The Week 4 slate features a strong mix of games with several high-end stacks and one premium potential AFC shootout that should be popular around the industry after one of the teams involved put up a 70-point Sunday just last week. The Dolphins and Bills will be drawing a ton of attention in the game with the highest total of the week, by 4.5 points, in an easily playable spot with skill players on both sides and two very good quarterbacks. The balance of the board includes the high-flying Vikings in a game carrying a 46-point total, the Chargers and Raiders in an interesting matchup out West, the Eagles and Commanders in a potentially underappreciated spot for some fireworks in the passing game, and the Bears drawing strong projections against the team that yielded Miami’s 70-point explosion last week. Chicago is an interesting wildcard in our numbers this week, Justin Fields is going to be a featured player in our Above/Below column, he is projected higher in our model than he is on average around the industry, but he has not played well to this point in 2023. Fields has an excellent get-right opportunity with demonstrable slate-winning potential at the quarterback position.
This article focuses on building lineups with a quality foundation by utilizing the powerful Groups and Rules/Limits tools within the industry’s optimization tools. All of the concepts and pairings included below can be applied to hand-building as well. The goal is to create lineups that have high-scoring correlation and take advantage of combined outcomes within stacks while limiting the likelihood of building inefficient or negatively correlated entries for a full slate of NFL DFS lineups.
This video was made in a former life and features a detailed demonstration of how to apply these concepts in one leading optimizer tool: Fantasy Cruncher – How-To Video
Don’t miss the new Above/Below feature article for a few of our top picks, coming Saturday
Join us on Saturday evening for the full game-by-game breakdown live, check back here for a link tomorrow afternoon.
Week 4 DraftKings & FanDuel NFL DFS Stack Rankings – New!
The following stack rankings were created by pairing each team quarterback with his top three scoring options, whether they are three wide receivers, two wide receivers and a tight end, a wide receiver, tight end, and running back, or any viable combination. In some cases, an expensive running back, such as Tony Pollard, can push the overall price point of his team stack in the value rankings.
TEAM | OPP | FD$ | FDpRank | FDvalRank | DK$ | DkpRank | DKvalRank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MIA | JAC | $31,700 | 1 | 5 | $28,800 | 1 | 6 |
DET | LAR | $32,400 | 2 | 7 | $0 | 0 | 0 |
TB | WAS | $28,400 | 3 | 1 | $25,000 | 2 | 1 |
HOU | IND | $29,700 | 4 | 6 | $27,800 | 3 | 9 |
LAR | DET | $30,500 | 5 | 8 | $0 | 0 | 0 |
BUF | ARI | $29,000 | 6 | 2 | $25,800 | 4 | 5 |
JAC | MIA | $27,200 | 7 | 3 | $24,400 | 5 | 4 |
SEA | DEN | $26,500 | 8 | 4 | $22,700 | 7 | 2 |
CIN | NE | $28,700 | 9 | 15 | $23,100 | 9 | 3 |
MIN | NYG | $28,200 | 10 | 14 | $25,400 | 6 | 13 |
CHI | TEN | $27,200 | 11 | 9 | $25,300 | 8 | 14 |
ARI | BUF | $27,000 | 12 | 13 | $25,900 | 12 | 19 |
DAL | CLE | $28,400 | 13 | 18 | $26,600 | 10 | 21 |
IND | HOU | $28,900 | 14 | 21 | $24,700 | 13 | 15 |
ATL | PIT | $29,300 | 15 | 23 | $24,400 | 11 | 11 |
NO | CAR | $26,300 | 16 | 12 | $23,300 | 14 | 7 |
CLE | DAL | $25,800 | 17 | 11 | $23,500 | 15 | 12 |
TEN | CHI | $25,300 | 18 | 17 | $22,700 | 16 | 18 |
LV | LAC | $25,800 | 19 | 24 | $23,600 | 17 | 23 |
LAC | LV | $23,900 | 20 | 19 | $21,000 | 19 | 17 |
NYG | MIN | $24,100 | 21 | 20 | $21,100 | 18 | 16 |
WAS | TB | $23,300 | 22 | 16 | $19,800 | 20 | 8 |
NE | CIN | $21,500 | 23 | 10 | $19,700 | 21 | 10 |
PIT | ATL | $25,400 | 24 | 26 | $20,700 | 23 | 20 |
CAR | NO | $23,300 | 25 | 22 | $21,000 | 22 | 22 |
DEN | SEA | $23,000 | 26 | 25 | $20,300 | 24 | 24 |
Week 4 DraftKings & FanDuel NFL DFS Stacks & Optimizer Groups
Overview
Rules and limits are powerful tools for lineup creation for NFL DFS where our primary focus is creating highly correlated lineups via stacking players from the same game. Lineups will typically be coordinated around the quarterback selection, which informs at least one pass-catcher choice, establishes a budget, eliminates a defense, and sets the tone for the lineup. We will typically look to correlate a quarterback and at least one of his pass-catchers in every lineup, with most of those including a skill player from the opposing team who will have a chance to support the stack in a high-scoring game that drives offense on both sides to create additional correlated scoring potential. Stacking multiple pass-catchers in the same lineup is a sound approach as well, though there are typically overall ceilings on how much volume is available at any given position. We do not typically include running backs who are not pass-catchers as priorities in NFL DFS groups, they typically stand alone with the selection of the quarterback-based stack informing remaining salary which then informs the running back selections. High-volume backs and pass catchers out of the backfield can be included in the groups utilized below, but it is frequently not necessary to do so with the very best players, they arrive in lineups without help.
