The NFL survivor pool saw more upsets in Week 8 with losses by the Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, Kansas City Chiefs, and New York Jets. The Cowboys entered as 7.5-point favorites over the Arizona Cardinals. With two teams on bye, Week 9 features only 15 games.
Top Week 9 NFL Survivor Pool Predictions
The Cardinals vs. Seahawks spread moved from -12.5 to -8.5 after Sam Darnold was ruled out with a quad injury and Gardner Minshew replaced Jacoby Brissett for Arizona. Many participants have already used the Seahawks, so alternatives include the Houston Texans (-6) against a Los Angeles Chargers team on a 10-game losing streak, or the San Francisco 49ers (-9.5) coming off a bye against the Las Vegas Raiders. The 49ers hold an 8-1 outright record in their last nine post-bye games.
The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, has returned more than $5,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since inception. Entering Week 9 of the 2026 season, the model is on a 60-51 run on top-rated picks dating back to 2024.
For the Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET matchup at Gillette Stadium, the model is not confident in the 5-3 New England Patriots as 3-point favorites over the 5-3 Green Bay Packers. The Patriots rallied from a 13-3 halftime deficit to beat the Miami Dolphins 24-19 in Week 8. Green Bay is 2-2 on the road, led by quarterback Jordan Love, who has completed 61.5% of passes for 2,246 yards, 16 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Top targets Christian Watson (42 receptions, 708 yards, six touchdowns) and Matthew Golden (43 catches, 619 yards, four touchdowns) lead the receiving corps. New England quarterback Drake Maye has completed 67.1% of passes for 1,983 yards and 15 touchdowns with eight interceptions in eight starts. The Patriots will be without receiver A.J. Brown (knee) and running back TreVeyon Henderson (illness). The model projects New England winning by just one point.
How to Make Week 9 NFL Survivor Pool Picks
Instead, the model is confidently backing a team that many have not used in survivor pools, winning outright in nearly 80% of simulations. The pick is available exclusively at SportsLine.
