Cowboys Activate Tyler Smith: Week 5 Survivor Read on Dallas

Tyler Smith returns for the Cowboys on Thursday

Dallas designated left guard Tyler Smith for return from injured reserve earlier this week, and a report indicates he'll officially come off the list in time for Thursday night's game against Tampa Bay. Getting a key piece back on the offensive line is a timely boost with the Cowboys set to open Week 5 as 8.5-point home favorites.

What it means for your survivor pick

That -8.5 line is one of the more comfortable spreads on the Thursday-through-Monday slate, and adding Smith back to the front only strengthens the case. For survivor players who still have Dallas available, the Cowboys are a legitimate Week 5 option against Tampa Bay at home.

But look ahead before you commit. Dallas plays two straight road games as an underdog after this — at Green Bay (GB -3) in Week 6 and at Philadelphia (PHI -3) in Week 7 — before returning home as 10.5-point favorites over Arizona in Week 8. If you're saving the Cowboys for a bigger spread, Week 8 looks friendlier than the next two road trips. If you need a pick now, this home matchup is the spot to use them. Weigh your NFL survivor pool picks against who you want to hold for later weeks, and make the call that fits your survivor pool path to the finish.