Injuries have already affected the San Francisco 49ers, with key players sidelined after their win against the Seattle Seahawks. Despite this, the Niners remain 3-point favorites as they head to face the New Orleans Saints.
Quarterback Brock Purdy (toe, shoulder) is out, tight end George Kittle (hamstring) will be unavailable for a minimum of four weeks, and Brandon Aiyuk (knee) is still on the PUP list. As some NFL survivor pools start to narrow down, it’s crucial to secure your picks for Week 2 if you haven’t done so yet.
The current Week 2 NFL odds highlight five games with spreads of 5 points or more: Browns vs. Ravens (-11.5), Lions vs. Bears (+6), Bills vs. Jets (+6.5), Rams vs. Titans (+5.5), and Panthers vs. Cardinals (-6.5). These are the matchups many NFL survivor participants will focus on, but among these favorites, which ones offer the best value?
Before locking in your Week 2 survivor picks, check out which team SportsLine’s top Projection Model supports this week.
The Model, which simulates NFL games 10,000 times, has proven successful, netting over $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. In 2024, it finished with a record of 31-15 on its top-rated predictions. Users tracking its betting strategies found significant returns. The model’s approach is well-suited for the survivor pool format, requiring players to pick a single team to win each week without using the same team more than once. It successfully advised players to choose the Commanders over the Giants in Week 1.
Now, the model has selected its survivor pool pick for Week 2, steering clear of the 49ers against the New Orleans Saints. Despite being the 3-point and -167 money-line favorites, the model forecasts a closer contest with a predicted margin of only 2 points and estimates San Francisco’s win probability at just 55%. Given that the franchise has endured injuries over the last two seasons, confidence in their performance is limited.
Additionally, after winning their season opener in 2024, the 49ers lost three of their next four matches and will need to rely on Mac Jones as quarterback during Purdy’s absence. Meanwhile, the Saints have their own struggles, enduring a five-game losing streak carried over from last season, finishing with a 5-12 record.
Fans and participants can find the model’s detailed insights and predictions on SportsLine, along with exclusive offers such as promo codes for sportsbooks.
