Week 5 was a wild one for NFL Survivor players, with more than half of all entries wiped out. If you’re still standing, congratulations. And if you’re playing in a late-start or second-chance pool, the following insights will help you find the best path forward.
As always, we’ll also have a section below to check our latest value plays for NFL Game Winner and Spread Pools to see where the biggest edges are developing.
Your NFL Survivor & Pick’em Pool Cheat Sheet
PoolGenius analyzes win odds, public pick trends, and future value for every team each week. Our tools show which picks offer the best combination of safety and upside so you can make smarter, higher-expected-value decisions in your Survivor, Pick’em, Spread, or Confidence pools.
NFL Survivor Picks | Football Pick'em Picks |
Free Trial Offer (Survivor, Pick'em, Betting) |
2025 Season Discounts via Action Network |
NFL Survivor Picks Week 6: Packers or Look Elsewhere?
The Green Bay Packers are by far the biggest favorites of the week (-14.5), hosting a Cincinnati Bengals team that has dropped three straight since Joe Burrow’s injury. The average score in those losses: 37.7 to 12.3.
Green Bay has some future value, but nothing close to the 89% win odds it carries in this matchup. The Packers are easily the top play on the board in terms of win probability. After last week’s chaos, it’s likely that many players will flock to them, which caps their upside a bit since a large portion of the pool will advance with you.
In smaller pools, the Packers make perfect sense. In larger or buyback pools, or those with multiple-pick weeks later in the season, it can be worth considering alternate paths.
The Rams as a Key Decision Point
One such path is the Los Angeles Rams. After an ugly loss last week as big favorites, they get a second chance (with extra rest) at a banged-up Baltimore Ravens team that may again be without Lamar Jackson and several key defenders.
If you have the Rams available, they’re a strong play this week. Taking them allows you to save the Packers for Week 9 against Carolina (or another spot), when they’ll also be favored but at a lower popularity.
The more common route is to choose the Packers now and Rams later (particularly Week 9 vs. New Orleans), but this offers less differentiation and only a marginal bump in win odds. This is a key decision point for NFL Survivor Week 6.
Other Potential NFL Survivor Picks for Week 6
Looking deeper, the Philadelphia Eagles (playing on Thursday Night Football) and Denver Broncos are reasonable alternatives, though Denver is traveling overseas this week and may be better saved for later.
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Las Vegas Raiders enter the conversation this week, especially in buyback or multi-pick pools.
The Raiders, in particular, stand out, favored by 4.5 at home against the Titans. It’s risky, but this might be one of the only ideal opportunities to use them this season.
NFL Pick’em Advice Week 6: Value Favorites & More
We always outline weekly NFL pool picks for Game Winner and Spread Pools using the PoolGenius Data Grid, which compares win odds with public pick popularity to identify value.
Here’s what stands out this week:
1. Kansas City Chiefs (vs. Detroit Lions)
Spread: -2.5 | Win Odds: 54.4% | Pick Popularity: 34%
The Chiefs are small home favorites, but the public is leaning toward Detroit. Only about one-third of entries are picking Kansas City despite the edge at Arrowhead.
Detroit’s fast start and the Chiefs’ Monday night loss to Jacksonville are likely influencing sentiment, creating a potential value favorite in Kansas City for Game Winner pools.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. Seattle Seahawks)
Spread: -1 | Win Odds: 50.9% | Pick Popularity: 42%
Jacksonville is a slight home favorite after an exciting win over Kansas City.
Public picks are still leaning slightly to Seattle, giving you moderate value on the Jaguars, especially with Seattle traveling cross-country. Keep an eye on how sentiment shifts later in the week.
3. Carolina Panthers (vs. Dallas Cowboys)
Spread: +3.5 | Win Odds: 36.2% | Pick Popularity: 18.1%
The Panthers are coming off a home win over Miami and have quietly been much better in Charlotte this year.
The Cowboys regained public favor after crushing the Jets, but that could make Carolina a sneaky contrarian option in both Game Winner and Spread Pools if you can stomach the risk.
Get Your NFL Survivor and Pick’em Edge
If you survived Week 5, you’re already ahead of most of the field. Week 6 offers safer options like Green Bay, but also creative paths with teams like the Rams or Raiders that can help you gain ground.
Check PoolGenius throughout the week for updated data, as injury news and public sentiment can shift value quickly.
NFL Survivor Picks | Football Pick'em Picks |
Free Trial Offer (Survivor, Pick'em, Betting) |
2025 Season Discounts via Action Network |