Best NFL Survivor Week 5 Pick: Rely on NFC North team to handle business as bye weeks start

There are a variety of ways to stay invested in the NFL over the length of the season. Many turn to fantasy football or betting, but a rising contest is Survivor pools. 

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 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 picks for Survivor pools in Week 5 of the 2025 NFL Season.

The Sporting News' Best Survivor Pick, 2025 Record: 4-0

• Last Week: Bills ✅
• Previously: Week 1: Cardinals ✅, Week 2: Ravens ✅, Week 3: Seahawks ✅

Best NFL Survivor Pick Week 5

Detroit Lions vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Bengals backup quarterback Jake Browning helped his team to a big win in Week 2 when he took over for the injured Joe Burrow, but that success has run out. Cincinnati has looked like a shell of itself under Browning, who went into Week 4 leading the league in interceptions. Since Burrow went down, Browning has gone 0-2 as the starter in full games, and the Bengals are being outscored 75-13. 

Since Detroit looked lost in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers, they have rebounded with three straight wins. The Lions blew out the Chicago Bears 52-21, escaped with a 38-30 win over the Baltimore Ravens and beat the Cleveland Browns 34-10. Detroit should be able to handle business in this one, notching its fourth win of the season and remaining perfect against the AFC North in the process. 

MORE FANTASY FOOTBALL: Which fantasy football players have a Week 5 bye?

Week 5 Survivor Sleeper Teams

Indianapolis Colts vs. Las Vegas Raiders

The Colts have been rolling to start this season with the career resurgence of Daniel Jones. Indianapolis has been on fire this year, but they are coming off their first loss of the season.

The Colts will be looking to rebound at home and welcome the Raiders to town. Indianapolis' defense should continue to give Geno Smith fits under center, and they will have to find a way to slow down Ashton Jeanty. 

If the Colts' offensive line can keep Jones upright and Maxx Crosby away from him, this should be a win for Indianapolis. 

Arizona Cardinals vs. Tennessee Titans

If you haven't used them yet (including following our Week 1 advice), target them here.

To quote the Titans' starting quarterback Cam Ward, the Titans are "ass." While the Cardinals aren't lighting up teams, they enter the game 2-2 as opposed to the Titans, 0-4, and are still searching for their first win.

Arizona will have a question mark in the backfield as both James Conner and Trey Benson have now been added to injured reserve and will miss the game. Still, Arizona projects to beat Tennessee and keep the Titans still searching for Ward's first win.

MORE FANTASY FOOTBALL: Complete fantasy football bye-week schedule

Survivor Week 5 chalk pick to fade or save

Baltimore Ravens vs. Houston Texans

The Ravens likely aren't going to decide about quarterback Lamar Jackson's status for the game until the weekend.

You can make a late call here, but given the multitude of injuries that Baltimore is dealing with, it is probably best to stay away this week.

Houston enters the game 1-3 and has to go on the road, but the fact that the Texans might be facing backup quarterback Cooper Rush is enough to stay away from this matchup in what is a tough week of games for Survivor. 

MORE FANTASY FOOTBALL: Buy, sell, or hold Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins

Survivor Week 5 Grid Rankings

Note: There are four teams on bye this week. The Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers are off. 

*This pick is made under the assumption Baltimore will not have Lamar Jackson playing. If he is, they would be a top-10 choice this week, even with the injuries.