Best NFL Survivor Week 7 Pick: Back MVP candidate vs. team with brand-new head coach

Fantasy football can be grueling over the course of a season. Every week is filled with several lineup decisions, as you tinker and try to put the most efficient lineup together to compete with your league.

When it comes to NFL Survivor pools, it is much more straightforward. 

In NFL knockout contests, 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 will eventually be off limits for 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. 

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Here is more on our pick for your Week 7 NFL knockout pools.

The Sporting News' Best Survivor Pick, 2025 Record: 6-0

• Last week: Broncos ✅
• Previously: Week 1: Cardinals ✅, Week 2: Ravens ✅, Week 3: Seahawks ✅, Week 4: Bills ✅, Week 5: Lions ✅

Best NFL Survivor Pick Week 7

New England Patriots at Tennessee Titans

The Tennessee Titans will be playing their first game since former head coach Brian Callahan was fired. New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel will be looking for revenge, as he used to be Tennessee's head coach, and will get his first crack at playing them with his new team. 

Vrabel has the Patriots sitting at a 4-2 record, while the Titans are 1-5. Sometimes, a team can get inspired at the firing of the head coach, but the Titans weren't inspiring much confidence already and New England quarterback Drake Maye is looking like an early season favorite for MVP. 

MORE FANTASY TIPS: Week 7 fantasy football rankings

Week 6 Survivor Sleeper Teams

Green Bay Packers vs. Arizona Cardinals

The Green Bay Packers are coming off a win over the Bengals in Week 6. Green Bay was coming off a bye week and took on a Cincinnati team, debuting quarterback Joe Flacco. The Packers didn't score in the first quarter, but were able to score 10 points in the second. Green Bay finished the game with a 27-18 win and now look to take on an Arizona Cardinals squad that could be without quarterback Kyler Murray. 

Jacoby Brissett filled in well for Murray, finishing with 320 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in the Cardinals loss to the Indianapolis Colts. The Packers could have a tougher test this week, but Green Bay should be able to come away with a win. 

Carolina Panthers vs. New York Jets

It is rare to trust the Carolina Panthers in a survivor pool. The Panthers have to go on the road for this matchup, but they are 3-3 on the year and are coming off a win over the Dallas Cowboys. The New York Jets are coming off an international loss to the Denver Broncos. Teams typically get a bye week after their international game, but the Jets will be coming home to host the Panthers. 

All three of Carolina's wins have come at home this season, but facing the winless Jets will be the team's best chance so far this season to get a win on the road. You shouldn't have the most confidence in the Panthers this week, but if you are out of other, more reliable franchises, you could do worse than this dart throw in a pinch.

Chicago Bears vs. New Orleans Saints

The Chicago Bears head into a matchup against the New Orleans Saints with a 3-2 record. The Saints are only 1-5 and will have to travel for the game. Chicago has won three games in a row, including back-to-back 25-24 victories. The Bears are riding the momentum of a big win over the Washington Commanders, and while the matchup is risky, they should be able to pick up an important home win over the Saints. 

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Survivor Week 6 chalk pick to fade or save

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals

The Pittsburgh Steelers have struggled on "Thursday Night Football" in Mike Tomlin's tenure. Pittsburgh is 2-8 on the road in TNF games, 0-6 in divisional TNF games, and has not won a road TNF game since 2016, per Nick Farabaugh. Even though the Steelers are heading into the game with a 4-1 record against the 2-4 Bengals, it is a matchup Pittsburgh has struggled in. On the short week, avoid this matchup and maybe look at the Steelers when the Bengals come to Pittsburgh later in the season, if starting quarterback Joe Burrow isn't back from his turf toe injury yet. 

MORE FANTASY FOOTBALL: Is Rashee Rice playing in Week 7?

Survivor Week 7 Grid Rankings

Note: The Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens are on bye this week.