NFL survivor pools are an interesting way to have some fun during the season, and this weekly article is here to help you stay alive deep into the season.

Based on numberFire's NFL survivor matrix, here are some of the best NFL survivor picks for Week 6.

All NFL odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook.

NFL Survivor Picks for Week 6

Best Picks

Chicago Bears

Quietly, the Chicago Bears have been a wrecking ball at Soldier Field this season.

Chicago is 3-0 straight up (SU) and against the spread (ATS) in their own building with a +39 point differential. The NFL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook just don't indicate a "survivor" type of pick here with the Bears sitting as roughly a -130 moneyline favorite over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

numberFire is far more bullish on their outlook. Its NFL schedule-adjusted efficiency rankings forecast the Bears as the NFL's 22nd-best offense and 4th-best defense. That's still a better combo than Jacksonville, who rank 21st on offense and 29th on defense.

nF projects Chicago as 68.5% likely to win at a low projected pick rate of 3.2%. Avoiding chalk in survivor pools has been pivotal this season, and the algorithm likes this spot to do so.

Pittsburgh Steelers

As a Las Vegas Raiders fan, I was thrilled to confirm my bias and see the Pittsburgh Steelers toward the top of numberFire's adjusted win rates this season. Vegas should probably be an underdog to almost every squad at present.

They've introduced a quarterback controversy to an underperforming defense than ranks 19th overall, per nF's metrics. Outside of a comeback that felt like a fever dream in Baltimore, their season-long momentum begins and ends with taking advantage of Deshaun Watson.

Pittsburgh is a three-point "road" favorite when we know the transient Sin City crowd will contain plenty of Terrible Towels. The Steelers might be considering a switch to Russell Wilson themselves, but it's all upside for a team carried by nF's ninth-ranked defense.

Like the Bears, the Steelers are comfortably favored to win by numberFire (67.5% of the time), and their low projected pick rate (2.7%) is extremely appealing.

Baltimore Ravens

Against my judgment, the numberFire matrix called the Denver Broncos' smashing of Las Vegas on Sunday. Do we trust it again here?

The Washington Commanders are the opposite of a team you want to target in survivor pools, but it does feel like the Washington bubble is primed to burst, no? The Commies are nF's top-ranked offense despite its 28th-ranked defense, and they've yet to beat a team over .500. The Baltimore Ravens now fit that description after three straight wins.

The problem? Baltimore's defense (25th) grades out nearly as poorly as Washington's, and they've surrendered at least 27 offensive points in every game. How is the projection for Jayden Daniels in this one not encroaching 30 points?

FanDuel Sportsbook and numberFire are aligned to take B-More here, though. FanDuel's -295 odds imply a 74.7% chance to win, and numberFire's model (67.6%) is in that vicinity.

I'm personally saving the Ravens for Week 8 against the Cleveland Browns, but this could be an unpopular square for the contrarians that have survived to this stage.

Digging Deeper

Do you want -- or need -- to use other squads than the teams listed above? Here are some other options.

Philadelphia Eagles

I've referenced the Browns twice, so I'd be remiss to not include the team playing them this weekend.

That's the Philadelphia Eagles off a bye week, which was sorely needed after the Birds got thumped in Week 4 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Obviously, it's a fair projection to expect Philadelphia to win -- as numberFire is doing 74.6% of the time.

The issue lies with Philly's projected pick rate (28.6%) when the path to failure in this one seems obvious. Fed up with Watson's franchise-worst start for a franchise built on bad quarterback play, Cleveland could turn to Jameis Winston with a talented group of skill guys against numberFire's eighth-worst schedule-adjusted pass defense. Cleveland's D (17th) is still in the middle of the pack despite probable discouragement at this stage.

While expecting Jalen Hurts and a healthier Eagles squad to rebound, this is a team I'm comfortable leaving behind as chalk in survivor pools.

Houston Texans

Most remaining players needed the Houston Texans in Week 2 unless you went way off the board, but numberFire is throwing caution tape around H-Town this weekend if they're still available.

Houston is a seven-point road favorite over the New England Patriots, who have lived up to doormat-level expectations in 2024. Though unknown if it would help, the Pats might be considering a switch to Drake Maye to spark numberFire's fourth-worst offense. The Pats' defense (21st) hasn't lived up to recent years' standards, either.

The Texans' implied odds to win (76.7%) seem way too high if we take this team for face value as what it is now versus what we thought it could be. They're 16th on defense, 18th on offense, and are likely missing Nico Collins (hamstring), who leads the NFL in receiving yards, on Sunday.

Especially on the road at a week-high 30.3% pick rate, this is a spot to dodge no matter how difficult it is to envision the Pats turning back C.J. Stroud's gang on paper. I'll instead be betting New England's spread, which numberFire's game projections give a 66.8% likelihood of cashing.

Atlanta Falcons

If your survivor pool included a mulligan, the strategy to stream against the Carolina Panthers is still alive amidst Carolina's 1-4 start.

Obviously, you'll have to pivot off Carolina at some point when inside the NFC South like they are this weekend. The Atlanta Falcons visit them off a longer week of rest following Week 5's exhilarating win on Thursday Night Football.

Atlanta is 13th on offense and 18th on defense, per nF's schedule-adjusted rankings. That should -- in a vacuum -- be enough to down a Carolina team that ranks no better than 26th in either category. The "home" side is also 0-2 SU with a -33 point differential in Charlotte, showing very little sensitivity to venue.

The Falcons' 63.5% projected win probability (per nF) is fine, yet a 17.3% pick rate spoils the fun. They're still somewhat interesting without a marquee spot to use them the rest of the year. Week 15 against Las Vegas could be solid, but their next meeting with Carolina could be totally meaningless in Week 18.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.