This article is part of our NFL Picks series.
Congrats again to Kevin Payne who is our 2021 Staff Picks champion. I finished second, a full six games behind him, and DDD finished third. Last week was a strong one as everyone was over .500, and we went 4-1 on unanimous picks.
This week we all like the Bengals, but no one made them his best bet.
Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Payne | Del Don | |
| Raiders +5.5 at Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals |
| Patriots +4 at Bills | Bills | Patriots | Patriots | Bills | Patriots |
| Eagles +8.5 at Buccaneers | Buccaneers | Eagles | Eagles | Buccaneers | Eagles |
| 49ers +3 at Cowboys | 49ers | 49ers | 49ers | Cowboys | 49ers |
| Steelers +12.5 at Chiefs | Steelers | Chiefs | Steelers | Steelers | Chiefs |
| Cardinals +4 at Rams | Cardinals | Cardinals | Cardinals | Rams | Rams |
| Best Bet | Bills | Eagles | Steelers | Rams | 49ers |
| Last week's Record | 11-5 | 11-5 | 12-4 | 10-6 | 9-7 |
| Best Bet Record | 12-6 | 10-8 | 12-6 | 12-6 | 7-11 |
| Unanimous Pick Record | 28-26 | ||||
| Majority Pick Record | 135-134-3 | ||||
| 2020 Playoff Record | 5-8 | 8-5 | 8-5 | 6-7 | 7-6 |
| 2019 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | 6-5 | 4-7 | 7-4 |
| 2018 Playoff Record | 3-6-1 | 1-8-1 | 3-6-1 | N/A | 2-7-1 |
| 2017 Playoff Record | 5-6 | 5-6 | 5-6 | N/A | 2-9 |
| 2016 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | 6-5 | N/A | 6-5 |
| 2015 Playoff Record | 5-6 | 2-9 | 3-8 | N/A | 1-10 |
| 2014 Playoff Record | 10-1 | 5-6 | 9-2 | N/A | 9-2 |
| 2013 Playoff Record | 5-4-2 | 3-6-2 | 4-5-2 | N/A | 4-5-2 |
| 2012 Playoff Record | 4-6-1 | 5-5-1 | 6-4-1 | N/A | 8-2-1 |
| 2011 Playoff Record | 8-3 | 5-6 | 9-2 | N/A | 7-4 |
| 2010 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | 5-6 | N/A | 8-3 |
| 2009 Playoff Record | 5-6 |
Congrats again to Kevin Payne who is our 2021 Staff Picks champion. I finished second, a full six games behind him, and DDD finished third. Last week was a strong one as everyone was over .500, and we went 4-1 on unanimous picks.
This week we all like the Bengals, but no one made them his best bet.
Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Payne | Del Don | |
| Raiders +5.5 at Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals |
| Patriots +4 at Bills | Bills | Patriots | Patriots | Bills | Patriots |
| Eagles +8.5 at Buccaneers | Buccaneers | Eagles | Eagles | Buccaneers | Eagles |
| 49ers +3 at Cowboys | 49ers | 49ers | 49ers | Cowboys | 49ers |
| Steelers +12.5 at Chiefs | Steelers | Chiefs | Steelers | Steelers | Chiefs |
| Cardinals +4 at Rams | Cardinals | Cardinals | Cardinals | Rams | Rams |
| Best Bet | Bills | Eagles | Steelers | Rams | 49ers |
| Last week's Record | 11-5 | 11-5 | 12-4 | 10-6 | 9-7 |
| Best Bet Record | 12-6 | 10-8 | 12-6 | 12-6 | 7-11 |
| Unanimous Pick Record | 28-26 | ||||
| Majority Pick Record | 135-134-3 | ||||
| 2020 Playoff Record | 5-8 | 8-5 | 8-5 | 6-7 | 7-6 |
| 2019 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | 6-5 | 4-7 | 7-4 |
| 2018 Playoff Record | 3-6-1 | 1-8-1 | 3-6-1 | N/A | 2-7-1 |
| 2017 Playoff Record | 5-6 | 5-6 | 5-6 | N/A | 2-9 |
| 2016 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | 6-5 | N/A | 6-5 |
| 2015 Playoff Record | 5-6 | 2-9 | 3-8 | N/A | 1-10 |
| 2014 Playoff Record | 10-1 | 5-6 | 9-2 | N/A | 9-2 |
| 2013 Playoff Record | 5-4-2 | 3-6-2 | 4-5-2 | N/A | 4-5-2 |
| 2012 Playoff Record | 4-6-1 | 5-5-1 | 6-4-1 | N/A | 8-2-1 |
| 2011 Playoff Record | 8-3 | 5-6 | 9-2 | N/A | 7-4 |
| 2010 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | 5-6 | N/A | 8-3 |
| 2009 Playoff Record | 5-6 | 4-7 | 1-10 | N/A | 5-6 |
| 2008 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | 5-6 | N/A | 4-7 |
| 2007 Playoff Record | 8-3 | 3-8 | 6-5 | N/A | 2-9 |
| 2006 Playoff Record | 7-4 | N/A | 4-7 | N/A | N/A |
| 2005 Playoff Record | 5-6 | N/A | 3-8 | N/A | N/A |
| 2004 Playoff Record | 6-5 | N/A | 4-7 | N/A | N/A |
| 2003 Playoff Record | 6-5 | N/A | 4-7 | N/A | N/A |
