FanDuel Stacks: Week Eight

Zach Bahner Posted On October 29, 2015

tanlandry
Week seven was another rough week for stacks that looked good on paper. This is just a further reminder of how this game doesn’t always play out in a way which makes sense to just those who look only at stats.

Carson Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald combined for a measly 24.6 points. Palmer paired with John Brown wasn’t much better, going for 33.7. Both missed value by greater than 10 points. Landry Jones and Antonio Brown, our riskiest stack, only put together 24.16 points. Ryan Fitzpatrick and Eric Decker almost made value, but only accounted for 33.1 points. At their low price point, making value was important, so this was a poor return.

Fading the Eagles stack was a good move, as Sam Bradford only scored 7.8 and the receivers combined for only 4.4 points.

[inlinead]This week is a little different than last week. I like a lot more running backs, several of which can be had at a good value. This is going to allow us to pay up for quarterbacks and receivers a bit more. This is actually a week where I think paying up for receiver is a bit more important than some of the past weeks. Many of the good stackable options are higher priced pass catchers. This is also a week where I like the Thursday night options, which I usually fade. I’m going to have to use some Patriots and Dolphins players.

Remember, these are recommendations for guaranteed prize pools (GPPs) with over 50 entries and aren’t necessarily recommended for cash games.

Highest Upside

Tom Brady, QB NE
Brandon LaFell, WR NE
Rob Gronkowski, TE NE

In case you didn’t believe it before, last week Brady ($9,200) proved he is the most matchup proof quarterback in the league right now, putting up 29.7 points against the stingy Jets defense. This week, he gets the Dolphins defense, who have nine sacks and three interceptions in the two games since Dan Campbell took over as head coach – they also have given up 555 passing yards and four passing touchdowns. This is a game where Brady could throw for 400 yards and four touchdowns in the game with the highest projected point total of the week.

So, who is Brady going to be throwing the ball to? My money is on LaFell ($5,500) and Gronkowski ($8,400). Last week in LaFell’s first game of the season, he committed six drops en route to a temporary benching. Brady has since thrown his support behind the receiver, and I expect this to be a bounce back game for him. LaFell should also see at least 50% of his snaps across from Jamar Taylor, the weaker of the two starting Dolphins cornerbacks. While Julian Edelman ($7,600) is priced as a WR2, I think LaFell will be owned less and the better option. Gronkowski is at the top of a short list of tight ends I like this week. He’s a player I’m going to have a lot of exposure to.

Honorable Mention: Matt Ryan ($8,000) and Julio Jones ($9,200)

Best Value

Ryan Tannehill, QB MIA
Jarvis Landry, WR MIA

This is leading to an excess of exposure to the Thursday game, but it’s been pegged as one of the highest scoring games of the season thus far. The Dolphins offense has been spectacular since Campbell took over. Tannehill ($7,700) has thrown for 548 yards and six touchdowns in the two weeks with Campbell coaching. He has also attempted far fewer passes than when former head coach, Joe Philbin, allowing the running game to take more of a focal point. This week, Tannehill should be back to attempting greater than 30 passes, making for high upside if he can maintain the efficiency he’s had in the past two weeks. Throwing for over 300 yards and three or four touchdowns is within his grasp.

Landry ($7,400) has a deliciously low price tag in the midlevel WR2 range. Rishard Matthews ($6,600) has been a standout receiver in recent weeks, but he should be matched up against Logan Ryan, the speedier Patriots cornerback, much of the game. Landry should be able to work the middle of the field and his ability after the catch to lead to a greater fantasy performance than Matthews.

Honorable Mention: Matt Stafford ($7,500) and Calvin Johnson ($8,600)

Stack of the Weak

Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB NYJ
Eric Decker, WR NYJ

How much I like the value and flexibility Fitzpatrick ($7,400) and Decker ($6,400) have given to lineups so far this season is no secret. Fitzpatrick has quietly been the fifth highest scoring quarterback over the last two weeks. While I don’t advocate chasing points, his streak cannot be ignored. This week’s matchup in Oakland looks average at best and that’s the point in this stack – it isn’t likely to be widely played.

Decker has been a bottom end WR2 this season, but he’s been the picture of consistency, never scoring less than 10 or more than 20 points in any game this season. This is the week when he breaks his streak of mediocrity and wins people some money. He will line up across from and outmatch DJ Hayden much of the game. Decker is both the safest and highest upside receiver on the Jets this week.

Honorable Mention: Eli Manning ($7,300) and Larry Donnell ($5,100)

Fool’s Gold

Nick Foles, QB STL
Tavon Austin, WR STL

The Rams have a great matchup as a passing offense this week against San Francisco. The 49ers are ninth worst against opposing quarterbacks and fifth worst against receivers. On top of this, Austin ($5,300) is priced as a WR5. To be completely honest, I actually really like Austin in this matchup. He will line up all over the field against a lackluster group of San Francisco cornerbacks. He should be able to meet value.

Foles ($6,200) is the player I don’t like in this stack. He doesn’t need to score much to meet value, only 18.6 points, but he’s only scored higher twice this year by a combined .52 points. There’s little reason to believe he will start scoring this week. He’s an easy fade this week with Austin used in some lineups by himself.

Honorable Mention: Teddy Bridgewater ($6,900) and Stefon Diggs ($6,700)

Note: I suggested fading Bridgewater and Diggs last week, as well. This week, I like Diggs, but I still don’t like Bridgewater. I wouldn’t get too much exposure to Diggs with his price in the WR2 range, but he is worth rostering in moderation.

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