2023 Survivor Pool Picks and Strategy: Week 18

Mike Evans

You can get advice for the 2023 NFL Survivor Pool on this page. I’ll be posting my top five picks each week, as well as the trap of the week, so check back if you need tips and analysis. I’ll also be doing something new, which is planning out for picks weeks in advance.

If you want to enter – it’s free with a $350 prize – go here to the 2023 NFL Survivor Pool page.

As always, follow me @walterfootball to stay up to date.




2023 NFL Survivor Strategy: The Nine-Week Plan



One of the best DFS players in the world, WhistlesGoWoo, who is also a professor at the University of Connecticut School of Business, penned a research article about survivor pools where he has a rolling horizon strategy. This entails planning out the schedule nine weeks in advance. This is better than plotting out the entire year because things can change due to injuries and unexpected outperformers and underperformers. It’s also wise to have a plan to prevent yourself from being trapped in a bad week with no options.

With that in mind, I’m going to deploy Whistle’s strategy and plan out each nine weeks in advance. Here are the viable options each week:

Week 1: Redskins (vs. Cardinals)
Week 2: Bills (vs. Raiders)
Week 3: Chiefs (vs. Bears)
Week 4: 49ers (vs. Cardinals)
Week 5: Lions (vs. Panthers)
Week 6: Dolphins (vs. Panthers)
Week 7: Seahawks (vs. Cardinals)
Week 8: Ravens (at Cardinals)
Week 9: Browns (vs. Cardinals)
Week 10: Bengals (vs. Texans)
Week 11: Jaguars (vs. Titans)
Week 12: Cowboys (vs. Redskins)
Week 13: Chargers (at Patriots)
Week 14: Packers (at Giants)
Week 15: Rams (vs. Redskins)
Week 16: Bears (vs. Cardinals)
Week 17: Eagles (vs. Cardinals)



Week 18: Steelers (at Ravens)

Based on this schedule, I think planning out (Redskins), (Bills), (Chiefs), (49ers), (Lions), (Dolphins), (Seahawks), (Ravens), (Browns), (Bengals), (Jaguars), (Cowboys), (Chargers), (Packers), (Rams), (Bears), Eagles, ??? makes the most sense.





2023 NFL Survivor Week 18: Top Five Options



  1. Dallas Cowboys (at Redskins)
    The Cowboys are the only safe option this week. Congratulations if you still have them available.

  2. Pittsburgh Steelers (at Ravens)
    The Ravens will likely be resting their starters, so the Steelers should be able to win.

  3. Buffalo Bills (at Dolphins)
    The Bills are favored by three on the road with sharp money in their favor. This shouldn’t surprise anyone, given how injured Miami is.

  4. Chicago Bears (at Packers)
    The Bears are a huge play for me. They’ve been one of the best teams in the NFL in the second half of the year.

  5. Cincinnati Bengals (vs. Browns)
    The Browns are almost certain to be using backups this week as well.

    2023 Survivor Top Options: 62-23. (Week 1: WAS; Week 2: BUF; Week 3: KC; Week 4: SF; Week 5: DET; Week 6: MIA; Week 7: SEA; Week 8: BAL; Week 9: CLE; Week 10: CIN; Week 11: JAX; Week 12: DAL; Week 13: LAC; Week 14: GB; Week 15: LAR; Week 16: CHI; Week 17: PHI; Week 18: PIT). 2022 Survivor Top Options: 70-20. 2021 Survivor Top Options: 71-19. 2020 Survivor Top Options: 68-17. 2019 Survivor Top Options: 62-23. 2018 Survivor Top Options: 69-16. 2017 Survivor Top Options: 63-20. 2016 Survivor Top Options: 62-23. 2015 Survivor Top Options: 58-27. 2014 Survivor Top Options: 64-21.





2023 NFL Survivor Week 18: Trap of the Week

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at Panthers)
Many people have the Buccaneers still available. Tampa Bay beating Carolina may seem like a given, but it’s not. The Buccaneers are likely to succumb to the Aurora Snowmo Effect, much like the Colts did versus the Jaguars two years ago. I’m betting the Panthers on my NFL Picks page.

2023 Survivor Trap Games: 6-11. ( Week 1: MIN; Week 2: NYG; Week 3: SEA; Week 4: DAL; Week 5: PHI; Week 6: LV; Week 7: LV; Week 8: LAC; Week 9: ATL; Week 10: BUF; Week 11: BUF; Week 12: NE; Week 13: TB; Week 14: BAL; Week 15: MIA; Week 16: DEN; Week 17: DEN). 2022 Survivor Trap Games: 6-12. 2021 Survivor Trap Games: 6-12. 2020 Survivor Trap Games: 8-9. 2019 Survivor Trap Games: 4-13. 2018 Survivor Trap Games: 8-9. 2017 Survivor Trap Games: 5-12. 2016 Survivor Trap Games: 5-12. 2015 Survivor Trap Games: 8-9. 2014 Survivor Trap Games: 8-9.

 







 





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