The following rules and limits are typically applied in an optimizer’s Advanced Options menu. Notes are included to elucidate the reasons behind each rule and to explain what it does during the lineup creation process. These settings can typically be saved for re-use, which is highly recommended. Saving the Week 1 groups that will be created below is also a very good idea to save time with updates instead of recreation each week. These groups are created manually, but most optimizers include automated group creators that can help accelerate the curation process.
DraftKings + FanDuel Settings & Advanced Options
Unique Players Per Lineup– This setting forces the optimizer to utilize at least X new players who were not in Lineup 1 when it creates Lineup 2, and so on. It is recommended to utilize at least two, and more can be applied depending on the degree of differentiation desired within lineups.
Team Salary– a minimum or maximum salary spend can be applied here as needed, though this is not a part of the recommended process in this space as leaving salary on the table is an easy path toward creating unique lineups while not necessarily making a negative expected value play.
FLEX position– allows restrictions on what positions can be rostered at the FLEX spot. The only position to consider in this case is tight end, but that is something to be restricted at the individual level via Groups, rather than at the global level.
Global Exposure Setting – allows caps on the maximum percentage of lineups a player can appear in within a given pool of lineup construction. This is a powerful tool for shaping lineups but if settings are too low attempts to build a full set will fall short due to a lack of available players, one of the most common errors in optimizer building. Most optimizers include the ability to calculate ownership caps continuously or at the end of the pool creation process. If caps are calculated continuously, a player with a 25% cap who is utilized in Lineup 1 will not be available for use again until Lineup 5 , we recommend turning OFF continuous calculation.
Randomness – provides a random multiplier to each player’s projected point total based on the set values. This is a valuable tool that helps differentiate lineups instead of simply creating them in order of highest median projected scores. Using some randomness for lineup generation is strongly recommended but the degree to which it is applied is down to personal preference, but 15-25% is fine to get started. We suggest heavier randomness to more event-based players like wide receivers while tracking volume-based positions like running backs more toward their median or ceiling projections.
DraftKings + FanDuel Team Stack Rules
This set of rules will force optimizers to build lineups with certain combinations. We are looking to stack at least one skill player, almost always a pass-catcher, with his quarterback while also playing a skill player from the opposing team in the lineup. The theory behind this build is that a high-scoring stack will require some response from the opposing team to deliver a ceiling score in most situations. When that is not the case, the team that is winning will simply slow down and run out the clock. Most optimizers utilize a “complete the sentence” approach for rule creation with selections from drop-down menus following a very straightforward logic. Exceptions to these rules can be added for specific teams and players on most optimizer products.
- QB with at least one WR/TE from Same Team (note: It is fine to set this to two or to utilize two versions of this rule, one with WR/TE and one with RB/WR/TE, but we refine this via Groups)
- QB with at least one RB/WR/TE from the Opposing Team (we typically prefer the pass-catchers but high-volume running backs can be effective here)
- QB with at most zero DST from the Same Team (this is a personal preference; high-scoring teams and quarterbacks tend to leave their defenses on the field, exposing them to simple point-scoring negatives)
Limits & Custom Rules and Requirements
Limit rules can be applied to restrict certain combinations from coming together. This is powerful for limiting multiple running backs from the same team or getting overweight to a certain stack within a lineup.
