NFL Survivor League Week 6 Picks: Consider Rams Amid Panthers’ Turmoil

If you’re still alive in your NFL survivor league it probably means you either didn’t get too cute in Week 5 by picking a team like the Jacksonville Jaguars, or you really lucked out with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Minnesota Vikings each escaping with victories.

Those three teams likely were among the most popular picks in your NFL survivor league, as they were in the Circa Sports Survivor Contest, where merely 718 of 6,133 entries still remain alive.

If you’re moving on to Week 6, though, things won’t be any easier. There are only two home favorites — Los Angeles Rams and Green Bay Packers — favored by seven or more points, as compiled by the consensus data on the NESN.bets.com live odds page. And there is only one additional team favored by more than seven points, though the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are on the road.

With that, here are three teams NFL survivor league players should pick and three others to avoid in Week 6:

Teams to pick:
(-10) Los Angeles Rams vs. Carolina Panthers (-469 moneyline)
The Panthers are in shambles. This week, Carolina fired coach Matt Rhule and will have fourth-stringer P.J. Walker behind center given the Week 5 injury to Baker Mayfield along with Sam Darnold and Matt Corral already on injured reserve. The Rams’ offense has been abysmal given the offensive line issues, but Carolina presents the perfect “get-right” matchup. LA doesn’t have many better opportunities down the road, either.

(-10) Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Pittsburgh Steelers (-479 moneyline)
The Steelers are coming off a fourth straight loss in which the offense has looked terrible, ranking 30th in points and 28th in yards. Sure, rookie Kenny Pickett might prove a more capable starter than Mitchell Trubisky, but a matchup with the Buccaneers is a tough way to start your first game at home. Tampa Bay is the most valuable team to save from this group given future matchups with the Panthers (twice), Seahawks and Falcons, but they also might be the safest play in Week 6.

(-7.5) Green Bay Packers vs. New York Jets (-363 moneyline)
Given Green Bay’s emotional locker room after its Week 5 loss in London, and how the Packers have looked these last two weeks, Aaron Rodgers and company might be a home favorite worth avoiding. The Jets, after all, just hung 40 points on the injury-depleted Dolphins. Nevertheless, we can’t help but think the Packers will present one of the more popular plays given their return to Lambeau Field and Rodgers knowing it’s a bounce-back situation.

Teams to avoid:
(-6.5) Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys (-278 moneyline)
The 5-0 Eagles will square off with the 4-1 Cowboys in a “Sunday Night Football” clash with plenty of NFL interest. But given how Dallas’ defense has continued to build into one of the league’s best units, we can’t help but pass on Jalen Hurts and company — even if it is in Philadelphia. The Eagles will have far better matchups with the Steelers, Texans and Commanders in three straight weeks and perhaps the Cowboys will be fueled by the point spread again.

(-2.5) Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs (-145 moneyline)
For the first time in his career, Patrick Mahomes is a home underdog after being favored in his first 41 home starts, including the playoffs, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Mahomes is 7-0-1 against the spread as an underdog. So, while all that is convincing enough, our decision to avoid the Bills is actually much more simple: Buffalo will have far better matchups in the future.

(-1.5) Indianapolis Colts vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (-125 moneyline)
The Colts have not done anything this season to make bettors or NFL survivor league players feel confident in their ability to win. Indianapolis will face off with Jacksonville for the second time in five weeks, having been shut out in the first meeting. Stay away from the Colts until further notice.

Honorable mentions: (-3) Cincinnati Bengals at New Orleans Saints (-167 moneyline)