NFL Week 18 Survivor guide: Picks, analysis, strategy

Reaching Week 18 in a survivor pool is no small feat, and now is the opportune moment to secure your earnings and make strategic hedges. Having navigated through countless ups and downs, you’re now on the brink of a rewarding payoff, irrespective of this week’s outcome.

Survivor pools demand resilience and strategic foresight. If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably eyeing a significant cash prize. However, with 17 selections behind you, your options may be limited. You might find yourself considering a long shot or a team with little at stake.

This week, your task is to make a decisive pick for Week 18 and simultaneously place a bet on the opposing side to ensure some guaranteed profit. This approach will help you capitalize on your efforts, regardless of which way the wind blows.

It’s also worth noting that most leagues will divide the prize money among the remaining participants. So, if you plan your strategy wisely, you’ll walk away with a substantial reward.

All you have to do is make your Week 18 selection and follow it up with a bet on the other direction to lock in some profits.

Remember, most leagues will chop the pot between you and those who remain.

Congratulations on a phenomenal season and accomplishment, and thanks for following along for the last 18 weeks.

NFL Week 18 survivor picks

Confidence ranking Team
1 Jaguars (-12.5) vs. Titans
2 Broncos (-12.5) vs. Chargers
3 Texans (-10) vs. Colts
4 Patriots (-11.5) vs. Dolphins
5 Vikings (-6.5) vs. Packers
6 Bengals (-7.5) vs. Browns
7 Bills (-7) vs. Jets
8 Eagles (-7) vs. Commanders
9 Chiefs (-5.5) @ Raiders
10 Ravens (-3.5) @ Steelers
Odds provided by BetMGM

Week 18 Survivor picks

Broncos (-12.5) vs. Chargers

Ideally, when you’re targeting teams in Week 18 Survivor, you’re hoping to land the plane on a team with something to play for.

That’s exactly what lies in front of the Broncs.

Denver is a win away from the No. 1 seed in the AFC, which would lock in home-field advantage as well as a first-round bye.

If that’s not enough to convince you, the Chargers are reportedly sitting Justin Herbert for Sunday’s matchup to keep him fresh for what they hope will be a playoff run.

With Los Angeles having nothing to play for and the Broncos having everything on the line, this is a perfect spot to target the Broncos.


Betting on the NFL?


Rams (-7.5) vs. Cardinals

This team is not listed on my confidence rankings, and that’s for good reason.

If the San Francisco 49ers win on Saturday against the Seahawks, the Rams will be locked into their playoff position and therefore have nothing to play for Sunday.


Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay reacts on the sidelines.
The Rams may have nothing to play for Sunday. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

So while coach Sean McVay might say that all of his guys will play this week, we’re not buying into that.

The 49ers are a coin flip against the Seahawks, making the Rams about 50 percent likely to play their guys Sunday. That’s not enough of a likelihood for me.

We’re avoiding the Rams if possible, but only if no other favorites are appetizing to you.

The only benefit is that the Cardinals are +275 underdogs, so the hedge opportunity is easy enough.

Why Trust New York Post Betting

Erich Richter is a brazilian jiu-jitsu blue belt but he has a black belt in MMA betting. During the football season he’s showcased massive profits at The Post in the player prop market the last two seasons. While constantly betting long shots, his return on investment is 30.15 percent since 2022.

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