All the teams we discussed in last week’s survivor picks column came through with relative ease, which is quite different than our experience throughout first few weeks of the season. In NFL Week 9, there are a few teams that present quality opportunities to use for our survivor selections. Let’s dive into the top recommendations for your NFL survivor pool picks in Week 9.
NFL Survivor Pool Picks Week 9: Eagles, Ravens or Bengals?
Eagles -7.5 vs. Jaguars | NFL Survivor Pool Picks Week 9
The Philadelphia Eagles appear to be hitting their stride. After a couple losses and some ugly wins, they’ve won their last two games by an average of 22.5 points.
Surprisingly, the Eagles have yet to score in the 1st quarter this season – pretty remarkable, eh? It’s wild to imagine a team being held scoreless in the opening quarter through their first seven games, but even more so when you consider the level of offensive talent the Eagles possess.
Despite their early-game struggles, the Eagles have managed a strong 5-2 record. What’s truly impressive, though, is their defense, which is allowing fewer than 19 points and just 300 total yards per game.
Speaking of defenses – their upcoming opponent, Jacksonville, has been trending in the opposite direction. The Jaguars are allowing over 380 yards and 28 points per game. They also rank dead last in EPA/play allowed.
While the Eagles look capable of handling business on Sunday, I’m holding off on picking them this week and saving them for a better matchup in Week 14 against the Carolina Panthers.
Ravens -9.5 vs. Broncos | NFL Survivor Week 9
The Baltimore Ravens are coming off a disheartening loss to their division rival, the Cleveland Browns. It wasn’t surprising to see Jameis Winston provide a spark for the Browns’ offense and keep the game close, but the real story was how many self-inflicted wounds the Ravens brought upon themselves.
In an attempt to correct those mistakes, the Ravens added a new piece to their offense by acquiring receiver Diontae Johnson from the Panthers. Despite working with quarterbacks Bryce Young and Andy Dalton, Johnson has put up respectable numbers: 30 receptions on 58 targets for 357 yards and 3 touchdowns.
His addition could be crucial in their upcoming matchup against a tough Denver Broncos defense, which ranks 3rd in both points allowed per game (15) and yards allowed per game (282.6).
That said, the Broncos’ schedule hasn’t exactly been daunting; they’ve faced the Justin Fields-led Steelers, Jets, Raiders, Chargers, Saints, and Panthers.
Back at home, Baltimore will be motivated to respond after last week’s loss, and Coach Harbaugh will be determined to make rookie quarterback Bo Nix’s day a challenging one. If you haven’t used the Ravens yet, this may be the last secure spot to do so.
Bengals -7 vs Raiders | NFL Survivor Week 9
The Cincinnati Bengals have been anything but reliable, but the Las Vegas Raiders have struggled even more – making the Bengals the top choice for a Week 9 survivor selection.
The Raiders have dropped their last four games, are dealing with injuries, and have all but lost hope for postseason contention. While they may not outright tank, their realistic playoff chances have slipped away.
The Bengals, however, are still clinging to hope. At 3-5, their playoff path is challenging, but with the offensive talent and experience of Joe Burrow and company, there’s a sense that they’ve underperformed. There’s no better opportunity to turn things around than against the struggling Raiders, who rank below average defensively and sit 32nd in offensive EPA per play.
At this point, this matchup looks like the most trustworthy spot to use the Bengals.
Best NFL Week 9 Survivor Pick: Cincinnati Bengals
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