This piece will identify some of my favorite DFS stacks of the weekend. Be sure to use our Stacking tool found within our Player Models to find the highest projected stacks, the stacks that figure to be chalky, and more. Our Correlation Dashboard is also a great resource to find hidden edges in stacking positions and games.
Quarterback + Wide Receiver + Opposing Wide Receiver
- Carson Wentz ($5,700 DK, $7,200 FD)
- Michael Pittman ($5,300 DK, $6,600 FD)
- A.J. Brown ($6,900 DK, $7,600 FD)
Don’t look now, but Carson Wentz has started to play like a consistent fantasy QB1. He has produced three overall QB14 or better performances, including last week’s QB12 line in extremely challenging conditions at San Francisco. Over his past three games, Wentz has accounted for seven touchdowns and no interceptions.
Wentz is facing a Tennessee defense that ranks just 22nd overall in DVOA and has allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. This makes Michael Pittman the logical stacking option, as the clear top receiver for the Colts.
The Colts’ leading receiver is one of the most underrated values in fantasy football. He has played 87% or more of the snaps in all but one game and has seven games of seven or more targets. With T.Y. Hilton and Parris Campbell, both hurting, Pittman should once again garner the majority of targets against a Tennessee secondary that allows the second-most schedule-adjusted fantasy points to opposing wide receivers.
Pittman is fourth among wide receivers in route participation, involved in 98.7% of the team’s pass plays. This game is an ideal fantasy setting, with just a one-point spread and a 50.5 game total.
It’s very difficult to avoid Derrick Henry as the final stacking piece, especially with a price under $9,000 on DraftKings. However, his $10,500 price is too high on FanDuel, especially against a Colts team that ranks first in run defense DVOA.
I’m pivoting to A.J. Brown, who is finally starting to produce to his preseason expectations. He finished Week 7 as the overall WR4, tallying eight receptions, 133 receiving yards, and a touchdown. Indianapolis’ pass defense is a much less efficient unit, ranking just 22nd in pass defense DVOA.
Using the FantasyLabs Optimizer, I was able to create two DraftKings lineups, one with Jonathan Taylor and one with Derrick Henry.
Note: player projections will change leading up to lock. Consult the models directly for any changes.
There are only two games with a 50-point or higher over/under, and the Colts-Titans battle needs to be one of those targets. Despite a disappointing 3-4 start to the season, the Colts can make a huge statement with a home win over Tennessee. I expect a close battle, with quality DFS production from both teams.
Quarterback + Wide Receiver + Wide Receiver
- Josh Allen ($8,100 DK, $8,800 FD)
- Stefon Diggs ($8,100 DK, $7,300 FD)
- Cole Beasley ($4,900 DK, $6,100 FD)
Buffalo returns to the field off their bye week to face a reeling Miami team that has lost six straight games.
The Dolphins defense has really struggled to contain any part of the opposition’s passing attack. They are allowing the 11th-most schedule-adjusted fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks and third-most to opposing wideouts.
Throughout his career, Josh Allen has dominated the Dolphins.
I’m stacking Allen with wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who has yet to have a breakout game in 2021. In fact, his only WR1 performance of the year came last week against Tennessee, when he totaled nine receptions, 89 receiving yards, and a touchdown. Diggs had six weeks of WR1 totals in 2020, and I expect positive regression to hit for the All-Pro wideout coming off the bye week.
The key to this stack is actually the absence of tight end Dawson Knox, who is still out with a broken hand. That should open up plenty of intermediate targets for wide receiver Cole Beasley. In Week 6, Beasley recorded his second WR1 performance of the season with seven receptions, 88 yards, and his first touchdown of the season. Beasley is currently rating inside the top 10 of our Sean Koerner Pro Model.
His low cost on both sites allows for the inclusion of the much more expensive Allen and Diggs. On DraftKings, I was able to include solid wide receiving options in Tee Higgins and Keenan Allen, as well as two high-volume running backs in Khalil Herbert and Darrell Henderson. On FanDuel, I still had enough savings to include Jonathan Taylor from our targeted Indianapolis-Tennessee game.
