X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Week 1 DFS GPP Stacks For FanDuel And DraftKings

Matt Terelle offers up optimal DFS stacks for Week 1 of the NFL season. These GPP tournament stacks are worth considering on FanDuel and DraftKings daily fantasy sports games.

Hey there RotoBallers! After a long off-season, the big day is finally here as the NFL regular season Week 1 kicks off. You have probably already been tinkering with daily fantasy lineups since prices were released last month but there's always room for more combinations. Get those lineups set on Sunday morning, sit back, and enjoy the glorious return of football!

The goal of this weekly column will be to locate some of the best DFS stacks each week. Stacking, or pairing a quarterback with one of his pass-catchers, is a great way to maximize point scoring. This method is generally viewed as a strategy in tournaments, but I also have no problem using safe, high-floor stacks in cash games, as well. There are plenty of high-scoring games on opening weekend, including the Chiefs-Jaguars (52.0 over/under), Rams-Panthers (50.5), 49ers-Cardinals (49.5), and Lions-Cardinals (47.5).

The top Week 1 DFS stacks will be listed below, loosely sorted by my preference. This article will center on the main slate (1:00 PM and 4:00 PM Sunday) games across both DraftKings and FanDuel. Each stack will reference two pass-catchers along with their quarterback. The pass-catchers will be listed in preferential order but sometimes a three-man stack is in play as full-game stacks led to several wins in the Milly Maker in 2018. If you feel strongly about how an offense will perform in a given week, by all means load up on as many offensive players as you can. All references to team defense DVOA come from Football Outsiders while cornerback and wide receiver matchups and grade references come from Pro Football Focus.

Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 50% off using code SUMMER! Win more with expert advice from proven winners and exclusive DFS tools. Get instant access to RotoBaller's Lineup Optimizers, Research Stations, daily picks and VIP chat rooms across 10 sports! Go Premium, Win More!

 

Week 1 DFS Stacks

Los Angeles Rams @ Carolina Panthers

QB Jared Goff ($6,200 DraftKings, $7,800 FanDuel)
WR Brandin Cooks ($6,500 DraftKings, $7,000 FanDuel)
WR Robert Woods ($6,400 DraftKings, $7,000 FanDuel)

The Rams offense slowed down as the season wore on, punctuated by a disappointing three-point performance against New England in the Super Bowl. Part of the problem was a banged-up Todd Gurley and another issue was the mid-season loss of Cooper Kupp. Kupp appears to be recovered from a November ACL tear, which boosts the entire LA passing game outlook. Jared Goff's squad has the third-highest implied team total in Week 1 as they head to Carolina to take on the Panthers. Carolina ranked just 24th in pass defense DVOA in 2018 and they should have their hands full with an explosive Los Angeles passing attack.

Trying to project which Rams receiver will go off in a given week can be somewhat difficult. With that said, I am refraining from playing Kupp until I've seen a full game out of him. That leaves Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods as the preferred stacking pieces around Goff. Cooks will draw Carolina's top cornerback, but he is also the most explosive receiver on the team, with the opportunity to post game-changing splash plays each and every week.

Woods is also an excellent option, as he should see a much more favorable matchup than Cooks in Week 1. While the Panthers were solid against No. 1 receivers in 2018, they were dead last in the league in DVOA against the opposition's No. 2 option. If Carolina manages to scheme to stop Cooks, Woods has a good chance to run wild against their secondary.

San Francisco 49ers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

QB Jimmy Garoppolo ($5,800 DraftKings, $7,200 FanDuel)
TE George Kittle ($6,600 DraftKings, $7,300 FanDuel)
WR Dante Pettis ($5,400 DraftKings, $6,500 FanDuel)

The Buccaneers employed one of the worst pass defenses in the league in 2018, ranking 30th in DVOA. They did little to bolster the situation this season, while new head coach Bruce Arians' pass-first philosophy will do little to help hide the porous secondary. Garoppolo did not have a great preseason, although he surely had plenty of rust to shake off after missing all but three games last season with an ACL tear. With neither team expected to be very strong on defense this season, this game has very high shootout potential. The 49ers head to Tampa as one-point road dogs in what Vegas has set as the third-highest over/under on the main slate.

The 49ers still don't have an alpha wide receiver, which ensures that star tight end George Kittle will once again fill that role for Kyle Shanahan. Kittle had a massive breakout in 2018 and will run his routes against a Tampa Bay defense that was 28th in the league in pass defense DVOA against the position in 2018.

As mentioned above, the wide receiver pecking order is tough to decipher ahead of the regular-season opener. Pettis has drawn the ire of his head coach this preseason, although some of that surely must be a motivational ploy. As the incumbent No. 1, Pettis should see the majority of the wide receiver targets in Week 1, at least while Deebo Samuel gets acclimated to the NFL game. He is far behind Kittle as a preferred stacking partner this weekend.

