NFL Survivor Pool Week 11 strategy: Passing on the Bills, and breaking down every worthy option

At the top of each column about NFL survivor pool strategy, we break down one option that may look good on the surface but should be avoided if at all possible. Our pick to avoid last week turned out to be a big one, as the Raiders flopped against a first-time head coach after the surprise return of Matt Ryan. That was one of three key losses to affect survivor pools, with the Eagles finally suffering their first defeat of the season on Monday and the Bears losing as a surprisingly popular pick.

Each week, I break down several options you should consider and lay out the other spots where you might end up wanting to use each team later in the season, along with your other options on those weeks. That format should allow you to tailor the advice specifically to the size of your survivor pool remaining as well as the teams you've already burned. There are a few clear options to use this week, and some may be considering finally deploying the Buffalo Bills after saving them all year. I'd advise against that.

It seems highly unlikely the Bills are going to lose three games in a row, but had we known all week that Josh Allen was starting against the Vikings, we'd have said the same about Buffalo losing two games in a row. However, the main reason I'm worried about taking them to beat the Browns is the weather. The Buffalo area is expected to get over two feet of snow this weekend, and it's possible this could wind up being one of those classic low-scoring snow games where one team pops a long run to win it. And if that's the case, I'd certainly bank on that being Nick Chubb over anyone. Monitor weather reports leading up to the game, but be prepared to keep the Bills in your pocket another week longer.

Why listen to me? Well, I'm 445-378-24 on against-the-spreads picks over the last five years and even better with my top five picks each week, going 329-250-21 (56.8%) over the last seven years in the Westgate SuperContest. While this doesn't involve picking against the spread, I do believe by applying the strategies I've developed to have long-term success on those picks to survivor pools, we'll be in the best position to outlast the competition.

What are the best options to use in survivor pools in Week 11? And which teams should be saved to use later in the season? ... Join SportsLine right now to see NFL Survivor Pool strategy from the expert who's 445-378-24 on ATS picks from 2017-21, returning $2,542 to $100 players!