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
All references to Sims were done via friends of the site: acemind.io
Don’t miss the new Above/Below feature article for a few of our top picks
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Week 8 DraftKings & FanDuel NFL DFS Stack Rankings
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOU | JAC | $30,500 | 1 | 1 | $27,600 | 1 | 4 |
| CIN | CAR | $31,300 | 2 | 8 | $26,100 | 2 | 3 |
| ARI | WAS | $29,700 | 3 | 3 | $25,000 | 3 | 1 |
| PHI | TB | $31,600 | 4 | 16 | $25,300 | 5 | 5 |
| SF | NE | $31,600 | 5 | 17 | $26,200 | 6 | 12 |
| MIN | GB | $30,100 | 6 | 12 | $25,900 | 4 | 7 |
| BAL | BUF | $30,000 | 7 | 14 | $0 | 0 | 0 |
| NYJ | DEN | $28,800 | 8 | 5 | $25,200 | 7 | 6 |
| BUF | BAL | $29,100 | 9 | 6 | $0 | 0 | 0 |
| KC | LAC | $29,000 | 10 | 7 | $25,600 | 9 | 14 |
| NO | ATL | $29,200 | 11 | 11 | $25,500 | 8 | 10 |
| WAS | ARI | $26,900 | 12 | 4 | $22,200 | 13 | 2 |
| GB | MIN | $26,200 | 13 | 2 | $23,600 | 12 | 8 |
| TB | PHI | $28,900 | 14 | 19 | $26,200 | 10 | 19 |
| ATL | NO | $27,700 | 15 | 15 | $23,800 | 11 | 9 |
| CLE | LV | $25,400 | 16 | 10 | $22,600 | 16 | 13 |
| IND | PIT | $27,100 | 17 | 21 | $24,400 | 15 | 20 |
| JAC | HOU | $25,500 | 18 | 13 | $23,300 | 14 | 16 |
| CHI | LAR | $26,200 | 19 | 20 | $23,600 | 17 | 18 |
| LAR | CHI | $26,100 | 20 | 23 | $22,800 | 20 | 22 |
| LV | CLE | $23,900 | 21 | 9 | $21,600 | 18 | 15 |
| PIT | IND | $24,500 | 22 | 18 | $20,700 | 19 | 11 |
| CAR | CIN | $24,900 | 23 | 22 | $21,400 | 21 | 17 |
| LAC | KC | $25,700 | 24 | 26 | $21,500 | 22 | 24 |
| DEN | NYJ | $22,800 | 25 | 24 | $19,900 | 23 | 21 |
| NE | SF | $23,600 | 26 | 25 | $19,900 | 24 | 23 |
Week 8 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 8 Features & FREE Projections
- Week 8 FanDuel & DraftKings Projections – FREE
- Week 8 Above/Below – Key Picks
- Week 8 Quarterback Scoring & Value Rankings
- Week 8 Running Back Scoring & Value Rankings
- Week 8 Pass-Catcher Scoring & Value Rankings
- Week 8 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 8
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.
Note for all optimizers the rules can be utilized to force bring-back plays in some sets of crunches and turned off for others as a global function instead of changing each group to “exactly one” bring-back play, wherever applicable, but it will apply to all teams.
Arizona Cardinals
Key Player: Joshua Dobbs
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Marquise Brown, Rondale Moore, Michael Wilson, Trey McBride
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Mark Andrews, Zay Flowers, Odell Beckham Jr., Rashod Bateman, Nelson Agholor
Lineup Notes: the Cardinals are not looking like a strong stacking option against the stout Ravens defense, the stack ranks at the bottom of the board this week with the diminished play of Joshua Dobbs over the past few games, but there are a few skill players who can function as bring-back plays in Ravens stacks. Trey McBride is an interesting value tight end getting the full focus with Zach Ertz out this week.
