In this weekly DraftKings article, we will discuss a cash game stack that should provide a high floor for your 50-50 and H2H cash game contests. This stack is safe to use in your GPP tournaments as well, but it will most likely carry a high ownership percentage. In the second half of this article, we will review some GPP stacks along with two defensive stacks.
*This article focuses on stacks from DraftKings main slate and does not include Thursday Night Football, Sunday Night Football, or Monday Night Football. With four teams on a bye this week, DraftKings main slate is reduced to only 11 NFL games. This will create more overlap with your most popular players as compared to most main slates.
$$ Cash GAME STACKS $$
Detroit Lions Stack versus Cleveland Browns
QB Matthew Stafford $6,800 with WR Golden Tate $6,800 (Cash/GPP)
Alternative/Super Stacks: WR Marvin Jones $6,200 (Cash/GPP)
Matt Stafford has finished with over 300 passing yards in each of the past three games and has five multiple-touchdown performances this season. He projects to have a high floor at home versus the winless Cleveland Browns. Golden Tate has at least 7 targets in each of his past four games and should thrive in this matchup. Marvin Jones has emerged with 36 targets and three touchdowns over his past three games.
GPP STACKS
Here are some GPP stacks with multi-touchdown upside.
Pittsburgh Steelers Stack at Indianapolis Colts
QB Ben Roethlisberger $6,600 with WR Antonio Brown $9,500 (GPP)
Alternate/Super Stacks: RB Leveon Bell $9,800 (GPP) and/or Juju Smith-Schuster $5,600 (GPP)
The rumors of Ben Roethlisberger’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. This is a “get-right game” for the Steelers offense, who is averaging a disappointing 20.8 points per game this season. The Steelers are currently ranked 31st in red zone scoring percentage (41.38%), a statistic that measures touchdowns only. That number is surprisingly low as the NFL average is 52% this season. Expect some positive regression for the Steelers offense over the second half of the season. The Colts have allowed an NFL leading 8.3 yards per attempt with 280 passing yards per game. The Colts rush defense hasn’t fared much better as they are ranked as the seventh-worst with a league-leading ten rushing touchdowns.
New York Jets Stack at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
QB Josh McCown $6,100 with WR Robby Anderson $5,200 (GPP)
Alternative/Super Stacks: RB Bilal Powell $4,000 (GPP) and/or Austin Seferian-Jenkins $4,800 (GPP)
Correlation Play: WR Desean Jackson $4,900 (GPP) and/or Adam Humphries $3,100 (GPP)
If you are looking for an under the radar complete game stack, the Jets/Buccaneers game offers some sneaky fantasy options. Josh McCown has been rock-solid with multiple touchdowns in five straight games. Robby Anderson is the Jets top receiving option with a touchdown in three straight games. Matt Forte did not practice on Wednesday as he has been dealing with swelling in his surgically repaired right knee. If Forte is inactive or limited, Bilal Powell will emerge as a top value option.
New York Giants Stack at San Francisco 49ers
QB Eli Manning $5,100 with TE Evan Engram $6,200 (GPP)
Alternative/Super Stacks: WR Sterling Shepard $5,500 (GPP) and/or RB Orleans Darkwa $4,500 (GPP)
Correlation Play: RB Carlos Hyde $6,300 (GPP)
In this battle of ineptitude, I will side with the more experienced quarterback, Eli Manning. Giants head coach, Ben McAdoo, said that he wasn’t opposed to throwing backup Davis Webb into the game “to get a look at him.” That should light a fire under Manning as he faces the league’s fifth-worst pass defense. Evan Engram is priced-up ($6,200) but is one of only a handful of reliable tight ends on the DraftKings main slate this week. Over the past three weeks, Engram has been the Giants top receiving option with at least seven targets, 60 receiving yards, and a touchdown in each game. Consider adding Sterling Shepard or Orleans Darkwa to a game-stack. The 49ers have allowed a league-worst 135.7 rushing yards per game.
DEFENSIVE STACKS (CASH/GPP Tournaments)
There are two defensive stacks that can be used in cash games or GPP tournaments.
Chicago Bears Stack versus Green Bay Packers
RB Jordan Howard $6,100 with D/ST Bears $3,000 (Cash/GPP)
Mitchell Trubisky has yet to pass for over 165 yards in any of his four NFL starts. The Bears have been playing “hide-the-quarterback” as they feature running back Jordan Howard, who has been a workhorse. Howard has at least 19 touches in each of his past six games. The Packers defense is the tenth-worst against the rush and faces a stiff test in Chicago. The Bears defense is underpriced ($3,000) on DraftKings and should be a popular option as they face opposing quarterback Brett Hundley. On Monday Night Football against the Lions, 22 of Hundley’s 26 passing completions were five yards or less.
Los Angeles Rams Stack versus Houston Texans
RB Todd Gurley $8,700 with D/ST Rams $3,600 (Cash/GPP)
With Leveon Bell priced-up ($9,800) on DraftKings, Todd Gurley stands out as the top running back value this week. Gurley has been the engine behind the Rams league-leading 32.9 points per game. He has been remarkably consistent with at least 16 DraftKings points in all but one game this season. Tom Savage projects to be in for a long day making his first start on the road this season. Expect the Rams to be playing with a lead which will benefit Gurley during the second half.
Thank you for reading! And as always, feel free to send any comments, suggestions, or nasty remarks to me on Twitter @shiposki75
