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 has their Midseason Celebration this Sunday with three major contests, a $444 Entry Fee with a $5 Million Guarantee GPP, a $44 Entry Fee with a $1.25 Million Guarantee GPP, and a $4 Entry Fee with a $2 Million Guarantee GPP. Truly a major contest for every size bankroll!
FAT STACK$ ($$ Cash GAME STACKS $$)
Arizona Cardinals Stack vs. San Francisco 49ers
RB David Johnson $8,400 with DST Cardinals $3700 (Cash Games or GPP)
David Johnson will be the chalk this Sunday. We have the dream scenario of the top RB in fantasy football meeting the worst rush defense in the league. Johnson comes into the game averaging 25.3 DraftKings points/per game this season. When these teams met in Week 5, Johnson excelled with 30 targets for 185 total yards and 2 touchdowns. Barring injury, expect more of the same this Sunday. The 49ers defense is allowing an NFL worst 193.0 rushing yards/per game. To put that in perspective, the 2nd worst team is the Cleveland Browns, who were allowing 146.4 rushing yards/per game heading into their Thursday night game. The 49ers defense has surrendered an NFL worst 5.3 rushing yards/per attempt with a league leading 12 rushing touchdowns. Do not get cute and try to fade Johnson in your cash games. He is a must play this week. Vegas has the Cardinals as 13.5 home favorites with the highest projected team total of the weekend at 31 points. Many will start off their cash game lineup by stacking Johnson with the 49ers defense. The 49ers have the lowest projected Team Total of Week 10 at 17.5 points. In their Week 5 matchup with the 49ers, the Cardinals defense generated 7 sacks, 1 safety, 1 fumble recovery, and 2 Interceptions.
Green Bay Packers Stack at Tennessee Titans
QB Aaron Rodgers $7,600 with WR Jordy Nelson $7,500 (Cash Games or GPP)
Expect the 4-4 Green Bay Packers to right the ship this week to avoid their third-consecutive loss. The Packers enter the game as a 3-point road favorite with the fifth highest projected team total of the weekend at 26 points. With the absence of a rushing attack, Aaron Rodgers has put the team on his back. Over the past five weeks, Rodgers has averaged 44.8 passing attempts/per game. He has at least 3 touchdowns in each of his past three games. Rodgers got an unexpected $200 salary decrease on DraftKings. He is one of the top QB options for your cash games this week. Packers WR Jordy Nelson has seen an increase in targets, 22 total, over the past two weeks. He also received an unexpected $300 salary decrease on DraftKings this week. Even though Nelson’s reception totals are down this season (38 receptions through the first 8 games), he is still finding the end zone with 7 touchdowns on the season.
NEW ENGLAND STACK VS. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
QB Tom Brady $7,400 with TE Rob Gronkowski $6,900 (Cash Games or GPP)
The Patriots and Seahawks matchup with each team at a different point with their individual schedule. The Patriots return rested and ready to continue their assault on the rest of the NFL. Seattle is playing on the road after a physical win 31-25 against the Bills this past Monday night. Through four games, Tom Brady has 12 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. At 39-years old, father time has not caught up to this QB legend yet. Vegas has the Patriots as 8-point home favorites with the 2nd highest projected team total of the weekend at 28.5 points. Rob Gronkowski has been remarkably consistent since Brady returned from his suspension. Over the past four games, Gronkowski has at least 93 receiving yards in every game and 3 total touchdowns. He will be a matchup nightmare for Seattle this week.
A DollaR and A DREAM (GPP STACKS)
Here are some GPP stacks that should carry a low ownership percentage but provide multi-touchdown upside.
Pittsburgh Steelers Stack vs. Dallas Cowboys
QB Ben Roethlisberger $6,800 with WR Antonio Brown $8,900
Correlation Play: Ezekiel Elliott $7,900
News flash…Ben Roethlisberger is playing at home this week! Roethlisberger has produced like a different QB at Heinz Field. Over the past three seasons, Roethlisberger’s home/road splits are extreme. His touchdown to interception ratio at home is 51 to 13 as compared with 19 touchdowns and 19 interceptions on the road. Antonio Brown has not gone over 140 receiving yards yet this season. Last year, he eclipsed 187 receiving yards in four separate games. Expect Brown to break out this week and finish as the top WR when the dust settles at the end of the week. Vegas has the Steelers as 3-point home favorites with the 3rd highest expected team total of the weekend at 26.5 points. The Cowboys are expected to be without CB Morris Claiborne and SS Barry Church this week. Don’t be scared to roster Roethlisberger or Brown after last weekend’s embarrassing loss to the Ravens. Roethlisberger told teammates and Steelers fans this week to “Follow Me” the 2nd half of the season. Make sure you follow Roethlisberger this weekend when building your DFS rosters.
New Orleans Saints Stack vs. Denver Broncos
QB Drew Brees $6,900 with WR Brandin Cooks $7,000 (GPP Only)
Correlation Play: Demaryius Thomas $6,700
Many will shy away from rostering Saints players this week due to their matchup with the number one pass defense in the league. Here are a few reasons why you should be targeting Drew Brees in your GPP contests this weekend. Vegas has the Saints as a 2.5-point favorite with a projected Team Total of 25.75 points, the sixth highest this weekend. It is no secret that Brees excels when playing at home in the Superdome. Through 226 career games, Brees has 262 touchdowns at home as compared to 187 touchdowns on the road. That is a large enough of a sample size to roster Brees at home in every matchup, regardless of opponent. Broncos CB, Aqib Talib has missed the past two games with a back injury and is expected to be out again this week. That will help WR Brandin Cooks, who also has drastic home/road splits albeit with much less of a sample size. Through 34 career games, the third-year WR has averaged 80.9 receiving yards/per game at home as compared to 53.5 receiving yards/per game on the road. Cooks has 12 touchdowns at home as compared to 5 road scores. This matchup reminds me of Week 15 last season when the Broncos visited the Pittsburgh Steelers. In that road matchup, the Broncos defense allowed 380 passing yards and 3 touchdowns. For a correlation play, consider Demaryius Thomas if the game turns into a shootout. Don’t go overboard with Saints stacks this weekend, but make sure to have some exposure in your GPP contests.
Thank you for reading! And as always, feel free to send any comments, suggestions, or nasty remarks to me on Twitter @shiposki75