Atlanta Falcons
Key Player: Desmond Ridder
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Kyle Pitts, Jonnu Smith, Tyler Allgeier, Van Jefferson (large field), Mack Hollins (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Derrick Henry, DeAndre Hopkins, Tyjae Spears, Chig Okonkwo, Treylon Burks, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
Lineup Notes: the Falcons split backfield situation is not ideal with both Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier getting touches and no reliable way to parse what the team might do, Cordarelle Patterson saw a season-high in touches last week with Robinson ailing as a surprise additional twist. The Falcons’ passing game hangs on Ridder’s ability to be the Titan’s weak pass defense, London and Pitts make for interesting premium options, while Jonnu Smith is a viable discount at the tight end position given his consistent involvement and target shares.
Baltimore Ravens
Key Player: Lamar Jackson
Setting: at most two (this allows for “naked” Lamar stacks, set to “at least one” to eliminate the possibility and force stacking)
Team Group: Mark Andrews, Zay Flowers, Odell Beckham Jr., Nelson Agholor, Rashod Bateman (large field),
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Marquise Brown, Rondale Moore, Michael Wilson, Trey McBride, Emari Demarcado
Lineup Notes: Lamar Jackson is pulling in a very strong projection this week, the Ravens stack looks like a strong option against the weak Arizona defense. Jackson can be run on his own as a “naked” quarterback play given the extreme upside in his rushing game, but he pairs well with inexpensive skill players for correlated scoring just the same.
Carolina Panthers
Key Player: Bryce Young
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: Adam Thielen, DJ Chark Jr., Jonathan Mingo, Miles Sanders, Chuba Hubbard, Hayden Hurst
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Dameon Pierce, Dalton Schultz, Noah Brown (large field)
Lineup Notes: This is a highly appealing DFS game, but it primarily comes on the Texans side of the coin, the Panthers are better for bring-back individuals against stacks of Houston players, with Adam Thielen as the most highly valued option. Miles Sanders and Chuba Hubbard are in a timeshare backfield with Hubbard outplaying the free agent signing to this point in a situation that is good for no one when it comes to DFS. The Texans skill players are dynamite bring-back options against any stacks of Panthers.
Cincinnati Bengals
Key Player: Joe Burrow
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, Joe Mixon, Irv Smith Jr., Trenton Irwin (very large field), Andrei Iosivas (very large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, Jauan Jennings, Ray-Ray McCloud III (large field)
Lineup Notes: both sides of this game have compelling pieces with excellent skill players in a high-end contest that has one of the better overall game environments of the week for fantasy scoring. The 49ers seem primed to keep Joe Mixon in check while the Bengals’ passing game takes flight, that is the focus for most of our lineups and how the projections fall this week, but Mixon can be included in the group to add him to stacks with the overall volume and involvement in the passing game that he provides. Tee Higgins is expected to return to the team this week, which pushes the down depth chart options like Irwin and Iosivas to just extreme dart throw territory. We would run some sets of lineups with bring-back plays forced on both sides of this stacking situation.
Cleveland Browns
Key Player: PJ Walker
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: Amari Cooper, David Njoku, Elijah Moore, Donovan Peoples-Jones (large field), Marquise Goodwin (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Kenneth Walker III, DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Lineup Notes: the Browns are not an appealing stack this week with backup PJ Walker taking the reins at quarterback. Jerome Ford is a gametime decision, if he does not play Kareem Hunt can be added to this group, assuming that Ford plays neither of the Browns backs is looking good in a game that has a low total and two solid defenses on either side, the Seahawks are not a go-to priority stack this week either, but they provide better options in terms of one-off skill players and they have strong bring-back options against any stacks of Browns.
Dallas Cowboys
Key Player: Dak Prescott
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Tony Pollard, CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, Jake Ferguson, Michael Gallup, KaVontae Turpin (very large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one (change to “exactly one” in some sets to force the bring-back play)
Opposing Group: Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, Tutu Atwell, Tyler Higbee, Darrell Henderson Jr.