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. San Francisco 49ers

QB Jameis Winston ($6,600 DraftKings, $7,500 FanDuel)
WR Mike Evans ($7,900 DraftKings, $7,900 FanDuel)
WR Chris Godwin ($6,200 DraftKings, $6,900 FanDuel)

I don't know about you, but one of the main things I am looking forward to seeing in Week 1 is how the Buccaneers offense looks under Bruce Arians. The Bucs are loaded with pass-catchers, which we know is something that Arians can take full advantage of based on his track record in Arizona. While the jury is still out on whether Jameis Winston is a good real-life quarterback, we know how high his upside can be in fantasy. As previously mentioned, the 49ers do not have a strong defense. This matchup of two poor pass defenses from 2018 should yield plenty of fantasy-point goodness in Week 1. The Buccaneers are one-point home favorites with a solid 25.25-point implied team total.

While all of the offseason hype has centered around Chris Godwin, Evans remains the alpha receiver in Tampa until he proves otherwise. While he lacks YAC upside, the 6'5" beast has multi-touchdown potential any time he takes the field. He will likely see a lot of Richard Sherman in Week 1, but Evans got the better of the former Seahawk when the met last season, catching six passes for 116 yards, primarily while in Sherman's coverage.

The hype around Godwin is real as he lines up to make the vaunted third-year leap this season. Despite being buried behind DeSean Jackson and Adam Humphries last season, the young wideout rarely failed to disappoint when he did get an opportunity to play a full complement of snaps. It bears noting that the 49ers were very bad against No. 2 receivers in 2018, ranking 26th in DVOA. A Winston-Evans-Godwin-O.J. Howard four-man stack is very much in play for Week 1.

 

Under-owned Week 1 Stack

Atlanta Falcons @ Minnesota Vikings

QB Matt Ryan ($6,100 DraftKings, $8,000 FanDuel)
WR Julio Jones ($8,000 DraftKings, $8,500 FanDuel)
TE Austin Hooper ($3,200 DraftKings, $5,500 FanDuel)

DFS gamers generally enjoy rostering the Falcons offense, especially when they are at home in the dome facing a weak NFC South defense. Neither of those factors will be in play in Week 1 as the Falcons head to Minnesota to take on a Vikings Defense that has been one of the best in the league over the past few seasons. Those factors should work together to drive down the ownership levels on Ryan and company. Ryan quietly turned in another excellent season in 2018 and has the weapons at his disposal to ensure the Falcons remain a top offense in the league in 2019. The Falcons have a 21.75-point implied team total, which is decent, and head to Minnesota as four-point underdogs. That means we can expect Ryan to throw often in Week 1 if Atlanta does in fact fall behind.

Stacking Julio Jones with Matt Ryan is a no-brainer as he can be safely projected to be one of the top-scoring wide receivers in Week 1. Jones is expected to mostly do battle with the Vikings' Xavier Rhodes, their lockdown cornerback. Of course, Jones is still one of the top wide receivers in the league, which makes who he lines up across less concerning considering how he can dominate anyone.

While some may consider Calvin Ridley as an alternate stacking partner with Ryan, I would instead take a look at Austin Hooper. While the Vikings were excellent at limiting the pass last season, they were not all that great against enemy tight ends. In fact, Minnesota ranked 30th in the league in DVOA when it came to covering opposing tight ends. Hooper is a popular breakout candidate this season who is expected to take a big leap forward after his solid 2018 campaign.

 

Thanks for reading, go win some money this weekend!

More Weekly DFS Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Houston Rockets

Jock Landale Waived by Rockets
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Jonas Valančiūnas

Jonas Valanciunas Considering Returning to Europe
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Jabari Walker

Signs Two-Way Deal With Sixers
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Byron Young

Still Improving?
Cody Simon

Jonathan Gannon has Been Impressed With Cody Simon
SirVocea Dennis

has Impressive Offseason
Trevor Penning

Could Still Have a Role in New Orleans
Jonathan Kuminga

Warriors Decline Recent Offer for Jonathan Kuminga
Orlando Magic

Moritz Wagner, Magic Agree to One-Year Deal
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
José Soriano

Jose Soriano Throws Gem Against Braves
Robbie Ray

Earns Ninth Win in Complete Game
T.J. Watt

Likely to Reset the Edge-Rush Market
George Springer

Blasts Two Homers, Drives in Four
James Wood

Goes Yard in Five-Hit Night
Bradley Beal

Suns Discussing Potential Buyout
Los Angeles Lakers

Jaxson Hayes Staying with the Lakers
NBA

Damian Lillard "Open" to Signing With a Team This Offseason
Max Muncy

Out at Least Six Weeks
Clarke Schmidt

Leaves Start with Forearm Tightness
Colson Montgomery

Promoted to the Major Leagues
Pittsburgh Steelers

Omar Khan, Steelers Agree to Three-Year Contract
Max Muncy

Goes on Injured List With Knee Bruise
Max Muncy

Out of Thursday's Lineup
James Wood

Joining Home Run Derby
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
Max Scherzer

