Staff Picks: Super Bowl

Staff Picks: Super Bowl

This article is part of our NFL Staff Picks series.

Scott Pianowski, Kevin Payne and Dalton Del Don swept the conference championships while Jeff Erickson and Nick Whalen split. Payne, Del Don and Erickson lead the playoff standings at 9-3. 

Pianowski joined Del Don in staying perfect on playoff best bets, each improving to 3-0. 

Majority picks went 2-0 to improve to 9-3 in the playoffs.

The gang wraps up a season of picking games with the Super Bowl this week — and the postseason picking crown in the balance.

Erickson, Whalen and Del Don like the underdog Chiefs while Pianowski and Payne are riding with the 49ers. 

If the Chiefs win, Erickson and Del Don will tie for the postseason title. If the 49ers win, Payne, the regular-season champ, will sweep the season. 

Thanks for reading all year. Good luck picking the Super Bowl. We'll see you next season. 

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

MATCHUPERICKSONPIANOWSKIWHALENPAYNEDEL DON
49ers -2 vs. ChiefsChiefs49ersChiefs49ersChiefs
Last Week Record1-12-01-12-02-0
Playoff Record9-38-45-79-39-3
Playoff Best Bet Record2-13-01-22-13-0
Playoff Unanimous Pick Record2-0    
Playoff Majority Pick Record9-3    
2023 Regular-Season Record133-131-8125-139-8129-135-8140-124-8127-137-8
2023 Best Bet Record9-8-110-7-111-79-97-11
2023 Unanimous Pick Record19-16-1    
2023 Majority Pick Record128-136-8    
2022

Scott Pianowski, Kevin Payne and Dalton Del Don swept the conference championships while Jeff Erickson and Nick Whalen split. Payne, Del Don and Erickson lead the playoff standings at 9-3. 

Pianowski joined Del Don in staying perfect on playoff best bets, each improving to 3-0. 

Majority picks went 2-0 to improve to 9-3 in the playoffs.

The gang wraps up a season of picking games with the Super Bowl this week — and the postseason picking crown in the balance.

Erickson, Whalen and Del Don like the underdog Chiefs while Pianowski and Payne are riding with the 49ers. 

If the Chiefs win, Erickson and Del Don will tie for the postseason title. If the 49ers win, Payne, the regular-season champ, will sweep the season. 

Thanks for reading all year. Good luck picking the Super Bowl. We'll see you next season. 

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

MATCHUPERICKSONPIANOWSKIWHALENPAYNEDEL DON
49ers -2 vs. ChiefsChiefs49ersChiefs49ersChiefs
Last Week Record1-12-01-12-02-0
Playoff Record9-38-45-79-39-3
Playoff Best Bet Record2-13-01-22-13-0
Playoff Unanimous Pick Record2-0    
Playoff Majority Pick Record9-3    
2023 Regular-Season Record133-131-8125-139-8129-135-8140-124-8127-137-8
2023 Best Bet Record9-8-110-7-111-79-97-11
2023 Unanimous Pick Record19-16-1    
2023 Majority Pick Record128-136-8    
2022 Playoff Record7-5-15-7-16-6-18-4-17-5-1
2021 Playoff Record7-69-4NA7-68-5
2020 Playoff Record5-88-5NA6-77-6
2019 Playoff Record6-55-6NA4-77-4
2018 Playoff Record3-6-11-8-1NAN/A2-7-1
2017 Playoff Record5-65-6NAN/A2-9
2016 Playoff Record6-55-6NAN/A6-5
2015 Playoff Record5-62-9NAN/A1-10
2014 Playoff Record10-15-6NAN/A9-2
2013 Playoff Record5-4-23-6-2NAN/A4-5-2
2012 Playoff Record4-6-15-5-1NAN/A8-2-1
2011 Playoff Record8-35-6NAN/A7-4
2010 Playoff Record6-55-6NAN/A8-3
2009 Playoff Record5-64-7NAN/A5-6
2008 Playoff Record6-55-6NAN/A4-7
2007 Playoff Record8-33-8NAN/A2-9
2006 Playoff Record7-4N/ANAN/AN/A
2005 Playoff Record5-6N/ANAN/AN/A
2004 Playoff Record6-5N/ANAN/AN/A
2003 Playoff Record6-5N/ANAN/AN/A
2002 Playoff Record6-57-4NAN/AN/A
2001 Playoff Record6-4-17-3-1NAN/AN/A
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
EricksonI think that the Chiefs have the better defense at this point, and have fixed some, if not all, of their offensive woes. Favorite props: Christian McCaffrey more than 90.5 rush yards, Isiah Pacheco more than 16.5 carries, and Justin Watson less than 17.5 receiving yards.
PianowskiGame probably should be a pick'em, but even at -2 you're probably just choosing a winner, and I feel better about San Francisco's balance. The key is getting Brock Purdy to settle down quickly; Purdy started very poorly against both Green Bay and Detroit, and the Niners were lucky to survive both games. But I can't ignore San Francisco's overall depth advantage. 
WhalenIf it's a crime to be cliche and say I'm afraid to bet against Patrick Mahomes at this point, then lock me up. The Niners might be the more talented team, but KC is playing better now and won't commit the same mistakes that Green Bay and Detroit did to allow San Francisco to survive back-to-back letdowns.
PayneI have a bad feeling the points might come in play and was surprised at this line thinking KC would be favored by a point or two. It's going to come down to the 49ers' offense vs the Chiefs' defense, and I think the 49ers win that battle despite how good the Chiefs have been in the playoffs.
Del DonThe Chiefs' defense has allowed the fewest yards per play when healthy this season, so there's certainly an argument this is Patrick Mahomes' best team yet (despite the misconception it's one of his worst thanks to his glaringly weak WRs). I'll be rooting hard for the 49ers as a fan (and someone with an SF futures bet), but Mahomes as an underdog is my pick. 

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 and 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 and 2023 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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