NFL Staff Picks: Week 16

NFL Staff Picks: Week 16

This article is part of our NFL Staff Picks series.

Kevin Payne and Dalton Del Don won last week with 9-7 records. That pushed Del Don into a tie for second place with Jeff Erickson at 110-106-8 (50.9 percent), after Erickson went 8-8. Scott Pianowski is still the runaway leader (even after a 7-9 week) at 126-90-8 (58 percent). 

Last week's unanimous pick (Jets -1) missed, but majority picks went 10-6. Notably, no one hit their best bet, three of which were the Jets. 

This week, the group has two unanimous picks — Bears +9 and Eagles +4.5. Seven teams had four picks each. In one of those, the contrarian pick (Bengals -3) was Nick Whalen's best bet. For their best bets, Kevin Payne and Dalton Del Don went in opposite directions on the Chargers -4 at Colts, with Payne taking the Chargers and Del Don the Colts.

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MATCHUPERICKSONPIANOWSKIWHALENPAYNEDEL DON
Jaguars +1 at JetsJetsJaguarsJaguarsJaguarsJaguars
Falcons +7.5 at RavensFalconsFalconsFalconsRavensRavens
Lions -2.5 at PanthersPanthersPanthersLionsPanthersPanthers
Bills -9 at BearsBearsBearsBearsBearsBears
Saints +2.5 at BrownsBrownsBrownsBrownsSaintsBrowns
Seahawks +10 at ChiefsChiefsSeahawksChiefsSeahawksSeahawks
Giants +4 at VikingsGiantsVikingsGiantsGiantsGiants
Bengals -3 at PatriotsPatriotsPatriotsBengalsPatriotsPatriots
Texans +4.5 at TitansTitansTitansTexansTitansTitans
Commanders +7 at 49ersCommanders49ers49ersCommandersCommanders
Eagles +4.5 at CowboysEaglesEaglesEaglesEaglesEagles
Raiders +2.5 at SteelersSteelersSteelersSteelersRaidersSteelers
Packers +4 at DolphinsDolphinsPackersDolphinsDolphinsPackers
Broncos -2.5 at RamsRamsRamsBroncosRamsRams
Buccaneers -6.5 at CardinalsBuccaneersCardinalsBuccaneersCardinalsCardinals
Chargers -4 at ColtsColtsColtsChargersChargersColts
Best BetBrowns49ersBengalsChargersColts
Last Week's Record8-87-97-99-79-7
2022 Record110-106-8126-90-8100-116-8107-109-8110-106-8
2022 Best Bet Record7-86-8-17-87-7-18-7
2022 Unanimous Pick Record11-7-2    
2022 Majority Pick Record109-107-8    
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
EricksonThe Saints offense is nasty in a bad way, the weather is going to be nasty and the Browns are much better at home. I also really like the Giants.
PianowskiI hate this slate with the white-hot intensity of 1,000 suns. I may feel differently in a few days, but right now I don't feel confident about any pick. 
WhalenNew England can never be counted out, but it's hard to envision the Pats regrouping after last week and finding a way to shut down the Bengals' high-powered attack.
PayneAlmost by any metric Jared Goff plays worse on the road than at home. I'm curious to see what Gardner Minshew can do against the Cowboys this week. If the Eagles pull this out, I think there's a good chance we don't see Jalen Hurts until Week 18, and sparingly at that. It'll also be interesting to see how the Colts respond this week.
Del DonI like fading the Chargers when favorites, and we also get to buy low on Indy coming off the worst collapse in NFL history. 

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 and 2020 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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