- Limit QB/RB/WR/TE from Same Team to three
- Limit RB/WR/TE from the Same Team to one unless paired with QB from the Same Team OR the Opposing Team
- Limit RB from Same Team to one (we also do this with WR in a separate rule that adds an “unless paired with QB or opposing QB” but it’s a personal preference for NFL DFS, we typically do not want two pass-catchers from the same team without their quarterback)
We will maintain the list of rules and limits throughout the season, with occasional tweaks, if needed. Each week sees yet another fresh crop of value plays as situations change and injuries create opportunities around the league. These changing roles and emergent value plays are accounted for in the process of creating these groups from week to week. After a large pool of lineups is created utilizing these groups, it is still of critical importance to filter them for factors including ceiling projections and leverage potential. These groups should help ensure that a highly correlated premium set of options that rotates through a variety of combinations is utilized to create the full lineup pool.
Sunday Updates
Any changes and recommended boosts to specific players will be provided in an early morning update each Sunday.
NFL DFS Week 4 Features & FREE Projections
- Week 4 FanDuel & DraftKings Projections
- Week 4 Above/Below – Key Picks
- Week 4 Quarterback Scoring & Value Rankings
- Week 4 Running Back Scoring & Value Rankings
- Week 4 Pass-Catcher Scoring & Value Rankings
- Week 4 Defense Scoring & Value Rankings
Construction Concept
Team groups are built by utilizing the quarterback as the KEY player in group settings. The quarterback decision in each lineup is the driving factor in which stack is utilized in that lineup and which corresponding plays are then made to work within the structure and requirements. Built to specification, each team will have two groups, a team group, and an opponent group, both of which utilize the same quarterback as the key player. Each game will have a total of four groups. This is the best approach to truly capture the requirement of playing individual “run-back” plays from the opposing team. A more basic approach would be to include all of the skill players from a game in each quarterback’s group and rely on rules and limits to restrict any potential overflow. It is highly recommended to save the Week 1 groups as a foundation that will be updated for the rest of the season. The recommended groups will include skill players who have an active role in their offense and provide significant correlation with their quarterback’s scoring, often bell-cow running backs who do not specialize in the passing game will not be included in groups as they are projected highly and appear on their own in basically correct distributions, while also not always providing the strongest positive correlation plays. Stacking quarterbacks with pass-catchers and allowing running backs to fall into the lanes then created by settings, available salary, and randomness should create a well-distributed set of quality lineups. These groups are updated weekly to account for changes in utilization, schemes, injuries, target shares, and more.
Team Groups for DraftKings & FanDuel – Week 4
The goal is to create a large pool of well-built lineups that can be utilized in any large-field GPP contest. Our approach is to build far more lineups than needed and utilize a sorting table or sim process to filter to the best set of lineups for entries. The lineups created in these crunches should provide a broad distribution that includes some of the lower-owned high-upside skill players from each stack. Applying boosts is critical in pushing and pulling ownership to individual players within their team’s stacked lineups if they are appearing too much or too little.
The groups below are designed so that each quarterback will have two groups to create, one with his skill players and another with the opposing team. A more basic approach would be to add them all to one large group with an “at least three” and let rules and limits set things, but there is a more granular level of control in creating them separately.
Utilizing two groups also allows us to place running backs into the “run-back” position in certain teams while not including them in the primary stack for their team. This is useful when there is a situation with an extremely highly projected running back who does not necessarily fit into his team’s passing game. These players are threaded throughout the following construction recommendations.
Note for the Rotogrinders optimizer, we recommend trimming the automatically created groups that can be accessed under Team Groups, Opponent Groups, and Max Position Groups to match these groups for lineup building. We typically utilize the Stacks tab to enforce constructions as well, but a key requirement is missed in the automated groups. The Max Position groups need the manual addition of the running backs and tight ends to the group that is created with the wide receivers with a setting of max 1 and the team’s quarterback selected as a key player with the designation of using that group when the quarterback is NOT in the lineup. This is done to eliminate the possibility of three skill players from the same team appearing at running back, tight end, and wide receiver together without their quarterback involved. A simple limit of three players per team will keep things to just a quarterback with two skill players in stacks after that. Update: if one were to reset their saved settings on RG’s optimizer new options will reveal themselves, including thankfully a toggle to take care of this from the main build rules page. There is also a non-QB group with a max-1 setting that works better for this purpose because the toggle on the main page will limit stacks to just a 1-1 combination, seemingly as a bug.
