NFL Week 5 Survivor Pool Picks (Texans Get First Win, AFC North Team Highlight Top Predictions)

Week 4 of the 2026 NFL season was a good one for Survivor Pool players, as several big favorites came through and won, even though they didn’t all cover the spread.

Minnesota, Baltimore, Kansas City and Seattle all picked up wins on Sunday, sending us into the first week of the season with byes on a high note.

The SI Betting team of Iain MacMillan and Peter Dewey makes their favorite Survivor selections each week, and we’re coming off some nice wins with the Vikings and Ravens in Week 4.

While Survivor seems simple – just pick a team to win each week – anything can happen on any given Sunday in the NFL, which has led to many entries getting destroyed over the first few weeks.

Week 5 features several big favorites, including the Dallas Cowboys (10-point favorites) at home against Jalon Daniels and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday Night. Plus, there are the first two byes this season (Carolina and Kansas City), which means there are only 15 games to choose from when it comes to this slate.

Let’s recap our team’s picks from Week 4 before we share the selections for Week 5.

NFL Week 4 Survivor Picks Recap

Peter Dewey: Minnesota Vikings (W)
Iain MacMillan: Baltimore Ravens (W)

Both Baltimore and Minnesota failed to cover in their wins on Sunday, and a Lamar Jackson injury made things a little shaky for those who picked the Ravens to beat Tennessee.

This week, we’re eyeing two teams that are coming off losses and are in prime spots to bounce back in Week 5.

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

NFL Week 5 Survivor Pool Picks

Cincinnati Bengals

There are a ton of options to consider in Survivor this week, and I’ll share a little insight into my process.

Cincinnati, Dallas, Houston and Detroit were all options that I considered in Week 5, and three of those teams (Detroit, Cincy and Dallas) have fairly easy schedules the rest of the way since they finished in third or fourth in the respective divisions in 2025.

Ultimately, I like other home spots for Dallas and Detroit down the stretch of the season, and I still think the Bengals can win on Sunday – even if Ja’Marr Chase (concussion) misses the game.

Joe Burrow still moved the Bengals offense on Sunday without Chase against a good Jacksonville Jaguars team, and Cincy is 10th in the NFL in EPA/Play on offense and 16th in success rate.

Meanwhile, the Dolphins are one of the worst teams in the league, scoring 13 or fewer points in all four of their games while ranking 29th in EPA/Play on offense and 28th in EPA/Play on defense. With De’Von Achane out for the season, there isn’t a single Miami weapon that really worries me against a Bengals team that has been average defensively (14th in EPA/Play, 19th in success rate) through four games.

After opening the season 2-0, this game is a must-win for the Bengals if they want to win the AFC North. Cincy has dropped games to Pittsburgh and Jacksonville, and it needs to handle business against one of the worst teams in the league.

Cincy is a seven-point favorite on the road, and it’s hard to build a Miami upset case against anyone in 2026. I expect a Bengals bounce-back showing on Sunday. – Peter Dewey

Houston Texans

It seems like the best strategy this football season is going to be to take whatever team is playing either the Tennessee Titans or Miami Dolphins.

With the Cincinnati Bengals dealing with injuries at wide receiver, I'm going to stay away from fading the Dolphins this week and instead take the Texans to get their first win of the season and beat the Titans.

The Texans' numbers have been better than their record would indicate to begin their season, and I have a lot more confidence in their offense with Nico Collins healthy.

Their defense remains top 10 in opponent success rate, so I expect them to have a big week against Cam Ward, who continues to struggle. I'll take the Texans to win and help us advance to Week 6 of Survivor. – Iain MacMillan

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Claim the latest DraftKings promo code offer today. Sign up and get $150 in bonus bets instantly when you make your first $5 bet.

Add us as a preferred source on Google