Wherever you’re spending the holidays, I wish you good weather.
Around the NFL, freezing temperatures, snow and wind—and in some cases, a combination of all three—are expected to affect the playoff race and Round 2 of the fantasy playoffs.
There are no such concerns for the five-game NBA slate on Christmas Day.
So grab a coat and some hot cocoa and lock in those lineups and wagers for the weekend.
In today’s Winners Club you’ll find:
- NFL week 16 schedule and spreads
- SI Sportsbook’s Perfect 10 contest
- NFL ATS and prop bets
- NBA Christmas schedule and picks
- Fantasy football projections, rankings and more
NFL Week 16 Game Lines
What’s at stake this weekend across the league? A whole lot.
The Bills can clinch the AFC East, the Bengals can secure a playoff berth, the Ravens can lock up a playoff spot (in the most complex fashion), the Chargers can end their playoff drought, the Eagles can clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC and the Giants can punch their ticket back to the postseason.
The Saints-Browns over/under (31.5) is one of the lowest we’ve seen in nearly a decade with an even lower than expected temperature for kickoff in Cleveland. Eagles-Cowboys is the game of the week and backup quarterback Gardner Minshew is set to start for Philadelphia in place of Jalen Hurts. He’s not the only backup taking the field this week as Tyler Huntley is set to start once again for the Ravens and third-string quarterback Trace McSorley is under the bright lights of Sunday Night Football for the Cardinals as they host the Buccaneers.
The Christmas Day slate likely fell short of the schedule makers’ expectations considering three of the six teams playing have already been eliminated from playoff contention (Cardinals, Rams, Broncos).
Participate in SI Sportsbook’s Perfect 10 contest for FREE in Week 16, which carries a $10,000 prize. Just pick 10 games against the spread to enter. And find out which teams my colleagues are on this week; I’m backing the Broncos.
If you prefer prop bet markets, Jen Piacenti has you covered with five picks.
Saturday
1 p.m. ET (CBS): Bills (-8.5) vs. Bears | Total: 40.5
1 p.m. ET (CBS): Saints vs. Browns (-2.5) | Total: 31.5
1 p.m. ET (CBS): Texans vs. Titans (-3.5) | Total: 36
1 p.m. ET (Fox): Seahawks vs. Chiefs (-12.5) | Total: 48.5
1 p.m. ET (Fox): Giants vs. Vikings (-6.5) | Total: 48.5
1 p.m. ET (CBS): Bengals (-4.5) vs. Patriots | Total: 41.5
1 p.m. ET (Fox): Lions (-2.5) vs. Panthers | Total: 43.5
1 p.m. ET (Fox): Falcons vs. Ravens (-7.5) | Total: 36.5
4:05 p.m. ET (CBS): Commanders vs. 49ers (-7.5) | Total: 38
4:25 p.m. (Fox): Eagles vs. Cowboys (-4.5) | Total: 47
8:15 p.m. ET (NFL Network): Raiders vs. Steelers (-2.5) | Total: 38.5
Ed Zurga/AP
Sunday
1 p.m. ET (Fox): Packers vs. Dolphins (-3.5) | Total: 49.5
4:30 p.m. ET (CBS): Broncos (-2.5) vs. Rams | Total: 36.5
8:20 p.m. ET (NBC): Buccaneers (-6.5) vs. Cardinals | Total: 40.5
Monday
8:15 p.m. ET (ESPN): Chargers (-4.5) vs. Colts | Total: 45.5
NBA Christmas Day Betting Breakdown
After a day off for Christmas Eve, there’s games all day long on Christmas Day featuring many of the league’s best teams and players.
An injury to Steph Curry takes some of the intrigue out of the Grizzlies-Warriors playoff rematch, but it’s still bound to be a good game with no love lost between the two teams. There’s another postseason rematch going on between the Bucks and Celtics in Boston that pits the top teams in the East against one another.
The 76ers-Knicks matchup is one to watch as well given New York’s recent winning streak and the scoring tear Joel Embiid has been on for weeks. Back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokić’s Nuggets host the Suns, who may be without Devin Booker. And in the contest with the largest spread of the day, Lakers-Mavericks, there’s still plenty of reason to tune in with LeBron James and Luka Dončić on the court.
Keep reading to get a betting breakdown and pick for all five games.
12 p.m. ET (ABC, ESPN): 76ers (-1.5) vs. Knicks | Total: 218.5
PHI-NYK Betting Preview and Picks
2:30 p.m. ET (ABC, ESPN): Lakers vs. Mavericks (-7.5) | Total: 225.5
LAL-DAL Betting Preview and Picks
5 p.m. ET (ABC, ESPN): Bucks vs. Celtics (-4.5) | Total: 224.5
MIL-BOS Betting Preview and Picks
Michael McLoone/USA TODAY Sports
8 p.m. ET (ABC, ESPN): Grizzlies (-4.5) vs. Warriors | Total: 228.5
MEM-GS Betting Preview and Picks
10:30 p.m. ET (ABC, ESPN): Suns vs. Nuggets (-3.5) | Total: 230.5
PHX-DEN Betting Preview and Picks
Fantasy Football Lineup Calls
Round 1 is done and you’re now one step closer to the championship, trophy and bragging rights. Don’t get complacent and be sure to keep tabs on the weather in the cities where your fantasy stars are playing and adjust accordingly.
Consult the interactive tools below to put out the best possible lineup out this week.
Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: QB | RB | WR | TE | K & D/ST
Defense vs. Position Matchup Info
Joe Nicholson/USA TODAY Sports
In Other News
Alabama Signs No. 1 Recruiting Class: With 27 verbal commitments, the Crimson Tide have another top-ranked class after the first day of the early signing period. Alabama, Texas, Miami and LSU round out the top five classes. See who makes up the top 25.
Revisiting College Basketball Preseason Picks: Nearly two months into the men’s hoops season, Kevin Sweeney is rethinking some of his picks based on what he’s seen so far. But there’s a few predictions he’s doubling down on.
NFL Coaching Carousel Preview: Two NFL teams have fired their coaches in 2022 (Colts and Panthers), but a few more coaching vacancies could open depending on how the end of the season unfolds. Find out which surprise jobs could be up for grabs and which coaching candidates are considered the top choices.
Thanks for reading Winners Club and enjoy your holiday weekend! I hope it’s capped off by a winning performance by your fantasy football team(s).
I’ll talk to you again on Tuesday. Stay warm!