Best NFL football knockout, survivor pool picks, advice, strategy for Week 3, 2024: Avoid this undefeated team

SportsLine's advanced computer model just locked in its top Week 3 NFL survivor picks

Making your Week 3 NFL survivor pool picks just got a little more interesting if you're looking at the matchup between the New Orleans Saints (2-0) and Philadelphia Eagles (1-1). Before the season started, fans might have rushed to back the Eagles in this matchup. Ahead of Week 3, however, Philadelphia is coming off of a 22-21 upset loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football. Meanwhile, the Saints have put up over 40 points in each of their first two games of the season and covered the spread both times.

The Eagles opened as 3-point favorites in this matchup but are now 2.5-point underdogs , creating a quandary for anyone making NFL eliminator pool picks. Should you target one of these teams with your Week 3 knockout pool picks? Before finalizing any Week 3 NFL survivor picks, see which team the red-hot SportsLine Projection Model just went all-in on.

The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up well over $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model enters Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season on an incredible 187-130 run on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season. It is also on a 41-22 roll on top-rated NFL picks since Week 7 of 2022. 

The model also ranked in the top 10 on NFLPickWatch four of the past six years on straight-up NFL picks and beat more than 94 percent of CBS Sports Football Pick'em players four times during that span. Anyone who has followed it is way up.

The model can be used to crush the Survivor Pool format, which calls for picking one team to win each week but never using the same team twice. In Week 1, the model recommended the Saints as its top survivor pick. New Orleans won in 79% of SportsLine's simulations, and the Saints dominated Carolina, 47-10, in what was the most lopsided game of the opening week. Then in Week 2, the model recommended the Chargers, who were also picked to win in 79% of simulations, and L.A. also manhandled the Panthers, 26-3.

Now, it has turned its attention to the latest Week 3 NFL odds and locked in its Week 3 survivor pool pick. You can only see who the model is backing this week at SportsLine.

Top Week 3 NFL survivor pool predictions 

In Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season, the model is shying away from the Chiefs (-3.5, 46.5) versus Atlanta, even though the reigning champs have started off 2-0, with wins over preseason Super Bowl contenders in the Ravens and Bengals. The defending Super Bowl champions may look like a must-back after defeating the Ravens and the Bengals to start the 2024 NFL season 2-0. However, this matchup against an unfamiliar opponent could be a trap game since Atlanta has an underrated defense and KC hasn't been particularly sharp in the red zone.

The Chiefs will also be missing big pieces of their offense due to injury, including Isiah Pacheco. The star running back leads the team with 135 rushing yards and 189 scrimmage yards, but will now miss time because of a fractured fibula. Kansas City's receiving will be heavily taxed to make up for his absence, especially since Patrick Mahomes has thrown just as many interceptions as he has touchdowns this season. See which team to pick instead here.

How to make Week 3 NFL survivor pool picks 

Instead, the model is backing a surprising team that wins outright in well over 70% of simulations. The time to pick this team is now, and you can only see the play over at SportsLine.

Which surprising team is a must-back in your Week 3 NFL survivor pool? Visit SportsLine now to see which team carries you to victory in Week 3, all from the advanced computer model that nailed both its Weeks 1 and 2 survivor picks and is up well over $7,000 since its inception.