NFL Week 9 survivor pool picks: Beware the Rams as a consensus play? We break down the options

The optimal strategy in NFL survivor pools this year ended up being saving the Colts for their Week 8 matchup against the Titans, as the other two most popular plays lost with the Falcons no-showing against the Dolphins and the Bengals losing a back-and-forth matchup to the Jets. Even though those were the only two favorites to lose in Week 8, more than 50% of the remaining Circa Survivor pool fell by the wayside by selecting one of those two teams.

We had the Colts as our top pick and talked about identifying the Falcons and Patriots as two potential picks both in Week 8 and Week 11 for those who couldn't or didn't want to take Indy. The Patriots survived easily, setting the Falcons up as a potential pick in Week 11 hosting the Panthers when Michael Penix Jr. is presumably back to full health. But before we get there, we have to get through Week 9, where most people will choose from one of five big favorites.

The lookahead plan for most at the beginning of the season was likely to take the Rams this week against the Saints with Los Angeles coming off its bye, and that pick looks all the more solid with the Saints now turning to Tyler Shough at quarterback. That's made the Rams the biggest favorite on the board, but teams like the Packers, Chargers, Lions and Ravens offer options for those interested in avoiding what's likely to be the consensus play.

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What's the right move? We'll get into that decision below as we rank all the usable options for survivor pools this week. We'll break down the 18,656-entry Circa Survivor pool and then give out our best plays for both large and small pool participants for Week 9.

Why listen to me? I'm 718-623-37 and up more than 32 units on ATS picks over the last eight years and even better with my top five picks each week, going 464-379-27 (55%) over the last 10 years in the Las Vegas ATS contests. While survivor 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 this season.

In Week 9, I've ranked several options for both small pool and large pool participants, weighing whether it's worth using what might be the consensus play or digging a little deeper into the options.

So which NFL survivor picks should you make for the 2025 NFL season, and which Week 9 pick could separate you from the pack? ... Join SportsLine right now to see NFL Survivor Pool 2025 strategy from the expert who's 718-623-37 on ATS picks from 2017 to 2024, returning more than 32 units!

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