Staff Picks

Written by

Published on December 29, 2021

I'm pretty sure this was a first in 22 years of doing this column -- all five writers went 8-8 ATS last week! That's good news for Payne who still sits atop the field with a five game lead over DDD and six over me with two weeks to go.

This week we have another rarity: no unanimous picks.

	Erickson	Pianowski	Liss	Payne	Del Don
Raiders +6.5 at Colts	Colts	Colts	Colts	Colts	Raiders
Giants +6 at Bears	Bears	Bears	Giants	Giants	Bears
Buccaneers -13 at Jets	Buccaneers	Buccaneers	Jets	Jets	Buccaneers
Falcons +14.5 at Bills	Falcons	Falcons	Bills	Falcons	Bills
Eagles -3.5 at Team	Eagles	Team	Team	Team	Team
Chiefs -5 at Bengals	Chiefs	Bengals	Chiefs	Bengals	Bengals
Jaguars +15 at Patriots	Jaguars	Patriots	Patriots	Patriots	Patriots
Dolphins +3.5 at Titans	Dolphins	Dolphins	Dolphins	Titans	Dolphins
Rams -3.5 at Ravens	Rams	Ravens	Ravens	Rams	Ravens
Broncos +5.5 at Chargers	Broncos	Broncos	Chargers	Broncos	Broncos
Texans +12.5 at 49ers	Texans	Texans	49ers	49ers	Texans
Cardinals +5.5 at Cowboys	Cowboys	Cardinals	Cowboys	Cardinals	Cowboys
Panthers +7 at Saints	Saints	Saints	Saints	Panthers	Panthers
Lions +7 at Seahawks	Lions	Lions	Lions	Seahawks	Lions
Viking +6.5 at Packers	Packers	Vikings	Vikings	Vikings	Vikings
Browns -3 at Steelers	Browns	Steelers	Steelers	Steelers	Steelers
Best Bet	Eagles	Lions	Steelers	Broncos	Patriots
Last Week's Record	8-8	8-8	8-8	8-8	8-8
2021 Record	113-124-3	115-122-3	120-117-3	126-111-3	121-116-3
2021 Best Bet Record	11-5	9-7	10-6	11-5	5-11
Unanimous Pick Record	24-25
Majority

This week we have another rarity: no unanimous picks.

	Erickson	Pianowski	Liss	Payne	Del Don
Raiders +6.5 at Colts	Colts	Colts	Colts	Colts	Raiders
Giants +6 at Bears	Bears	Bears	Giants	Giants	Bears
Buccaneers -13 at Jets	Buccaneers	Buccaneers	Jets	Jets	Buccaneers
Falcons +14.5 at Bills	Falcons	Falcons	Bills	Falcons	Bills
Eagles -3.5 at Team	Eagles	Team	Team	Team	Team
Chiefs -5 at Bengals	Chiefs	Bengals	Chiefs	Bengals	Bengals
Jaguars +15 at Patriots	Jaguars	Patriots	Patriots	Patriots	Patriots
Dolphins +3.5 at Titans	Dolphins	Dolphins	Dolphins	Titans	Dolphins
Rams -3.5 at Ravens	Rams	Ravens	Ravens	Rams	Ravens
Broncos +5.5 at Chargers	Broncos	Broncos	Chargers	Broncos	Broncos
Texans +12.5 at 49ers	Texans	Texans	49ers	49ers	Texans
Cardinals +5.5 at Cowboys	Cowboys	Cardinals	Cowboys	Cardinals	Cowboys
Panthers +7 at Saints	Saints	Saints	Saints	Panthers	Panthers
Lions +7 at Seahawks	Lions	Lions	Lions	Seahawks	Lions
Viking +6.5 at Packers	Packers	Vikings	Vikings	Vikings	Vikings
Browns -3 at Steelers	Browns	Steelers	Steelers	Steelers	Steelers
Best Bet	Eagles	Lions	Steelers	Broncos	Patriots
Last Week's Record	8-8	8-8	8-8	8-8	8-8
2021 Record	113-124-3	115-122-3	120-117-3	126-111-3	121-116-3
2021 Best Bet Record	11-5	9-7	10-6	11-5	5-11
Unanimous Pick Record	24-25
Majority Pick Record	117-120-3
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 no unanimous picks. We went 1-1 on unanimous picks last week, winning with the Titans, but losing with the Panthers, to bring our record to 24-25 on the year. We went 8-8 on majority picks (three or more writers) to go 117-120-3 on the year. We went 17-23 on unanimous picks and 118-130-8 on majority picks in 2020.

Writer	Comment
Erickson	I'm equally high on the Eagles and Rams, by a large gap over the lines, to the extent that both qualify as "what am I missing?" games.
Pianowski	I feel like Mike Damone with the picks this year. Woke up in a great mood, and I don't know what the hell happened.
Liss	I like the Steelers getting three at home on Monday night after being embarrassed last week. I also like the Vikings getting 6.5 in Green Bay -- they beat the Packers earlier and hang with all the league's best teams.
Payne	Denver loves to run the ball, and the Chargers couldn't stop Rex Burkhead. Which double-digit favorite loses outright this week?
Del Don	Pats coming off two losses against Trevor Lawrence feels like an obvious blowout, but I'll be the sucker and lay the wood.

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.