Dive into NFL Week 2 Survivor pool strategy, model picks, and expert advice. Learn which big favorites to pick, which to avoid, and how to manage your team selections for the rest of the season, featuring analysis on the 49ers, Buccaneers, and Chargers.
The article outlines aggressive strategies for NFL Week 2 Survivor pools, building on the author's successful Week 1 pick of the Steelers over the Chargers. Week 2 is characterized by numerous big favorites. While the San Francisco 49ers are a popular 14-point home favorite, the author cautions that using them now means sacrificing a valuable Week 3 option (where they are also heavily favored against the Cardinals) and that their overall schedule isn't easy. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are presented as a potential 'sweat-free' pick if they can establish a negative game script against the Browns, citing Deshaun Watson's perceived lack of NFL-caliber play, despite the Bucs' Week 1 turnover issues. The Los Angeles Chargers, who lost as significant favorites in Week 1, are identified as a 'buy-low spot.' Despite their 'fraudulent' Week 1 performance and a 'gauntlet' schedule ahead (making this potentially the last chance to use them until late November), they are 6.5-point favorites against Kirk Cousins and are expected to be one of the least-used big favorites. The article warns of a potential 0-9 start for the Chargers if they lose this game. The Survivor ranking model has been updated to incorporate the 'next best use' of a team later in the season. The author, Erich Richter, is highlighted for his profitable history in player prop betting.
