NFL Survivor Picks, Knockout Bracket Strategy, Week 1 Team to Choose From Top Experts

The Patriots finished last season in the Super Bowl, but began the season with a home loss to the lowly Raiders. Many had New England in their NFL Week 1 survivor pools, but that result should serve as a warning that there are no guarantees when it comes to knockout picks in the NFL. With that in mind, which teams should be on your radar with the NFL Week 1 survivor picks and which favorites should you be keeping an eye on? Visit our DraftKings promo code review to see their latest deals and get started. Claim the latest DraftKings new user promotion and bet on the NFL here:

Only three teams are favored by more than 4.5 points in their first games of the 2026 season: Lions (-7) against Saints, Jaguars (-7.5) against Browns and Chargers (-10.5) against Cardinals. But you have to play the long game when it comes to your NFL survival strategy, as a team with a good matchup in Week 1 can have a great matchup later in the season, making them one to avoid in their first game. Before finalizing your Week 1 NFL survivor picks, you should see which team proven expert RJ White is backing.

White has been SportsLine’s No. 1 NFL against-the-spread expert for the past nine years, going 803-705-41 against the spread for more than 27 points on those picks at SportsLine since 2017. He has also posted a 55% hit rate on his Las Vegas contest picks over the past 11 seasons and has two finishes in the money, including finishing 18th out of 2,748 entries in 2017. He knows the NFL on a level few others know, making him the perfect expert to provide strategic advice for the NFL survivor group.

Now, White has turned his attention to the latest Week 1 NFL odds and set his pick from the Week 1 survivor pool. You can only see who White is backing this week at SportsLine.

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Top Week 1 NFL Survivor Group Predictions

White has studied his 2026 NFL Week 1 survivor options, and there are several smart ways bettors should consider. Looking ahead and plotting your strategy, he suggests avoiding the Chargers versus the Cardinals. That’s despite Los Angeles being a 10.5-point favorite, three points more than any other team. Not only does Los Angeles have several appetizing matchups ahead, including in Week 2 against the Raiders, but the Chargers lost to Arizona the last time they played (2024) despite being the favorites.

There’s also the fact that Los Angeles is introducing what is, essentially, an entirely new offensive line compared to last season. LT Joe Alt played just six games in 2025, while RT Rashawn Slater missed the entire year. All three interior linemen are new additions and neither group needs time to develop continuity like the offensive line. Add in that Justin Herbert was sacked third-most times last year, and Arizona added Josh Sweat, who is coming off a 12-sack season, and that makes Los Angeles too much of a gamble with its NFL Week 1 survivor pools. See which team to choose here.

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How to Make Picks from the Week 1 NFL Survivor Pool

Instead, White says that to go deep you’ll need to “get comfortable taking early risks,” and he found a surprising team to jump on in Week 1 that he says has “slightly lower future value.” Now it’s time to pick this team and you can only watch the play on SportsLine.

Which team is a must-have in your NFL Week 1 survivor group? Visit SportsLine now to see which team leads you to victory in Week 1, all from SportsLine’s all-time leading NFL expert.