Lineup Notes: this is an appealing DFS game on both sides and we like the Rams to cover a -6.5 spread that has stood out as a bit off all week. At the very least this game should offer plenty of upside for passing on both sides, with dynamic skill players in the receiving corps and two capable quarterbacks. The Cowboys have by far the better pass defense, Dak Prescott has the chance to have a very good day against a Rams’ defense that has allowed more than 300 yards passing per game this season, Los Angeles sits 18th with 4.1 yards allowed per rush attempt and 14th at 6.4 yards per pass attempt allowed. The Rams offer very strong bring-back options, we would run some sets of lineups with bring-back plays forced on both sides of this stacking situation.
Denver Broncos
Key Player: Russell Wilson
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Marvin Mims Jr. (large field), Javonte Williams
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Travis Kelce, Isiah Pacheco, Rashee Rice, Skyy Moore, Kadarius Toney, Mecole Hardman Jr.
Lineup Notes: this game has a significant amount of concern in the DFS industry about snow and cold, but it is not expected to be snowing DURING the game, and cold is an overrated issue outside of the kicking game, all signs point to a strong spot for the Chiefs, but the Broncos are a more limited group and a low-priority stack that ranks 20th by fantasy points on both sites. Courtland Sutton has been the team’s most consistent scorer and receiver, Javonte Williams is a playable addition to the group as a running back, but he is in something of a timeshare with Samaje Perine and Jaleel McLaughlin, though he is the nominal lead back. Marvin Mims was targeted only ONE time again last week, he is a limited dart throw with high upside as long as the team refuses to deliver him the ball. The Chiefs’ deep group of limited pass-catchers is trimmed a bit for the best bring-back options possible in this group. Kansas City’s underrated defense is an option in this game, they are currently second in the NFL against the pass at just 5.6 yards per pass attempt allowed, which does not bode well for Russ Wilson shares.
Green Bay Packers
Key Player: Jordan Love
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: Aaron Jones, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Luke Musgrave (Q), Jayden Reed (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Jordan Addison, TJ Hockenson, KJ Osborn, Brandon Powell
Lineup Notes: Minnesota ranks just below our priority line for stacking, but they are a viable option with solid veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins leading the way, while Green Bay lands just 19th by fantasy points on both sites and 20th/21st by points-per-dollar value. The Packers are limited by Jordan Love’s play, the quarterback was solid the first two weeks of the season and has been a mediocre option every week since. Love has potential and a quality matchup against a Vikings pass defense that has yielded 6.8 yards per pass attempt this season. The Vikings generate pressure against the quarterback 28.5% of the time but have managed just a middling total of 13 sacks on the season, Love has good skill options in a healing(ed) Aaron Jones out of the backfield with Watson and Doubs supporting the pass game. Luke Musgrave is expected to play after a quick return from an ankle injury. Brandon Powell is an interesting value dart in the Vikings passing game who belongs in the bring-back group but Addison, Hockenson, and Osborn are higher-priority options in that role.
Houston Texans
Key Player: CJ Stroud
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Dalton Schultz, Dameon Pierce, Noah Brown
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Adam Thielen, DJ Chark Jr., Miles Sanders, Chuba Hubbard, Hayden Hurst, Jonathan Mingo (large field)
Lineup Notes: the Texans are a go-to stack in our model this week, they are among the Week 8 leaders for fantasy scoring and they are coming in at extreme value pricing on both sites. Houston stacks rank 11th by fantasy points and fourth by points-per-dollar value on FanDuel and first by value on the DraftKings slate. CJ Stroud has played well in his rookie season and has thrown just one interception all year, he will get Tank Dell back in the offense but they will lose Robert Woods this week, removing a prioritized Red Zone target from the offense, which spells good things for everyone remaining. Tight end Dalton Shultz has been very highly targeted all season, he has touchdowns in the last three straight games with at least one Red Zone target in EVERY game this season. Schultz is one of our top value plays in our top value stack, he and the wide receiver group can all be deployed as one-offs in other lineups as well.
