Woo boy, the pickings are getting slim over here.
I’ve run through quite a few good teams through five weeks, making it harder and harder to locate survivor pool locks. But it could always be worse — we could already be looking into second-chance pools. And we are not. This pool is still alive.
Last week, we rode the Miami Dolphins to victory, and they’ll be one of our top five picks again this week with another can’t-lose matchup agaisnt the Carolina Panthers. However, we need a new team for the top spot and I think I’ve got just the one.
Before we get to Week 6, here’s a look at where things stand:
Record: 5-0
Already used: Ravens, Bills, Chiefs, 49ers, Dolphins
5
Philadelphia Eagles (at New York Jets)
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
I simultaneously believe this game will end with a deficit of at least two touchdowns and still feel a lot closer than the final score suggests it was. So, if you pick the Eagles, you may sweat it out for a little while. But they should eventually prevail.
4
San Francisco 49ers (at Cleveland Browns)
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Yeah, sure, the Browns play defense. But at a certain point you have to put some points on the scoreboard, and I just don’t believe in their offense enough to believe they’ll be able to do that against San Francisco. I like the Niners to roll in this one.
3
Buffalo Bills (vs. New York Giants)
Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
The Giants are approaching pick-against-them-every-week territory, which is not where any team wants to be. I still believe there are a handful of teams I’d pick them to beat, so I won’t say they’re there yet, but the Bills aren’t one of those teams. This will be a blowout.
2
Miami Dolphins (vs. Carolina Panthers)
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Miami didn’t play the cleanest game last week against the Giants and still won by 15 points. The Dolphins could find similar success in this game, where they don’t need to be great to beat the Panthers by a lot.
1
Los Angeles Rams (vs. Arizona Cardinals)
AP Photo/Jeff Lewis
It’s still just early enough in the season that this pick feels like I’m scraping the bottom of the barrel. And maybe that turns out to be true. But the Rams have looked like a competent football team so far, and the Cardinals are finally regressing into the team we thought they’d be this year. I think LA rolls in this one.
