Welcome to the Sports Gambling Podcast Network’s Top 10 DFS stacks article!! Each week of the NFL season, I will be breaking down the DraftKings main slate to bring you the top 10 DFS stacks.
“Stacks” in DFS can be defined as; playing two or more players from the same team in a single lineup. Stacking in DFS contests has become the predominant roster construction strategy, particularly for GPP tournaments, with various unique and creative ways to build stacks and maximize your scoring upside each week.
The most popular stacking options include the skinny stack, the double-stack, the run-back stack, the full-on game stack, and the running back paired with a defense stack.
The skinny stack is traditionally a quarterback paired with a skill position player. The double-stack includes the quarterback and two skilled position players. The run-back stacks usually consist of a quarterback and wide receiver from one team and an opposing wide receiver or running back.
A game stack can include up to five players from a single contest and a 3/2 or 4/1 team ratio, typically involving the quarterback. The running back stacked with defense is just that.
Each week the stacks in the top 10 will include a variety of these stacks based on the scoring upside and likelihood of cashing in GPP tournaments and cash games.
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Top 10 DFS Stacks for NFL Week 1
Jalen Hurts (QB) Philadelphia Eagles
A.J. Brown (WR) Philadelphia Eagles
Amon Ra St. Brown (WR) Detroit Lions
It’s simple. Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown can break the slate this week. PFF has Brown as its highest-rated wide receiver this week. The Eagles paid the man his money and want to get him the ball to establish his dominance over the NFC East. Don’t be afraid of a lack of volume. A.J. Brown is the volume.
According to PFF, the Eagles have a 31% pass blocking advantage and a whopping 62% rush blocking advantage. Hurts led the NFL in quarterback rushing attempts (139) and yards (784). Last year the Lions gave up 71 rushing yards on seven attempts to Hurts. He didn’t rush for a touchdown, but the Eagles did rush for four, Boston Scott and Jordan Howard both picking up a pair.
Sure we all watched Dan Campbell and the lovable Detroit Lions on HBO’s Hard Knocks, but they are in for some real hard knocks this week. One bright spot last year for the Lions was Amon Ra St. Brown. He averaged 11.2 targets per game in the last six weeks of last season. Rookie wide receiver Jameson Williams is starting the season on the PUP list meaning it is more of the same for St. Brown.
Total Cost: $19,300
Players to pair with: Antonio Gibson (RB) Travis Etienne (RB)
Lamar Jackson (QB) Baltimore Ravens
Rashod Bateman (WR) Baltimore Ravens
Elijah Moore (WR) New York Jets
Lamar Jackson is back!! Contract be damned, the man is going to ball out this week. He has a huge chip on his shoulder and the New York Jets are going to be his punching bag on Sunday. Last year the Jets gave up 17.1 points to quarterbacks per game. Jackson averaged 22.3 PPG last year before getting injured. The floor for Jackson is extremely safe, but it’s his ceiling we care about.
Jackson has the second highest “Boom” rate of any quarterback on RunTheSims.com with 54.7, behind only Jalen Hurts at 57.4. The emergence of Rashod Bateman as the new Ravens WR1 has DFS statheads buzzing. His $5,300 price tag makes him a great stacking option with Lamar this week.
The Jets are going to have to pass to keep up with the Ravens, who are 6.5-point road favorites heading into New York. Elijah Moore is the best weapon the Jets and Zach “Mama’s Boy” Wilson have in this arms race. Moore scored over 20 points in three of the last five weeks of the season.
This is the DFS Cash expert for NimblewNumbers.com, Bo McBrayer’s (@Bo_McBigTime on Twitter) stack of the week. I understand why. The upside is there for a game stack attack that could score you 75 points if the points fall accordingly. Wheels up in all GPP formats and cash game winners.
Total Cost: $17,700
Players to pair with: Joe Mixon (RB) Zach Ertz (TE)
Matt Ryan (QB) Indianapolis Colts
Michael Pittman (WR) Indianapolis Colts
with Brandin Cooks (WR) Houston Texans
Last few years, Ryan was in DFS hell in Atlanta. Losing Julio Jones to old age, Calvin Ridley to stupidity, and Kyle Pitts to zone coverages. Jim Irsay ran Carson Wentz out of town with pitchforks (to Washington’s open arms). Enter Matt Ryan. I’m sure the first person to call him was Michael Pittman, inviting him over to the house for a game of “pin the interception on Carson.”