| 2002 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 7-4 | 5-6 | N/A | N/A |
| 2001 Playoff Record | 6-4-1 | 7-3-1 | 4-6-1 | N/A | N/A |
| 2021 Record | 129-140-3 | 134-135-3 | 139-130-3 | 145-124-3 | 136-133-3 |
| 2020 Record | 121-127-8 | 128-120-8 | 118-130-8 | 115-133-8 | 118-130-8 |
| 2019 Record | 126-124-6 | 140-110-6 | 127-123-6 | 127-123-6 | 134-116-6 |
| 2018 Record | 125-122-9 | 134-113-9 | 141-106-9 | N/A | 120-127-9 |
| 2017 Record | 117-125-14 | 128-114-14 | 117-125-14 | N/A | 98-144-14 |
| 2016 Record | 140-111-5 | 130-121-5 | 123-128-5 | N/A | 132-119-5 |
| 2015 Record | 134-114-8 | 120-128-8 | 114-134-8 | N/A | 121-127-8 |
| 2014 Record | 123-128-5 | 140-111-5 | 135-116-5 | N/A | 128-123-5 |
| 2013 Record | 132-114-10 | 118-128-10 | 123-123-10 | N/A | 128-118-10 |
| 2012 Record | 110-140-6 | 125-125-6 | 121-129-6 | N/A | 123-127-6 |
| 2011 Record | 121-128-7 | 134-115-7 | 124-125-7 | N/A | 127-122-7 |
| 2010 Record | 129-122-5 | 134-117-5 | 126-125-5 | N/A | 134-117-5 |
| 2009 Record | 123-130-3 | 132-121-3 | 131-122-3 | N/A | 126-127-3 |
| 2008 Record | 132-114-10 | 128-118-10 | 124-122-10 | N/A | 130-116-10 |
| 2007 Record | 127-120 | 118-129 | 127-120 | N/A | 130-117 |
| 2006 Record | 118-129 | N/A | 139-108 | N/A | N/A |
| 2005 Record | 121-126 | N/A | 127-120 | N/A | N/A |
| 2004 Record | 124-124 | N/A | 130-118 | N/A | N/A |
| 2003 Record | 121-126 | 118-129 | 124-123 | N/A | N/A |
| 2002 Record | 113-136 | 123-126 | 141-108 | N/A | N/A |
| 2001 Record | 124-113 | 117-120 | 118-119 | N/A | N/A |
| 2000 Record | 123-117 | 134-106 | 141-99 | N/A | N/A |
This week, we have one unanimous pick: the Bengals. We went 4-1 on unanimous picks last week, winning with the Lions, Vikings, Dolphins and Seahawks, but losing with the Falcons to put our record at 28-26 on the year. We went 11-5 on majority picks (three or more writers) to go 135-134-3 on the year. We went 17-23 on unanimous picks and 118-130-8 on majority picks in 2020.
| Writer | Comment |
|---|---|
| Erickson | I guessed that the line would be Bills -7, I wanted to be below that and set my line at -5.5, and it still wasn't close to being enough. Ok, Bills it is. I originally was on the Eagles as a pick (not a best bet), but I've just got a feeling on the Bucs now. |
| Pianowski | I don't feel great about any of these picks. I'm giving Philadelphia the best bet only because I don't think this version of Tampa Bay should be expected to blow out a playoff opponent. That said, when we did our playoff draft I still did a Buccaneers bankroll. It's as wide-open a playoffs as we've seen in a while. Kansas City is another reluctant pick; the line is definitely too high, but I have zero faith in Pittsburgh's offense. I don't think it can win. I wonder if Ben Roethlisberger secretly would have preferred his career ended last week, in glory. |
| Liss | The Steelers are getting way too many points against a team that still hasn't figured it out on offense. Probably recently bias from the blowout between the teams a few weeks ago. I also like the Bengals after a week of rest to their key guys, facing a Raiders team off an emotional five-quarter war and short week. |
| Payne | I think Arizona completes its late season collapse. Went back and forth a lot on the Bills game; lot of local talk about how tough it is beating Belichick twice in a season. |
| Del Don | I'm interested to see how the weather affects the Buffalo/New England matchup ... The 49ers quietly led the NFL in yards per play this season (and were top-five in YPP against). |
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.com. 2009, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2019 and 2020 Staff Picks Champ. Roots for the Patriots.
• Chris Liss: RotoWire Managing Editor, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2018 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.
• Kevin Payne: Staff Writer, Writes our Waiver Wire column. Roots for the Bills. 2021 Staff Picks Champ.
• Dalton Del Don: Fantasy Expert for Yahoo! Sports, 2007 Staff Picks Champ. Roots for the 49ers.
