NFL Survivor Pool Advice for Week 7: Odds, Picks & Predictions (2026)
For the second straight week, the top Moneyline favorite on the board (Rams) lost outright. But last week’s NFL survivor pool advice got through on one of our safest picks (49ers), and two of our risky plays (Chiefs and Bills) won outright. Not to mention, our contrarian play (Patriots) overcame a plethora of offensive line injuries to comfortably beat a division rival.
This week sets up to be one of the toughest weeks for survivor pools yet, with only one favorite of more than 5.5 points. But on a positive note, we’re advising using several teams that likely were not under consideration for selection at any other point this season.
Read on for our best NFL survivor pool advice for Week 7.
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NFL Survivor Pool Advice for Week 7: Picks & Predictions (2026)
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Here is a list of odds for the top 10 favorites to win their Week 7 matchups.
Week 7 NFL Moneyline Odds
| TEAM | ODDS |
| Houston Texans | -470 |
| Los Angeles Rams | -258 |
| Minnesota Vikings | -245 |
| New York Jets | -230 |
| San Francisco 49ers | -225 |
| Denver Broncos | -218 |
| Dallas Cowboys | -218 |
| Carolina Panthers | -180 |
| Detroit Lions | -166 |
| Chicago Bears | -155 |
Safest Picks
Houston Texans
Houston has won back-to-back games after starting 0-4, and the only trepidation one should have when selecting them this week is how they will respond after playing in London last week.
Putting fatigue and lengthy travel aside, this is the perfect week to fade a 3-2-1 Giants team that suddenly has a ton of question marks after entering last week in first place in the NFC East.
Head coach John Harbaugh rotated four running backs while none got more than six carries. And New York now has a quarterback controversy after J.J. McCarthy threw for 243 passing yards in the fourth quarter (the third-most in the fourth quarter of a game by a player in the last decade), in relief of Jameis Winston.
Whoever is under center shouldn't matter, as Houston just lit up Jacksonville for 34 points (the most any team scored against Jacksonville since Week 10 2025) after the Jaguars were the only team to hold every opponent to 20 or fewer points leading into Week 6.
Los Angeles Rams
If the Rams didn’t cost you your survivor pool last week, I understand the hesitancy to use them after last week’s clunker. Yes, Los Angeles’ 2-4 record ties its worst six-game start under head coach Sean McVay. And the Rams are also 0-2 in division games for the first time since 2019. But at this rate, you’re not using the Rams against any divisional opponent, and the Raiders suffered their third straight loss after starting 3-0.
Perhaps we shouldn’t have been too excited about Las Vegas’ 3-0 start. It came against teams that entered last week with a combined 2-14 record.
Dallas Cowboys
Those who mapped out a plan for when to use Philadelphia in survivor pools likely scrapped it completely, given Jalen Hurts' blood clot issues, which will force him to miss the rest of the season. The Eagles may scramble to add a veteran quarterback for insurance in the near future. For now, though, Dallas is a great pick in survivor pools with Tanner McKee under center in a divisional game.
Dallas doesn't come without concerns, as it was shut out in the first half last week for the first time since Week 9 of 2021 (snapping the fourth-longest streak in NFL history, 86 games). McKee struggled under pressure, completing just 6-of-15 passes and finishing with a 52.9 quarterback rating.
McKee wasn't helped by a running game that generated 35 yards while three of their top backs remain injured. Philadelphia has had four straight games with fewer than 250 total yards on offense, and doesn't exude any confidence it can snap its four-game losing streak, the longest under head coach Nick Sirianni.
Risky Popular Plays
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings are one of three unbeaten teams left and are rested off a bye week, while facing a Colts team that lost to a previously winless Titans squad for the first time in seven matchups. But Minnesota's lack of offensive firepower and Indianapolis' ability to avoid the Vikings' tricky blitzing defense by running the ball with Jonathan Taylor make this a tricky matchup.
Minnesota is off to its 10th 5-0 start in team history and second in the last three seasons, while ranking first in scoring defense and third in total defense. But the Colts still held Tennessee to 11 first downs and 186 total yards, and would have logged another stress-free victory if not for committing three turnovers and going 2-for-4 in the red zone.
San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco is on a short week after playing Monday night and now makes a cross-country road trip to Atlanta. The Falcons have curious reverse splits, with a 0-3 home record and a 2-1 road record. But they still have a game wrecker in Bijan Robinson.
If anyone can exploit a 49ers defense that entered Week 6 allowing explosive runs to running backs at the league’s lowest rate, it’s Robinson.
Denver Broncos
Denver clawed out a 17-14 win over the defending champion Seahawks on Thursday night, and had a long week to prepare for this matchup. But it has a long way to go before it figures things out offensively.
The Broncos’ 168 yards were their fewest in a win in the last 45 seasons. It was also their third win this season while passing for fewer than 190 yards.
Bo Nix attempted 44% of his passes behind or at the line of scrimmage, the second-highest in his career. And Denver’s offense while operating under center has been one of the league’s worst. Denver averages 3.2 yards per rush attempt under center (28th), 3.6 yards per attempt on play-action passes (32nd) and 2.3 air yards per attempt (32nd).
Contrarian Play to Beat a Large Pool
New York Jets
Most survivor pool contestants that have made it this far likely won't be thrilled to back a Jets team that fell to 0-7 in division games under head coach Aaron Glenn. But despite their 2-4 record, the eye test shows they've been much more competitive this year than last year's 3-14 squad and should beat a winless Dolphins team even though Miami is off a bye.
New York went 3-for-10 on third down and 0-for-2 on fourth down against New England last week, while going 0-for-3 in scoring opportunities in the red zone. But the Jets still only lost by one possession while overcoming all those misfortunes, and the Dolphins don't have as stingy a defensive front to thwart the Jets’ offense in short-yardage situations.
Mike Spector is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @MikeSpector01.