Cleared to Start on Saturday
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
Kodai Senga

Could be "in Play" to Return Before All-Star Break
Ha-Seong Kim

Rays Reinstate Ha-Seong Kim From Injured List
Christian Moore

Placed on Injured List With Thumb Sprain
Luis L. Ortiz

the Subject of Gambling Investigation
Jordan Lawlar

to Miss Multiple Weeks With Hamstring Injury
Yordan Alvarez

Receives Encouraging News on his Hand
Chau Smith-Wade

Having Stellar Offseason
Ace Bailey

Inks Rookie Contract With Jazz
Divine Deablo

Could be the Quarterback of the Defense
Isaiah Rodgers

a Likely Starter for the Vikings
Jacob Monk

Sees Plenty of Work With Starters
Avonte Maddox

has Impressed Dan Campbell
Boston Celtics

Josh Minott Inks Deal With Celtics
Chicago Bears

Ruben Hyppolite Shows Notable Improvement
Sandro Mamukelashvili

Heading to Toronto
Daron Payne

Commanders Coaches Impressed With Daron Payne
Danny Gray

Makes Impression During Offseason Workouts
Jared McCain

Not on 76ers Summer League Roster
Dane Belton

Should Have a Role in 2025
Kaiir Elam

Flashes During Offseason Workouts
Dylan Harper

Unavailable for California Classic
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
Riley Greene

Homers Twice, Drives in Six on Wednesday
Cleveland Cavaliers

Larry Nance Jr. Headed Back to Cavaliers
Eric Gordon

Remaining with 76ers
Los Angeles Lakers

Deandre Ayton Joining Lakers
Emil Heineman

Signs Two-Year Deal with Islanders
Simon Holmstrom

Re-Signs with Islanders for Two Years
UTA

Nate Schmidt Signs Three-Year Deal with Mammoth
UTA

Brandon Tanev Moves to Utah on Three-Year Contract
NJ

Evgenii Dadonov Joins Devils on One-Year Deal
BUF

Sabres Snap Up Alex Lyon on Two-Year Contract
Dallas Mavericks

Dante Exum Returning to Dallas
Ryan McLeod

Inks Four-Year Extension with Sabres
NAS

Predators Bring in Nick Perbix on Two-Year Deal
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Has Surgery to Repair a Turf Toe Injury
LA

Cody Ceci Moves to Los Angeles
Charlotte Hornets

Spencer Dinwiddie Lands With Charlotte
Bud Cauley

in Great Form Ahead of John Deere Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

a Player to Avoid at John Deere Classic
Jake Knapp

Riding Momentum Ahead of John Deere Classic
PGA

Sungjae Im Looking for Consistency at John Deere Classic
Ryan Gerard

a Solid Option at John Deere Classic
Rickie Fowler

Looking to Rebound at John Deere Classic
Cameron Champ

a Volatile Option at John Deere Classic
Jackson Suber

Staying Below 70 is Key to Success for Jackson Suber
Kevin Roy

Playing Better Heading into John Deere Classic
Justin Lower

Hoping for Something Positive in Illinois
Ben Kohles

a Long Shot at John Deere Classic
Stephan Jaeger

Attempts to Stop Roller-Coaster Ride
Beau Hossler

Needs a Challenge in Illinois
Harry Higgs

Has Potential at John Deere Classic
Nick Dunlap

Keeps Plugging Through Tough 2025 Season
Milwaukee Bucks

Taurean Prince Staying in Milwaukee
Jeff Green

Signs One-Year Deal to Remain in Houston
Kevin Yu

a Near Must-Play at TPC Deere Run
PGA

J.T. Poston Returns to John Deere Classic Looking for Another High Finish
Thriston Lawrence

a Decent Fit For John Deere Classic
Tom Kim

Not Finding Much to be Happy About Ahead of John Deere Classic
Si Woo Kim

is a Prohibitive Fade at John Deere Classic
Ben Griffin

is the Appropriate Favorite at TPC Deere Run
Daniel Suarez

and Trackhouse Racing Parting Ways After 2025 Season
Ilia Topuria

Becomes The New Lightweight Champion
Charles Oliveira

Knocked Out At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Submitted At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Extends His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Drops Decision
Renato Moicano

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
Felipe Lima

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Payton Talbott

Bounces Back
Alex Bowman

Competitive Run Ends With Third-Place Finish at Atlanta
Erik Jones

Secures A Top-Five Finish After Adversity In Atlanta
Tyler Reddick

Collects A New Career-Best Finish At Atlanta
Chase Elliott

Ends Winless Skid With Atlanta Victory
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Atlanta Victory
Carson Hocevar

Recovers From Big One to Finish 10th at Atlanta
William Byron

Caught up in Atlanta Big One but Retains Points Lead
Denny Hamlin

Top In-Season Challenge Seed Denny Hamlin Eliminated in Lap 70 Crash
Ty Dillon

Bottom Seed Ty Dillon Upsets Denny Hamlin to Advance in In-Season Challenge
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF