This is the 21st year of the Staff Picks. All five writers from last year are back, including defending champ Scott Pianowski who won it by a comfortable margin.
For Week 1, we have three unanimous picks, the Panthers, Lions and Bengals. The Bengals also happen to be Pianowski's, DDD's and my best bets.
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Payne | Del Don | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texans +9 at Chiefs | Chiefs | Texans | Texans | Chiefs | Chiefs |
| Dolphins +6.5 at Patriots | Patriots | Dolphins | Patriots | Patriots | Dolphins |
| Browns +8 at Ravens | Browns | Ravens | Ravens | Browns | Ravens |
| Jets +6.5 at Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills | Jets |
| Raiders -3 at Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers |
| Seahawks -1.5 at Falcons | Seahawks | Seahawks | Seahawks | Falcons | Seahawks |
| Eagles -6 at Football Team | Eagles | Football Team | Football Team | Football Team | Football Team |
| Bears +3 at Lions | Lions | Lions | Lions | Lions | Lions |
| Colts -8 at Jaguars | Jaguars | Jaguars | Colts | Colts | Colts |
| Packers +2.5 at Vikings | Vikings | Packers | Packers | Vikings | Vikings |
| Chargers -3.5 at Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals |
| Cardinals +7 at 49ers | 49ers | Cardinals | 49ers | Cardinals | Cardinals |
| Buccaneers +3.5 at Saints | Saints | Buccaneers | Saints | Saints | Saints |
| Cowboys -3 at Rams | Cowboys | Rams | Cowboys | Cowboys | Cowboys |
| Steelers -6 at Giants | Steelers | Steelers | Steelers | Giants | Steelers |
| Titans pick 'em at Broncos | Broncos | Titans | Titans | Broncos | Broncos |
| Best Bet | Panthers | Bengals | Bengals | Bills | Bengals |
| 2019 Best Bet Record | 9-8 | 9-7-1 | 8-9 | 12-4-1 | 8-9 |
| 2019 Unanimous Pick Record | 23-17-1 | ||||
| 2019 Majority Pick Record | 130-120-6 | ||||
| 2019 Record | 126-124-6 | 140-110-6 | 127-123-6 |
This is the 21st year of the Staff Picks. All five writers from last year are back, including defending champ Scott Pianowski who won it by a comfortable margin.
For Week 1, we have three unanimous picks, the Panthers, Lions and Bengals. The Bengals also happen to be Pianowski's, DDD's and my best bets.
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Payne | Del Don | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texans +9 at Chiefs | Chiefs | Texans | Texans | Chiefs | Chiefs |
| Dolphins +6.5 at Patriots | Patriots | Dolphins | Patriots | Patriots | Dolphins |
| Browns +8 at Ravens | Browns | Ravens | Ravens | Browns | Ravens |
| Jets +6.5 at Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills | Jets |
| Raiders -3 at Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers |
| Seahawks -1.5 at Falcons | Seahawks | Seahawks | Seahawks | Falcons | Seahawks |
| Eagles -6 at Football Team | Eagles | Football Team | Football Team | Football Team | Football Team |
| Bears +3 at Lions | Lions | Lions | Lions | Lions | Lions |
| Colts -8 at Jaguars | Jaguars | Jaguars | Colts | Colts | Colts |
| Packers +2.5 at Vikings | Vikings | Packers | Packers | Vikings | Vikings |
| Chargers -3.5 at Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals |
| Cardinals +7 at 49ers | 49ers | Cardinals | 49ers | Cardinals | Cardinals |
| Buccaneers +3.5 at Saints | Saints | Buccaneers | Saints | Saints | Saints |
| Cowboys -3 at Rams | Cowboys | Rams | Cowboys | Cowboys | Cowboys |
| Steelers -6 at Giants | Steelers | Steelers | Steelers | Giants | Steelers |
| Titans pick 'em at Broncos | Broncos | Titans | Titans | Broncos | Broncos |
| Best Bet | Panthers | Bengals | Bengals | Bills | Bengals |
| 2019 Best Bet Record | 9-8 | 9-7-1 | 8-9 | 12-4-1 | 8-9 |
| 2019 Unanimous Pick Record | 23-17-1 | ||||
| 2019 Majority Pick Record | 130-120-6 | ||||
| 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 three unanimous picks, the Panthers, Lions and Bengals. We were 23-17-1 on unanimous picks and 130-120-6 on majority picks (three or more writers) last year.
| Writer | Comment |
|---|---|
| Erickson | I understand most perceive the Panthers to be one of the dregs of the league, but I don't understand the Raiders being a road favorite, particularly when they have to travel for an early East Coast game. I also really like the Broncos, Niners, and kind of like the Bengals as a pick |
| Pianowski | I'm not only drinking the Joe Burrow Kool-Aid, I've mixed a big batch of it. |
| Liss | I made the Bengals 2.5-point home favorites, and they're getting 3.5. I also like Football Team in this spot. |
| Payne | I'm a homer. I used my favorite team as my best bet. (Payne failed to submit a comment, so I helped him out.) |
| Del Don | I expect Joe Burrow to be good right away, and the rest of Cincy's roster is a bit underrated, so the wrong team is favored here. |
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 and 2019 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.
