to Work Mostly As Special-Teamer
Golden State Warriors

Kevon Looney Heads to New Orleans
Rico Dowdle

Trevor Etienne to Split Carries?
Chuba Hubbard

Should See Majority of Touches in 2025
Milwaukee Bucks

Jericho Sims Staying in Milwaukee
Denver Nuggets

Tim Hardaway Jr. Joins Nuggets
Willson Contreras

Avoids Structural Damage on Hand After HBP
Detroit Pistons

Duncan Robinson Lands With Detroit
Charlotte Hornets

Tre Mann Remaining in Charlotte
Josh Naylor

Scratched From Tuesday's Lineup Against Giants
Kevin Yu

a Near Must-Play at TPC Deere Run
San Francisco Giants

Giants Exercise Bob Melvin's 2026 Option
PGA

J.T. Poston Returns to John Deere Classic Looking for Another High Finish
Josh Naylor

Back in Action on Tuesday
Yordan Alvarez

Suffers Setback
Thriston Lawrence

a Decent Fit For John Deere Classic
Tom Kim

Not Finding Much to be Happy About Ahead of John Deere Classic
Nolan Arenado

Dealing with Finger Sprain
ANA

Mikael Granlund Moves to Anaheim on Three-Year Deal
Jacob Wilson

Scratched With Hamstring Soreness
NJ

Jake Allen Signs Five-Year Extension With Devils
VAN

Brock Boeser Remains in Vancouver on Seven-Year Deal
Conor Garland

Signs New Six-Year Deal with Canucks
Thatcher Demko

Signs Three-Year Extension with Canucks
Brandon Woodruff

Ready for Season Debut
Martin Fehérváry

Martin Fehervary Agrees to Seven-Year Extension with Capitals
Garrett Mitchell

Out for the Rest of the Season
MLB

Brewers-Mets Postponed on Tuesday
MLB

Tigers-Nationals Postponed on Tuesday
Zach Neto

Returns to Tuesday's Lineup
Milwaukee Bucks

Gary Harris Inks Deal With Bucks
MLB

Padres-Phillies Postponed on Tuesday
Charlotte Hornets

Mason Plumlee Heading Back to Charlotte
Si Woo Kim

is a Prohibitive Fade at John Deere Classic
Hunter Goodman

Back Behind the Dish on Tuesday
Jakob Poeltl

Agrees to a Contract Extension With Raptors
Ben Griffin

is the Appropriate Favorite at TPC Deere Run
Jason Day

is a Fine Play With Limited Upside at John Deere Classic
Vasilije Micić

Vasilije Micic Dealt to Bucks on Tuesday
Daniel Suarez

and Trackhouse Racing Parting Ways After 2025 Season
Luke Clanton

Looks to Have Another Strong Week at TPC Deere Run
Pat Connaughton

Traded to Hornets
Atlanta Hawks

Luke Kennard Lands in Atlanta
Breece Hall

Aiming to Prove He is "Still One of the Best in the League"
T.J. Watt

Steelers Not Planning to Trade T.J. Watt
Sacramento Kings

Dennis Schroder Set to Join Sacramento
Boston Celtics

Luke Kornet Agrees to Contract With San Antonio
Jonas Valančiūnas

Nuggets Trade for Center Jonas Valanciunas
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Signs Massive Extension With Oklahoma City
New York Knicks