Indianapolis Colts
Key Player: Gardner Minshew II
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, Alec Pierce, Drew Ogletree
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, Michael Thomas (Q), Rashid Shaheed, Juwan Johnson, Taysom Hill
Lineup Notes: the Colts look better as a source of one-offs and bring-back options against stacks of Saints players, New Orleans is very good against the pass and Gardner Minshew is a backup for a reason. Jonathan Taylor is an interesting option with the expectation of additional work after an increase in his second game back and Zach Moss ailing all week. Taylor is playable out of stacks and should see enough volume to support his inclusion in the group, but if he comes up too frequently he can be removed to ensure more pass-focused combinations of Colts stacks in a bad spot. Michael Pittman is the top priority receiver while Josh Downs has taken steps forward the past two weeks, Alec Pierece is a downfield home run threat and a viable DFS dart.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Key Player: Trevor Lawrence
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Travis Etienne Jr., Christian Kirk, Calvin Ridley, Evan Engram, Jamal Agnew
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, Jaylen Warren, Allen Robinson II (large field)
Lineup Notes: Jacksonville ranks highly in our model, they have a very good quarterback and excellent skill options. Jamal Agnew is a potentially sneaky play filling in as the third receiver in the absence of Zay Jones. The Jaguars rank fifth by both points and value on FanDuel and they sit fourth by points and second by points-per-dollar in our stack rankings for DraftKings. Travis Etienne is a high-priority running back both in and out of stacks, while Kirk and Ridley provide a strong 1/1A combination that can be played along ownership lines, doubled-up in fat stacks, or played individually in lineups that are focused on other team stacks. The Steelers provide limited bring-back options with Johnson and Pickens as the two priorities, their split backfield situation has limited DFS appeal until someone takes the wheel, but Jaylen Warren’s involvement in the passing game earns him the spot in the group.
Kansas City Chiefs
Key Player: Patrick Mahomes
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Travis Kelce, Isiah Pacheco, Rashee Rice, Skyy Moore, Kadarius Toney, Mecole Hardman Jr., Marquez Valdes-Scantling (large field), Noah Gray (large field), Jerick McKinnon (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Marvin Mims Jr., Javonte Williams
Lineup Notes: weather be damned, Kansas City is a strong option against the worst defense in football. Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce can win slates on their own, while Isiah Pacheco is the clear lead back on the deep depth chart for the Chiefs. Jerick McKinnon should be included in this group for his involvement in the passing game, but he is a more limited option who is touchdown-dependent in large fields. Rashee Rice has emerged as the leading target in the wide receiver group, while Skyy Moore and Kadarius Toney are dynamic players with volume and catching issues. Valdes-Scantling is a deep throw home run dart, Mecole Hardman has “remember me” value in what should be an expanding role, and Noah Gray even sees a few value targets at tight end each week behind Kelce, though he is an extremely large field option only. The Broncos are a limited bring-back team.
Los Angeles Rams
Key Player: Matthew Stafford
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, Tutu Atwell, Tyler Higbee, Darrell Henderson Jr.
Opposing Setting: at most one (change to “exactly one” in some sets to force the bring-back play)
Opposing Group: Tony Pollard, CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, Jake Ferguson, Michael Gallup
Lineup Notes: Los Angeles is a high-priority stack in our rankings this week. The passing game looks solid against a Dallas defense that has been good but not great at 6.3 yards per pass attempt, while Darrell Henderson has a chance to keep the Cowboys honest with their 19th-ranked 4.2 yards per rush attempt allowed. Dallas should have no problem keeping the pace going as 6.5-point favorites at home against a weak Rams pass defense, supporting the idea of a shootout with potential for a bonanza of DFS scoring on both sides. The Rams have shown enough pass volume to support both superstar Cooper Kupp and emergent rookie star Puka Nacua, while Tutu Atwell has lost volume but maintains any-given-slate touchdown upside. Tyler Higbee has been less involved this season and the deep options on the depth chart are less viable, but the top of the board shines for the Rams this week, ranking 7th by points and 9th by value on DraftKings and 6/15 on DraftKings. The Cowboys offer very strong bring-back options, we would run some sets of lineups with bring-back plays forced on both sides of this stacking situation.