In a Sunday slate that is missing Aaron Rodgers, Kyler Murray, Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Kirk Cousins, there is a strong strategic argument to be made there is justification for paying up at quarterback to Allen. With Knox out, the Buffalo double-stack is worth strong consideration in tournaments.
Quarterback + Wide Receiver + Tight End + Opposing Wide Receiver
- Matt Ryan ($5,900 DK, $7,200 FD)
- Calvin Ridley ($6,600 DK, $7,000 FD)
- Kyle Pitts ($6,300 DK, $6,800 FD)
- D.J. Moore ($7,200 DK, $7,700 FD)
This Atlanta-Carolina game brings a 46.5 point over/under and is a very underrated stacking opportunity, much like last week’s Atlanta-Miami battle.
I think the Atlanta Falcons offense has turned a corner as we approach the halfway point of the season. Matt Ryan has finally started to look comfortable, with two touchdown passes in five straight games, and 10 touchdowns, and one interception in the last four contests. Ryan has also eclipsed 336 passing yards in two straight games.
He returns home in a tough matchup against a stiff Carolina defense, but that should provide enough reduced ownership for strong DFS upside. Ryan is our eighth highest-rated quarterback play on DraftKings and has a 32-point Ceiling Projection in a game with a 46 point total.
I’m sticking with Atlanta wide receiver Calvin Ridley for one more week. Much like Stefon Diggs, the breakout performance is going to come with the amount of volume Ridley is receiving. He has a 27.4% target share, ninth-highest among all wide receivers. He also ranks fourth at the position with 11 red-zone targets, despite only playing five games this year.
I’m also double-stacking with tight end Kyle Pitts, who ranks third among all tight ends with 471 receiving yards. That total is among the highest for a tight end in the history of the NFL.
Kyle Pitts had 163 yards today, breaking the Falcons franchise record for a TE.
He has 471 yards in his first 6 games, the most by any TE in the last 50 years. pic.twitter.com/XQFcpwIAjN
— StatMuse (@statmuse) October 24, 2021
The Panthers are in free fall, entering this intradivisional battle on a four-game losing streak. Their pass defense allowed 373 yards to Kirk Cousins in Week 5 and failed to turn Giants quarterback Daniel Jones over in their 25-3 loss at New York in Week 8.
Whether they keep this game close or fall behind, Carolina wide receiver D.J. Moore has to remain involved. Moore ranks fourth in receptions (46), fifth in air yards (796), and sixth in receiving yards (586). Moore has always found success playing on the indoor carpet in Atlanta, regardless of the quarterback.
Atlanta has the 11th-fastest neutral game script pace per FootballOutsiders, which they will use to keep Carolina on their heels. If Carolina quarterback Sam Darnold plays poorly again and backup PJ Walker enters the game, the Falcons could enjoy a myriad of short fields to navigate, creating scoring opportunities.
On a Sunday slate with limited rushing quarterback options, Ryan provides the perfect mix of safety and upside. This low ownership stack comes with overall cost savings, allowing for strong running back plays.
Ryan and Pitts bring very low projected ownership which could be a great contrarian play in your larger field tournaments.
Running Back + Defense/Special Teams
- D’Andre Swift ($7,100 DK, $7,900 FD)
- Detroit DEF/ST ($2,300 DK, $3,200 FD)
I’m not sure what more D’Andre Swift needs to do to be priced in the top five among running backs. Swift is currently the most productive receiving running back in the league, ranking first in targets (52), receptions (42), and receiving yards (391). He is coming off a dominant overall RB2 game against the Rams, with eight receptions, 144 receiving yards, and one touchdown.
Yet, he is still priced below Alvin Kamara, Najee Harris, and Austin Ekeler, all with much more difficult matchups this week. Swift faces a Philadelphia team that ranks fourth-most generous in schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game allowed to opposing running backs.
The Detroit defense has continued to play hard for head coach Dan Campbell despite the 0-7 record. This game provides their best opportunity to earn a win as they face a struggling Eagles offense. Over the last three games, the Eagles’ offensive line has allowed a 5.83% sack percentage, 11th-highest in the league.
This game carries a 48.5 point total, but sometimes high-scoring games provide scoring opportunities for the defense with turnovers. I believe the Lions end their losing streak this week and see Swift again being the centerpiece of the offense.