Knicks Pick Up Guerschon Yabusele
NFL

Negotiations on 18-Game Season Not Expected Until Next Year
Indiana Pacers

Myles Turner Leaves Indiana, Signs With Milwaukee
Tyler Boyd

Steelers Have Talked With Tyler Boyd
Darren Waller

Coming Out of Retirement to Play for Dolphins
Alexander Romanov

Islanders Retain Alexander Romanov on $50 Million Contract
Andrei Kuzmenko

Signs Up for One More Year with Kings
Morgan Geekie

Signs Long-Term Extension with Bruins
Ivan Provorov

Stays in Columbus on Seven-Year Deal
Alex Pietrangelo

Stepping Away From Golden Knights for Health Reasons
Matias Maccelli

Maple Leafs Bring in Matias Maccelli
Evan Bouchard

Inks $42 Million Contract with Oilers
Vladimir Tarasenko

Wild Acquire Vladimir Tarasenko From Detroit
Patrick Kane

Signs New One-Year Deal with Red Wings
Brad Marchand

Lands Six-Year Extension
Aaron Ekblad

Remains a Panther on Eight-Year Deal
Jalen Ramsey

Could Move Around in Pittsburgh
Jonnu Smith

to be Used in Hybrid Role
Terry McLaurin

Commanders, Terry McLaurin Not Close on Contract Extension
Michael Mayer

Raiders Not Interested in Trading Michael Mayer
Aldrich Potgieter

Wins Rocket Mortgage Classic
Thorbjorn Olesen

Finishes Tied for 41st at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Denny McCarthy

Finishes Tied For 12th at Travelers Championship
Chris Kirk

Finishes Tied For Second at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Michael Kim

Finishes Tied for 26th at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Max Homa

Misses Cut at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Lucas Glover

Finishes Tied For Ninth at Travelers Championship
PGA

Nico Echavarria Finishes Tied For Sixth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Pittsburgh Steelers

Rumors Still Swirling Around Potential T.J. Watt Trade
Ilia Topuria

Becomes The New Lightweight Champion
Charles Oliveira

Knocked Out At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Submitted At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Extends His Win Streak
Tyler Boyd

Interested in Playing for Steelers
Miami Dolphins

Dolphins Now Looking to Acquire a Tight End
Brandon Royval

Drops Decision
L'Jarius Sneed

Says he's Healthy
Renato Moicano

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
Felipe Lima

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Payton Talbott

Bounces Back
Minkah Fitzpatrick

Heading Back to Miami
Jonnu Smith

Shipped to Pittsburgh
Alex Bowman

Competitive Run Ends With Third-Place Finish at Atlanta
Erik Jones

Secures A Top-Five Finish After Adversity In Atlanta
Tyler Reddick

Collects A New Career-Best Finish At Atlanta
Chase Elliott

Ends Winless Skid With Atlanta Victory
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Atlanta Victory
Carson Hocevar

Recovers From Big One to Finish 10th at Atlanta
William Byron

Caught up in Atlanta Big One but Retains Points Lead
Denny Hamlin

Top In-Season Challenge Seed Denny Hamlin Eliminated in Lap 70 Crash
Ty Dillon

Bottom Seed Ty Dillon Upsets Denny Hamlin to Advance in In-Season Challenge
Kyle Larson

Don't Expect Kyle Larson to Win First Drafting Track Race on Saturday
Christopher Bell

Unlikely to Complete Atlanta Sweep
Brad Keselowski

Seeks Another Clutch Win for Hail-Mary Playoff Bid
Chris Buescher

Unlikely to Lead Enough to Have Much DFS Value
Alex Bowman

Qualifies Best Among Non-Fords but Unlikely to Contend at Atlanta
Ryan Preece

Will Probably Run Better Than Usual at Atlanta
Austin Dillon

Consistently Mediocre at Atlanta
Ty Gibbs

Slightly Faster Lately but Unlikely to be a Factor at Atlanta
Erik Jones

a Low-Key Strong DFS Option
Noah Gragson

Could Have DFS Value as One of the Lowest-Qualifying Fords
Riley Herbst

Unlikely to Replicate February Atlanta Finish
Charles Oliveira

Can Become A Two-Time Lightweight Champion
Ilia Topuria

A Favorite At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Can Become The New Flyweight Champion
Alexandre Pantoja

Set For Fourth Title Defense At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Looks For His Third Win In A Row
Renato Moicano

Returns At UFC 317
Beneil Dariush

An Underdog At UFC 317
Payton Talbott

Looks To Bounce Back
Felipe Lima

Set To Open Up UFC 317 Main Card