We are pulling back from the requirement for run-back plays in several places and leaving it to an “at most” rule for several opposing teams in stacks for Week 3.
Arizona Cardinals
Key Player: Joshua Dobbs
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: James Conner, Marquise Brown, Rondale Moore, Zach Ertz, Michael Wilson, Trey McBride
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, Ronnie Bell
Lineup Notes: Deebo Samuel is expected to play for the 49ers, Elijah Mitchell is not, San Francisco is the biggest favorite of the week. Jauan Jennings is doubtful for Week 4 and has been removed from projections. Arizona is a non-priority stack, James Conner is a potential bring-back option and a semi-viable standalone running back.
Baltimore Ravens
Key Player: Lamar Jackson
Setting: at most two
Team Group: Zay Flowers, Mark Andrews, Nelson Agholor, Devin Duvernay
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Amari Cooper, David Njoku, Elijah Moore, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Jerome Ford
Lineup Notes: We just do not like this game. The lowest total of the week and two good defenses against teams missing key pieces has us looking in other directions. The passing attack for Baltimore is limited to their premium tight end, Mark Andrews, and standout wide receiver Zay Flowers, with little else to rely on. Nelson Aholor has memes about his ability to actually catch the football and Devin Duvernay has not done much more with his opportunities. The running game for Baltimore has sprouted three heads with all of Gus Edwards, Justice Hill, and Melvin Gordon expected to see carries. Odell Beckham Jr. and Rashod Bateman are both out for Baltimore.
Buffalo Bills
Key Player: Josh Allen
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, James Cook, Deonte Harty, Trent Sherfield
Opposing Setting: at least one (we are looking for a stack with a run-back in most cases with the high game total here, this can be toggled on and off in various sets of lineups)
Opposing Group: Tyreek Hill, Raheem Mostert, Jaylen Waddle, Durham Smythe, De’Von Achane, Braxton Berrios
Lineup Notes: running back James Cook has value gained in the passing game but lost at the goal line with Latavius Murray threatening to poach touchdowns all season. The Buffalo passing game with Miami bring-back plays and the mirror image stacks on the other side of Sunday’s most highly-totaled game are both high-priority options that are pricey and popular but worthwhile. Bumps can be applied to the running game for Miami in bring-back situations, as well as to down-board receivers including Harty and Sherfield.
Carolina Panthers
Key Player: Bryce Young
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: Miles Sanders, Adam Thielen, DJ Chark Jr., Hayden Hurst, Terrace Marshall Jr., Jonathan Mingo
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Justin Jefferson, Alexander Mattison, TJ Hockenson, Jordan Addison, KJ Osborn
Lineup Notes: Carolina has a few interesting weapons in the receiving game and they are facing a wide open Vikings pass defense but the performance of quarterback Bryce Young was shaky before he missed Week 3 with an injury. Miles Sanders is expected to play after being listed as questionable the last few days.
Chicago Bears
Key Player: Justin Fields
Setting: at most two
Team Group: DJ Moore, Darnell Mooney, Cole Kmet, Tyler Scott
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., Brandon Johnson
Lineup Notes: Sunday – Chase Claypool has been ruled out, Tyler Scott has been added with the primary expectation that Moore, Mooney, and Kmet will eat the majority of targets. The Bears rate as our number 10 stack by FanDuel points, but 3rd by points-per-dollar value, similarly they are 11th for points and 1st ranked for value on DraftKings, with Justin Fields and his skill players drawing strong projections against a defense that just yielded a massive game on the ground and 70 real-life points to the Dolphins, this is a get-right opportunity for Fields.
Cincinnati Bengals
Key Player: Joe Burrow
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, Joe Mixon, Tanner Hudson
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Derrick Henry, DeAndre Hopkins, Chig Okonkwo, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Chris Moore
Lineup Notes: this passing game is in a great situation against a bad pass-funnel defense, if Burrow can find a bit of time to let routes develop and if he has healed somewhat and gained mobility toward his usual form in the pocket, there is major upside for the Bengals passing game, we recommend bumps as needed to any of the Cincinnati wide receivers to ensure a strong mix of options in the multi-headed passing game.
