Best NFL Survivor Week 3 Pick: Ride the hometown NFC hot hand for knockout pools

Survivor pools are growing in popularity. It still gets you invested in the NFL week, but doesn't require as much time as fantasy football does with its draft, lineup setting and waivers. 

In this type of contest, you will pick just one team to win each week, and it is simple:

• Your goal is to pick one winner each week of the season correctly. If you pick correctly and your chosen team wins, you are safe.
• If your chosen team loses, you are either outright eliminated or you have a significant disadvantage the rest of the season, depending on the platform. 
• To make the contest even trickier, once you use a team, you cannot select them again. So whatever team you used for your survivor pool in Week 1, Week 2, and all preceding weeks eventually will be off limits the rest of the year. That makes each selection not only important for that week, but you have to look forward and see if that team will have a better matchup in the future that you're okay missing out on. 

📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp | NFL Week 3 Picks ATS

Here is more on our picks for Survivor pools in Week 3 of the 2025 NFL Season.

The Sporting News' Best Survivor Pick, 2025 Record: 2-0 (Ravens Week 2, Cardinals Week 1)

Best NFL Survivor Pick Week 3

Seattle Seahawks vs. New Orleans Saints

The Seahawks enter this game with a 1-1 record, following a big win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2.

While Spencer Rattler has looked much improved for the Saints, the team is going to have to fly across the country and face not only the Seahawks but the 12th man, too.

New Orleans just lost to the Mac Jones-led San Francisco 49ers, so while Sam Darnold has not looked like his Minnesota Vikings self with his new team yet, Seattle is too good to pass up here. 

SET YOUR LEAGUE LINEUPS: Week 3 fantasy football rankings

Week 3 Survivor Sleeper Teams

Atlanta Falcons vs. Carolina Panthers

The Atlanta Falcons struggled to get the offense going in their last game against the Minnesota Vikings. It was all field goals for Atlanta until backup running back Tyler Allgeier scored a five-yard touchdown with 3:22 left in the game.

This should be a get-right game for the Falcons, especially since Bijan Robinson and Allgeier should be able to feast on the poor Carolina Panthers defense. NFC South divisional games are always close, hence why this one isn't an outright obvious pick for this week, but the Falcons should be able to handle business in Week 3.

Indianapolis Colts vs. Tennessee Titans

Do you believe in Indiana Jones? The Indianapolis Colts and their fan base sure do. A resurrected Daniel Jones has dominated the first two weeks of the season, and while it is likely not to last, it should continue through the divisional game against the Tennessee Titans in Week 3.

The Colts have been firing on all cylinders with a creative offense mixed with a hard-hitting defense. The defense in particular has given fits to Tua Tagovailoa and Bo Nix, both of whom have more experience and are better at this point than Titans rookie Cam Ward.

If you don't end up using the Colts here, they will play the Titans again in Week 8, so you could look at selecting them then. However, targeting the talented Ward before he gains reps against you is probably the wiser play.

MORE FANTASY FOOTBALL: Week 3 weather report for fantasy football

Survivor Week 3 chalk pick to fade or save

Kansas City Chiefs at New York Giants

Most people think the Chiefs will easily defeat the Giants on "Sunday Night Football" in Week 3, despite both teams entering the game with a 0-2 record.

We're not convinced. You should save Kansas City for a future week.

First, the Chiefs have played two tough opponents, but they have lost in one-score games. Both of them were winnable, and the dynasty Chiefs we have come to know probably would have won the games.

Kansas City just hasn't looked like itself. Mahomes is struggling to pass the ball, but he looks like the best runner on the team. The Chiefs' defense isn't as imposing as it once was, and this game is in primetime and on the road. 

Second, this just feels like one of those games that the clear favorite loses. New York will be at home, the crowd will be into it, and the Giants feel like a team that weird stuff just happens around. For three quarters in Week 2, they looked lost, rotating quarterbacks between Russell Wilson and Jaxson Dart, but then Wilson's moonball came alive in the fourth quarter, and the Giants nearly outlasted the Cowboys in overtime.

Kansas City doesn't have a great schedule to use for Survivor. Still, with how they are playing heading into Sunday night, you may be better waiting to use them in Week 5 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Week 7 against the Las Vegas Raiders, or Week 16 against the Tennessee Titans. 

MORE FANTASY FOOTBALL: Best fantasy football defenses to stream in Week 3

Survivor Week 3 Grid Rankings

NEW - SURVIVOR POOL RESEARCH TOOLS: Fantasy News | NFL Player Stats | NFL Transactions | NFL Depth Charts | NFL Injury Reports