Week 17 NFL Survivor pool strategy with safe, value, trap picks

The NFL is headed into its holiday season slate, with Week 17 featuring four days of football. It opens with three games on Christmas, follows with two games on Saturday, ten games on Sunday, and Monday Night Football close out the week.

There are only two weeks left, but some folks are still dealing with Survivor pools. Many contests have wrapped, but some of you are taking your pools all the way down to the wire. There aren’t many options remaining for most folks, and these final two weeks will bring some difficult choices.

Last week, I did well with my picks. I was correct with Texans, Bills, and 49ers as winners, and warned y’all about the Lions game against the Steelers. The Texans game proved less than safe with the Raiders giving them trouble in the second half. Regardless, Houston handled its business and if you used them, you advanced.

On to Survivor picks for Week 17!

Safest picks

Patriots over Jets
Broncos over Chiefs

For most of the season, it makes sense to avoid divisional games, and particularly divisional road games. That becomes harder and harder as the season moves along, and Week 17 is as good a time to use such a team as possible. The Jets and Chiefs both stink and even at home they’re both two touchdown underdogs. It’s time to use the Patriots or Broncos if you haven’t yet.

Best value picks

Seahawks over Panthers
Bengals over Cardinals

The Panthers are a solid team, but if you think your pool is headed to Week 18, there are better options for the final week than Seattle.

The Bengals are out of the playoff race, but they’re still dangerous enough against a shaky Cardinals squad. Additionally, they are the only home favorite among the top nine favorites in Week 17. You could save the Bengals for next week against the Browns, but now is plenty fine to use them.

Trap picks

Rams over Falcons
Bucs over Dolphins
Jaguars over Colts

Eight of the top nine favorites this week are on the road, so you’re likely needing to use one of them this week. The Rams, Bucs, and Jaguars all face tricky matchups this week. The Falcons are always dangerous, the Dolphins have shown life at times, and the Colts haven’t quite quit yet. Of the three, I think the safest pick is probably the Rams, but all three are tough calls