Cleveland Browns
Key Player: Deshaun Watson Dorian Thompson-Robinson (Deshaun Watson has been ruled OUT)
Setting: at most one
Team Group: Jerome Ford, Amari Cooper, Kareem Hunt, David Njoku, Elijah Moore, Donovan Peoples-Jones
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Zay Flowers, Mark Andrews, Nelson Agholor, Devin Duvernay
Lineup Notes: We like this game even less with Watson out. We just do not like this game. The lowest total of the week and two good defenses against teams missing key pieces has us looking in other directions. Cleveland has a strong receiver in Amari Cooper and little else with Deshaun Watson providing mixed results over three weeks and now playing through an injury against a strong defense.
Dallas Cowboys
Key Player: Dak Prescott
Setting: at least one
Team Group: CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, Jake Ferguson, Tony Pollard, Michael Gallup, Rico Dowdle (large field tournament)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Rhamondre Stevenson, Kendrick Bourne, DeVante Parker, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Hunter Henry
Lineup Notes: Dallas has major talent available and some premium value plays down the depth chart, with Michael Gallup looking like a strong buy on DraftKings for a very cheap price and Brandin Cooks providing FanDuel value. Jake Ferguson is a potentially slate-breaking tight end given his volume overall and specifically in the red zone, he is worth pressing for additional shares if he does not appear in groups frequently enough.
Denver Broncos
Key Player: Russell Wilson
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., Brandon Johnson
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: DJ Moore, Darnell Mooney, Cole Kmet
Lineup Notes:
Houston Texans
Key Player: CJ Stroud
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: Tank Dell, Nico Collins, Dalton Schultz, Robert Woods
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: George Pickens, Pat Freiermuth, Calvin Austin III, Allen Robinson II, Jaylen Warren
Lineup Notes:
Indianapolis Colts
Key Player: Anthony Richardson
Setting: at most one
Team Group: Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, Alec Pierce, Kylen Granson
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Puka Nacua, Tutu Atwell, Van Jefferson, Tyler Higbee
Lineup Notes: Anthony Richardson was a featured “Below” player in our Above/Below article this morning, we are not convinced he will rush headlong back into a premium running game role after suffering an early career concussion and he has been somewhat limited as a passer so far
Las Vegas Raiders
Key Player: Aidan O’Connell
Setting: at least one (this becomes exactly one if we are left with Brian Hoyer instead of Garoppolo)
Team Group: Josh Jacobs, Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, Hunter Renfrow, Michael Mayer
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Keenan Allen, Joshua Palmer, Quentin Johnston, Gerald Everett
Lineup Notes: Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is OUT, Aidan O’Connell is broadly rumored to be starting but veteran Briyan Hoyer looms as well. Austin Ekeler is expected to sit for the Chargers.
Los Angeles Chargers
Key Player: Justin Herbert
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Keenan Allen, Joshua Palmer, Quentin Johnston, Gerald Everett, Donald Parham Jr. (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Josh Jacobs, Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, Hunter Renfrow, Michael Mayer
Lineup Notes: Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is out. Austin Ekeler is out. Mike Williams is out. This game is still primed for action, we are intrigued by Quention Johnston stepping into a larger role in the absence of Williams and Keenan Allen is a premium talent at wide receiver who is worthy of projection boosts to ensure appropriately high exposures in lineups.
Los Angeles Rams
Key Player: Matthew Stafford
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Puka Nacua, Tutu Atwell, Kyren Williams, Van Jefferson, Tyler Higbee
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, Alec Pierce, Kylen Granson, Zack Moss
Lineup Notes: the Rams are a high-volume interesting offense with several capable receivers, any of them can take a bump to ensure appropriate shares, including deep threat Van Jefferson who sees a few shots down the field each game.
Miami Dolphins
Key Player: Tua Tagovailoa
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Raheem Mostert, De’Von Achane, Julian Hill, Durham Smythe
Opposing Setting: at least one (we are looking for a stack with a run-back in most cases with the high game total here, this can be toggled on and off in various sets of lineups)
Opposing Group: Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, James Cook, Deonte Harty, Trent Sherfield
Lineup Notes: tight end Julian Hill saw just one target but dramatically out-snapped Durham Smythe last week, they are both touchdown-dependent low-end TE options
Minnesota Vikings
Key Player: Kirk Cousins
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Justin Jefferson, TJ Hockenson, Jordan Addison, KJ Osborn, Alexander Mattison
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Adam Thielen, DJ Chark Jr., Hayden Hurst, Miles Sanders
Lineup Notes: the Vikings are a high-priority offense once again, they have league-leading passing upside over the first three weeks of the season with strong options at fair prices. Justin Jefferson is the primary but it pays to ensure shares of both Jordan Addison and KJ Osborn via boosts as needed. TJ Hockenson should arrive at a high volume in stacks and on his own at the tight end position, if Mattison arrives too frequently in stacks he can be downgraded with reverse boosts or simply left out of groups.
