NFL Week 8 Survivor Pool Strategy: Falcons, Buccaneers and 3 More Winning Picks
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An NFL survival pool is one of the most popular contests for fans looking to add extra drama to the season.
The concept is simple: each week, players pick one NFL team to win. If that team loses, you’re eliminated. If it wins, you move on. However, the catch is that you can’t pick a team more than once for the entire season. The ultimate goal is to outlast everyone else in your pool.
The challenge and the fun come from striking a balance between risk and reward. Grabbing a heavy favorite early in the season might look like the safest survival pool pick, but using up a top contender early can leave you short-handed later. On the flip side, taking a chance on an under-the-radar team could buy you long-term flexibility, but a loss ends your run before it starts.
A smart survival pool strategy is to look beyond the obvious. Many players try to conserve elite teams for tougher weeks, choosing solid but not spectacular matchups early on. It’s a delicate mix of playing it safe while planning ahead.
Whether you stick with the chalk, hunt for value or take a risky swing, your pick can set the tone for the entire season. With all that said, here’s how we’re approaching Week 8:
*Pick percentage is based on Yahoo Sports pick distribution*
Chalk Picks
Indianapolis Colts Over Tennessee Titans (Pick %: 33% Spread: -14.5)
The Colts are the largest favorites in Week 8, and it’s for good reason. In the simplest terms, the Indianapolis Colts are the best team in the NFL, with a 6-1 record. On the other hand, Tennessee is one of just five teams with just one or fewer wins this season. The Titans rank last in points per game (13.7) while allowing the fifth-most points (27.4). Jonathan Taylor, in particular, should have a field day in this matchup. It’s a great time to use the Colts, although they play the Texans in Weeks 13 and 18. This pick is as chalk as it gets.
Atlanta Falcons Over Miami Dolphins (Pick %: 30% Spread: -7.5)
Another great pick in Week 8 is the Falcons. The Dolphins are one of the five teams with one or fewer wins this season. Their offense is among the worst in the NFL in terms of EPA per play since Tyreek Hill’s injury. Miami’s defense is ever worse, ranking last in defensive EPA per play. Bijan Robinson is primed for a huge performance in this matchup, as the Dolphins also lead the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game (159.3). The Falcons quietly rank seventh in offensive yards per game (364.3). They also allow the second-fewest yards defensively per game (265.2).
Under The Radar Picks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Over New Orleans Saints (Pick %: 6% Spread: -4.5)
This NFC South clash features the top and bottom teams in the division. The Buccaneers, although battling injuries, are in a prime spot to bounce back after a disappointing showing on Monday night last week vs. the Lions. The Saints turned the ball over four times and allowed 222 yards on the ground to a struggling Bears rushing attack in Week 7. They’re a bottom-four team in points per game (17.9) that struggles on both sides of the ball. It wouldn’t surprise me if Spencer Rattler gets benched for Tyler Shough in this game. Tampa Bay has a tough stretch of games over its next three weeks, making now a solid time to use them.
New England Patriots Over Cleveland Browns (Pick %: 6% Spread: -7)
The Patriots face the Jets twice and the Dolphins at home in Week 18, making for more opportunities to use them. However, if they’re the hottest team in the NFL and riding a four-game win streak entering this Week 8 home game vs. the Browns. Cleveland has a bottom-three scoring offense per game (16.1), despite scoring a season-high 31 points vs. the Dolphins in Week 7. They did almost all their damage on the ground, as Quinshon Judkins scored three touchdowns. New England boasts one of the best run defenses in the NFL. All the Patriots need to do is gain an early lead, and the Browns will struggle to get back in the game with rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
One Risky Pick
Cincinnati Bengals Over New York Jets (Pick %: 14% Spread: -6.5)
My risky pick is the third-most selected team on Yahoo in Week 8. Even with Justin Fields being benched and Garrett Wilson set to miss his second straight game, this can easily be where the Jets finally pick up their first win. I’m not convinced that Joe Flacco is the Bengals’ savior despite his magical Thursday night performance last week vs. the Steelers. The Bengals allow the second-most points per game defensively (30.6) and have the seventh-worst scoring offense (19.4) despite scoring 33 points last week. The Jets have a slightly worse scoring offense and aren’t tremendously better defensively, but they have a decent chance to shock the Bengals on the road.
Check out our top five games to target in fantasy football in Week 8.
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Michael Rovetto previously served as the staff writer for University of Maryland Athletics for nearly two years. There, he wrote, edited and managed all editorial content for all 20 of Maryland's varsity sports on umterps.com. Rovetto is recognized as a College Sports Communicators district award-winning writer. Many of his stories have also appeared on NCAA.org, garnering national attention. Before graduating from Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism in December 2023, Rovetto wrote for PressBox and Terrapin Sports Central, covering Maryland men's basketball and football. He also has experience in broadcasting, previously working as an analyst and camera operator for Big State Sports, and communication, interning for Shell Shock TBT as its Director of Communication & Content Development.