The NFC West is looking different than expected two weeks into the 2024 NFL season, but the San Francisco 49ers will try to change that in Week 3 against the Los Angeles Rams. The defending NFC champions are third in the division after a 1-1 start and will be missing stars Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel when they take the field at SoFi Stadium. However, Kyle Shanahan's team is confident they can beat their Southern California rivals, who are winless on the season after being upset by the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2 and crushing many NFL survivor pool picks.
The 49ers are 6.5-point favorites to get back in the win column on Sunday against the Rams and could be popular NFL eliminator pool picks. Do you share Shanahan's confidence and think you should back them when you place your NFL 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, 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. Despite getting off to a 2-0 start, Kansas City hasn't looked like the same team that won the Super Bowl in February. They are also dealing with major early-season injuries and just lost star running back Isiah Pacheco following surgery on a fractured fibula.
Meanwhile, Atlanta's offense is starting to click. Kirk Cousins completed 20 of 29 passes for 241 yards and two touchdowns in Week 2, while Bijan Robinson had 14 carries for 97 yards. The Falcons are playing on short rest since they were in Philadelphia on Monday, but they should have a boost of confidence after their 22-21 upset win against the Eagles. 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.