Miami Dolphins
Key Player: Tua Tagovailoa
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Tyreek Hill, Raheem Mostert, Jaylen Waddle, Salvon Ahmed, Durham Smythe, Braxton Berrios (large field), Cedrick Wilson Jr. (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Rhamondre Stevenson, Kendrick Bourne, Demario Douglas, Juju Smith-Schuster, Devante Parker, Hunter Henry
Lineup Notes: the pricey Miami stack ranks 2nd by points and 7th by value on FanDuel and sits second on the DraftKings slate by points but falls to 24th by points-per-dollar at their extremely high pricing. Miami’s value-based marks do not matter in that situation, they are a top-flight offense going up against a limited opponent as heavy favorites, New England ranks 13th with 6.3 yards allowed per pass attempt, though their rush defense sits first at just 3.4 yard allowed per rush attempt on the season. Miami stacks revolve around the amazing Tua-Tyreek combination, but Jaylen Waddle is looking like a premium option in this passing game as well. The deeper options are less playable in the Miami attack, we would not be surprised to see Cedrick Wilson surpass Braxton Berrios for targets. The Patriots’ offense is extremely limited with Rhamondre Stevenson looking like the top bring-back option despite his mediocre season to this point. Mac Jones will have a show-me spot against the 23rd-ranked Miami defense that has allowed 6.8 yards per pass attempt, we tend to think Miami makes for a reasonable play at the DST spot against Jones.
Minnesota Vikings
Key Player: Kirk Cousins
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Jordan Addison, TJ Hockenson, KJ Osborn, Brandon Powell, Alexander Mattison
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Aaron Jones, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Luke Musgrave (Q), Jayden Reed (large field)
Lineup Notes: Minnesota ranks just below our priority line for stacking, but they are a viable option with solid veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins leading the way, while Green Bay lands just 19th by fantasy points on both sites and 20th/21st by points-per-dollar value. The Packers are limited by Jordan Love’s play, the quarterback was solid the first two weeks of the season and has been a mediocre option every week since. Love has potential and a quality matchup against a Vikings pass defense that has yielded 6.8 yards per pass attempt this season. The Vikings generate pressure against the quarterback 28.5% of the time but have managed just a middling total of 13 sacks on the season, Love has good skill options in a healing(ed) Aaron Jones out of the backfield with Watson and Doubs supporting the pass game. Luke Musgrave is expected to play after a quick return from an ankle injury. Brandon Powell is an interesting value dart in the Vikings passing game who belongs in the bring-back group but Addison, Hockenson, and Osborn are higher-priority options in that role.
New Orleans Saints
Key Player: Derek Carr
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, Michael Thomas (Q), Rashid Shaheed, Juwan Johnson, Taysom Hill
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, Alec Pierce, Drew Ogletree
Lineup Notes: Michael Thomas is questionable with an illness, if he sits out Shaheed takes a nice step forward from home run threat and dart throw play to a solid volume-based option with tons of skill. The Saints are looking like a solid play across the board, they rank 8th by points and 6th by value on the blue site and sit 7/5 on the DraftKings slate. Alvin Kamar is a volume sponge at the running back position, he is heavily involved in the passing game and the focal point of the rushing attack with the potential for 25-30 touches any given week, he has significant individual potential this week and is a key part of this group alongside the receiving corps. The tight end spot is interesting as well, with Juwan Johnson returning after Taysom Hill saw significant involvement in his absence.
