NFL Picks: Erickson Goes Back to Back

NFL Picks: Erickson Goes Back to Back

This article is part of our NFL Picks series.

Congratulations to Erickson for winning the Staff Picks title for the second straight year. After a 10-6 week, he has a 10-game lead on DDD and 11 on Pianowski, and neither differs with him on enough games to catch up. Erickson also won in 2013, making it three of the last four seasons.

This week we all like the Giants, Rams and Broncos, and both Pianowski and Stopa have the Broncos as their best bets. Erickson and me both have the Jets as ours.

Like last week when Stopa blocked four would-be unanimous picks (they went 3-1), this week he's blocking the Jets, Colts, Eagles and Dolphins.

EricksonPianowskiLissStopaDel Don
Texans +3 at TitansTexansTitansTexansTexansTitans
Bills -3.5 at JetsJetsJetsJetsBillsJets
Ravens +2.5 at BengalsBengalsRavensRavensRavensBengals
Jaguars +4.5 at ColtsColtsColtsColtsJaguarsColts
Cowboys +4 at EaglesEaglesEaglesEaglesCowboysEagles
Bears +5 at VikingsVikingsBearsBearsBearsBears
Panthers +6 at BuccaneersBuccaneersPanthersPanthersPanthersPanthers
Browns +6 at SteelersSteelersBrownsBrownsSteelersSteelers
Patriots -9.5 at DolphinsDolphinsDolphinsDolphinsPatriotsDolphins
Giants +8 at RedskinsGiantsGiantsGiantsGiantsGiants
Saints +6.5 at FalconsFalconsSaintsSaintsFalconsSaints
Cardinals -6 at RamsRamsRamsRamsRamsRams
Chiefs -5.5 at ChargersChiefsChargersChargersChiefsChargers
Seahawks -9.5 at 49ersSeahawksSeahawks49ers49ersSeahawks
Raiders +1.5 at BroncosBroncosBroncosBroncosBroncosBroncos
Packers -3.5
Congratulations to Erickson for winning the Staff Picks title for the second straight year. After a 10-6 week, he has a 10-game lead on DDD and 11 on Pianowski, and neither differs with him on enough games to catch up. Erickson also won in 2013, making it three of the last four seasons.

This week we all like the Giants, Rams and Broncos, and both Pianowski and Stopa have the Broncos as their best bets. Erickson and me both have the Jets as ours.

Like last week when Stopa blocked four would-be unanimous picks (they went 3-1), this week he's blocking the Jets, Colts, Eagles and Dolphins.

EricksonPianowskiLissStopaDel Don
Texans +3 at TitansTexansTitansTexansTexansTitans
Bills -3.5 at JetsJetsJetsJetsBillsJets
Ravens +2.5 at BengalsBengalsRavensRavensRavensBengals
Jaguars +4.5 at ColtsColtsColtsColtsJaguarsColts
Cowboys +4 at EaglesEaglesEaglesEaglesCowboysEagles
Bears +5 at VikingsVikingsBearsBearsBearsBears
Panthers +6 at BuccaneersBuccaneersPanthersPanthersPanthersPanthers
Browns +6 at SteelersSteelersBrownsBrownsSteelersSteelers
Patriots -9.5 at DolphinsDolphinsDolphinsDolphinsPatriotsDolphins
Giants +8 at RedskinsGiantsGiantsGiantsGiantsGiants
Saints +6.5 at FalconsFalconsSaintsSaintsFalconsSaints
Cardinals -6 at RamsRamsRamsRamsRamsRams
Chiefs -5.5 at ChargersChiefsChargersChargersChiefsChargers
Seahawks -9.5 at 49ersSeahawksSeahawks49ers49ersSeahawks
Raiders +1.5 at BroncosBroncosBroncosBroncosBroncosBroncos
Packers -3.5 at LionsLionsLionsLionsLionsPackers
Best BetJetsBroncosJetsBroncosPackers
Last week's Record10-68-88-86-107-9
2016 Record133-102-5122-113-5115-120-5108-127-5123-112-5
Best Bet Record10-610-68-86-109-7
2016 Unanimous Pick Record25-20-2
2016 Majority Pick Record125-110-5
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 Giants, Rams and Broncos. We went 1-2 on unanimous picks last week, winning with the Jaguars and losing with the Rams and Texans to bring our season record to 25-20-2. We went 8-8 on majority (three or more writers) picks to bring our season record to 125-110-5.

Comments:

WriterComment
EricksonYikes, I'm making a really crappy, dysfunctional team my best bet. But the opposing team is almost trying to lose by benching its starting quarterback just to save theoretical money. Then again, there might be the "fired coach dead cat bounce." This is a crappy week, and trying to pick based on motivation is a dangerous business. Once the game starts, they're professionals playing football and not trying hard will get them killed out there. So I'm trying not to read too much into motivations, absent guessing which teams will not play their stars.
PianowskiThe Broncos defense is still elite, and now it's at home against a team that doesn't match it's record, plus a backup quarterback. I found myself oddly decisive in Week 17, not what I expected given the uncertainty of the week. But again, there's nothing necessarily predictive to that.
LissI know the Jets are bad, but getting 3.5 at home against EJ Manuel seems excessive. I also like the Colts, Ravens and Broncos.
StopaIt's Week 17. Fade the teams that need to win, and take the points.
Del DonWeek 17 is such a crap shoot (even more so than usual), so I mostly just took the points... I do believe in the Packers at this point though.

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 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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