NFL Week 3 Survivor Pool Picks (Bengals vs. Commanders Prediction, AFC West Target)

There were a lot of surprises in NFL Week 2, which led to a hard, hard week for those who bet on favorites – and selected them into survivor pools.

Here's a look at some of the wild surprises we experienced:

If you managed to stay alive on Survivor this week – and you would have done that if You have tipped SI's NFL betting insider Iain MacMillan on the Houston Texans – then you’re probably in a pretty good position for Week 3.

In the first two weeks of the season, the biggest favorite (Cincinnati in Week 1, Baltimore in Week 2) lost straight away. Will that happen again in Week 3?

Each week, the SI Betting team analyzes the list to bring you winning Survivor Pool picks to help you stay in the race all season long.

Here's a breakdown of the teams we're watching in Week 3.

Cincinnati Bengals

Waiting for Monday Night Football is always a painful wait for Survivor, but I think this time it's the right move.

The Cincinnati Bengals seemed to have found their rhythm, especially on offense, in Week 2 as they held the Kansas City Chiefs on their toes, and now they head home to take on Jayden Daniels in the first prime-time start of his career.

Washington's biggest weakness so far this season has been the secondary, which has allowed teams to throw 7.8 yards per pass attempt, the fourth-highest mark in the league.

That's good news for Joe Burrow and Co., and while I'm not sure they cover the 8.5 point spread, I'd be shocked if they let this win slip away and fall to 0-3 on the season. Let's take Cincinnati and go into Week 4. – Iain MacMillan

Las Vegas Raiders

Bryce Young was benched by the Carolina Panthers – shift the spread in their favor on Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders – but I am not convinced that Andy Dalton will pull off a surprise.

Carolina went 0-9 on the road last season and is 0-1 in 2024 before Las Vegas after the Raiders beat the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2.

Antonio Pierce's team was solid defensively in 2024, and we may have seen the beginning of the breakout of the Davante Adams-Gardner Minshew connection in Week 2.

Young wasn't good, but the Panthers have more problems than just the quarterback position on this roster, and the aging Andy Dalton doesn't change that.

This is one of the very few spots I would consider the Raiders for this season, so we don't have to feel like we're wasting a team we'd use in the home stretch. – Peter Dewey

The odds are updated regularly and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and needs help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.