New England Patriots
Key Player: Mac Jones
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: Kendrick Bourne, Rhamondre Stevenson, Demario Douglas, Hunter Henry, Juju Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Tyreek Hill, Raheem Mostert, Jaylen Waddle, Salvon Ahmed, Durham Smythe, Braxton Berrios (large field), Cedrick Wilson Jr. (large field)
Lineup Notes: the Patriots are a very low-priority stack, they are limited by the play of Mac Jones and the disappointing season that Rhamondre Stevenson has posted to this point. The running back (Stevenson) is still our favored play if we are forced to draw options from this offense and we are actually slightly ahead of the field on him, but he has not had a standout week in 2023 after a strong season last year. The receiving corps and quarterback are extremely limited and could have a diminishing impact on the ceiling for Dolphins stacks if things break the wrong way.
New York Giants
Key Player: Tyrod Taylor
Setting: at least one (we are giving Taylor a bit of leeway here, this could easily be set to “exactly one”)
Team Group: Saquon Barkley, Darren Waller, Wan’Dale Robinson, Jalin Hyatt, Darius Slayton
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Breece Hall, Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, Tyler Conklin, Randall Cobb
Lineup Notes: the Giants are a very low-priority stack against an underrated Jets defense. Saquon Barkley is easily the team’s most valuable option, he can be deployed in limited stacks or used on his own in other lineups. Tyrod Taylor is filling in for Daniel Jones again which actually enhances the value of the big blue pass attack, but they have very limited options with a banged-up Darren Waller and at best medium talents at wide receiver. Wan’Dale Robinson is the lead weapon at receiver while Jalin Hyatt has taken a bit of a step working with Taylor as a potential deep threat, though he has yet to do anything worthwhile for DFS after coming into the season with sleeper buzz. The balance of the receivers are mix-and-match options at best. The Jets’ offense is limited to Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson in most realistic versions of this game.
New York Jets
Key Player: Zach Wilson
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: Breece Hall, Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, Tyler Conklin, Randall Cobb
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Saquon Barkley, Darren Waller, Wan’Dale Robinson, Jalin Hyatt, Darius Slayton
Lineup Notes: The Jets’ offense is limited to Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson in most realistic versions of this game. Hall has major potential with early season volume concerns removed, he is facing a Giants’ rush defense that has been gouged for 5.0 yards per rush attempt and 137 yards per game while allowing 1.4 rushing touchdowns per game so far this season, Hall is a potential monster going into this one, he ranks as RB4 by points and RB1 by value on DraftKings and sits 5/1 on FanDuel. Barkley is 6/20 and 6/9 on the other side of the game. Dynamic receiver Garrett Wilson has been limited by his quarterback but he has significant any-given-slate potential as the clear lead weapon, while Lazard, Conklin, and Cobb are afterthoughts, with Conklin, the team’s tight end, as our favored option among the three. Giants bring-back plays should be limited to Barkley and a few shares of Waller with perhaps a sprinkling of Robinson as a stretch.
Philadelphia Eagles
Key Player: Jalen Hurts
Setting: at least one
Team Group: AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith, D’Andre Swift, Dallas Goedert, Olamide Zaccheaus (large field), Julio Jones (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, Curtis Samuel (Q), Antonio Gibson, Logan Thomas
Lineup Notes: the Eagles are a top priority stack this week, they rank 1st by both points and value on FanDuel and sit 1/7 on the DraftKings slate as a unit. AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith offer an excellent 1/1A combination at receiver, Swift is a premium running back play against a Commanders defense that sits 23rd at 4.4 yards per rush attempt and 29th with 7.4 yards per pass attempt allowed this season. In Week 4, these two teams played a strong 34-31 game that was won in Overtime by Philadelphia, which supports the notion that Washington can hang in the game as 6.5-point underdogs at home while doing plenty of scoring and providing good bring-back options.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Key Player: Kenny Pickett
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, Jaylen Warren, Connor Heyward, Allen Robinson II (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Travis Etienne Jr., Christian Kirk, Calvin Ridley, Evan Engram, Jamal Agnew
Lineup Notes: the Steelers are a limited choice this week, Kenny Pickett has not been very good this season but Johnson and Pickens are viable individual receivers at fair prices. The backfield is split between Warren and Najee Harris, who is not included in the group for lack of opportunity in the passing game, which goes in Warren’s direction. The Steelers are without Pat Friermuth and have only limited options at the tight end position. The Jaguars are a priority stack and they provide strong bring-back options against any stacks of Steelers.
