It’s become commonplace in DFS now and it’s a term that’s frequently thrown around. “Stack” or “Stacking” is heavily referenced whenever you hear “experts” talking about winning in DFS. Let me make one thing clear. First of all, I’m no expert and second of all stacking isn’t the only way to win. Stacking is a very boom or bust proposition more often than not but it isn’t the end all be all. There needs to be a purpose when stacking. We’re not just going into contests and blindly stacking teams for unrealistic, farfetched potential correlation plays, they have to make sense.
This is my breakdown as part of a regular series of articles I’ll produce every week of the NFL season and it will break down what stacks I’m looking to build around in GPP contests for that particular week. Some weeks I’ll dive into four or five stacks but others there could only be two or three I have my eye on. Remember, there’s no sense in stacking just because you heard it repeated 87 times on the radio.
Stacks That I Have My Eye On
Below I’ll break down the particular stacks I’m interested and delve into it based on matchup, ability, predicted game script, and collective salary while picking an opposing player or two to run that stack back with if appropriate.*Note: All pricing is DraftKings focused
Dallas Cowboys (at Washington Football Team)
QB Dak Prescott, WR CeeDee Lamb, WR Amari Cooper
Washington has been susceptible to the receiver position allowing 35.70, 28.10, 25.70, and 35.50 DK points to the position over their last four games. Dallas will have to throw the ball here to be affective as Washington has defended the run well and even if they didn’t Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard (questionable) are both banged up. In a game that Dak will get Amari Cooper back, and at a discount I may add, and have CeeDee Lamb in a tremendous matchup out of the slot, this should be a high-volue throwing affair in what is expected to be a high-scoring game.
Run it back: WR Terry McLaurin
The player that most will roster from Washington this week is running back Antonio Gibson. With that being said no one will roster McLaurin in what could prove to be a smash spot against an aggressive Trevon Diggs likely following him around. While Diggs is a ballhawk, he’s shown that he can be beaten on the deep ball. McLaurin has seen at least seven targets in 11 of his last 12 games with the outlier being last week. In his last two games against Dallas McLaurin has 14 receptions (seven in each game) for 182 yards and a touchdown.
Buffalo Bills (at Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
QB Josh Allen, WR Stefon Diggs, TE Dawson Knox
In one of the higher-profile games of the week looking to the Buffalo Bills core as a stack against a Buccaneers teams that has trouble stopping the pass but are effective at running the ball. Lucky for Buffalo they hardly try to run the ball unless it’s Josh Allen calling his own number for the most part. Speaking of Allen, there are a number of paths to production for him in this game and he is game script agnostic. Because of his ability to run and the volume in which he throws the ball he should be one of the higher-owned Quarterback’s on the slate. Dawson Knox being back in the fold provides another weapon for Allen and one that will navigate the middle of the field well. Knox has seen two red-zone targets in each of his last three games and on the season has 13-such targets in total this season and that’s while missing two games. On the outside, Stefon Diggs has seen seven, nine, six, and 13 targets over his last four games while finding the end zone four times.
Run it back: RB Leonard Fournette
Speaking of game script agnostic Fournette falls into that category. Buffalo can’t defend the run as evidenced over the production they’ve seen against them of late. Fournette has been a machine running and receiving the ball with seven, seven, six, and eight receptions over his last four games.
San Fransico 49ers (at Cincinnati Bengals)
QB Jimmy Garoppolo, TE George Kittle
It’s not often that we look to stack the 49ers passing game but in this case, with so much uncertainty in the backfield and a good matchup through the air, it’s hard to overlook Jimmy G and his standout tight end George Kittle. Kittle is coming off of a monster effort last week and could parlay that into this week against a Bengals team that has allowed 100 or more receiving yards OR a touchdown to the tight end position in four of their last five games. Jimmy is a great value at $5,800 and IF Deebo Samuel ($8,000) plays I would consider adding him in here.
Run it back: WR Tee Higgins
Earlier this season Ja’Marr Chase was Joe Burrow’s go-to guy but as the opposition has adjusted, the pass game has prospered with Tee Higgins seeing eight and 14 targets over the past two weeks. Those targets have resulted in over 100 yards in each game with a score in each contest.
Also consider:
Kansas City Chiefs: QB Patrick Mahomes, WR Tyreek Hill, RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Seattle Seahawks: QB Russell Wilson, WR D.K. Metcalf, WR Tyler Lockett
GOOD LUCK!!
In one of the higher-profile games of the week looking to the Buffalo Bills core as a stack against a Buccaneers teams that has trouble stopping the pass but are effective at running the ball. Lucky for Buffalo they hardly try to run the ball unless it’s Josh Allen calling his own number for the most part. Speaking of Allen, there are a number of paths to production for him in this game and he is game script agnostic. Because of his ability to run and the volume in which he throws the ball he should be one of the higher-owned Quarterback’s on the slate. Dawson Knox being back in the fold provides another weapon for Allen and one that will navigate the middle of the field well. Knox has seen two red-zone targets in each of his last three games and on the season has 13-such targets in total this season and that’s while missing two games. On the outside, Stefon Diggs has seen seven, nine, six, and 13 targets over his last four games while finding the end zone four times.
Run it back: RB Leonard Fournette
Speaking of game script agnostic Fournette falls into that category. Buffalo can’t defend the run as evidenced over the production they’ve seen against them of late. Fournette has been a machine running and receiving the ball with seven, seven, six, and eight receptions over his last four games.