This article is part of our NFL Picks series.
Last week we did okay, winning our unanimous pick (Titans) and going .500 or better across the board. Unfortunately only Pianowski won his best bet.
This week, we all like the 49ers, and Erickson has them as his best bet. DDD and I have the exact same picks, something that bodes badly for me. Both he and I made the Chiefs our best bets, while Payne took the other side of that with the Texans.
Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Payne | Del Don | |
| Vikings +7 at 49ers | 49ers | 49ers | 49ers | 49ers | 49ers |
| Titans +9.5 at Ravens | Ravens | Ravens | Titans | Ravens | Titans |
| Texans +9.5 at Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs | Texans | Chiefs |
| Seahawks +4 at Packers | Packers | Seahawks | Seahawks | Seahawks | Seahawks |
| Best Bet | 49ers | Ravens | Chiefs | Texans | Chiefs |
| Last week's Record | 2-2 | 3-1 | 2-2 | 2-2 | 3-1 |
| Playoff Best Bet Record | 0-1 | 1-0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-1 |
| Best Bet Record | 9-8 | 9-7-1 | 8-9 | 12-4-1 | 8-9 |
| Unanimous Pick Record | 27-22-1 | ||||
| Majority Pick Record | 130-120-6 | ||||
| 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 |
Last week we did okay, winning our unanimous pick (Titans) and going .500 or better across the board. Unfortunately only Pianowski won his best bet.
This week, we all like the 49ers, and Erickson has them as his best bet. DDD and I have the exact same picks, something that bodes badly for me. Both he and I made the Chiefs our best bets, while Payne took the other side of that with the Texans.
Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Payne | Del Don | |
| Vikings +7 at 49ers | 49ers | 49ers | 49ers | 49ers | 49ers |
| Titans +9.5 at Ravens | Ravens | Ravens | Titans | Ravens | Titans |
| Texans +9.5 at Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs | Texans | Chiefs |
| Seahawks +4 at Packers | Packers | Seahawks | Seahawks | Seahawks | Seahawks |
| Best Bet | 49ers | Ravens | Chiefs | Texans | Chiefs |
| Last week's Record | 2-2 | 3-1 | 2-2 | 2-2 | 3-1 |
| Playoff Best Bet Record | 0-1 | 1-0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-1 |
| Best Bet Record | 9-8 | 9-7-1 | 8-9 | 12-4-1 | 8-9 |
| Unanimous Pick Record | 27-22-1 | ||||
| Majority Pick Record | 130-120-6 | ||||
| 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 |
| 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 49ers. Last week, we won our only unanimous pick, the Titans, to go 1-0 for the playoffs. During the regular season we were 23-17-1 on unanimous picks and 130-120-6 on majority picks (three or more writers). We were 26-21-1 on unanimous picks and 132-115-9 on majority picks in 2018.
| Writer | Comment |
|---|---|
| Erickson | The Vikings were a great redemption story, but they're on short rest this week against a superior team, going on the road for the second week in a row. It ends here, Niners roll. I don't like that I have all favorites, but it's what it is. |
| Pianowski | I respect what the Titans have done the last few months, but they might be satisfied after last week and they can't afford another mediocre passing game against the best team in football. |
| Liss | I like the Chiefs off the bye against a team that just played five physically and emotionally draining quarters of football the previous week. Bill O'Brien isn't a good coach, and Kansas City should shred Houston's average defense. If I had to make a second pick, I'd go with the Seahawks -- unless it's a full-on blizzard, Russell Wilson will keep them in the game. |
| Payne | Kansas City shouldn't be favored by this much against any of the playoffs teams. I wouldn't be surprised if Houston wins outright. |
| Del Don | The Texans aren't very good, are coming off an overtime game and are facing Andy Reid off a bye, so I expect the Chiefs to roll. |
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.
