This article is part of our NFL Picks series.
This is the 21st year of the Staff Picks. All five writers from last year are back, including defending champ Scott Pianowski who won it by a comfortable margin.
For Week 1, we have three unanimous picks, the Panthers, Lions and Bengals. The Bengals also happen to be Pianowski's, DDD's and my best bets.
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Payne | Del Don | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texans +9 at Chiefs | Chiefs | Texans | Texans | Chiefs | Chiefs |
| Dolphins +6.5 at Patriots | Patriots | Dolphins | Patriots | Patriots | Dolphins |
| Browns +8 at Ravens | Browns | Ravens | Ravens | Browns | Ravens |
| Jets +6.5 at Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills | Jets |
| Raiders -3 at Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers |
| Seahawks -1.5 at Falcons | Seahawks | Seahawks | Seahawks | Falcons | Seahawks |
| Eagles -6 at Football Team | Eagles | Football Team | Football Team | Football Team | Football Team |
| Bears +3 at Lions | Lions | Lions | Lions | Lions | Lions |
| Colts -8 at Jaguars | Jaguars | Jaguars | Colts | Colts | Colts |
| Packers +2.5 at Vikings | Vikings | Packers | Packers | Vikings | Vikings |
| Chargers -3.5 at Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals |
| Cardinals +7 at 49ers | 49ers | Cardinals | 49ers | Cardinals | Cardinals |
| Buccaneers +3.5 at Saints | Saints | Buccaneers | Saints | Saints | Saints |
| Cowboys -3 at Rams | Cowboys | Rams | Cowboys | Cowboys | Cowboys |
| Steelers -6 at Giants | Steelers | Steelers | Steelers | Giants | Steelers |
| Titans pick 'em at Broncos | Broncos | Titans | Titans | Broncos | Broncos |
| Best Bet | Panthers | Bengals | Bengals | Bills | Bengals |
| 2019 Best Bet Record | 9-8 | 9-7-1 | 8-9 | 12-4-1 | 8-9 |
| 2019 Unanimous Pick Record | 23-17-1 | ||||
| 2019 Majority Pick Record | 130-120-6 | ||||
| 2019 Record | 126-124-6 | 140-110-6 | 127-123-6 |
This is the 21st year of the Staff Picks. All five writers from last year are back, including defending champ Scott Pianowski who won it by a comfortable margin.
For Week 1, we have three unanimous picks, the Panthers, Lions and Bengals. The Bengals also happen to be Pianowski's, DDD's and my best bets.
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Payne | Del Don | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texans +9 at Chiefs | Chiefs | Texans | Texans | Chiefs | Chiefs |
| Dolphins +6.5 at Patriots | Patriots | Dolphins | Patriots | Patriots | Dolphins |
| Browns +8 at Ravens | Browns | Ravens | Ravens | Browns | Ravens |
| Jets +6.5 at Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills | Jets |
| Raiders -3 at Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers |
| Seahawks -1.5 at Falcons | Seahawks | Seahawks | Seahawks | Falcons | Seahawks |
| Eagles -6 at Football Team | Eagles | Football Team | Football Team | Football Team | Football Team |
| Bears +3 at Lions | Lions | Lions | Lions | Lions | Lions |
| Colts -8 at Jaguars | Jaguars | Jaguars | Colts | Colts | Colts |
| Packers +2.5 at Vikings | Vikings | Packers | Packers | Vikings | Vikings |
| Chargers -3.5 at Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals |
| Cardinals +7 at 49ers | 49ers | Cardinals | 49ers | Cardinals | Cardinals |
| Buccaneers +3.5 at Saints | Saints | Buccaneers | Saints | Saints | Saints |
| Cowboys -3 at Rams | Cowboys | Rams | Cowboys | Cowboys | Cowboys |
| Steelers -6 at Giants | Steelers | Steelers | Steelers | Giants | Steelers |
| Titans pick 'em at Broncos | Broncos | Titans | Titans | Broncos | Broncos |
| Best Bet | Panthers | Bengals | Bengals | Bills | Bengals |
| 2019 Best Bet Record | 9-8 | 9-7-1 | 8-9 | 12-4-1 | 8-9 |
| 2019 Unanimous Pick Record | 23-17-1 | ||||
| 2019 Majority Pick Record | 130-120-6 | ||||
| 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 three unanimous picks, the Panthers, Lions and Bengals. We were 23-17-1 on unanimous picks and 130-120-6 on majority picks (three or more writers) last year.
| Writer | Comment |
|---|---|
| Erickson | I understand most perceive the Panthers to be one of the dregs of the league, but I don't understand the Raiders being a road favorite, particularly when they have to travel for an early East Coast game. I also really like the Broncos, Niners, and kind of like the Bengals as a pick |
| Pianowski | I'm not only drinking the Joe Burrow Kool-Aid, I've mixed a big batch of it. |
| Liss | I made the Bengals 2.5-point home favorites, and they're getting 3.5. I also like Football Team in this spot. |
| Payne | I'm a homer. I used my favorite team as my best bet. (Payne failed to submit a comment, so I helped him out.) |
| Del Don | I expect Joe Burrow to be good right away, and the rest of Cincy's roster is a bit underrated, so the wrong team is favored here. |
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.
