NFL Staff Picks: Week 16

NFL Staff Picks: Week 16

This article is part of our NFL Staff Picks series.

Kevin Payne went a season-best 11-4-1 last week, increasing his overall lead to seven games at 116-101-7. Among the other pickers, only Nick Whalen was above .500 at 9-6-1. But all five handicappers nailed their best bets. 

Last week's lone unanimous pick hit, though majority picks went 6-9-1. 

This week, the group did not land on a unanimous pick, but five teams got four picks each. 

Best bets were more similar, however. Two went with the Rams and two went with the 49ers. Payne went his own way, taking the Broncos. 

Odds from BetMGM. Use the BetMGM Bonus Code for a risk-free bet up to $1,000.

MATCHUPERICKSONPIANOWSKIWHALENPAYNEDEL DON
Saints +4 at RamsRamsRamsRamsSaintsRams
Bengals -2 at SteelersSteelersBengalsBengalsSteelersSteelers
Bills -12 at ChargersChargersBillsBillsChargersChargers
Colts +1 at FalconsFalconsColtsColtsFalconsFalcons
Packers -4.5 at PanthersPanthersPanthersPackersPackersPanthers
Browns -2.5 at TexansBrownsTexansBrownsBrownsBrowns
Lions -3 at VikingsVikingsVikingsLionsVikingsVikings
Commanders +3 at JetsJetsJetsCommandersCommandersJets
Seahawks -2.5 at TitansTitansTitansSeahawksTitansTitans
Jaguars +1 at BuccaneersJaguarsBuccaneersBuccaneersJaguarsBuccaneers
Cardinals +4.5 at BearsBearsCardinalsCardinalsCardinalsBears
Cowboys +1.5 at DolphinsCowboysCowboysDolphinsCowboysDolphins
Patriots +6.5 at BroncosPatriotsPatriotsBroncosBroncosPatriots
Raiders +10 at ChiefsChiefsRaidersChiefsRaidersChiefs
Giants +12 at EaglesEaglesGiantsEaglesEaglesEagles
Ravens

Kevin Payne went a season-best 11-4-1 last week, increasing his overall lead to seven games at 116-101-7. Among the other pickers, only Nick Whalen was above .500 at 9-6-1. But all five handicappers nailed their best bets. 

Last week's lone unanimous pick hit, though majority picks went 6-9-1. 

This week, the group did not land on a unanimous pick, but five teams got four picks each. 

Best bets were more similar, however. Two went with the Rams and two went with the 49ers. Payne went his own way, taking the Broncos. 

Odds from BetMGM. Use the BetMGM Bonus Code for a risk-free bet up to $1,000.

MATCHUPERICKSONPIANOWSKIWHALENPAYNEDEL DON
Saints +4 at RamsRamsRamsRamsSaintsRams
Bengals -2 at SteelersSteelersBengalsBengalsSteelersSteelers
Bills -12 at ChargersChargersBillsBillsChargersChargers
Colts +1 at FalconsFalconsColtsColtsFalconsFalcons
Packers -4.5 at PanthersPanthersPanthersPackersPackersPanthers
Browns -2.5 at TexansBrownsTexansBrownsBrownsBrowns
Lions -3 at VikingsVikingsVikingsLionsVikingsVikings
Commanders +3 at JetsJetsJetsCommandersCommandersJets
Seahawks -2.5 at TitansTitansTitansSeahawksTitansTitans
Jaguars +1 at BuccaneersJaguarsBuccaneersBuccaneersJaguarsBuccaneers
Cardinals +4.5 at BearsBearsCardinalsCardinalsCardinalsBears
Cowboys +1.5 at DolphinsCowboysCowboysDolphinsCowboysDolphins
Patriots +6.5 at BroncosPatriotsPatriotsBroncosBroncosPatriots
Raiders +10 at ChiefsChiefsRaidersChiefsRaidersChiefs
Giants +12 at EaglesEaglesGiantsEaglesEaglesEagles
Ravens +5.5 at 49ersRavens49ers49ersRavens49ers
Best BetRamsRams49ersBroncos49ers
Last Week Record7-8-17-8-19-6-111-4-15-10-1
2023 Record109-108-7105-112-7105-112-7116-101-799-118-7
2023 Best Bet Record6-8-18-6-110-58-75-10
2023 Unanimous Pick Record13-14-1    
2023 Majority Pick Record105-112-7    
2022 Record127-136-8149-114-8124-139-8131-132-8133-130-8
2021 Record129-140-3134-135-3N/A145-124-3136-133-3
2020 Record121-127-8128-120-8N/A115-133-8118-130-8
2019 Record126-124-6140-110-6N/A127-123-6134-116-6
2018 Record125-122-9134-113-9N/AN/A120-127-9
2017 Record117-125-14128-114-14N/AN/A98-144-14
2016 Record140-111-5130-121-5N/AN/A132-119-5
2015 Record134-114-8120-128-8N/AN/A121-127-8
2014 Record123-128-5140-111-5N/AN/A128-123-5
2013 Record132-114-10118-128-10N/AN/A128-118-10
2012 Record110-140-6125-125-6N/AN/A123-127-6
2011 Record121-128-7134-115-7N/AN/A127-122-7
2010 Record129-122-5134-117-5N/AN/A134-117-5
2009 Record123-130-3132-121-3N/AN/A126-127-3
2008 Record132-114-10128-118-10N/AN/A130-116-10
2007 Record127-120118-129N/AN/A130-117
2006 Record118-129N/AN/AN/AN/A
2005 Record121-126N/AN/AN/AN/A
2004 Record124-124N/AN/AN/AN/A
2003 Record121-126118-129N/AN/AN/A
2002 Record113-136123-126N/AN/AN/A
2001 Record124-113117-120N/AN/AN/A
2000 Record123-117134-106N/AN/AN/A
WRITERCOMMENT
EricksonBet against NFC South teams on the road. I also like the Cowboys to bounce back this week.
PianowskiThe Saints have 503 yards of offense in two weeks — and two wins. That's phony. The Rams revival feels legitimate. LAR by at least seven. 
WhalenI'm taking the 49ers. This will be a tough test against the AFC-leading Ravens, but I like the Niners to win this game at home by a touchdown, so this is an attractive number. I also like Cleveland -2.5, Tampa Bay -1.0 (especially if Lawrence sits out, of course) and would even entertain Buffalo -12.0 at the Chargers.
PayneBelichick has checked out and no further proof is needed than the last possession the Patriots had last week — down 10 and had no desire to move the ball with timeouts and time on the clock. Chances I duplicate last week? Zero point zero.
Del DonGive me San Francisco in a battle between the top MVP candidates and in a possible Super Bowl preview on Christmas. 

The players:

• Jeff Erickson: RotoWire Senior Editor, 2001, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2016 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. 2009, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022 Staff Picks champ. Roots for the Patriots.

• Nick Whalen: RotoWire Senior Media Analyst. Writes Beating the Book. Roots for the Jaguars.

• Kevin Payne: RotoWire Staff Writer, 2021 Staff Picks champ. Writes our Waiver Wire column. Roots for the Bills.

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

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