Staff Picks: Titans and Panthers

Staff Picks: Titans and Panthers

This article is part of our NFL Picks series.

Payne and I won the week at 10-6, but he's now in first by a five-game margin over DDD and six over me. 

This week, we all like the Titans and Panthers, and Pianowski made the Panthers his best bet, while Payne chose the Titans. 

 EricksonPianowskiLissPayneDel Don
49ers -3.5 at TitansTitansTitansTitansTitansTitans
Browns +7 at PackersPackersPackersPackersPackersBrowns
Colts pick 'em at CardinalsColtsColtsColtsCardinalsColts
Buccaneers -11 at PanthersPanthersPanthersPanthersPanthersPanthers
Giants +10 at EaglesEaglesGiantsGiantsGiantsGiants
Chargers -9.5 at TexansChargersTexansTexansTexansTexans
Lions +6 at FalconsFalconsLionsFalconsFalconsFalcons
Ravens +2.5 at BengalsBengalsRavensRavensBengalsRavens 
Rams -3 at VikingsVikingsVikingsVikingsRamsVikings
Jaguars +2.5 at JetsJetsJaguarsJetsJetsJets
Bills +2.5 at PatriotsPatriotsBillsPatriotsBillsPatriots
Bears +6.5 at SeahawksBearsBearsBearsSeahawksBears
Steelers +8.5 at ChiefsSteelersSteelersSteelersSteelersChiefs
Broncos +1 at RaidersRaidersRaidersRaidersRaiders Broncos 
Football Team +10.5 at CowboysTeamCowboysCowboysTeamCowboys 
Dolphins +3 at SaintsDolphinsSaintsDolphinsDolphinsSaints
Best BetRaidersPanthersRavensTitansVikings
Last Week's Record9-78-810-610-66-10
2021 Record105-116-3107-114112-109-3118-103-3113-108-3
2021 Best Bet Record10-59-610-510-55-10
Unanimous Pick Record23-24    
Majority Pick Record109-112-3    
2020 Record121-127-8128-120-8118-130-8

Payne and I won the week at 10-6, but he's now in first by a five-game margin over DDD and six over me. 

This week, we all like the Titans and Panthers, and Pianowski made the Panthers his best bet, while Payne chose the Titans. 

 EricksonPianowskiLissPayneDel Don
49ers -3.5 at TitansTitansTitansTitansTitansTitans
Browns +7 at PackersPackersPackersPackersPackersBrowns
Colts pick 'em at CardinalsColtsColtsColtsCardinalsColts
Buccaneers -11 at PanthersPanthersPanthersPanthersPanthersPanthers
Giants +10 at EaglesEaglesGiantsGiantsGiantsGiants
Chargers -9.5 at TexansChargersTexansTexansTexansTexans
Lions +6 at FalconsFalconsLionsFalconsFalconsFalcons
Ravens +2.5 at BengalsBengalsRavensRavensBengalsRavens 
Rams -3 at VikingsVikingsVikingsVikingsRamsVikings
Jaguars +2.5 at JetsJetsJaguarsJetsJetsJets
Bills +2.5 at PatriotsPatriotsBillsPatriotsBillsPatriots
Bears +6.5 at SeahawksBearsBearsBearsSeahawksBears
Steelers +8.5 at ChiefsSteelersSteelersSteelersSteelersChiefs
Broncos +1 at RaidersRaidersRaidersRaidersRaiders Broncos 
Football Team +10.5 at CowboysTeamCowboysCowboysTeamCowboys 
Dolphins +3 at SaintsDolphinsSaintsDolphinsDolphinsSaints
Best BetRaidersPanthersRavensTitansVikings
Last Week's Record9-78-810-610-66-10
2021 Record105-116-3107-114112-109-3118-103-3113-108-3
2021 Best Bet Record10-59-610-510-55-10
Unanimous Pick Record23-24    
Majority Pick Record109-112-3    
2020 Record121-127-8128-120-8118-130-8115-133-8118-130-8
2019 Record126-124-6140-110-6127-123-6127-123-6134-116-6
2018 Record125-122-9134-113-9141-106-9N/A120-127-9
2017 Record117-125-14128-114-14117-125-14N/A98-144-14
2016 Record140-111-5130-121-5123-128-5N/A132-119-5
2015 Record134-114-8120-128-8114-134-8N/A121-127-8
2014 Record123-128-5140-111-5135-116-5N/A128-123-5
2013 Record132-114-10118-128-10123-123-10N/A128-118-10
2012 Record110-140-6125-125-6121-129-6N/A123-127-6
2011 Record121-128-7134-115-7124-125-7N/A127-122-7
2010 Record129-122-5134-117-5126-125-5N/A134-117-5
2009 Record123-130-3132-121-3131-122-3N/A126-127-3
2008 Record132-114-10128-118-10124-122-10N/A130-116-10
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

This week, we have two unanimous picks: the Titans and the Panthers. We went 3-3 on unanimous picks last week, winning with the Bengals, Lions and Bills, but losing with the Giants, Patriots and Falcons, to bring our record to 23-24 on the year. We went 8-8 on majority picks (three or more writers) to go 109-112-3 on the year. We went 17-23 on unanimous picks and 118-130-8 on majority picks in 2020. 

WriterComment
EricksonDrew Lock is starting, and while that's probably better for the Broncos long-term --  one more chance to see if they have anything with him -- I'm dubious. The Raiders beat them in Denver earlier and are treated as not deserving of any home field advantage. I also like the Bengals as my second pick.
PianowskiCarolina's a team with many problems, but given the personnel Tampa Bay is down, that line doesn't make sense to me.
LissI like the Colts as a pick 'em over a soft Cardinals run defense. I also like the Panthers getting 11 at home against a depleted Tampa receiving corps and the Ravens to bounce back against the Bengals. 
PayneI almost feel like you should take the team that's least affected by players going on the COVID-19 list, although it's usually at the last minute. I'm not sure Vegas has caught up with the fact that the Texans are a different team with Davis Mills under center.
Del DonThe Vikings could easily be three-point favorites not dogs, and that's before factoring in the Rams traveling after playing Tuesday night. 

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.

• 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
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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