Best NFL Survivor Pool Strategy & Picks For Week 12: Commanders, Chiefs, More
It’s NFL Week 12 and you’re still here looking for the best survivor pool strategy and recommendations for your survivor pool picks? Outstanding. I’d say it’s a feat unto itself and while that may be true, we know we’ve got more work to do, and no one is resting on their laurels. Yes, you advanced, but what about this week?
We had a strong effort last week, as my top three recommendations – the Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins and Houston Texans all hit. Not only did they hit, but the picks were never in doubt from start to finish. That’s what love most and want from our survivor pool picks – nice and easy and with absolutely no stress. Those games have not come often this season, so when it does happen, we can breathe a little easier and rest up for the next week.
We did have one miss as the New York Jets squandered an opportunity to win and let Anthony Richardson run roughshod over them in an Indianapolis Colts victory. I specifically said the pick had risk and if you’re reading these words, you probably avoided that game. Smart. Super smart.
But that was last week, and we are now looking ahead to NFL Week 12. Time to check in and see which teams meet our best survivor pool strategy criteria and finalize who we are going to use for this week’s survivor pool picks.
Best NFL Survivor Pool Strategy For 2024 NFL Week 12
As we look through the latest Vegas lines and odds, we find some very good games for this week and a number of teams that fit our best survivor pool strategy. We have five games with more than a touchdown on the point spread and three of those five have home-team favorites.
When making your survivor pool picks, that should be where your lean is, though the two road favorites also happen to be the two biggest spreads. Is there a trap lingering here? You never want to say no, but it seems unlikely for this week.
The big complications come for those who are still alive in Circa Survivor as the Thanksgiving and Christmas Day slates are getting more and more complicated. Injuries have ravaged a number of teams and saving teams like the Lions or Texans becomes difficult. Imagine heading into Thanksgiving and having to pick the winner of the Cowboys/Giants game? Yeesh!
But let’s take it week by week and worry about tomorrow, tomorrow. It’s NFL Week 12 and we need to finalize our survivor pool picks, so let’s get to it!
NFL Survivor Pool Picks For Week 12
Washington Commanders (-10.5 Home Favorite; -550 Money Line)
What I like most about using the Commanders here is that, not only should they manhandle the Cowboys, a team that has basically given up on the season, but this might also be the last time you can legitimately use them in survivor pools.
We still need to see how Jayden Daniels overcomes a heavy-blitzing team, so opponents like the Saints or even the Titans could end up being more difficult than you think. Yes, they play Dallas in Week 18, but that game is on the road and if the Commanders lock in a playoff spot ahead of that week, there’s a good chance they sit their top guys. Everything about this pick jibes with our best survivor pool strategy, so lock ‘em in.
Kansas City Chiefs (-11 Road Favorite; -700 Money Line)
I view this game exactly in the way I viewed the Lions game against the Jaguars last week. After their first loss of the season, the pressure is off the Chiefs and this matchup against the Panthers is the “slumpbuster” Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense needs to show the rest of the AFC that they are still the team to beat.
No way they actually lose two in a row. Not here. Carolina’s offense won’t be able to beat the Chiefs defense and Andy Reid is going to have the offense firing on all cylinders.
Miami Dolphins (-7.5 Home Favorite; -400 Money Line)
One more loss and the Dolphins can probably kiss their playoff dreams goodbye, so there’s a bit of desperation in the air. Not a lot, though, as Mike McDaniel should have his team well-prepared for the Patriots.
Drake Maye is giving New England a bit of life, but they just don’t have the horses to keep pace. The Fins also only have two home games left after this one and you probably don’t want to use them in those games against the Jets and the 49ers. This is probably the best time to use them.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-6 Road Favorite; -275 Money Line)
Both the Lions and Texans should be in play here but for those in Circa Survivor, they may be teams you would like to save for the holiday slates. If it’s just a regular survivor pool, then I would include them as your options, but this is also a nice spot to grab Tampa Bay, even on the road.
They do have two matchups against the Panthers, so again, if you have one of the above teams available, maybe you save the Bucs too? Either way, this game will mark the return of Mike Evans for Tampa and will also be Tommy DeVito’s season debut.
The only reason it’s DeVito and not Drew Lock is because of contract triggers in Lock’s deal, so it’s not even like the Giants are putting their best foot forward. Even at home, the magic of DeVito’s cult following isn’t going to rescue them here.
Best of luck in Week 12 and I’ll see you for more survivor pool picks and the best survivor pool strategy in Week 13!
Player News
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Saints hosted free agent CB Asante Samuel for a visit Monday.
Samuel, fresh off offseason neck surgery, visited with the Saints Monday as he pursues his next playing opportunity. He has clear connection to the franchise after they hired Brandon Staley to fill their defensive coordinator position, for whom Samuel played under with the Chargers. Fowler adds that Samuel has another doctor visit scheduled for early July, during which time he hopes to gain clearance to resume football activities.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Packers met with WR Jayden Reed’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, to clarify his status with the team.
The meeting comes after the Packers selected a wide receiver in the first round for the first time since 2002 in this year’s draft. Schefter added that the team emphasized Reed’s status as the top option at wide receiver after the selection of Matthew Golden and Savion Williams. “Green Bay’s top receiver” means far less for fantasy than it does in other places around the league considering Reed led the team with just 62.6% of the team’s offensive snaps played in 2024. Reed in 2024 accounted for 16 percent of the Packers’ targets and 16 percent of the team’s air yards. He was targeted on just 19 percent of his pass routes after seeing a target on 23.4 percent of his routes in 2023.
Saints signed QB Hunter Dekkers.
Dekkers spent three seasons with the Cyclones of Iowa State before stepping away from football following an indictment surrounding charges related to sports gambling. He then played his final collegiate season at Iowa Western before being invited to Saints camp. Dekkers spent his redshirt season backing up Brock Purdy at Iowa State.
Seahawks signed No. 18 overall pick OG Grey Zabel to a four-year contract.
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Zabel’s deal is worth a guaranteed $18.471 million. The former North Dakota State guard will be tasked with bolstering a Seahawks line that ranked 26th in PFF pass blocking grades and 24th in run blocking grades. The Seahawks didn’t do much to address their offensive line this offseason, with Zabel being the biggest addition to date. The FCS stud showed out at this year’s senior bowl, and brings high expectations into his rookie season after dominating at the college ranks.
Free agent WR Gabe Davis is visiting the 49ers on Monday.
It’s the first known interest we’ve seen of Davis, who was released by the Jaguars last week with a failed physical designation. The 49ers will likely be without Brandon Aiyuk to start the season, and the idea of adding another veteran to the room is appealing. Kyle Shanahan can turn a lot of football players into something fantasy-interesting, but Davis might be a step beyond even his schemes.
Falcons released WR Phillip Dorsett.
What was your favorite moment of Dorsett’s three-month run on a reserve/future contract with the Falcons? Was it when the signing was announced, or was it when the release happened? Dorsett will try to bounce to another team as wideout depth as he enters his age-32 season. He did not play NFL snaps last year and was only targeted three times by the Broncos in 2023.