NFL Picks: Browns, Bears and 49ers

NFL Picks: Browns, Bears and 49ers

This article is part of our NFL Picks series.

Erickson had a 14-game lead at one point, but after a 5-10 week, it's down to only 10, though keep in mind 10 is essentially insurmountable in a contest like this with only four weeks to play. There's zero percent chance he chokes this away, so there's no point in even speculating on whether it would be the greatest collapse of all time because it cannot happen.

We have three consensus picks this week, the Browns, Bears and 49ers. Ugly is the new beautiful.

EricksonPianowskiLissStopaDel Don
Raiders +3 at ChiefsChiefsRaidersChiefsChiefsChiefs
Broncos +1 at TitansTitansTitansBroncosBroncosTitans
Chargers +1 at PanthersPanthersPanthersPanthersChargersPanthers
Texans +6 at ColtsColtsTexansTexansTexansTexans
Bengals -6 at BrownsBrownsBrownsBrownsBrownsBrowns
Steelers -2 at BillsBillsBillsBillsSteelersBills
Cardinals +1 at DolphinsDolphinsDolphinsDolphinsCardinalsDolphins
Bears +8.5 at LionsBearsBearsBearsBearsBears
Vikings -3.5 at JaguarsVikingsVikingsJaguarsVikingsJaguars
Redskins -1 at EaglesRedskinsRedskinsRedskinsRedskinsEagles
Saints +2.5 at BuccaneersBuccaneersBuccaneersBuccaneersSaintsBuccaneers
Jets +2.5 at 49ers 49ers49ers49ers49ers49ers
Seahawks -2.5 at PackersPackersSeahawksPackersSeahawksPackers
Falcons -6 at RamsRamsRamsRamsFalconsRams
Cowboys -3 at GiantsCowboysGiantsGiantsCowboysGiants
Ravens +7.5 at PatriotsPatriotsRavensRavensPatriotsPatriots
Best BetBuccaneersRavensBillsChargersPatriots
Last week's Record5-108-78-76-98-7
2016
Erickson had a 14-game lead at one point, but after a 5-10 week, it's down to only 10, though keep in mind 10 is essentially insurmountable in a contest like this with only four weeks to play. There's zero percent chance he chokes this away, so there's no point in even speculating on whether it would be the greatest collapse of all time because it cannot happen.

We have three consensus picks this week, the Browns, Bears and 49ers. Ugly is the new beautiful.

EricksonPianowskiLissStopaDel Don
Raiders +3 at ChiefsChiefsRaidersChiefsChiefsChiefs
Broncos +1 at TitansTitansTitansBroncosBroncosTitans
Chargers +1 at PanthersPanthersPanthersPanthersChargersPanthers
Texans +6 at ColtsColtsTexansTexansTexansTexans
Bengals -6 at BrownsBrownsBrownsBrownsBrownsBrowns
Steelers -2 at BillsBillsBillsBillsSteelersBills
Cardinals +1 at DolphinsDolphinsDolphinsDolphinsCardinalsDolphins
Bears +8.5 at LionsBearsBearsBearsBearsBears
Vikings -3.5 at JaguarsVikingsVikingsJaguarsVikingsJaguars
Redskins -1 at EaglesRedskinsRedskinsRedskinsRedskinsEagles
Saints +2.5 at BuccaneersBuccaneersBuccaneersBuccaneersSaintsBuccaneers
Jets +2.5 at 49ers 49ers49ers49ers49ers49ers
Seahawks -2.5 at PackersPackersSeahawksPackersSeahawksPackers
Falcons -6 at RamsRamsRamsRamsFalconsRams
Cowboys -3 at GiantsCowboysGiantsGiantsCowboysGiants
Ravens +7.5 at PatriotsPatriotsRavensRavensPatriotsPatriots
Best BetBuccaneersRavensBillsChargersPatriots
Last week's Record5-108-78-76-98-7
2016 Record107-81-495-93-491-97-486-102-497-91-4
Best Bet Record7-68-57-66-78-5
2016 Unanimous Pick Record21-15-2
2016 Majority Pick Record97-91-4
2015 Record134-114-8120-128-8114-134-8127-121-8121-127-8
2014 Record123-128-5140-111-5135-116-5124-127-5128-123-5
2013 Record132-114-10118-128-10123-123-10111-135-10128-118-10
2012 Record110-140-6125-125-6121-129-6143-107-6123-127-6
2011 Record121-128-7134-115-7124-125-7123-126-7127-122-7
2010 Record129-122-5134-117-5126-125-5136-115-5134-117-5
2009 Record123-130-3132-121-3131-122-3130-123-3126-127-3
2008 Record132-114-10128-118-10124-122-10125-121-10130-116-10
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

Unanimous/Majority Picks

This week we have three unanimous picks, the Browns, Bears and 49ers. We went 1-1 on unanimous picks last week, winning with the Patriots and losing with the Bills to bring our season record to 21-15-2. We went 7-8 on majority (three or more writers) picks to bring our season record to 97-91-4.

Comments:

WriterComment
EricksonI'm coming off my worst week by far, and I think it's because of the changing nature of the NFL. Teams aren't what they were at the start of the season, and I was slow to pick up on that last week. For instance, I whiffed badly on Colts-Jets, two teams that have move drastically in opposite directions. The Bucs are another such team, as their defense is infinitely better than it was earlier this year.
PianowskiBaltimore traditionally plays the Patriots well, and while New England is still a solid team, there are a few leaks to be plugged. The Ravens can at least hang around, maybe win outright.
LissI had the Bills as three-point favorites at home against a Steelers team that doesn't travel well, so I love getting two. I also like the Chiefs at home on the short week against the Raiders.
StopaNow is when it gets tough to tell if teams like the Jets and Panthers had one bad week or have mailed it in altogether. I'll go with the latter.
Del DonI like the Pats in this spot (would be essentially a pick 'em in Baltimore), but I also wouldn't feel great at all laying that many points with the Lions, so the Bears would be my second best bet.

The players:

• Jeff Erickson: RotoWire Senior editor, 2001, 2008, 2013, 2015 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 and 2014 Staff Picks Champ. Roots for the Patriots.

• Chris Liss: RotoWire Managing Editor, 2000, 2002, 2006 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.

• Mark Stopa: Staff Writer, 2010, 2012 Staff Picks Champ, Writes Run 'N' Shoot. 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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