NFL Survivor Pool Picks: Week 2 Targets And Avoids (2024)

Implied Point Totals, Point Spreads, and Over/Under Totals for Week 2

For detailed Survivor League strategy, and tips to help you win your league, check out our "How to win your Survivor League" guide.

Before jumping into the picks for Week 2, it's helpful to get an overview of the slate with implied point totals, point spreads, and over/under totals from betting markets. For this week only, these totals come from RotoCurve, but after Week 1, the implied totals will come from FantasyLabs each week.

Now, let's take a look at the survivor pool pick recommendations to target and avoid for Week 2.

Top Survivor Pool Picks to Target for Week 2

Los Angeles Chargers at Carolina

If you read the How To Win Your Survivor Pool Leagues article we put out before Week 1's NFL action, one of the key rules I've said to look at is to never take a team on the road. Well, I hate to be "that guy", but rules were made to be broken.

The Panthers are breaking the rules for us, not just for wanting to take the Chargers, a west-coast team heading east for a 1:00 PM ET start, but for how to operate an NFL offense. It's not great, folks. With the second-lowest implied point total of the Week 2 slate, nothing has inspired any hope that the Panthers can move the ball with consistency.

The Chargers looked very solid even if the Raiders were not very competitive in Week 1.  We know what the Chargers want to do: run the ball, as they had 26 rushing attempts and 28 dropbacks. The Panthers were anything BUT competitive.

Bryce Young doesn't look like he's taken a step up in his second season, so that makes this pick of the Chargers even easier to make despite them being a west-coast road team heading east. It's a bet on the Panthers being so bad and not having any other matchup to take the Chargers this season.

Baltimore vs. Las Vegas

The Baltimore Ravens are the largest favorite of the entire slate as they host the Las Vegas Raiders, who sport the lowest implied team total on the slate.

Seems like a match made in heaven for folks looking to get past Week 2 in their Survivor pool, The Ravens looked excellent in Week 1 -- even in defeat -- and now get a gift as they head home to play a Raiders team with a clear deficiency in terms of talent and potentially even more of a deficiency in the coaching department.

---> LV (10) @ LAC (16) <---
LV has 4th & 1 at the LAC 43, Q4 07:15

Recommendation (VERY STRONG): 👉 Go for it (+8.5 WP)
Actual play: 🏈🦵 A.Cole punts 35 yards to LAC 8, Center-J.Bobenmoyer, fair catch by D.Davis. pic.twitter.com/ZkRIl6cpvG

— 4th down decision bot (@ben_bot_baldwin) September 8, 2024

Not only do they play the Raiders in their home opener, but they also have a few days of extra rest having played on the opening Thursday game last week. While there are other matchups to use the Ravens with during the season, they feel like an excellent starting point to use an elite team.

You can't just save teams for later because you've got to get there first. Take the Ravens and their numerous advantages in Week 2.

Top Survivor Pool Picks to Avoid for Week 2

Seattle at New England

In a sloppy Week 1 opener, the Seattle Seahawks beat the Denver Broncos at home 26-20, with the offense still working the kinks out of a new scheme by new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb. They'll face the New England Patriots in Foxboro, where the Seahawks are three-point favorites.

While the Patriots are getting respect for beating the Cincinnati Bengals in Cincinnati, it doesn't seem like they're getting enough. With a solid defense and an awesome performance by Rhamondre Stevenson where he put up 120 rushing yards and a touchdown, this is the likely blueprint for New England going forward as they're not a potent passing team by any means.

Running the ball and playing good defense tends to lead to lower scores, lower amounts of plays, and keeping games closer. For a team like the Seahawks, coming to the Eastern Time Zone for a 1:00 PM local start time may be a lot of mileage put on a team that also may not have one of their workhorse players Kenneth Walker after he suffered an abdominal injury.

Avoiding this confluence of factors with the Seahawks seems like the right move to make this week with better options on the board.

Washington vs. New York Giants

The Washington Commanders are at home in Week 2 and will face their NFC Easy division rival New York Giants. Washington is favored by 2.5 points despite struggling with their offensive output as they were routed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 37-20. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels had a promising start to his career as he rushed for 88 yards and scored two rushing touchdowns while adding 184 yards through the air.

Had this dream the Commanders spent the offseason replacing everyone and then played the opener just like past years.

— Rick Snider's Washington (@Snide_Remarks) September 8, 2024

The Giants were anything but promising in Week 1, as they stunk up MetLife Stadium at home with a 28-6 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. While the Giants legitimately played like one of the worst teams in the league last week, it's hard to even trust the Commanders at home to take care of business.

This Week 2 matchup has the makings of an ugly game that could go either way and with neither team showing much in the way of offensive consistency in Week 1, putting your Survivor pool hopes on the Commanders to beat what looks like one of the worst teams in football is not something I would want to confidently do.

More Weekly Lineup Prep

Featured Sportsbook Promo Offers

All new sign-ups get a free year of RotoBaller's Premium Pass for all sports ($450 value)! Check out all of the sportsbooks and their bonus offers: