Week 15 NFL Survivor pool strategy with safe, value, trap picks

The NFL is coming down the home stretch with only four weeks remaining. We’re through all the bye weeks and the playoff push and No. 1 pick push are in full swing. And after Week 14, it’s safe to say that if you’re still alive in your Survivor pool, there are not many of you left.

My Survivor pools all went up in flames last week thanks to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In my weekly Survivor column, I projected them as a value pick to beat the Saints. The Bucs had some opportunities but could never really take control and the Saints held them off. I suppose I should have recognized this for the trap game it was, but what are you gonna do?

Most everybody else handled their business for Survivor purposes, although the Browns losing to the Titans likely cleared out a lot of your pools as well.

We now arrive at Week 15, which features some of our biggest favorites of the season. Four different teams are double digit favorites, with the Texans just outside of double digit favorite territory against the Cardinals. Is one of those a trap?

On to Survivor picks for Week 15!

Safest picks

Rams over Colts
Jaguars over Jets
49ers over Titans

I just can’t see how any of these underdogs upset the apple cart this week. The Jets and Titans stink, and the Colts are potentially rolling out previously retired Philip Rivers. Anything is possible, but I don’t see this going well for Rivers and the Colts.

Best value picks

Eagles over Raiders

This is probably the last week you’ll want to use the Eagles in Survivor. They could clinch the NFC East as soon as Week 16, and if the No. 1 seed isn’t in play, you can bet they’ll be resting their starters against the Commanders in Week 18.

Trap picks

Texans over Cardinals
Bears over Browns

Houston and Chicago are sizable favorites against bad teams. However, both are coming off huge upsets last week and have enough questions that they could slip up this week. I expect them to win, but I would stay away from them if I were still alive in Survivor.