NFL survivor picks 2024: Best football knockout pick, pool strategy, optimal grid, full schedule breakdown

Backing home favorites could be a popular Week 1 NFL survivor strategy. However, last year in Week 1, the Chiefs fell to the Lions and the Vikings lost to the Buccaneers, despite both Kansas City and Minnesota being favored by more than a field goal at home. While the Bills giving six points to the Cardinals would appear to make Buffalo an option for your Week 1 NFL survivor pool picks, the Bills are not a guarantee that your Week 1 NFL knockout pool picks will make it to Week 2.

The opening week of NFL eliminator pool picks is always the toughest despite all teams being available. Seeking out Week 1 NFL survivor advice would help mitigate that uncertainty since no one wants to have their NFL survivor pool picks fail in Week 1. Before locking in any 2024 NFL survivor picks, be sure to check out the NFL survivor strategy from Vegas NFL expert R.J. White.

White has been SportsLine’s No. 1 NFL against-the-spread expert over the last seven years, going 636-534-34 against the spread to put him up more than 48 units on those picks at SportsLine since 2017. He has also delivered a 56.7% hit rate on his Vegas contest picks over the last nine seasons and has two finishes in the money, including finishing 18th out of 2,748 entries back in 2017.

Now, White has turned his attention to the 2024 NFL schedule and locked in his top NFL survivor pool picks and alternative strategy for the entire season. You can only see them by heading to SportsLine.

Top 2024 NFL survivor picks and strategy

One part of White’s 2024 NFL survivor strategy: He is not choosing the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1, whom he considers the consensus play. With a 4-13 record last year, it’s easy to overlook how good the Patriots’ defense was. They were one of two teams to rank in the top 12 against both the run and the pass, and they ranked No. 6 in both third-down defense and redzone defense. That was despite first-round pick Christian Gonzalez and All-Pro returner/CB Marcus Jones combining for just six games.

Meanwhile, the Bengals have a tendency for slow starts. Joe Burrow is 1-3 in his career in Week 1 games, with four TDs compared to six turnovers and 17 times sacked. Cincinnati may also need an adjustment period to no longer having RB Joe Mixon or WR Tyler Boyd in the huddle, and their replacements are, for the most part, unproven players. There’s just too much risk to utilize Cincy in Week 1 NFL knockout picks, so one shouldn’t be overly absorbed with the Bengals being such heavy favorites. See the rest of White’s NFL survivor contest picks right here for every week.

How to make survivor pool NFL picks for the 2024 NFL season

White is taking a little more risk in Week 1 “by playing a lower-tier team.” This team will not be on many survivor players’ radar, potentially giving its backers a huge boost. This pick could be the difference between winning your survivor pool or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here. 

So which NFL survivor picks should you make for the 2024 NFL season, and which Week 1 pick could separate you from the pack? Visit SportsLine now to see optimal NFL survivor pool picks and advice from an expert who has gone deep in one of the most prestigious betting tournaments, and find out.