2025 Survivor Pool Picks and Strategy: Week 15

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: Eagles (vs. Cowboys), Broncos (vs. Titans), Cardinals (at Saints)
Week 2: Cardinals (vs. Panthers), 49ers (at Saints), Bills (at Jets), Rams (at Titans), Ravens (vs. Browns)
Week 3: Falcons (at Panthers), Bills (vs. Dolphins), Chiefs (at Giants), Packers (at Browns), Buccaneers (vs. Jets)
Week 4: Chargers (at Giants), Bills (vs. Saints), Lions (vs. Browns), Packers (at Cowboys), Patriots (vs. Panthers), Broncos (vs. Bengals)
Week 5: Vikings (vs. Browns), Colts (vs. Raiders), Bills (vs. Patriots), Lions (at Bengals)
Week 6: Rams (at Ravens), Broncos (vs. Jets), Patriots (at Saints), Packers (vs. Bengals)
Week 7: Patriots (at Titans), Seahawks (vs. Texans), Chiefs (vs. Cowboys), Bears (vs. Saints), Broncos (vs. Giants)
Week 8: Colts (vs. Titans), Bills (at Panthers), Buccaneers (at Saints), Bengals (vs. Jets)
Week 9: Packers (vs. Panthers)
Week 10: Broncos (vs. Raiders), Lions (at Redskins), Bills (at Dolphins), Seahawks (vs. Cardinals), Browns (at Jets)
Week 11: Ravens (at Browns), Texans (at Titans), Cowboys (at Raiders)
Week 12: Seahawks (at Titans) 49ers (vs. Panthers)
Thanksgiving: Chiefs (at Cowboys)
Week 13: Jaguars (at Titans), 49ers (at Browns)
Week 14: Buccaneers (vs. Saints), Browns (vs. Titans)
Week 15: 49ers (vs. Titans), Steelers (vs. Dolphins)
Week 16: Bills (at Browns), Bengals (at Dolphins), Texans (vs. Raiders)
Christmas: Cowboys (at Redskins), Lions (at Vikings)
Week 17: Bengals (vs. Cardinals)
Week 18: TBA

Based on this schedule, I think planning:

1. Eagles (vs. Cowboys)
2. Cardinals (vs. Panthers)
3. Falcons (at Panthers)
4. Chargers (at Saints)
5. Vikings (vs. Browns)
6. Rams (at Ravens)
7. Patriots (at Titans)
8. Colts (vs. Titans)
9. Packers (vs. Panthers)
10. Broncos (vs. Raiders)
11. Ravens (at Browns)
12. Seahawks (vs. Titans)
Th. Chiefs (at Cowboys)
13. Jaguars (at Titans)
14. Buccaneers (vs. Saints)
15. 49ers (vs. Titans)
16. Bills (at Browns)
Xm. Lions (at Vikings)
17. Bengals (vs. Cardinals)
18. ??? (will decide based on which teams sit starters)

2025 NFL Survivor Week 15: Top Five Options

Seattle Seahawks (vs. Colts)
Seattle’s No. 1 defense versus 44-year-old Philip Rivers. OK.
San Francisco 49ers (vs. Titans)
The Titans are a horrible team coming off a win, so that makes the 49ers more appealing than usual.
Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. Jets)
The Jets are another team with severe quarterback issues, while the Jaguars are playing better recently.
Philadelphia Eagles (vs. Raiders)
The Eagles are the lowest-listed double-digit favorite because they’re in a very tough scheduling spot. Plus, they’re not playing well.
Houston Texans (vs. Cardinals)
I really liked Arizona’s chances of keeping it close until I saw that Paris Johnson would be sidelined.

2025 Survivor Top Options: 53-17. (Week 1: PHI; Week 2: ARZ; Week 3: ATL; Week 4: LAC; Week 5: MIN; Week 6: LAR; Week 7: NE; Week 8: IND; Week 9: GB; Week 10: DEN; Week 11: BAL; Week 12: SEA; Thanksgiving: PHI; Week 13: JAX; Week 14: CLE). 2024 Survivor Top Options: 69-21. 2023 Survivor Top Options: 66-24. 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.

2025 NFL Survivor Week 15: Trap of the Week

Chicago Bears (vs. Browns)
The Browns were embarrassed last week, so I suspect we’ll see a better effort from them. Also, the Bears have the Packers next week. I discussed this further on my NFL Picks page.

2025 Survivor Trap Games: 3-11. (Week 1: CIN; Week 2: CIN; Week 3: SEA; Week 4: HOU; Week 5: PHI; Week 6: PIT; Week 7: PIT; Week 8: PHI; Week 9: NE; Week 10: CAR; Week 11: PIT; Week 12: GB; Week 13: MIA; Week 14: SEA). 2024 Survivor Trap Games: 3-15. 2023 Survivor Trap Games: 6-12. 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.