If you are unaware of what NFL survivor picks are, the basic concept is you make NFL picks throughout the season, but you can only pick a team once. Once you lose, you’re knocked out, so choose your Week 12 NFL Survivor Pool picks wisely.
If you are new to reading my survivor articles, what I do is outline my “lock of the week,” my “value of the week” and my “high-risk, high-reward pick.”
The lock of the week details what team I think has the best chance of winning their matchup. This would most likely be a good team that plays a bad team. The lock is also the official pick for NFL Survivor Pools, meaning we will not reuse a “lock.” My value pick of the week details a mid-tier team that has a good matchup. And finally, my high-risk, high-reward pick details a bad team that has a good matchup. It may be worth it to look at the NFL betting odds for these games and place some bets as well.
Teams Used:
- Baltimore Ravens
- Buffalo Bills
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Detroit Lions
- Miami Dolphins
- Seattle Seahawks
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Cleveland Browns
- Dallas Cowboys
- San Francisco 49ers
Week 12 NFL Survivor Pool Picks
Lock of the Week | Best Pick for NFL Survivor Pool Picks Week 12
Tennessee Titans vs. Carolina Panthers
The Tennessee Titans come into Week 12 with a matchup against the Carolina Panthers. The Titans are 3.5-point favorites with the game taking place at home. I love the Titans in this spot. To me, the Panthers are the worst team in the NFL and, though the Titans have not been great, I think that this is a huge bounce-back game for them.
It is no secret that the Titans want to run the ball, which they should theoretically be able to do this week against a Panthers defense that has given up 1,294 yards on the ground this season. That is good for 24th in the NFL. In order for the Titans to win games, they need to get Derrick Henry going and let him carry as much of the load as possible. That is something that can very easily be done here. Once the Titans get Derrick Henry going, Will Levis should be able to settle in and find DeAndre Hopkins on a couple of deep balls, something that has been working over the last couple of weeks. The Panthers have also really struggled to get pressure on the quarterback this season, recording just 17 sacks all year, which ranks 31st in the NFL. To me, that spells great for Levis.
Since I am assuming that you have the better teams in the NFL this season for your NFL survivor picks already, as I have, I think the Titans work here. I would usually use this as the value pick of the week, but with not many other great matchups for your survivor pool, I feel good about the Titans pick. Plus, the Titans have been good this year at home, going 3-1. Compared to 0-6 on the road and I think the Titans get it done on Sunday.
Lock of the Week: Tennessee Titans
Value Pick of the Week | Week 12 NFL Survivor Pool Picks
Miami Dolphins vs. New York Jets
I am still not sure if the Miami Dolphins are a great team, but what I do know is that they aren’t a bad team. And really at this point in the New York Jets’ season, that is really all you need to not lose to them. The Jets are also benching Zach Wilson this week in favor of Tim Boyle. Benching a quarterback is never a great thing. I am not a Zach Wilson believer by any means, but I think replacing him with someone who was backing him up is going to make the team worse before it makes it better. That plays right into the Miami Dolphins’ hands, as they currently sit at 7-3 and are in contention for the number one seed in the AFC. While the Jets do sport an awesome defense, they get Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Raheem Mostert this week. If De’Von Achane plays this week, that adds to it. Quick passes are what beats this Jets defense and, as everyone knows, the Dolphins want to dump it in their playmakers’ hands and let them run. I think that works perfectly here, as the Dolphins have the best weapon in NFL history in Tyreek Hill.
As for the Dolphins defense, they have been improving every single week. They are currently tied for ninth in the NFL, with 31 sacks. Against a banged-up Jets offensive line, I think that can easily be exploited and the Dolphins can make Boyle’s day very long and difficult. As for the passing defense, the Dolphins have given up the 11th least passing yards with 2,206.
Value Pick of the Week: Miami Dolphins
High Risk, High Reward Pick of the Week | Week 12 NFL Survivor Pool Picks
New England Patriots vs. New York Giants
The New England Patriots enter their week 12 matchup with the New York Giants as three-point favorites. Much like the Titans, I think in order for the Patriots to win, they need to get their run game going. That seems like it can easily be done this weekend, as the Giants have given up the second-most yards on the ground this week with 1,486 yards given up. They have also given up 17 rushing touchdowns this season, so those of you who have Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott in fantasy football, start them this week. Bill Belichick knows that there is no reason why the Patriots need to rely on Mac Jones’ passing ability to win games if they can do so on the ground, which is very doable this week.
It really felt like last week was Tommy DeVito’s magnum opus in his career. It is really difficult for me to see him and the Giants having a repeat performance like they did last week. A lot of the Giants’ success came on the back of Saquon Barkley and, if there is one thing that we know about Belichick, it’s that he is going to take away the opposing offense’s best player. That is obviously Barkley. If Barkley can’t do anything, who will be able to?
High Risk, High Reward Pick of the Week: New England Patriots
