NFL Survivor Picks For Week 9: Lean Into the Bears

Welcome to Week 9 in your Survivor Pool. Choices are getting limited, so it’s time to do the research and make it to the end.

These three games this week will help you survive another week.

Week 9 NFL Survivor Picks

New York Giants (at Philadelphia Eagles)

The Giants are coming off a bye and could be optimistic about winning the division. Last week, the Cowboys choked away a 14-point lead and lost to the Cardinals, while the last-place Commanders beat the plummeting Eagles. As a result, the Giants extended their NFC East lead without stepping on the field.

Coming off the bye, they face the Eagles, who have lost six straight. Injuries have left this team non-competitive, especially on offense. Last week, DeVonta Smith and Dontavious Wicks each missed the game with injuries; then you have Jalen Hurts out for the rest of the year, tackle Lane Johnson retired and the Eagles traded center Cam Jurgens.

The Giants are coming off an inspiring win over the Texans in J.J. McCarthy’s first start with the team. He was excellent, throwing for 252 yards and completing 71.4% of his passes in the 27-21 overtime win against the Texans. Now McCarthy faces a Philadelphia pass defense that ranks 24th in passing yards allowed per game (235.4).

More importantly, the Giants established the run game against Houston. After going without a carry against Arizona the week prior, Cam Skattebo returned strong with 124 rushing yards and a touchdown.

If the Giants maintain offensive balance, they should win.

NOW LIVE: Dwain McFarland's Week 9 Utilization Report follows the data to identify this week's top waiver wire options, trade targets, upgrades and downgrades. Find Fantasy Life's suite of Utilization Tools here.

Chicago Bears (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

The Buccaneers are getting hot. The offense has been putting up big numbers over the past two weeks, outscoring opponents 59-13. However, one concern remains: the passing game.

Baker Mayfield missed three games with an injured thumb on his throwing hand. Although he’s back in the lineup, he may not be fully healthy. He’s had little impact since returning; over the last two games, he’s completed seven of 14 passes for 64 yards and a touchdown, including zero completions last week against the Falcons. Those look like passing stats from a college football triple-option offense, not an NFL team.

The game against the Falcons was played in heavy rain, so you can give them a pass, but the conditions were fine against Carolina. Thankfully, the run game has carried them, with 646 rushing yards over the last two games.

Now they run into what is likely the best team in the NFC. The Bears, led by Caleb Williams, look like one of the best offensive units in football; in their three games since Williams returned from a hamstring injury, they've averaged 31.6 points, including 31 in a convincing road win over the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks.

The Buccaneers need their passing game to get going against a Bears offense that can build a lead quickly. Mayfield will need to be much more involved than he has been since returning.

The Buccaneers’ pass defense has played well, ranking ninth in the league in passing yards allowed per game (205.9). However, Williams threw for 247 yards against a Seattle defense ranked second in passing yards allowed per game (156.0).

Houston Texans (at Los Angeles Chargers)

The Texans have taken a huge step back from last season. They struggled early in 2025, but the league’s top defense helped them get back on track in the second half. They don’t have that same defensive dominance this year, ranking 18th in points allowed per game (24.3).

Despite all of that, they can still beat the Chargers. That is because there is no confidence that the Los Angeles can beat anyone, especially with how the offense has played this season.

The Chargers have not scored a touchdown since October 11.

Justin Herbert has only five passing touchdowns this season; Joe Burrow had that many just last week.

The Chargers have also struggled to establish a lead rusher. Omarion Hampton, Keaton Mitchell and Kimani Vidal split snaps each week, and none have been successful. Together, the three have combined for 3.7 yards per carry and three rushing touchdowns.

This struggling offense shouldn't even be a problem for the Texans’ defense.