COMMISSIONER GUIDE
How to Run an NFL Survivor Pool
One team a week · No repeats · Last standing wins
At a glance
Running an NFL survivor pool takes five steps: confirm one-team-per-week no-repeat rules, post lock time and roster close, invite the crew, collect exactly one pick each week, and track who is still alive. A loss, a tie, or a missed pick eliminates that player. Last standing wins — or remaining players split after Week 18.
Updated September 2026
Step 1: Confirm Survivor Rules
Survivor is not pick'em with a different scoreboard. Publish the rules before invites: one NFL team per week, no repeats, straight up (no spread). A loss, a tie, or a missed pick eliminates that player. Last remaining player wins — or remaining players split if more than one is alive after Week 18.
Sportsball survivor leagues are private crews only — there is no public global challenge. If your office wants weekly jelly-bean standings instead, see full-season NFL pick em.
Step 2: Set Lock Time and Roster
Write the lock rule everyone can screenshot. Sportsball defaults to first kickoff so every pick is final when Thursday (or the week's first game) starts. Hosts can switch to per-game lock (Thursday teams burn; leftover games stay open) or Sunday 1pm ET.
Post these before kickoff:
- Lock timeFirst kickoff (default), per game, or Sunday 1pm ET — Thursday night changes who is still available
- Roster lockWhen new members stop joining. Sportsball also closes joins once the first week has no editable questions
- Ties and no-picksTreat ties and missed picks as eliminations so nobody argues after a 17–17 game
Step 3: Invite the Crew
Share one league link. Players need a Sportsball account — private survivor is not a display-name guest join. Lock the roster when the group is set, then launch the first slate from manage.
Starting after Week 1: launch the next full week that has not started, or launch leftover unstarted games if a week is already underway. There is no preseason practice week.
Step 4: Collect One Pick a Week
Each alive player chooses exactly one team on that week's sheet. Used teams are disabled. Remind people before the first kickoff — a missed pick is an elimination, not a zero-point week.
Online leagues auto-save the pick. Paper office pools still need a commissioner to collect names before lock and to mark who is out.
Step 5: Track Who Is Alive
After each slate, update the alive list and the week someone went out. Sportsball shows Alive and Out on the season page and skips reminders for eliminated members. Announce who is still in — a silent board kills office-pool momentum.
When one player remains, they win. If more than one survives Week 18, they split. Do not invent a consolation pick'em unless you posted that extra rule in week 0.
Survivor vs Pick em
Pick em scores every game, every week, with jelly beans and season rank. Survivor is last team standing: one pick, burned franchises, and an Alive / Out list. Same invite and weekly launch flow on Sportsball; different stakes.
Choose survivor when…
- You want one decision a weekNo 16-game card and no confidence ranking
- Elimination is the funThe office talks about who is still alive, not who is 4 beans behind
Choose pick em when…
- Everyone should stay in all seasonA bad Thursday does not end your year
- You want upset scoringOdds underdog jelly beans reward risk without burning a franchise
Create a private survivor league at NFL survivor create or read the NFL survivor overview.
FAQ
What is an NFL survivor pool?
Each week every player picks one NFL team to win straight up. That team cannot be used again. A loss, a tie, or a missed pick eliminates you. Last player standing wins — or remaining players split if more than one survives Week 18.
When do survivor picks lock?
Sportsball private survivor leagues default to locking everyone's pick at first kickoff so the crew is on the same clock. Hosts can instead lock per game (Thursday teams burn; later games stay open) or Sunday 1pm ET. Post the rule before Week 1.
Can people join after Week 1 has started?
Yes, if the roster is still open. The host can launch the next full week that has not started, or — if a week is already underway — launch the leftover unstarted games. Once the first week has no editable questions, Sportsball closes new joins. There is no preseason practice slate.
Is there a public Sportsball survivor challenge?
No. NFL survivor on Sportsball is private crews only. Create a league, invite your group, and play on the same season lobby as pick'em — with survivor rules instead of jelly beans.
How much does it cost to run an NFL survivor pool?
On Sportsball, playing is always free. Creating a private NFL survivor league costs $9.99 to unlock the season for the host. Hosts unlock the season (not a per-week SKU). Players need a Sportsball account. Sportsball does not take wagers or hold a player pot.
Skip the spreadsheet
Create a private NFL survivor league ($9.99 to unlock the season for the host; players join free)—one team a week, no repeats, Alive / Out on the season page.
Players always join free on Sportsball. Private crews only — no public survivor challenge.