NFL Survivor Pool Picks for Week 4: Ravens, Vikings, Bills

The first three weeks of the 2026 NFL season have already been brutal for survivor pool players. That was especially true in Week 3, when the Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints all lost as popular survivor options.

Seattle did the most damage, which was bad news for contestants. The Seahawks were among the most popular Week 3 selections in survivor pool contests, but a 33-31 loss to Washington eliminated many entries. Green Bay's 35-14 loss to Atlanta knocked out another large group, while New Orleans' loss to Las Vegas eliminated even more.

Week 4 brings a few heavy favorites. The goal isn't simply finding the best NFL team, though. Survivor pools are about advancing while preserving strong teams for later in the season.

NFL Survivor Pool Picks for Week 4

Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore is the most obvious survivor pick of Week 4. The Ravens enter Sunday as roughly 11.5-point home favorites against the Tennessee Titans, with their moneyline around -700.

Tennessee is 0-3 and has struggled to score, while Baltimore is 2-1 after surviving a 34-31 game against Dallas in Brazil last week. There was some concern around Lamar Jackson earlier in the week, but he returned to full practice participation Thursday.

Using Baltimore now does come with a cost because the Ravens should have other favorable spots later in the season as they make a push for the playoffs. But survivor pools are first and foremost about staying alive. When one team is favored by double digits at home against a winless opponent, there's no need to get too creative.

If Baltimore is still available, the Ravens are the strongest Week 4 option.

Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota is another strong option for anyone who already used Baltimore or wants to save the Ravens.

The Vikings are 3-0 and return home to face an 0-3 Miami team that has scored just 12 points per game through three weeks. Minnesota hasn't been explosive offensively, but its defense has helped carry it to an unbeaten start.

The matchup became even tougher for Miami after running back De'Von Achane suffered a season-ending ACL injury. The Dolphins haven't scored more than 13 points in a game this season, putting enormous pressure on their defense.

Minnesota is favored by around 10.5 points with a moneyline near -650. That's a massive number for an NFL game and makes the Vikings one of the clearest survivor choices on the board.

Buffalo Bills

Buffalo gives survivor players another option without dipping back into Seattle one week after the Seahawks burned them.

The Bills are 3-0 and have been one of the NFL's best offensive teams to start the season, averaging 33.7 points per game led by former MVP Josh Allen. New England enters at 1-2 after a 35-6 loss to Jacksonville and is averaging only 12 points per game.

Buffalo is around a 6.5-point favorite and -300 on the moneyline. That's not as safe on paper as Baltimore or Minnesota, especially in an AFC East matchup, but the gap between the two offenses makes Buffalo a strong Week 4 play.

There's also some strategy involved. Baltimore and Minnesota carry stronger moneylines this week, but Buffalo could be worthwhile if you've already used one of those teams or want to preserve them for a future matchup.

How Do NFL Survivor Pools Work?

NFL survivor pools are simple. Each week, you pick one team to win its game outright. The point spread doesn't matter. If your team wins, you advance. If it loses, you're eliminated in most formats, although some pools allow one or two strikes, meaning you have to be strategic and play the odds.

The biggest rule is that you generally can't use the same team twice. If you select Baltimore in Week 4, for example, the Ravens are no longer available to you later.

That's why survivor strategy is different from simply choosing the biggest favorite every week. You have to balance the safest current matchup with future schedule value, previous selections and how much risk you're willing to take.

For Week 4, Baltimore, Minnesota and Buffalo offer three strong combinations of matchup, moneyline and overall team quality. It's all about picking spots that make the most sense, but don't put you at a disadvantage down the road. That's a tricky balance, but we're here to help each week.