New England Patriots
Key Player: Mac Jones
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: Rhamondre Stevenson, Kendrick Bourne, DeVante Parker, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Hunter Henry
Opposing Setting: at least one (we would expect the Dallas side to provide a viable run-back play if the Patriots stack is going off, the reverse is not necessarily true)
Opposing Group: CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, Jake Ferguson, Tony Pollard, Michael Gallup
Lineup Notes: There is reporting Sunday morning that running back Ezekiel Elliott will see an increased workload, though that may simply mean that the Patriots will be hammering the run overall with Stevenson and Elliott splitting a large volume of carries. Rhamondre Stevenson is our favorite part of the Patriots’ offense but we are invested in Dallas stacks with a handful of bring-back options from the Patriots side
New Orleans Saints
Key Player: Derek Carr
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, Rashid Shaheed, Juwan Johnson
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Cade Otton, Trey Palmer
Lineup Notes: Derek Carr returns despite his lingering shoulder injury, he will attempt to play through pain and Jameis Winston will sit, barring pre-game setbacks. Alvin Kamara’s return is a major boon to this already interesting fantasy offense, between Kamara, Michael Thomas, and lead wide receiver Chris Olave the Saints have a dynamic attack that also adds downfield threat Rashid Shaheed and capable tight end Juwan Johnson.
Philadelphia Eagles
Key Player: Jalen Hurts
Setting: at least one
Team Group: AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, Olamide Zaccheaus
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, Logan Thomas, Cutis Samuel
Lineup Notes: Eagles feature running back D’Andre Swift should arrive naturally in stacks and as a standalone play at the position, he can be added to Eagles groups if he is not appearing frequently enough in lineup builds. The Eagles are a high-priority stack with Washington needing Sam Howell to hang in the game to provide action supporting a big overall total. It is worthwhile to boost either AJ Brown or DeVonta Smith, depending on your site and projection set, to ensure a somewhat even distribution of the 1/1A passing situation.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Key Player: Kenny Pickett
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: George Pickens, Pat Freiermuth, Calvin Austin II, Allen Robinson II, Jaylen Warren
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Tank Dell, Nico Collins, Dalton Schultz, Robert Woods
Lineup Notes: the down depth chart receivers for Pittsburgh may all need a bump to arrive in more than a couple of lineups each, Warren is a key member of the passing game over the first three weeks and belongs in stacks, where Najee Harris can be left out but should arrive in a few on his own.
San Francisco 49ers
Key Player: Brock Purdy
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, Ronnie Bell
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: James Conner, Marquise Brown, Rondale Moore, Zach Ertz, Michael Wilson, Trey McBride
Lineup Notes: Elijah Mitchell is out for the 49ers but Deebo Samuel will play, there is minimal downstream impact from Mitchell’s absence barring an injury to starter Christian McCaffrey. The passing game will be dynamic with Aiyuk, Samuel, and Kittle all available, Jauan Jennings has been out since earlier in the weekend, replaced by Ronnie Bell in our projections, he will require a bump to gain any shares but he is a large field dart-throw option only.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Key Player: Baker Mayfield
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Cade Otton, Trey Palmer, Deven Thompkins
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, Rashid Shaheed, Juwan Johnson
Lineup Notes: we are pulling this down to just one receiver with the expectation of not getting to much of the Tampa-Mayfield stack and simply using any Bucs skill players as bring-back plays in Saints stacks, New Orleans shuts down the passing game effectively and we do not have a strong projection for Tampa Bay or their quarterback
Tennessee Titans
Key Player: Ryan Tannehill
Setting: Derrick Henry, DeAndre Hopkins, Chig Okonkwo, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
Team Group: at most one
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, Joe Mixon, Tanner Hudson
Lineup Notes: this is a low-priority stack in a potential get-right spot for running back Derrick Henry on his own and in bring-back shares against a high-priority Bengals stack
Washington Commanders
Key Player: Sam Howell
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, Logan Thomas, Curtis Samuel, Antonio Gibson
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith, D’Andre Swift, Dallas Goedert, Olamide Zaccheaus
Lineup Notes:
Follow Us on Twitter. Join us in Discord. Subscribe to the YouTube Channel.