Week 2 survival pool play leans into balance: early chalk picks anchor your run, while a measured under-the-radar play keeps flexibility intact for tougher weeks. Dallas over the Giants and the Rams over the Titans form the backbone, with the Chargers and Steelers providing solid value on favorable fronts. A single high-variance swing—San Francisco over New Orleans—exists, but health and turnover discipline will dictate its upside. Plan to conserve elites, chase measured value, and avoid burning premium teams too soon.

The approach centers on trench advantage, recent form, and quarterback stability. Rams’ defensive line dominance and Herbert’s aerial efficiency support taking the LAC over LV, while Pittsburgh’s home defense can pressure Seattle’s offense. The Saints-Denver nuance adds risk-reward: Purdy dealing with injuries and a reshuffled cast could open a window for New Orleans if they capitalize on timely plays. Week 2 is about sequencing and situational upside.

Mac Jones reconnects with Kendrick Bourne as Brock Purdy misses time, placing Bourne in a crucial Week 2 role for the 49ers and tightening the swing from Jones to SF’s new-season targets. The Saints’ Week 1 jitters and a mobile Spencer Rattler complicate SF’s game plan, but Bourne’s familiar chemistry could yield a clean, high-floor target in a tough road matchup.

New Orleans showed a rough debut under Moore, piling up penalties while leaning on Kamara and Miller in the run game. SF’s defense must contend with Rattler’s movement and Saints’ ground game, setting up SF to capitalize if the breakdowns linger and Bourne delivers as a reliable outlet in Jones’s limited-but-possible Week 2 volume.