Welcome to Week 14! The NFL is on Thanksgiving, which means we have one last week to sort out byes. There are 13 games scheduled this week, with the Broncos, Colts, Patriots, Commanders, Ravens and Texans all coming off 2024 byes.
Last week mostly saw the favorites taking care of their own business. There were some close games and near misses on the upset front, but for the most part the favorites did their job. This means that the remaining Survivor pool was not cleaned up for a week. The Vikings vs. Cardinals, Bucs vs. Panthers, and Broncos vs. Browns were closer than expected, but Minnesota, Tampa Bay, and Denver escaped with wins. I was on the right track with some upsets and trap picks in my weekly Survivor Picks column, but unfortunately nothing ended up happening.
I accompanied the Lions for the only entry left and lived to fight another day. Now it's time for Week 14's picks. Below are my complete selections. There are many options to consider. Each week this season, we'll break down the safest picks, the most valuable picks, potential trap picks, and one upset pick if you feel like you need to play with your picks a little. Go against the direction.
safest pick
eagles vs panthers
Bucks vs Raiders
These will be popular picks among those who have never used either, but may also be worth saving if the league is still a long way off. The Bucks could provide value at home against the Panthers in Week 17, and the Eagles could provide some value at home against the Giants in Week 18 if they don't appear to have secured a playoff position. be.
the most valuable choice
steelers over browns
A home divisional game against a wild card like Jameis Winston may be difficult, but this is the last game where it makes sense to use the in-form Steelers. They will play the Eagles and Ravens on the road and then play the Chiefs and Bengals at home later this weekend.
upset pick
Falcons vs. Vikings
Kirk Cousins was brutal against the Chargers. Not a great opponent going back to Minnesota, but you could see the Falcons giving the Vikings a little bit of a hard time.
trap pick
dolphin beyond the jet
The Jets stink, but they're still good enough to be a wild card, so I can see this being where the Dolphins stumble.
