Teams are bad for a reason. That might have been putting it kindly for the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins entering last week. Their struggles were of epic proportions. It looked like they would never win again, but it went beyond that. They were taking losing to the next level. So, what do you think happened in Week 8? Of course, both teams won as they left survivor pools in shambles. However, that can’t stop us from looking at the current week. So let’s jump into our Week 9 NFL Survivor Picks.
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Week 9 NFL Survivor Picks
Los Angeles Rams vs. New Orleans Saints – Rams -14.5
Talk about a short landing spot. With rookie Tyler Shough making his first career start, the Rams couldn’t have a much better matchup. Los Angeles is returning from their bye week, and they get Puka Nacua back in the lineup as well.
Matthew Stafford is up to 17 touchdowns compared to only two interceptions as the Rams offense is rolling. Both Alvin Kamara and Rashid Shaheed are dealing with injuries, and that doesn’t make life any easier for the Saints.
The Saints are ranked 29th with just 16 points per game, and things will be more difficult in Week 9. Los Angeles is allowing 16.7 points per game, and New Orleans is going to struggle to put together any semblance of offense.
Green Bay Packers vs. Carolina Panthers – Packers -13.5
The Green Bay Packers are 3-0 at home this season, while the Carolina Panthers are 1-3 on the road. That one road victory for Carolina came against the New York Jets, so that has to be graded on a curve.
It appears that Bryce Young will be back under center for a Carolina team that has struggled to put points on the board all season. It’s a tall order to ask a Panthers team ranked 27th in total points (19.3) per game to beat Jordan Love and a Packers’ team ranked fifth with 27.6 points per game.
The Packers also have the advantage on the defensive side of the ball, to go along with home-field advantage. This is the type of situation where once the Packers go up, it’s going to be next to impossible for the Panthers to recover.
Los Angeles Chargers at Tennessee Titans – Chargers -9.5
It doesn’t matter where you are taken in the draft; playing in the NFL is difficult. That’s especially the case as a quarterback. If we needed any proof, Cam Ward is becoming the perfect example of that.
So far this season, Ward has thrown for just 1,615 yards and five touchdowns to go along with six interceptions. For obvious reasons, the Titans have been hesitant to ask for much from Ward. However, he’s also proven unable to consistently produce when given the chance. It also doesn’t help that Elic Ayomanor and his 23 receptions is Ward’s leading receiver.
Perhaps the biggest issue working against the Titans, besides Ward’s struggles, is Tennessee’s defense. The Titans are allowing the 29th most points per game (28.8) and Ward isn’t even close to being able to outgun opposing quarterbacks.
And this week, in facing Justin Herbert, that won’t be any different. While the Chargers rank first with 396 yards per game, it’s a little concerning that they are just 16th with 23.5 points per game. Even considering they’re on their third-string running back, the Chargers will have enough juice to return home with the victory.
Check out all of our Week 9 Rankings: Flex Rankings | QB Rankings | RB Rankings | WR Rankings | TE Rankings
Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings – Lions -8.5
It’s been a rough go of things for the Minnesota Vikings so far this season. They’re now back to J.J. McCarthy under center for the first time since Week 2. It’s not official yet, but McCarthy was a full participant in practice on Wednesday, so it appears we can count on him for Sunday. It’s also good news because Carson Wentz has now had season-ending surgery.
We have a limited sample size on McCarthy, but he’s yet to establish himself at the NFL level. With a defense ranked 25th in total yards and 18th in points, McCarthy isn’t exactly joining an offense that’s rolling. It’s also not ideal as the Lions’ defense is ranked ninth in total yards allowed (320.6) and 11th in points (21.6) per game. They’ve shut down the running game with the fourth fewest yards allowed (87.7), so that means McCarthy will have to win this game for Minnesota. And at this point, I’m not sure he’s capable of doing so.
From an offensive perspective, there aren’t many teams that will be able to outgun the Lions. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that they are averaging 30.7 points per game, and I’d expect them to outscore the Vikings on Sunday.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 9 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!
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