Seattle Seahawks
Key Player: Geno Smith
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Kenneth Walker III, DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Noah Fant, Colby Parkinson
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Kareem Hunt, Amari Cooper, David Njoku, Elijah Moore, Donovan Peoples-Jones (large field), Marquise Goodwin (large field)
Lineup Notes: this game is fairly ugly on both sides, the Cleveland defense ranks 8th against the run at 3.7 yards per attempt and 5th against the pass at 5.7 yards per attempt, while Seattle is the 3rd-ranked rush defense at 3.5 yards per attempt and 8th against the pass at 6.0 yards per attempt. Vegas has this game as a 38-point total with Seattle favored by 3.5, we can see the under playing up in this situation. Geno Smith has had strong yardage games but limited touchdown output to this point in the season. DK Metcalf should be back in the lineup, joining Tyler Lockett in a good 1-2 punch, with emerging Jaxon Smith-Njigba taking up the third spot in the pass game. The three-headed tight end situation is not ideal for DFS.
San Francisco 49ers
Key Player: Brock Purdy
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, Jauan Jennings, Ray-Ray McCloud III (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, Joe Mixon, Irv Smith Jr., Trenton Irwin (large field)
Lineup Notes: the 49ers are a strong option against the Bengals in a potential shootout. Brock Purdy has miraculously cleared the concussion protocols and will play. Christian McCaffrey has at least one touchdown in every game this season, he is a premium option in any role. Brandon Aiyuk has had solid receiving games with limited touchdown output but he is a major option on this slate, Kittle is a leading tight end play that ranks 4/7 on DraftKings and 4/3 on FanDuel. With Deebo Samuel OUT we should see a step forward for Jauan Jennings again this week, while McCloud is more of a dart throw option with return game upside. The Bengals are an ideal bring-back team with high-end skill players to offer, we would run some sets of lineups with bring-back plays forced on both sides of this stacking situation.
Tennessee Titans
Key Player: Will Levis
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Derrick Henry, DeAndre Hopkins, Tyjae Spears, Chig Okonkwo, Treylon Burks, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Kyle Pitts, Tyler Allgeier, Jonnu Smith
Lineup Notes: Derrick Henry is a solid individual play on the Titans side but the stack is very limited with backup QB Will Levis running the show and Malik Willis looming to take some snaps at a split position today. DeAndre Hopkins is the clear go-to receiver while the others are complete dart throws. The Falcons offer strong bring-back skill players who are probably better on their own in other lineups.
Washington Commanders
Key Player: Sam Howell
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, Curtis Samuel (Q), Antonio Gibson, Logan Thomas, Dyami Brown (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith, D’Andre Swift, Dallas Goedert, Olamide Zaccheaus
Lineup Notes: Washington has a good chance to hang with the Eagles in this game as evidenced by their strong Week 4 performance against this team, their chances hinge on the play of Sam Howell at quarterback but they look like a playable value stack or at least a reasonable source of bring-back options with a deep corps of pass-catchers including 1/1A options McLaurin and Dotson, with a good 3rd receiver from the slot in Curtis Samuel and a strong tight end play. The Eagles are a very solid club for bring-back options in a game that can be played both ways.
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