NFL Week 1 Survivor Pool Picks (Saints, Bengals Highlight Top Predictions)

The SI Betting team breaks down their favorite Survivor Pool Picks for Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr. / cary edmondson-usa today sports

The 2024 NFL season officially gets underway on Thursday night, and along with it,  every NFL Survivor Pool begins.

As you likely know, survivor is simple. Pick the winner of one game each week – without picking the same team twice – and you win. Easy, right?

Not at all. 

This is an 18-week grind – if you’re fortunate enough to make it that far – of balancing risk and reward each week. 

Nobody wants to lose in Week 1, but there isn’t a single double-digit favorite on the board, meaning we’re going to have our work cut out for us. Still, the Cincinnati Bengals (8.5-point favorites against the New England Patriots) are likely to be a popular pick. 

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Every week this season, the SI Betting team is going to deliver our favorite NFL Survivor picks for the week to help you win your pool in 2024. 

So, without further ado, here’s where we’re leaning in Week 1!

NFL Week 1 Survivor Pool Picks

New Orleans Saints

The obvious pick in Survivor this week is to take the Bengals against the Patriots, as Cincinnati is by far the biggest favorite on the board. Instead, I'd recommend going a different route, that way, if the Patriots are able to pull off the upset, a significant chunk of your survivor pool is going to be eliminated.

The team I like is the Saints, who get to host the Carolina Panthers in the opening week. The Panthers were a great team to fade in survivor pools last season, finishing with the worst record in the NFL. 

Did they do enough this offseason to improve in any significant way in 2024? I don't think so. 

In their two games against the Panthers last season, the Saints won by a combined score of 48-23. I see no reason why they won't be able to take care of business against them again on Sunday. – Iain MacMillan

Cincinnati Bengals 

Yes, I’m going to take the safe pick here, even with Ja’Marr Chase’s status for the Bengals up in the air. 

New England is starting veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett in Week 1, and an offense that was bad in 2023 maybe even worse with him under center in 2024 after a below-average showing in preseason.

As for Cincy, Joe Burrow may be the healthiest he’s been in recent seasons entering the regular season, and the team still has weapons on the outside if Chase decides to sit out. I’d be shocked if Cincy couldn’t agree on a deal with the star wideout, but crazier things have happened in the NFL.

New England has an extremely low win total, and the Bengals are 17-7 straight up as home favorites in the Zac Taylor era.

Plus, I don’t know how often we’re going to be able to take Cincy this season. The AFC North is a gauntlet with Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Baltimore (all made the playoffs last season), and Cincy also has to play the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, and Kansas City Chiefs in 2024. 

The last thing I want to do is get too cute and lose in Week 1. This is a chalky pick, but it’s the safe bet to make to start the season. – Peter Dewey

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