This article is part of our NFL Staff Picks series.
Scott Pianowski and Mario Puig went 4-2 last week to take the wild-card round. Kevin Payne was one game back at 3-3. None of the writers hit their best bet, however.
The group nailed its lone unanimous pick as the Texans overwhelmed the Steelers, though majority picks went 2-4.
This week, there was no unanimity, but three team got four picks each. Pianowski was the lone outlier on the Broncos, Jeff Erickson was the only writer to give up the points and take the Seahawks and Payne was the lone backer of the underdog Texans.
Erickson, Payne and Puig tabbed the Bills as their best bets, while Pianowski and Nick Whalen went with the Patriots.
Before making your picks, be sure to consult our NFL injury report and the latest fantasy football news. Also check out the weekly projections to see how this week's matchups shape up.
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| MATCHUP | ERICKSON | PIANOWSKI | WHALEN | PAYNE | PUIG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bills +1 at Broncos | Bills | Broncos | Bills | Bills | Bills |
| 49ers +7.5 at Seahawks | Seahawks | 49ers | 49ers | 49ers | 49ers |
| Texans +3 at Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Texans | Patriots |
| Rams -3.5 at Bears | Rams | Rams | Bears | Bears | Bears |
| Best Bet | Bills | Patriots | Patriots | Bills | Bills |
| Playoff Record | 2-4 | 4-2 | 2-4 | 3-3 | 4-2 |
| Playoff Best Bet Record | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-1 |
| Playoff Unanimous Pick Record | 1-0 | ||||
| Playoff Majority Pick Record | 2-4 | ||||
| 2025 Regular-Season Record | 127-137-8 | 132-132-8 | 118-146-8 | 118-146-8 | 105-159-8 |
| 2025 Best Bet Record | 9-9 | 5-13 | 9-9 | 5-12-1 | 7-11 |
| 2025 Unanimous Pick Record | 7-12-1 | ||||
| 2025 Majority Pick Record | 103-161-8 | ||||
| 2024 Playoff Record | 7-5-1 | 5-7-1 | 4-8-1 | 5-7-1 | N/A |
| 2023 Playoff Record | 10-3 | 8-5 | 6-7 | 9-4 | N/A |
| 2022 Playoff Record | 7-5-1 | 5-7-1 | 6-6-1 | 8-4-1 | N/A |
| 2021 Playoff Record | 7-6 | 9-4 | NA | 7-6 | N/A |
| 2020 Playoff Record | 5-8 | 8-5 | NA | 6-7 | N/A |
| 2019 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | NA | 4-7 | N/A |
| 2018 Playoff Record | 3-6-1 | 1-8-1 | NA | N/A | N/A |
| 2017 Playoff Record | 5-6 | 5-6 | NA | N/A | N/A |
| 2016 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | NA | N/A | N/A |
| 2015 Playoff Record | 5-6 | 2-9 | NA | N/A | N/A |
| 2014 Playoff Record | 10-1 | 5-6 | NA | N/A | N/A |
| 2013 Playoff Record | 5-4-2 | 3-6-2 | NA | N/A | N/A |
| 2012 Playoff Record | 4-6-1 | 5-5-1 | NA | N/A | N/A |
| 2011 Playoff Record | 8-3 | 5-6 | NA | N/A | N/A |
| 2010 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | NA | N/A | N/A |
| 2009 Playoff Record | 5-6 | 4-7 | NA | N/A | N/A |
| 2008 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | NA | N/A | N/A |
| 2007 Playoff Record | 8-3 | 3-8 | NA | N/A | N/A |
| 2006 Playoff Record | 7-4 | N/A | NA | N/A | N/A |
| 2005 Playoff Record | 5-6 | N/A | NA | N/A | N/A |
| 2004 Playoff Record | 6-5 | N/A | NA | N/A | N/A |
| 2003 Playoff Record | 6-5 | N/A | NA | N/A | N/A |
| 2002 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 7-4 | NA | N/A | N/A |
| 2001 Playoff Record | 6-4-1 | 7-3-1 | NA | N/A | N/A |
| 2024 Record | 131-138-3 | 121-148-3 | 127-142-3 | 138-131-3 | N/A |
| 2023 Record | 133-131-8 | 125-139-8 | 129-135-8 | 140-124-8 | N/A |
| 2022 Record | 127-136-8 | 149-114-8 | 124-139-8 | 131-132-8 | N/A |
| 2021 Record | 129-140-3 | 134-135-3 | N/A | 145-124-3 | N/A |
| 2020 Record | 121-127-8 | 128-120-8 | N/A | 115-133-8 | N/A |
| 2019 Record | 126-124-6 | 140-110-6 | N/A | 127-123-6 | N/A |
| 2018 Record | 125-122-9 | 134-113-9 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2017 Record | 117-125-14 | 128-114-14 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2016 Record | 140-111-5 | 130-121-5 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2015 Record | 134-114-8 | 120-128-8 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2014 Record | 123-128-5 | 140-111-5 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2013 Record | 132-114-10 | 118-128-10 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2012 Record | 110-140-6 | 125-125-6 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2011 Record | 121-128-7 | 134-115-7 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2010 Record | 129-122-5 | 134-117-5 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2009 Record | 123-130-3 | 132-121-3 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2008 Record | 132-114-10 | 128-118-10 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2007 Record | 127-120 | 118-129 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 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 | Call this what you want — an endorsement of Josh Allen, an admittance of my total wrongness last week, a distrust of Bo Nix ... it all applies. I feel least confident about Texans-Pats. |
| Pianowski | Low level of confidence with every pick, but I'm excited for the matchups. I do think eventually Houston will have to pay for that mediocre offense, and Chicago can't keep pulling off these miraculous comebacks. |
| Whalen | I fully expect the Houston defense to give the Pats problems, but I also don't expect another multi-turnover game from Drake Maye. Meanwhile, the Texans likely will be without Nico Collins against a Pats defense that completely shut down the Chargers last week. |
| Payne | Played the reverse jinx last week with my Bills. This week, went all dogs, including the Bills, who have the best player on the field in Josh Allen. |
| Puig | The Bills defense can be bullied in the ground game and threatened with speed through the air, but the Broncos don't have a robust power running game and Bo Nix's inability to force the ball downfield should make it easier for the Bills' corners to pounce downward, where they're most comfortable. |
The players:
• Jeff Erickson: RotoWire Senior Editor, 2001, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2016 Staff Picks champ. Writes the Weekly Rankings. Roots for the Bengals.
• Scott Pianowski: Fantasy expert for Yahoo! Sports, and also contributes to RotoWire. 2009, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2025 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, 2023 and 2024 Staff Picks champ. Roots for the Bills.
• Mario Puig: RotoWire Senior Football Writer. Writes the WR vs. CB Matchup Report. Roots for the Packers.
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