NFL Picks: Dolphins, Bears and Texans

The Staff especially likes fading Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers as 7.5-point road favorites in Miami.
NFL Picks: Dolphins, Bears and Texans
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Week 5 was better than Week 4, but that was a low bar to clear. Erickson paced us at 9-5, and he's leading the overall by five games over Pianowski.

This week, we have three consensus picks, the Dolphins, Bears and Texans, and the Dolphins are both Stopa's and my best bets.

EricksonPianowskiLissStopaDel Don
Broncos -3 at ChargersChargersBroncosChargersBroncosBroncos
Bengals +9 at PatriotsPatriotsBengalsBengalsBengalsBengals
Ravens +3 at GiantsRavensRavensGiantsGiantsGiants
Panthers -3 at SaintsSaintsSaintsSaintsPanthersPanthers
Steelers -7.5 at DolphinsDolphinsDolphinsDolphinsDolphinsDolphins
Jaguars +2.5 at BearsBearsBearsBearsBearsBears
49ers +8 at Bills49ersBillsBills49ersBills
Rams +3.5 at LionsRamsRamsRamsRamsLions
Browns +7 at TitansTitansBrownsBrownsBrownsBrowns
Eagles -2.5 at RedskinsRedskinsEaglesRedskinsEaglesRedskins
Chiefs +1 at RaidersRaidersChiefsChiefsChiefsRaiders
Falcons +6.5 at SeahawksSeahawksSeahawksSeahawksFalconsFalcons
Cowboys +4.5 at PackersCowboysCowboysCowboysPackersCowboys
Colts +3 at TexansTexansTexansTexansTexansTexans
Jets +8 at CardinalsCardinalsJetsJetsJetsJets
Best BetRedskinsBengalsDolphinsDolphinsBroncos
Last week's Record9-58-67-77-78-6
2016 Record45-3240-3736-4136-4137-40
Best Bet Record3-23-22-32-33-2
2016 Unanimous Pick Record11-8
2016 Majority Pick Record38-39
2015 Record134-114-8120-128-8114-134-8127-121-8121-127-8
2014 Record123-128-5140-111-5135-116-5124-127-5128-123-5
2013 Record132-114-10
Week 5 was better than Week 4, but that was a low bar to clear. Erickson paced us at 9-5, and he's leading the overall by five games over Pianowski.

This week, we have three consensus picks, the Dolphins, Bears and Texans, and the Dolphins are both Stopa's and my best bets.

EricksonPianowskiLissStopaDel Don
Broncos -3 at ChargersChargersBroncosChargersBroncosBroncos
Bengals +9 at PatriotsPatriotsBengalsBengalsBengalsBengals
Ravens +3 at GiantsRavensRavensGiantsGiantsGiants
Panthers -3 at SaintsSaintsSaintsSaintsPanthersPanthers
Steelers -7.5 at DolphinsDolphinsDolphinsDolphinsDolphinsDolphins
Jaguars +2.5 at BearsBearsBearsBearsBearsBears
49ers +8 at Bills49ersBillsBills49ersBills
Rams +3.5 at LionsRamsRamsRamsRamsLions
Browns +7 at TitansTitansBrownsBrownsBrownsBrowns
Eagles -2.5 at RedskinsRedskinsEaglesRedskinsEaglesRedskins
Chiefs +1 at RaidersRaidersChiefsChiefsChiefsRaiders
Falcons +6.5 at SeahawksSeahawksSeahawksSeahawksFalconsFalcons
Cowboys +4.5 at PackersCowboysCowboysCowboysPackersCowboys
Colts +3 at TexansTexansTexansTexansTexansTexans
Jets +8 at CardinalsCardinalsJetsJetsJetsJets
Best BetRedskinsBengalsDolphinsDolphinsBroncos
Last week's Record9-58-67-77-78-6
2016 Record45-3240-3736-4136-4137-40
Best Bet Record3-23-22-32-33-2
2016 Unanimous Pick Record11-8
2016 Majority Pick Record38-39
2015 Record134-114-8120-128-8114-134-8127-121-8121-127-8
2014 Record123-128-5140-111-5135-116-5124-127-5128-123-5
2013 Record132-114-10118-128-10123-123-10111-135-10128-118-10
2012 Record110-140-6125-125-6121-129-6143-107-6123-127-6
2011 Record121-128-7134-115-7124-125-7123-126-7127-122-7
2010 Record129-122-5134-117-5126-125-5136-115-5134-117-5
2009 Record123-130-3132-121-3131-122-3130-123-3126-127-3
2008 Record132-114-10128-118-10124-122-10125-121-10130-116-10
2007 Record127-120118-129127-120N/A130-117
2006 Record118-129N/A139-108N/AN/A
2005 Record121-126N/A127-120N/AN/A
2004 Record124-124N/A130-118N/AN/A
2003 Record121-126118-129124-123N/AN/A
2002 Record113-136123-126141-108N/AN/A
2001 Record124-113117-120118-119N/AN/A
2000 Record123-117134-106141-99N/AN/A

Unanimous/Majority Picks

This week we have three consensus picks, the Dolphins, Bears and Texans. We went 2-2 on unanimous picks last week, winning with the Titans and Giants, losing with the Bears and Broncos to bring our season record to 11-8. We went 8-6 on majority (three or more writers) picks to bring our season record to 38-39.

Comments:

WriterComment
EricksonYes, the Redskins are a dysfunctional team (though one that's won three in a row), but I don't think the Eagles should be favored on the road against them, even accounting for that... The Raiders-Chiefs line is the other one I didn't get - what have the Chiefs done to not be plus-3 this week?
PianowskiThe Patriots are a good team, but this isn't the 2007 edition. Beating the crap out of the Browns shouldn't mean that much. Cincinnati just played about as bad as it can play, and that sure seems priced into the line. I can't guarantee you this (or any pick) will be right, but there's no way I can spot the nine here.
LissThe Steelers are a good team, but laying 7.5 on the road is excessive without a great defense. I also like the Cowboys, Bears, Bills and Seahawks.
StopaThe public really has to pay up this week for the flashy name brands like the Steelers and Patriots. I'll fade both, particularly PIT, whose high flying offense often gets grounded on the road.  Buying Miami low at the same time just makes it that much better.  I'll be surprised if that's not a unanimous pick.
Del DonI rarely make road favorites my best bet, but I'll make an exception when it comes to fading the Chargers. Expect the Broncos to bounce back even while traveling in a short week... I also like the Bears and Jets as my other best bets this week

The players:

• Jeff Erickson: RotoWire Senior editor, 2001, 2008, 2013, 2015 Staff Picks Champ. Writes the Weekly Rankings. Covers and roots for the Bengals.

• Scott Pianowski: Fantasy expert for Yahoo! Sports, and also contributes to Rotowire.com. 2009, 2011 and 2014 Staff Picks Champ. Roots for the Patriots.

• Chris Liss: RotoWire Managing Editor, 2000, 2002, 2006 Staff Picks Champ, 2003, 2004 co-champ. Writes East Coast Offense, Beating the Book and the Survivor column in addition to Staff Picks. Covers and roots for the Giants.

• Mark Stopa: Staff Writer, 2010, 2012 Staff Picks Champ, Writes Run 'N' Shoot. Roots for the Bills.

• Dalton Del Don: Fantasy Expert for Yahoo! Sports, 2007 Staff Picks Champ. Roots for the 49ers.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris Liss was RotoWire's Managing Editor and Host of RotoWire Fantasy Sports Today on Sirius XM radio from 2001-2022.
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