Colts scored the second most fantasy points at the running back position, with stud Jonathan Taylor gouging defense all last season. Despite the focus on the run game, Michael Pittman still scored 244 Draft Kings points. This week he is priced at his lowest price of the season, $5,500. The DraftKings DFS gods have smiled upon us.
The Houston Texans gave up 17 touchdowns and over 2,800 receiving yards to wide receivers in 2021. Pittman didn’t cash in, only converting his 11 targets into 112 yards with zero touchdowns. But don’t let his depressed price scare you off. If Jonathan Taylor does not run wild, Pittman and Ryan are a great contrarian play.
Adding Brandin Cooks to the mix as a game stack runback makes sense, given the 46-point game total. Last season Cooks was like 69% of the Texans’ offense, surpassing 1,000 receiving yards for the 6th season. The man balls. I am playing this stack in small to medium GPP fields this week.
Total Cost: $17,300
Players to pair with: Travis Etienne Jr. (RB) Kyle Pitts (TE)
Patrick Mahomes(QB) Kansas City Chiefs
Travis Kelce (TE) Kansas City Chiefs
James Conner (RB) Arizona Cardinals
Hollywood Brown (WR) Arizona Cardinals
Patrick Mahomes’ demise has been greatly exaggerated. He still has his tight end Travis Kelce, a perennial pro bowler who’s only $6,600 this week. Last year Kelce was in the $7000 most of the year. Pay down while you still have the chance. Kelce should see eight to ten targets this week and has touched down upside written all over him.
On the Arizona Cardinals side, Rondale Moore went down with an injury in Practice on Thursday. He looks doubtful for the game on Sunday. The Cardinals’ offense will be concentrated around James Conner and Marquise Hollywood Brown. Both should see increased workloads given an up-tempo game script with high-scoring shootout potential.
The Vegas bookmakers have this scripted for the highest-scoring game of the whole weekend. Book offenses have the potential to hang 35 points on the scoreboard. The Chiefs averaged 29.4 points per game. Just for reference.
Total Cost: $27,500
Players to pair with: Antonio Gibson (RB) A.J. Brown (WR)
Joe Burrow (QB) Cincinnati Bengals
Ja’Marr Chase (WR) Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase are electric. And they have been for a long time. The Steeler’s pass defense isn’t what it used to be, but they do have TJ watt, sack leader extraordinaire. The Bengals have exploited the Steelers on the ground previously, but the -6.5 home favorites are expected to put up points in this match. 25.5 implied team points, to be precise. I’m leaning into Burrow and Chase.
Last year the Steelers gave up 18 touchdowns and over 2,500 yards to wide receivers. I expect Burrow to be able to exploit the Steelers’ defense using Chase on the outside. Last season they connected 13 times for touchdowns, third best in the NFL. His $7,100 price tag should keep his rosters depressed for tournaments. The only skinny stack of the article, I’m playing this in mid-sized GPP tournaments and in 50/50 cash contests.
Total Cost: $13,500
Players to pair with: D’Andre Swift (RB) Travis Kelce (TE)
Kirk Cousins (QB) Minnesota Vikings
Justin Jefferson (WR) Minnesota Vikings
Aaron Jones (RB) Green Bay Packers
Two years ago, Kirk Cousins helped me Win $5,000. That Sunday, I stacked him with Justin Jefferson. With a 47.0 over under, this NFC Central Divisional matchup between the Vikings and Packers has a shootout written all over it. I mean, every game this year under new head coach Kevin O’Connell from Minnesota has a potential for a shootout.
The Vikings are going from the Stone Age with Mike Zimmer and his Instagram model girlfriend to the Renaissance of an all-out aerial attack helmed by “Captain” Kirk Cousins. Justin Jefferson is popping in all the models.
And I’m not talking about Instagram. I’m talking about data models. This guy’s got data for days this week. Jefferson has the highest wide receiver ceiling in RunTheSims.com models this week.
On the other side of the ball, Aaron Rodgers is going to be without Davante Adams indefinitely (wink), possibly Allen Lazard with an ankle injury. Who else could he turn to? It is a great time to be Aaron Jones.
