NFL Week 3 Preview
The NFL is gearing up for Week 3, and autumn has officially set in. As we wrap up September, things are already getting chaotic in the league. I mean, who really expected the Raiders to kick off the season at 2-0? And the Vikings too! Meanwhile, the Chargers and Buccaneers sitting at 0-2 is quite a shock. There’s a long road ahead, but it’s turning out to be quite the wild ride already!
I’m back with another set of Survivor picks. Basically, you choose one team each week to win; if they win, you move on, but if they lose, well, that’s usually game over. I’m in a pool with four entries, and it’s also structured as a double-elimination. Unfortunately, I got one entry knocked out within two weeks after picking the Chargers in Week 1 and the Bucs in Week 2. Another of my entries took a hit with the Buccaneers losing last week, especially since I had the Steelers in Week 1. Thankfully, my other two entries are still in the game. I went with the Jaguars and Eagles for one, and the Raiders and 49ers for the other.
Below, you’ll find a rundown of what I think are the safest choices, the best value picks, and some trap picks. I’ll share my picks at the end as I aim to lock them in by Sunday after I publish this on Thursday.
I’ve included the odds for the favorites in each matchup courtesy of FanDuel.
Chiefs (-11.5) over Dolphins
Despite playing on the road, Kansas City is facing a Miami team that hasn’t been impressive. You might want to save the Chiefs for later in the season, but honestly, using them this week isn’t the worst idea.
Packers (-5.5) over Falcons
The Packers haven’t really wowed anyone so far, but the Falcons are genuinely struggling. One worry is that Michael Penix could turn things around, though Falcons fans don’t seem particularly optimistic about him. I briefly thought about labeling this a trap game due to the QB change and the short week, but I just have really low expectations for Atlanta.
Bills (-7) over Chargers
Seahawks (-7) over Commanders
I think both Buffalo and Seattle should take the win, though there are some tricky elements in these games. The Chargers have seriously underperformed this season, yet they still have the talent to bounce back. The Bills are favored by a touchdown, but you might want to consider saving them for a matchup against the Dolphins in Week 14.
On the flip side, the Commanders lost Jayden Daniels to a dislocated elbow, which means it’s Marcus Mariota’s time. He’s not exactly a game-changer, and with Seattle traveling across the country for an early game, it might be wise to pass on this one. You can always save the Seahawks for Week 9 at home against the Cardinals or Week 14 against the Giants.
This week, I’ve decided on using the Chiefs in some capacity. There are two other weeks I’d consider using them again: Week 9 against the Jets, and Week 11 against the Cardinals. Both weeks, I think I might find similar or better options. I’m also leaning toward the 49ers over the Cardinals with one of my picks. They’re performing well but have some challenging games ahead, which gives me confidence about using them now. The Packers intrigue me too, but they’ll face the Dolphins at home in Week 15. Who knows if I’ll even make it that far, but I feel okay waiting.
Game Day Update
It’s official: I’ve locked in the Chiefs and 49ers. I have three entries still alive—two with no strikes and one with one strike. One of the entries with no strikes used the 49ers last week, which is why we’re going with the Chiefs for that one. I picked the 49ers for my other two entries.
