Most NFL survivor pool entrants are still alive after Week 1, during which the three biggest favorites were all victorious. There are plenty of good options in Week 2 of the 2021 season with a few Super Bowl contenders hosting teams that missed last year’s playoffs.

Here’s a ranking of the top-10 survivor picks for Week 2.

1) Cleveland Browns (vs. Houston Texans)

There’s no shame in losing a close game in Kansas City. Cleveland was impressive in defeat and might be the AFC’s second-best team. The Texans are likely still awful, despite beating the Jaguars.

2) Green Bay Packers (vs. Detroit Lions)

Expect a major bounce-back performance from Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Rodgers didn’t suddenly fall off a cliff after his third MVP season. A Detroit team that surrendered a league-high 41 points in the opener should be the perfect antidote for Green Bay’s Week 1 woes.

3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. Atlanta Falcons)

Atlanta wasn’t competitive in its Week 1 loss to Philadelphia, indicating that the Falcons might not be much improved from last year’s 4-12 campaign. Tom Brady and Tampa Bay’s offense looked unstoppable on opening night. The Bucs went 2-0 against the Falcons in 2020, winning their meeting in Tampa Bay 44-27.

4) New England Patriots (at New York Jets)

There’s a reason that the Patriots went from 3.5-point favorites to 5.5-point favorites Monday morning. The Jets’ offensive line is still a major issue with Zach Wilson getting sacked six times in Week 1. Bill Belichick excels at confusing rookie quarterbacks. Mac Jones continued his preseason success with a 102.6 passer rating in his debut.

5) Denver Broncos (at Jacksonville Jaguars)

With no wins over the last year, the Jaguars could be the NFL’s worst team for a second straight season. Jacksonville’s defense is as bad as it gets, giving up 37 points to Tyrod Taylor and the Texans. Teddy Bridgewater is a better quarterback than Trevor Lawrence at this stage of their NFL careers.

6) Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. Las Vegas Raiders)

Every visiting team could have a tough time winning in Pittsburgh against the Steelers’ stout defense. The Raiders have one fewer day to prepare after hosting the Ravens Monday night.

7) San Francisco 49ers (at Philadelphia Eagles)

It’s possible that the Eagles will be one of this season’s surprise teams, but they’ll have to do much more than beat the Falcons to prove it. Jalen Hurts faces a tougher test Sunday in San Francisco’s front-seven.

8) Los Angeles Rams (at Indianapolis Colts)

Matthew Stafford might elevate Los Angeles’ offense to a new level, throwing a pair of 50-plus-yard touchdown passes in his Rams debut. Carson Wentz won’t have a similar impact with the Colts, who scored just 16 points against Seattle in the opener.

9) Seattle Seahawks (vs. Tennessee Titans)

The Seahawks are usually a good bet to win at home. In Week 2, they’ll be hosting a shaky defense that just surrendered 38 points. It could take a few games for Ryan Tannehill and Julio Jones to develop some chemistry.

10) Kansas City Chiefs (at Baltimore Ravens)

All Patrick Mahomes does in the regular season is win, doing so in 27 of his last 31 games. Kansas City’s quarterback has a perfect record in September, including wins over Baltimore in 2018, 2019 and 2020. The Chiefs might have the Ravens’ number.

Baker Mayfield Cleveland Browns
Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns carries the ball during the fourth quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at FirstEnergy Stadium on December 23, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. Jason Miller/Getty Images
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