This article is part of our NFL Picks series.
Last week was solid for the staff, with the exception of Erickson, but he's a Bengals fan, so I'm assuming he's okay. This year's regular season winner, Payne, leads in the playoffs too, but he's not sitting on the ball -- he's the only writer on the Rams, while the other four of us made the 49ers our best bets.
Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Payne | Del Don | |
| Bengals +7 at Chiefs | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Chiefs | Chiefs |
| 49ers +3.5 at Rams | 49ers | 49ers | 49ers | Rams | 49ers |
| Best Bet | 49ers | 49ers | 49ers | Rams | 49ers |
| Last week's Record | 0-4 | 3-1 | 3-1 | 3-1 | 2-2 |
| Playoff Record | 4-6 | 6-4 | 5-5 | 7-3 | 6-4 |
| Playoff Best Bet Record | 1-1 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 2-0 | 2-0 |
| Unanimous Pick Record | 29-26 | ||||
| Majority Pick Record | 135-134-3 | ||||
| 2021 Best Bet Record | 12-6 | 10-8 | 12-6 | 12-6 | 7-11 |
| 2020 Playoff Record | 5-8 | 8-5 | 8-5 | 6-7 | 7-6 |
| 2019 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | 6-5 | 4-7 | 7-4 |
| 2018 Playoff Record | 3-6-1 | 1-8-1 | 3-6-1 | N/A | 2-7-1 |
| 2017 Playoff Record | 5-6 | 5-6 | 5-6 | N/A | 2-9 |
| 2016 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | 6-5 | N/A | 6-5 |
| 2015 Playoff Record | 5-6 | 2-9 | 3-8 | N/A | 1-10 |
| 2014 Playoff Record | 10-1 | 5-6 | 9-2 | N/A | 9-2 |
| 2013 Playoff Record | 5-4-2 | 3-6-2 | 4-5-2 | N/A | 4-5-2 |
| 2012 Playoff Record | 4-6-1 | 5-5-1 | 6-4-1 | N/A | 8-2-1 |
| 2011 Playoff Record | 8-3 | 5-6 | 9-2 | N/A | 7-4 |
| 2010 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | 5-6 | N/A | 8-3 |
| 2009 Playoff Record | 5-6 | 4-7 | 1-10 | N/A | 5-6 |
| 2008 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | 5-6 | N/A | 4-7 |
| 2007 Playoff Record | 8-3 | 3-8 |
Last week was solid for the staff, with the exception of Erickson, but he's a Bengals fan, so I'm assuming he's okay. This year's regular season winner, Payne, leads in the playoffs too, but he's not sitting on the ball -- he's the only writer on the Rams, while the other four of us made the 49ers our best bets.
Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Payne | Del Don | |
| Bengals +7 at Chiefs | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Chiefs | Chiefs |
| 49ers +3.5 at Rams | 49ers | 49ers | 49ers | Rams | 49ers |
| Best Bet | 49ers | 49ers | 49ers | Rams | 49ers |
| Last week's Record | 0-4 | 3-1 | 3-1 | 3-1 | 2-2 |
| Playoff Record | 4-6 | 6-4 | 5-5 | 7-3 | 6-4 |
| Playoff Best Bet Record | 1-1 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 2-0 | 2-0 |
| Unanimous Pick Record | 29-26 | ||||
| Majority Pick Record | 135-134-3 | ||||
| 2021 Best Bet Record | 12-6 | 10-8 | 12-6 | 12-6 | 7-11 |
| 2020 Playoff Record | 5-8 | 8-5 | 8-5 | 6-7 | 7-6 |
| 2019 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | 6-5 | 4-7 | 7-4 |
| 2018 Playoff Record | 3-6-1 | 1-8-1 | 3-6-1 | N/A | 2-7-1 |
| 2017 Playoff Record | 5-6 | 5-6 | 5-6 | N/A | 2-9 |
| 2016 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | 6-5 | N/A | 6-5 |
| 2015 Playoff Record | 5-6 | 2-9 | 3-8 | N/A | 1-10 |
| 2014 Playoff Record | 10-1 | 5-6 | 9-2 | N/A | 9-2 |
| 2013 Playoff Record | 5-4-2 | 3-6-2 | 4-5-2 | N/A | 4-5-2 |
| 2012 Playoff Record | 4-6-1 | 5-5-1 | 6-4-1 | N/A | 8-2-1 |
| 2011 Playoff Record | 8-3 | 5-6 | 9-2 | N/A | 7-4 |
| 2010 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | 5-6 | N/A | 8-3 |
| 2009 Playoff Record | 5-6 | 4-7 | 1-10 | N/A | 5-6 |
| 2008 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | 5-6 | N/A | 4-7 |
| 2007 Playoff Record | 8-3 | 3-8 | 6-5 | N/A | 2-9 |
| 2006 Playoff Record | 7-4 | N/A | 4-7 | N/A | N/A |
| 2005 Playoff Record | 5-6 | N/A | 3-8 | N/A | N/A |
| 2004 Playoff Record | 6-5 | N/A | 4-7 | N/A | N/A |
| 2003 Playoff Record | 6-5 | N/A | 4-7 | N/A | N/A |
| 2002 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 7-4 | 5-6 | N/A | N/A |
| 2001 Playoff Record | 6-4-1 | 7-3-1 | 4-6-1 | N/A | N/A |
| 2021 Record | 129-140-3 | 134-135-3 | 139-130-3 | 145-124-3 | 136-133-3 |
| 2020 Record | 121-127-8 | 128-120-8 | 118-130-8 | 115-133-8 | 118-130-8 |
| 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 no unanimous picks. We had no unanimous picks last week either. We went 29-26 on unanimous picks and 135-134-3 on majority picks (three or more writers on the year. We went 17-23 on unanimous picks and 118-130-8 on majority picks in 2020.
| Writer | Comment |
|---|---|
| Erickson | This is the matchup that the Niners wanted -- a team they've proven that they can beat, with a shorter trip instead of going cross-country. Trent Williams' health is obviously a big factor, but I like them to win outright, let alone getting the 3.5 points. |
| Pianowski | San Francisco wants to manage Jimmy Garoppolo in this game; I'll look for props that play into that. As for the Bengals, I suspect KC might come in slightly flat emotionally after emptying the reservoir last week. Of course it's a long game and the Chiefs will eventually be heard from, and deservedly are favored. But I won't be surprised if KC starts a little sluggishly, similar to the Pittsburgh game earlier in these playoffs. |
| Liss | The Trent Williams injury is big, but I see these as roughly equal teams, the home field advantage is small (same time zone, no weather issues) and I don't like the way the Rams closed out last week. |
| Payne | I'm probably a sucker for continuing to take the Rams. My Brain says the Chiefs can't be beat but for some reason I don't see them winning this whole thing. |
| Del Don | The final four everyone expected. |
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, 2019 and 2020 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. 2021 Staff Picks Champ.
• Dalton Del Don: Fantasy Expert for Yahoo! Sports, 2007 Staff Picks Champ. Roots for the 49ers.
