In this weekly DraftKings article, we will discuss some FAT STACKS (Cash Game Stacks) that should provide a high floor for your 50-50 and H2H cash game contests. These stacks are safe to use in your GPP tournaments as well, but they may carry a high ownership percentage. In the second half of this article, it’s all about A Dollar and a Dream. DraftKings will be crowning another Fantasy Football Millionaire this weekend! For just a $20 entry, you have an opportunity to win some life changing money!
FAT STACK$ ($$ Cash GAME STACKS $$)
New England Patriots Stack at Cleveland Browns
QB Tom Brady $7,500 with Patriots defense $3,700 (Cash or GPP)
QB Tom Brady $7,500 with TE Martellus Bennett $3,700 (GPP Only)
Cleveland has the misfortune of being the first stop on the Tom Brady revenge tour. Expect the Patriots to come out strong after being shutout 16-0 last week at home vs. the Buffalo Bills. Rob Gronkowski has not been his usual self this season due to a hamstring injury. Many will stack Brady with either Julian Edelman or Martellus Bennett. But one thing is fairly certain, Brady will be a very popular DFS option this week. For GPP tournaments, Bennett ($3,700) has to be considered as a top stack option due to his boom/bust production thus far with the Patriots. However, nobody truly knows how Bill Belichick will choose to attack the Browns defense. Due to the uncertainty of Brady’s targets, the preferred New England stack is Brady with the Patriots defense. The Patriots are 10.5 point road favorites and will take their anger out on Browns QB Cody Kessler this week. After the Patriots build a lead, Kessler will be forced into passing situations with Terrelle Pryor as his lone receiving weapon. We have all read this story before. It does not end well for the Browns this week.
Pittsburgh Steelers Stack vs. New York Jets
RB LeVeon Bell $7,500 with WR Antonio Brown $9,800 (Cash or GPP)
QB Ben Roethlisberger $7,200 with WR Antonio Brown $9,800 (GPP Only)
The Pittsburgh Steelers stack will remain a mainstay in this article as long as their key offensive talent stays healthy. Due to playing on Sunday Night Football vs. the Kansas City Chiefs, LeVeon Bell’s ($7,500) DraftKings price has stayed the same for Week 5. Bell returned in top form gaining 178 total yards, good for 25.8 DraftKings fantasy points. That type of production is the norm at RB in this offensive system. Antonio Brown only received 5 targets last week as Ben Roethlisberger spread the ball around passing for 5 touchdowns in the game. Expect that to change this week as the Steelers will scheme to get the ball into Brown’s hands. The New York Jets pass defense has struggled this season allowing 285 passing yards/per game with 8 touchdowns. Jets CB Darrelle Revis has a mild hamstring strain and may be in danger of missing the game. Keep an eye on the Jets practice and injury report and bump Brown even higher is Revis is inactive.
A DollaR and A DREAM (GPP STACKS)
Here are some GPP stacks that should carry a low ownership percentage but provide multi-touchdown upside.
Chicago Bears Stack at Indianapolis Colts
QB Brian Hoyer $5,500 with Eddie Royal $4,200 and/or TE Zach Miller $3,600
Since the New Orleans Saints are on bye this week, we will target another terrible defense, the Indianapolis Colts. Jay Cutler is expected to miss another week due to a thumb sprain on his throwing hand. Bears backup QB, Brian Hoyer, hasn’t missed a beat passing for over 300 yards and multiple touchdowns in each of the past two weeks. It was announced on Thursday that Bears WR, Kevin White, was placed on Injured Reserve due to a fractured fibula and high ankle sprain. Eddie Royal is the next man up and broke out with 7 receptions for 111 yards and 1 touchdown last week, good for 27.1 DraftKings points. Hoyer has been locked on Zach Miller as he has 3 touchdowns over the past two weeks. Both Royal and Miller were absent from practice on Wednesday but are still expected to play. Keep an eye on the Bears practice and injury reports the remainder of the week.
Green Bay Packers Stack vs. New York Giants
QB Aaron Rodgers $7,700 with WR Jordy Nelson $7,900
Correlation Play: Odell Beckham Jr $8,500
Prior to the Packers Week 4 bye, Aaron Rodgers found his groove passing for 4 touchdowns vs. the Lions. Jordy Nelson had 6 receptions for 101 yards and 2 touchdowns. The extra week of rest will only help Nelson recover at this point of the season. As mentioned in the Week 3 Starting Stacks article, Rodgers has historically played better at Lambeau Field as compared to on the road over the course of his career. Over a fairly large sample size of 129 games, Rodgers completion percentage is over 3% higher at Lambeau Field. The Giants have not been able to put enough pressure on opposing QBs which has led to a mediocre pass defense thus far this season. Packers CB Sam Shields is expected to be inactive for Sunday Night Football. Marvin Jones shredded the Packers defense for 6 receptions, 205 yards and 2 touchdowns in Week 3 when Shields was inactive. Odell Beckham Jr will be in a prime spot for some positive regression vs. the Packers secondary.
Oakland Raiders Stack vs. San Diego Chargers
QB Derek Carr $6,800 with WR Amari Cooper $7,200
Correlation Play: Travis Benjamin $6,500
News broke on Wednesday that the San Diego Chargers CB, Jason Verrett, is expected to miss the remainder of the 2016 season because of a partially torn ACL. This will have huge ramifications for the Chargers pass defense moving forward. Verrett was the glue that held the back end of the defense together usually shutting down the opposition’s top WR. The Chargers loss will be the Oakland Raiders gain this Sunday. Expect ownership to flock to Michael Crabtree after last week’s 3 TD performance. Crabtree’s DraftKings salary ($6,900) has risen to a similar price point of Amari Cooper ($7,200). Cooper has zero touchdowns on the season but is a prime candidate for some positive regression this week without Verrett shadowing him. Consider Travis Benjamin as a correlation play for your GPP tournaments. Benjamin has an opportunity to bounce back as the Raiders average 325.5 net passing yards allowed/per game this season with 8 touchdowns.
Philadelphia Eagles Stack at Detroit Lions
QB Carson Wentz $6,400 with TE Zach Ertz $3,500
Correlation Play: Marvin Jones Jr $7,600
Carson Wentz has impressed early in his rookie season with multiple touchdowns in 2 of his first 3 career games. He gets an extra week to prepare against a below average Lions defense. The Lions have allowed the second-most passing touchdowns in the NFL this season. Eagles TE, Zach Ertz, practiced on Wednesday and is expected to return from his rib injury. If Ertz ($3,500) gets a normal allotment of snaps, he is severely underpriced on DraftKings based on talent and matchup. The Lions have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to tight ends thus far this season. If the game turns into a shoot-out, expect Marvin Jones Jr to be the main beneficiary for the Lions.
Thank you for reading! And as always, feel free to send any comments, suggestions, or nasty remarks to me on Twitter @shiposki75
