This article is part of our NFL Staff Picks series.
Kevin Payne went 9-6-1 last week to improve to 132-116-8 and clinch the 2023 RotoWire Staff Picks title.
Payne has an eight-game lead over Jeff Erickson (124-124-8), but the two differ on only seven picks this week, meaning Erickson can't catch him. Both Nick Whalen and Dalton Del Don are 13 games behind Payne, but Whalen differs on only five picks and Del Don on four.
So, barring any bad math by this column's editor, Payne appears to have won his second staff picks title in the last three years.
Dalton Del Don won last week at 10-5-1, his second 10-win week in a row. Unanimous picks went 2-0, but majority picks were only 6-9-1.
This week, there are a season-high six unanimous picks. The fellas like the Lions, Patriots, Titans, Chargers, Raiders and Bills. Six teams got four votes each. Whalen made the Raiders his best bet, while Scott Pianowski went with the Patriots.
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| MATCHUP | ERICKSON | PIANOWSKI | WHALEN | PAYNE | DEL DON |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers -3.5 at Ravens | Steelers | Ravens | Steelers | Ravens | Ravens |
| Texans -1 at Colts | Colts | Texans | Texans | Colts | Colts |
| Buccaneers -5.5 at Panthers | Buccaneers | Panthers | Buccaneers | Panthers | Buccaneers |
| Browns +6 at Bengals | Browns | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals |
| Vikings +3 at Lions | Lions | Lions | Lions | Lions | Lions |
| Jets +2 at Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots |
| Falcons +3 at Saints | Saints | Falcons | Saints | Saints | Falcons |
| Jaguars -5.5 at Titans | Titans | Titans | Titans | Titans | Titans |
Kevin Payne went 9-6-1 last week to improve to 132-116-8 and clinch the 2023 RotoWire Staff Picks title.
Payne has an eight-game lead over Jeff Erickson (124-124-8), but the two differ on only seven picks this week, meaning Erickson can't catch him. Both Nick Whalen and Dalton Del Don are 13 games behind Payne, but Whalen differs on only five picks and Del Don on four.
So, barring any bad math by this column's editor, Payne appears to have won his second staff picks title in the last three years.
Dalton Del Don won last week at 10-5-1, his second 10-win week in a row. Unanimous picks went 2-0, but majority picks were only 6-9-1.
This week, there are a season-high six unanimous picks. The fellas like the Lions, Patriots, Titans, Chargers, Raiders and Bills. Six teams got four votes each. Whalen made the Raiders his best bet, while Scott Pianowski went with the Patriots.
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| MATCHUP | ERICKSON | PIANOWSKI | WHALEN | PAYNE | DEL DON |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers -3.5 at Ravens | Steelers | Ravens | Steelers | Ravens | Ravens |
| Texans -1 at Colts | Colts | Texans | Texans | Colts | Colts |
| Buccaneers -5.5 at Panthers | Buccaneers | Panthers | Buccaneers | Panthers | Buccaneers |
| Browns +6 at Bengals | Browns | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals |
| Vikings +3 at Lions | Lions | Lions | Lions | Lions | Lions |
| Jets +2 at Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots |
| Falcons +3 at Saints | Saints | Falcons | Saints | Saints | Falcons |
| Jaguars -5.5 at Titans | Titans | Titans | Titans | Titans | Titans |
| Seahawks -3 at Cardinals | Cardinals | Cardinals | Seahawks | Seahawks | Seahawks |
| Bears +3 at Packers | Bears | Bears | Bears | Packers | Bears |
| Chiefs +3 at Chargers | Chargers | Chargers | Chargers | Chargers | Chargers |
| Broncos -2.5 at Raiders | Raiders | Raiders | Raiders | Raiders | Raiders |
| Eagles -5.5 at Giants | Eagles | Giants | Eagles | Giants | Giants |
| Rams +3.5 at 49ers | Rams | Rams | 49ers | 49ers | Rams |
| Cowboys -13 at Commanders | Commanders | Commanders | Cowboys | Commanders | Commanders |
