Staff Picks: Backing the 49ers

Staff Picks: Backing the 49ers

This article is part of our NFL Picks series.

DDD won the playoff portion of the Staff picks as he's 7-3, and neither Erickson nor I can catch him because we're all on the 49ers. 

I'm the only writer on the over, for what it's worth. 

 

Erickson

Pianowski

Liss

Payne

Del Don

49ers +1 vs Chiefs49ers49ers49ers49ers49ers
O/U 54.5U 28-24U 27-24O 37-26U 24-21U 27-24
      
Last week's Record1-10-21-11-11-1
2019 Playoff Record6-45-56-44-67-3
Playoff Best Bet Record2-11-22-11-22-1
Best Bet Record9-89-7-18-912-4-18-9
Unanimous Pick Record27-22-1    
Majority Pick Record130-120-6    
2018 Playoff Record3-6-11-8-13-6-1N/A2-7-1
2017 Playoff Record5-65-65-6N/A2-9
2016 Playoff Record6-55-66-5N/A6-5
2015 Playoff Record5-62-93-8N/A1-10
2014 Playoff Record10-15-69-2N/A9-2
2013 Playoff Record5-4-23-6-24-5-2N/A4-5-2
2012 Playoff Record4-6-15-5-16-4-1N/A8-2-1
2011 Playoff Record8-35-69-2N/A7-4
2010 Playoff Record6-55-65-6N/A8-3
2009 Playoff Record5-64-71-10N/A5-6
2008 Playoff Record6-55-65-6N/A4-7
2007 Playoff Record8-33-86-5N/A2-9
2006 Playoff Record7-4N/A4-7N/AN/A
2005 Playoff Record5-6N/A3-8N/AN/A
2004 Playoff Record6-5N/A4-7N/AN/A
2003 Playoff Record6-5N/A4-7N/AN/A
2002 Playoff Record6-57-45-6N/AN/A
2001 Playoff Record6-4-17-3-14-6-1N/AN/A
2019 Record126-124-6140-110-6127-123-6127-123-6134-116-6
2018 Record125-122-9134-113-9141-106-9N/A120-127-9
2017 Record117-125-14128-114-14117-125-14N/A98-144-14
2016 Record140-111-5130-121-5123-128-5N/A132-119-5
2015 Record134-114-8120-128-8114-134-8N/A121-127-8
2014 Record123-128-5140-111-5135-116-5N/A128-123-5
2013 Record132-114-10118-128-10123-123-10N/A128-118-10
2012 Record110-140-6125-125-6121-129-6N/A123-127-6
2011 Record121-128-7134-115-7124-125-7N/A127-122-7
2010 Record129-122-5134-117-5126-125-5N/A134-117-5
2009 Record123-130-3132-121-3131-122-3N/A126-127-3
2008 Record132-114-10128-118-10124-122-10N/A130-116-10
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

This week we're all on the 49ers. Last week, we lost our only unanimous pick, the Titans, to go 2-1 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. 

WriterComment
EricksonThe NFC was the better conference this year, and the Niners went through a gauntlet of a schedule to get here. They were the more convincing team in the playoffs, too. Finally, I'm buying into the theory that the team with the better defense is more likely to prevail, especially in a two-week cycle.
PianowskiIn spots like this, I generally want the defensive team. The Niners are also the more physical team. The X-factor is Jimmy Garoppolo; the Niners have hidden him for two weeks but probably can't in this game. Is he ready for his close up?
LissThe better defense usually has the edge in Super Bowls, so I'm on the 49ers. I wrote about this at length in Beating the Book. I'm the only one on the over -- I see this being like the Raiders-Bucs 2003 game where the Bucs got out to a huge lead, and the Raiders narrowed it somewhat in garbage time. 
PayneFrom what I can tell everyone is pounding the over so I'll take the under. The game narrative makes sense that if the 49ers defense (the much stronger of the two) does what I expect them too and the 49ers establish the run, both of these should hit. Looking forward to what should be an entertaining game.
Del DonI'm a 49ers season ticket holder and got them at 40:1 before the season, so I'll be rooting for SF, but Patrick Mahomes might be the best football player ever and is obviously terrifying. Andy Reid rarely loses when he gets two weeks, while Kyle Shanahan might be the NFL's current MVP (if not Mahomes). Should be good stuff. 49ers 27-24. 

• 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.

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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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