This article is part of our Staff Picks series.
Each of the pickers went 2-2 on last week's wild-card games, except for Dalton Del Don, who went 1-3. Scott Pianowski was the lone writer to nail his best bet (49ers), while the group missed on it's only unanimous pick (Giants).
Jeff Erickson and Kevin Payne are tied at 6-3-1 for the best playoff record.
This week, there is no unanimous pick. Pianowski was the sole holdout with the 49ers and Payne and Del Don defied the majority going with the Chiefs over the Bengals, both of whom made Kansas City his best bet.
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| MATCHUP | ERICKSON | PIANOWSKI | WHALEN | PAYNE | DEL DON |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers +2.5 at Eagles | Eagles | 49ers | Eagles | Eagles | Eagles |
| Bengals -1 at Chiefs | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Chiefs | Chiefs |
| Best Bet | Eagles | 49ers | Bengals | Chiefs | Chiefs |
| Last Week's Record | 2-2 | 2-2 | 2-2 | 2-2 | 1-3 |
| Playoff Record | 6-3-1 | 4-5-1 | 5-4-1 | 6-3-1 | 4-5-1 |
| Playoff Best Bet Record | 1-1 | 1-0-1 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 0-2 |
| 2022 Regular-Season Record | 127-136-8 | 149-114-8 | 124-139-8 | 131-132-8 | 133-130-8 |
| 2022 Regular-Season Best Bet Record | 8-10 | 8-9-1 | 9-9 | 8-9-1 | 10-8 |
| 2022 Unanimous Pick Record | 13-12-3 | ||||
| 2022 Majority Pick Record | 134-138-9 | ||||
| 2021 Playoff Record | 7-6 | 9-4 | NA | 7-6 | 8-5 |
| 2020 Playoff Record | 5-8 | 8-5 | NA | 6-7 | 7-6 |
| 2019 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | NA | 4-7 | 7-4 |
| 2018 Playoff Record | 3-6-1 | 1-8-1 | NA | N/A | 2-7-1 |
| 2017 Playoff Record | 5-6 | 5-6 | NA | N/A | 2-9 |
| 2016 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | NA | N/A | 6-5 |
Each of the pickers went 2-2 on last week's wild-card games, except for Dalton Del Don, who went 1-3. Scott Pianowski was the lone writer to nail his best bet (49ers), while the group missed on it's only unanimous pick (Giants).
Jeff Erickson and Kevin Payne are tied at 6-3-1 for the best playoff record.
This week, there is no unanimous pick. Pianowski was the sole holdout with the 49ers and Payne and Del Don defied the majority going with the Chiefs over the Bengals, both of whom made Kansas City his best bet.
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| MATCHUP | ERICKSON | PIANOWSKI | WHALEN | PAYNE | DEL DON |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers +2.5 at Eagles | Eagles | 49ers | Eagles | Eagles | Eagles |
| Bengals -1 at Chiefs | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Chiefs | Chiefs |
| Best Bet | Eagles | 49ers | Bengals | Chiefs | Chiefs |
| Last Week's Record | 2-2 | 2-2 | 2-2 | 2-2 | 1-3 |
| Playoff Record | 6-3-1 | 4-5-1 | 5-4-1 | 6-3-1 | 4-5-1 |
| Playoff Best Bet Record | 1-1 | 1-0-1 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 0-2 |
| 2022 Regular-Season Record | 127-136-8 | 149-114-8 | 124-139-8 | 131-132-8 | 133-130-8 |
| 2022 Regular-Season Best Bet Record | 8-10 | 8-9-1 | 9-9 | 8-9-1 | 10-8 |
| 2022 Unanimous Pick Record | 13-12-3 | ||||
| 2022 Majority Pick Record | 134-138-9 | ||||
| 2021 Playoff Record | 7-6 | 9-4 | NA | 7-6 | 8-5 |
| 2020 Playoff Record | 5-8 | 8-5 | NA | 6-7 | 7-6 |
| 2019 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | NA | 4-7 | 7-4 |
| 2018 Playoff Record | 3-6-1 | 1-8-1 | NA | N/A | 2-7-1 |
| 2017 Playoff Record | 5-6 | 5-6 | NA | N/A | 2-9 |
| 2016 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | NA | N/A | 6-5 |
| 2015 Playoff Record | 5-6 | 2-9 | NA | N/A | 1-10 |
| 2014 Playoff Record | 10-1 | 5-6 | NA | N/A | 9-2 |
| 2013 Playoff Record | 5-4-2 | 3-6-2 | NA | N/A | 4-5-2 |
| 2012 Playoff Record | 4-6-1 | 5-5-1 | NA | N/A | 8-2-1 |
| 2011 Playoff Record | 8-3 | 5-6 | NA | N/A | 7-4 |
| 2010 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | NA | N/A | 8-3 |
| 2009 Playoff Record | 5-6 | 4-7 | NA | N/A | 5-6 |
| 2008 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | NA | N/A | 4-7 |
| 2007 Playoff Record | 8-3 | 3-8 | NA | N/A | 2-9 |
| 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 |
| 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 | Not really a best bet here, as I truly think that these are two well-matched games. I think the Eagles pass rush gets to Brock Purdy, and that their wideouts do enough damage against the Niners' secondary to get them the win. It's also crazy how much the line has fluctuated in KC-CIN, but I'm currently seeing it as CIN -1.0. |
| Pianowski | Nothing I'll pound the table over, though I won't change the San Francisco pick. I'm going back and forth on the other game. Obviously, we don't know what version of Patrick Mahomes we're going to get, and that's gigantic. |
| Whalen | Even with a fully healthy Patrick Mahomes, I view these teams as relative equals. I don't see the Bengals running away with this game like they did last week in Buffalo, but they've been the most consistent team in the AFC on both sides of the ball most of the year. |
| Payne | I don't trust Brock Purdy as nice of a story as it has been. Everyone is on the Bengals, think the Chiefs find a way at home. |
| Del Don | The KC line has been affected by Patrick Mahomes' injury a little more than I expected. The NFC line seems just right. |
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 and 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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