This article is part of our NFL Picks series.
Overall it was an okay week for the Staff -- no one went worse than 7-9, and we were 2-1 on unanimous picks. DDD and Payne won the week at 10-6, putting them atop the standings two games ahead of Pianowski.
This week, we all like the Browns, Colts, Eagles and Ravens, and all four were also used as best bets by different writers.
Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Payne | Del Don | |
| Giants +3.5 at Football Team | Football Team | Football Team | Football Team | Giants | Giants |
| Saints -3.5 at Panthers | Saints | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers |
| Texans +12.5 at Browns | Browns | Browns | Browns | Browns | Browns |
| Bengals +3 at Bears | Bears | Bengals | Bears | Bears | Bengals |
| Raiders +5.5 at Steelers | Steelers | Steelers | Raiders | Steelers | Raiders |
| Bills -3.5 at Dolphins | Bills | Dolphins | Dolphins | Bills | Dolphins |
| Rams -4 at Colts | Colts | Colts | Colts | Colts | Colts |
| 49ers -3.5 at Eagles | Eagles | Eagles | Eagles | Eagles | Eagles |
| Broncos -6 at Jaguars | Broncos | Jaguars | Jaguars | Jaguars | Jaguars |
| Patriots -5.5 at Jets | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Jets | Jets |
| Vikings +4.5 at Cardinals | Cardinals | Vikings | Vikings | Vikings | Vikings |
| Falcons +12.5 at Buccaneers | Falcons | Buccaneers | Buccaneers | Falcons | Falcons |
| Titans +5.5 at Seahawks | Seahawks | Titans | Seahawks | Titans | Seahawks |
| Cowboys +3 at Chargers | Chargers | Cowboys | Chargers | Cowboys | Cowboys |
| Chiefs -3.5 at Ravens | Ravens | Ravens | Ravens | Ravens | Ravens |
| Lions +11 at Packers | Packers | Packers | Packers | Packers | Lions |
| Best Bet | Steelers | Ravens | Colts | Eagles | Browns |
| 2021 Record | 7-9 | 8-8 | 7-9 | 10-6 | 10-6 |
| 2021 Best Bet Record | 0-1 | 0-1 | 1-0 |
Overall it was an okay week for the Staff -- no one went worse than 7-9, and we were 2-1 on unanimous picks. DDD and Payne won the week at 10-6, putting them atop the standings two games ahead of Pianowski.
This week, we all like the Browns, Colts, Eagles and Ravens, and all four were also used as best bets by different writers.
Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Payne | Del Don | |
| Giants +3.5 at Football Team | Football Team | Football Team | Football Team | Giants | Giants |
| Saints -3.5 at Panthers | Saints | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers |
| Texans +12.5 at Browns | Browns | Browns | Browns | Browns | Browns |
| Bengals +3 at Bears | Bears | Bengals | Bears | Bears | Bengals |
| Raiders +5.5 at Steelers | Steelers | Steelers | Raiders | Steelers | Raiders |
| Bills -3.5 at Dolphins | Bills | Dolphins | Dolphins | Bills | Dolphins |
| Rams -4 at Colts | Colts | Colts | Colts | Colts | Colts |
| 49ers -3.5 at Eagles | Eagles | Eagles | Eagles | Eagles | Eagles |
| Broncos -6 at Jaguars | Broncos | Jaguars | Jaguars | Jaguars | Jaguars |
| Patriots -5.5 at Jets | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Jets | Jets |
| Vikings +4.5 at Cardinals | Cardinals | Vikings | Vikings | Vikings | Vikings |
| Falcons +12.5 at Buccaneers | Falcons | Buccaneers | Buccaneers | Falcons | Falcons |
| Titans +5.5 at Seahawks | Seahawks | Titans | Seahawks | Titans | Seahawks |
| Cowboys +3 at Chargers | Chargers | Cowboys | Chargers | Cowboys | Cowboys |
| Chiefs -3.5 at Ravens | Ravens | Ravens | Ravens | Ravens | Ravens |
| Lions +11 at Packers | Packers | Packers | Packers | Packers | Lions |
| Best Bet | Steelers | Ravens | Colts | Eagles | Browns |
| 2021 Record | 7-9 | 8-8 | 7-9 | 10-6 | 10-6 |
| 2021 Best Bet Record | 0-1 | 0-1 | 1-0 | 1-0 | 0-1 |
| Unanimous Pick Record | 2-1 | ||||
| Majority Pick Record | 7-9 | ||||
| 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 four unanimous picks: Browns, Colts, Eagles and Ravens. We went 2-1 and unanimous picks last week, winning with the Browns and Eagles, but losing with the Football Team and 7-9 on majority picks (three or more writers.) We went 17-23 on unanimous picks and 118-130-8 on majority picks in 2020.
| Writer | Comment |
|---|---|
| Erickson | Maybe this is recency bias, but the Steelers defense impressed me up in Buffalo, and now they get a home game in the early window against a Raiders team that played on Monday night and has to travel. My personal line in that game was Steelers -10. Second best bet is the Chargers, and I also really like Seattle. |
| Pianowski | Baltimore has a legitimate home-field advantage and I can give them a pass for a fluky loss at Vegas. |
| Liss | I like the Colts getting four at home from a Rams team that has to travel across the country for an early game. I also like the Ravens getting more than a field goal at home, the Panthers, Chargers, Seahawks and Eagles. |
| Payne | I think there will be a hangover after Monday night's win for the Raiders, and now they have to travel to Pittsburgh. The Eagles are getting no respect after last week's win, and I was surprised to see they're getting those points at home. It also can't be easy for the 49ers to travel far two games in a row to start the season plus Jimmy G and rookie running backs don't instill much confidence, either. |
| Del Don | I love this slate overall but a single "best bet" doesn't jump out. I fully expect another dog-heavy weekend, but let's fade the bad Texans coming off a win and grab the Browns coming off a tough loss. |
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.
