NFL survivor picks, knockout pool strategy, Week 1 team to pick from top expert - CBS Sports

For Week 1 NFL survivor pool strategy, CBS Sports warns that even strong preseason impressions don’t translate to certainty. It points to the Patriots’ Super Bowl finish followed by a home loss to the Raiders as a cautionary example. The article notes only three teams are favored by more than 4.5 points in 2026 season openers: the Lions (-7) vs. Saints, the Jaguars (-7.5) vs. Browns, and Chargers (-10.5) vs. Cardinals. Using SportsLine’s top against-the-spread expert R.J. White—803-705-41 ATS since nine years ago and 55% hit rate over 11 seasons—the piece recommends avoiding the Chargers vs. Cardinals in Week 1. It cites the Chargers’ new-look offensive line, Justin Herbert being sacked a third-most times last year, and Arizona adding Josh Sweat after a 12-sack season, plus a 2024 upset loss despite L.A. being favored.