I’m pretty sure that while Aaron Rodgers is on an Ayahuasca trip all he could think about was Aaron Jones, Aaron Jones, Aaron Jones. That’s why Aaron Jones was manifested back to the Packers. We didn’t know why. Now we do. Play him this week. He could catch 2 touchdowns.
Total Cost: $20,700
Players to pair with: D’Andre Swift (RB) Cole Kmet (TE)
Justin Herbert (QB) Los Angeles Chargers
Mike Williams (WR) Los Angeles Chargers
Davante Adams (WR) Las Vegas Raiders
Darren Waller (TE) Las Vegas Raiders
I’m not going to go as far as to say if you don’t play Justin Herbert, you’re stupid this week I’m just going to say it would be stupid not to play him this week. Since I’m not a stupid guy, I’m definitely playing him this week. All, so go be playing it with Mike Williams.
I’m playing with Mike Williams because Mike Williams is going to be lined up at times against Anthony Averett. His 56.3 PFF ranking was surprisingly not his career-worst last season. Either way, it’s good for Herbert and Williams and us to play them.
On the other side of the ball, you cannot but love Derek Carr’s new weapon, wide receiver Davante Adams. Adams famous said, “Anytime you change quarterbacks from Hall of Famer to Hall of Famer … it’s going to be a little bit of an adjustment.” When the season started, it was time for us to adjust.
Pairing him up with Darren Waller at $5,400 is one of the best deals and steals of Week 1. Waller is never going to be this cheap again this year. Mark my words. Take it to the bank. Double stampy’s no erasies; touch blue make it true. Pay The Man his money, and you will make some money this week.
Total Cost: $27,700
Players to pair with: Chase Edmonds (RB) Zach Ertz (TE)
Jonathan Taylor (RB) Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts Defense
If you’re fading Matt Ryan and Michael Pittman this week, I don’t blame you. Jonathan Taylor has run all over the Houston Texans for the last two years. He still running over them right now while I’m writing this article, and he could be running over them all Sunday long as well.
If you’re going all in with Jonathan Taylor, also pick up the Colts’ defense because in the last two games against the Colts, they’ve only scored 3 points. That’s not good. This one’s a bit of a no-brainer, and it’s also cheap. Don’t overthink this one.
Total Cost: $13,000
Players to pair with: Christian McCaffery (RB) Skyy Moore (WR)
Trevor Lawrance (QB) Jacksonville Jaguars
Christian Kirk (WR) Jacksonville Jaguars
Suppose you missed out on Trevor Lawrence last year. You aren’t the only one. He was a huge swing and a miss. This year though, the fantasy gods have gifted him the Washington Commanders as a redemption arch. Their defense is terrible. The head coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Doug Pederson, knows all about it because he was the Philadelphia Eagles head coach for five years.
Enter Christian Kirk and his 72 million dollar contract. The Washington football team can’t cover. Period. My podcast partner, the Fantasy Millionaires, Mike “Cash” Collins (@TheRalphMacho on Twitter), love’s this skinny stack this week. If you wanted to get spicy, you could add Antonio Gibson, or you could go long shot with Jahan Dotson as a GPP dart throw. No one will be on this cheap stack and you can build a nice big winner around it.
Total Cost: $10,700
Players to pair with: Joe Mixon (RB) Jonathan Taylor (RB)
Alvin Kamara (RB) New Orlean Saints
Kyle Pitts (TE) Atlanta Falcons
I’m so glad Jameis Winston has returned red light, green light blue light who like I don’t know, but it’s time to play football. Jameis Winston did not say these words, but he will probably tomorrow if you give him a chance. Most importantly, though, I’m excited for the return of Kyle Pitts and Alvin Kamara, the two best players on the field.
All the naysayers who are worried about Marcus Mariota being able to deliver the ball to tight ends. I would like you to go back and look at Delanie Walker’s career real quick. Pause. (Insert YouTube video) Are you doing okay? Thank you. Now can we get back to this? Pitts is going to be a monster this year and next year, and in all the years to come. I love him in this game stack with Alvin Kamara to run back and go touchdown for a touchdown all game long. GPP or die!!
Total Cost: $13,300
Players to pair with: Matt Ryan (QB) Michael Pittman (WR)