| Bills -3 at Dolphins | Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills |
| Best Bet | Buccaneers | Patriots | Raiders | Commanders | Rams |
| Last Week Record | 6-9-1 | 5-10-1 | 7-8-1 | 9-6-1 | 10-5-1 |
| 2023 Record | 124-124-8 | 116-132-8 | 119-129-8 | 132-116-8 | 119-129-8 |
| 2023 Best Bet Record | 8-8-1 | 10-6-1 | 10-7 | 9-8 | 6-11 |
| 2023 Unanimous Pick Record | 15-14-1 | ||||
| 2023 Majority Pick Record | 119-129-8 | ||||
| 2022 Record | 127-136-8 | 149-114-8 | 124-139-8 | 131-132-8 | 133-130-8 |
| 2021 Record | 129-140-3 | 134-135-3 | N/A | 145-124-3 | 136-133-3 |
| 2020 Record | 121-127-8 | 128-120-8 | N/A | 115-133-8 | 118-130-8 |
| 2019 Record | 126-124-6 | 140-110-6 | N/A | 127-123-6 | 134-116-6 |
| 2018 Record | 125-122-9 | 134-113-9 | N/A | N/A | 120-127-9 |
| 2017 Record | 117-125-14 | 128-114-14 | N/A | N/A | 98-144-14 |
| 2016 Record | 140-111-5 | 130-121-5 | N/A | N/A | 132-119-5 |
| 2015 Record | 134-114-8 | 120-128-8 | N/A | N/A | 121-127-8 |
| 2014 Record | 123-128-5 | 140-111-5 | N/A | N/A | 128-123-5 |
| 2013 Record | 132-114-10 | 118-128-10 | N/A | N/A | 128-118-10 |
| 2012 Record | 110-140-6 | 125-125-6 | N/A | N/A | 123-127-6 |
| 2011 Record | 121-128-7 | 134-115-7 | N/A | N/A | 127-122-7 |
| 2010 Record | 129-122-5 | 134-117-5 | N/A | N/A | 134-117-5 |
| 2009 Record | 123-130-3 | 132-121-3 | N/A | N/A | 126-127-3 |
| 2008 Record | 132-114-10 | 128-118-10 | N/A | N/A | 130-116-10 |
| 2007 Record | 127-120 | 118-129 | N/A | N/A | 130-117 |
| 2006 Record | 118-129 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2005 Record | 121-126 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2004 Record | 124-124 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2003 Record | 121-126 | 118-129 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2002 Record | 113-136 | 123-126 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2001 Record | 124-113 | 117-120 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2000 Record | 123-117 | 134-106 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| WRITER | COMMENT |
|---|---|
| Erickson | When in doubt, bet against the worst team in the league. There's a misconception that eliminated teams won't try in Week 18 — maybe that's true with a recently eliminated team like the Bengals, with almost nothing at stake in that game, but a team like the Bears is going to play hard this week still. Also, pay attention to personal milestones this week when gauging who might play and how much. |
| Pianowski | The usual Week 18 silliness, playing hard or hardly playing? The Patriots haven't quit on their coach, and Bill Belichick hates the Jets like a kid hates vegetables. |
| Whalen | For obvious reasons, this is a tough week to find a best bet that you feel great about, but I like the direction the Raiders have been trending since parting ways with Josh McDaniels. It's a meaningless game for both sides, which introduces a ton of variance, but the Raiders are playing hard for Antonio Pierce and this is his final audition to keep the HC job long-term. |
| Payne | Just because a team has something to play for doesn't mean they'll win. The Bills lost a while back to the Steelers in a do-or-die game to get into the playoffs and lost to Pittsburgh's third strings in Buffalo. |
| Del Don | The Rams are playing extremely well, have more incentive Sunday and are getting 3.5 points. |
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. 2009, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022 Staff Picks champ. Roots for the Patriots.
• Nick Whalen: RotoWire Senior Media Analyst. Writes Beating the Book. Roots for the Jaguars.
• Kevin Payne: RotoWire Staff Writer, 2021 Staff Picks champ. 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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