Finally, NFL survivor players caught a break in Week 8. If the results of Circa's contest is an indication of how the wider public made picks, more than 90 percent of people still alive in their pools were able to move on to Week 9.
I was also able to get back on track with my Patriots and Commanders picks here, so this might again be a reliable source for survivors to test their own thoughts against. Though that might not be necessary in what looks like another cakewalk of a week on paper, with five teams favored by a touchdown or more.
But don't get too confident. Upsets have already ruined a great deal of pools this season. With that in mind, these are my favorite picks for Week 9.
The Week 9 survivor pick most likely to win
- Kansas City Chiefs (vs. New York Jets)
I'm not sure the Chiefs are actually worthy of being 10-point
favorites, but they're a strong pick to win regardless. Though five teams are favored by at least a touchdown as I write this, two are on the road (Jacksonville and Detroit) and a third is missing its starting quarterback (Seattle). That leaves KC and San Francisco as the only strong home favorites, and the Jets are much weaker opponent than the Raiders will be for San Francisco.
Record: 5-3
The most strategic Week 9 survivor pick
- New York Giants (at Philadelphia Eagles)
When it comes to strategy, I'm not sure it makes sense to take KC just yet if you haven't already. They still have winnable games against the Falcons, Cardinals, Chargers and Raiders remaining.
The Giants, meanwhile, are riding a high that feels sustainable for only another week or two before things get more difficult. Sure, this is a road game against a division rival, which is never easy. And new Eagles starting QB Joe Milton doesn't have much tape for the Giants to scout. But coming out of the bye, they should be more than ready.
Record: 6-2
My Week 9 survivor pick
- Giants
There's a reason the Giants are favored in Philadelphia for the first time in 17 years.
Record: 6-2
Already used: Jaguars, Eagles, Lions, Packers, Cowboys, 49ers, Texans, Commanders
This article originally appeared on For The Win: NFL survivor pool Week 9 picks: Giants are rare favorites in Philadelphia
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