NFL survivor pools probably didn't see many people eliminated in Week 11, with those still holding on to the 49ers and choosing to use them against Seattle the most likely to see their seasons end. We faded the Packers as a top option, and while they survived in the end, it took blocking a 46-yard field goal attempt at the end of the game to make it happen. Our two top options, the Lions and Dolphins, were the consensus picks in Circa Survivor and both cruised to victories.

When looking at your options for Week 12, it's important to project out the rest of the schedule (hence the point of this weekly column). It's also important to know the format of your pool, as Circa Survivor adds two standalone slates for Thanksgiving and Christmas. While they're facing a team that may be tanking the rest of the year, I would avoid taking the Buccaneers against the Giants.

Yes, the move to Tommy DeVito makes it look like the Giants are gunning for a high draft pick to add their next franchise QB, but there are factors keeping me away from backing the Bucs. This has the potential to be a high-wind game, which could negate the advantage Tampa Bay has in the passing game. It's also possible Mike Evans doesn't make it back this week, or is limited in his return, which then makes the weapons involved on each side a bit of a mismatch favoring the Giants. And finally, I worry about a solid Giants defensive front consistently winning the battle in the trenches, particularly if Bucs left tackle Tristan Wirfs is unable to play due to an MCL sprain. There are just too many factors that could make this game close, where one errant bounce sinks Bucs backers in survivor.

Why listen to me? I went 636-534-34 (+4899) on ATS picks from 2017-23 and did even better with my top five picks each week, going 428-327-25 (56.7%) from 2015-23 in the Las Vegas ATS contests. While this doesn't involve picking against the spread, I do believe by applying the strategies I've developed to have long-term success on those picks to survivor pools, we'll be in the best position to outlast the competition this season.  

Below, you'll find my top options for this week as well as a tiered set of options for every week over the rest of the season, including breakouts for the Thanksgiving/Black Friday and Christmas slates. Let's dig in.

What are the best options to use in survivor pools in Week 12? And which teams should be saved to use later in the season? ... Join SportsLine right now to see NFL Survivor Pool strategy from the expert who's 636-534-34 on ATS picks from 2017 to 2023, returning almost 50 units!