There are so many different ways to make your picks for Week 16 of the NFL season on DraftKings and DraftKings Sportsbook. The DraftKings Pick ‘Em Pools are one of the best ways to get in on the action.
DraftKings has huge NFL Pick ‘Em Pools for Week 16. You can enter the $5 NFL Week 16 Spreads Pool with $4,000+ in prizes here. You can also enter the $100 NFL Week 16 Spreads Pool with $3,000+ in prizes here.
NFL Pick ‘Em Pools
These pools are effortless to use and allow you to have action for the entire NFL season with just one entry fee. For the season-long pools, each week you will go back to the pool and pick five games on the slate against the spread. Each correct selection is worth one point. You will also be given one “skip week” during the season, where you don’t need to make picks if you don’t have a good feel for that slate. That way, even if you have one bad week, you are still in contention in the contest. You can also play the weekly pools, in which you pick every featured game against the spread.
Every week of the regular season, I will be giving out my five favorite selections along with my leans for every other game on the slate.
Week 16 Picks
Ravens -2.5 vs. Patriots — The Ravens dominated the Bengals 24-0 to keep their playoff hopes alive last week. They trail the Steelers by one game in the AFC North, and both teams have tough games this week. The two teams also finish the season by facing off in a game that could decide the division. So, the Ravens want to keep the momentum going and beat a Patriots team coming off a loss against the Bills. This game is very similar for New England, except on the road instead of at home. Both teams are fighting for playoff positioning, outdoors in cold weather and it should have the feel of a playoff game. Despite the Patriots’ strong start last week, the Bills came back to win the game.
These games that have a playoff atmosphere and playoff implications require experience, just like real playoff games. Josh Allen and the Bills showed their playoff experience last week, and Lamar Jackson and the Ravens should do the same this week. This will be arguably the toughest game of Drake Maye’s career, on the road with a hostile Baltimore crowd in cold weather. Meanwhile, the Ravens’ rushing attack should gash the Patriots’ run defense, which has struggled the past few weeks. Derrick Henry should control the game, and Lamar Jackson should make the winning plays down the stretch to cover this short spread.
Seahawks -1.5 vs. Rams — This is one of the biggest games of the NFL season. The winner will be in the driver’s seat for the No. 1 seed in the NFC, while the loser will be fighting for a Wildcard spot the last two weeks of the season. The difference between getting a first-round bye and having to go on the road for the Wildcard Round will dramatically shift the Super Bowl odds for these two teams. I’m backing the Seahawks to be the team to get it done.
In the first matchup between these teams, Sam Darnold threw four interceptions. Despite him playing the worst game of his career since he was “seeing ghosts” with the Jets, the Rams narrowly won the game by two points. After watching the tape of that game, Darnold should put forward a much better effort this time around. The Seahawks are also at home for this game, and they have one of the best home-field advantages in the NFL. The Seattle defense is playing on another level. They have surpassed the Rams’ defense in both EPA/play and success rate in recent weeks, now ranking second behind only the Texans in defensive EPA/play. The Seattle defense should dominate, and at home, Darnold should play well enough to win the game.
Falcons -2.5 @ Cardinals — The Falcons are coming off a dramatic comeback win over the Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football last week. That means the Falcons got an extra couple of days to rest, which offsets the fact that they need to travel across the country for this game. Kirk Cousins isn’t mobile and has made some bad throws since taking over, but he will still let it fly as he did late in the game against Tampa Bay. Arizona ranks 31st in the NFL in defensive dropback success rate, so Cousins should keep it moving through the air. Between Drake London and Bijan Robinson, the Falcons have the two most talented players in this game. They should create enough special plays between the two of them to ensure the Falcons beat the Cardinals, who have lost six straight coming into this one.
Jaguars +3.5 @ Broncos — The Jaguars and Broncos are both looking to cling on to slim division leads in the final three weeks of the season. Denver has won 11 straight games coming into this weekend, an incredible run by Sean Payton’s group. However, the talent on the team isn’t quite as dominant as the team’s record reflects. The Jaguars are also playing their best football of the season, having won five straight. Since Week 9, the Jaguars rank higher than the Broncos in both offensive and defensive EPA/play.
These are two rock-solid defenses, with good, not great, quarterbacks and good running games. There isn’t much between these teams, and despite travelling to Denver for this game, the Jaguars shouldn’t be underdogs of more than a field goal. On this 11-game winning streak for Denver, nine have come by one possession and six have come by three points or fewer. The Broncos might find a way to win once again, but I’ll back the Jaguars to keep it within a field goal.
Chargers +1.5 @ Cowboys — The Chargers have grinded out back-to-back wins against the two participants of last season’s Super Bowl. Both teams really needed a win in those games, and the Chargers still took them down. Being able to win close games like that this time of the year is the mark of a great team. The Chargers are elite defensively, ranking third in the NFL in defensive EPA/play since Week 9. They should be up to the task of slowing down the explosive Cowboys offense. Meanwhile, Justin Herbert has made the winning plays when his team needs him. There are still some scheme issues and line issues with the Chargers, but that shouldn’t impact them too much against a poor Cowboys’ defense. I am backing the Chargers to go on the road and beat the Cowboys in Dallas.
Week 16 Leans
Bengals -2.5 at Dolphins
Browns +9.5 vs. Bills
Jets +4.5 at Saints
Bucs -2.5 at Panthers
Vikings -2.5 at Giants
Chiefs -3.5 at Titans
Bengals -2.5 at Dolphins
Texans -14.5 vs. Raiders
Steelers +7.5 at Lions
Colts +6.5 vs. 49ers
