DFS GPP STACKS WEEK 1 2022

DFS WEEK ONE DRAFTKINGS GPP STACKS TO TARGET


My cash article is already up and running on Football Diehards, and make sure to tune in tonight at 9 PM EST for our first live DFS show of the year on YouTube. I’ll be joined by my new cohost, Eric Romoff, and we’ll be breaking down the entire slate for you. This article focuses solely on the upside and construction of the top GPP stacks, so make sure to give me a follow at @jac3600!

 

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS AT ARIZONA CARDINALS (KC -6, O/U 54)

CHIEFS

This offense may look different with the departure of Tyreek Hill, but we still have some dynamic playmakers headed up by Patrick Mahomes, who should once again be ticketed for a top-five finish at QB. The most logical first pairing with him is Travis Kelce, who despite being 32 years old finished as the TE2 last year after being the TE1 in the previous five seasons. Eventually it’s going to stop, but there are no signs of that right now, and he’s mispriced at $6600. The Cardinals ranked second in FPPG allowed to TEs last year, but Kelce’s volume will be massive. Juju Smith-Schuster is my next favorite play at $5200. We haven’t seen a lot of him lately, but he’s still only 25 and projects to begin as the WR1 in one of the most high-flying offenses in football. It’s anybody’s guess who emerges as the third option of the receiving corps, and the beauty of multi-entering GPPs is you can take shots with all of them. Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Skyy Moore, and Mecole Hardman all should have specific skill-sets and roles, and all are GPP viable at their price points.

The Chiefs backfield is so loaded with players that it’s way too muddy to identify the best one, although Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s upside has risen throughout the week as multiple Cardinals’ defenders have been ruled out or downgraded. Ronald Jones, Isaiah Pacheco, and Jerick McKinnon all have “hold” and “watch” appeal, but I wouldn’t use them in DFS this week.

CARDINALS

On the Arizona side, Kyler Murray is a smash option as a dual-threat QB, and he’s going to be heading into this game with a pretty thin WR corps as DeAndre Hopkins is suspended and Rondale Moore injured his hamstring mid-week. The Chiefs allowed the second most FPPG to opposing QBs last season, so there are multiple ways to use Kyler even with a thinned out WR bunch. Marquise Brown is one of my favorite options for the week for both cash and GPP with his vertical ability and $6200 price tag. He was a top-ten air yards receiver a week ago and the Chiefs were vulnerable last year against the deep ball. Brown was one of “my guys” in draft season, and he should pay immediate dividends in week one. I also (gulp) think A.J. Green has the most value he’ll see all season in this game. He’s dirt cheap, and has no wear and tear on him yet this season. The TE situation is a big one to monitor. Zack Ertz has been in and out of practice all week with a calf injury, and Trey McBride would be the top TE value if Ertz were unable to go. If Ertz does go, he himself is a top-five option at TE this week with massive expected volume coming his way and a $4400 price tag.

James Conner falls behind similarly priced players for cash this week, but it’s wheels up in GPP as he’s the workhorse back in a potential shootout. Eno Benjamin has almost no on-field experience and Darrel Williams was used sparingly in preseason.

STACK IDEAS

Mahomes/Kelce/Juju w/ Brown
Mahomes/Kelce/Juju w/ Conner
Mahomes/Kelce/one of MVS/Moore/Hardman w/ Brown

Murray/Brown/Ertz or McBride w/ Juju
Murray/Brown/Ertz or McBride w/ Kelce (double TE)
Murray/Brown/Green w/ CEH

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (LAC -3.5, O/U 52.5)

RAIDERS

A lower O/U than Chiefs/Cardinals, but possibly an even more exciting game with two teams that added some superpower in the offseason. I’m not as high on the Raiders’ offense as I’d like to be just yet, as their offensive line looks to be leaky and the Chargers have added Khalil Mack to their pass rush. That said, pairing Carr with a couple of his pass-catching options should have appeal in this game with shootout potential all over the place. Top acquisition Davante Adams is the best option, and he won’t have to contend with JC Jackson who is nursing an ankle injury to start the year. Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow round out the stack, and I prefer Renfrow of the two as Carr’s safety blanket should the pass rush get through early and often in this game.

The Raiders’ backfield is a mess with Josh Jacobs, Zamir White, Ameer Abdullah, and Brandon Bolden, and Josh McDaniels being head coach is not going to help as far as any clarity goes. In theory, Jacobs is the lead back here but there’s no guarantee of it after all the offseason signings and draft picks (plus they declined Jacobs’ option). I would not use any of these backs in DFS this week.

CHARGERS

Now the Chargers, on the other hand, are wheels up in all facets. Maxx Crosby and Chandler should cause some disruption with the pass rush, but the Chargers’ OL is elite, as is their entire skillset on offense. Justin Herbert has three WRs at his disposal and is coming off a season where he finished as QB2 and led the league in aDOT. Keenan Allen still beat Mike Williams as far as ADP went in draft season, but the latter will wind up being my first choice in the passing game this season when stacking. Williams’ aDOT almost doubled Allen’s last season and the Raiders’ secondary should offer no resistance in the backend. Both are excellent in stack options on DK with the PPR format. Joshua Palmer is also on the deep sleeper radar if he establishes himself as the WR3. The Chargers ran three-wide sets above the league average last year and he showed out when either Allen or Williams was hurt last season. Gerald Everett is the next TE for the Chargers and also has appeal in the stack against a Raiders squad that allowed the sixth most FPPG to TEs last season.

Last, but certainly not least, is Austin Ekeler. Only Christian McCaffrey has more targets and receiving yards per game over the past three seasons and he was also elite in RZ touches last season. There is absolutely no reason to fear Isaiah Spiller or Sony Michel stealing significant touches away from him, even if we expect TD regression to come. Ekeler’s passing game role is as safe as any back’s in the game, and his ownership should be in check in the same range as McCaffrey and Taylor.

STACK IDEAS
Carr/Adams/Renfrow w/ Ekeler
Carr/Adams/Waller w/ Allen or Ekeler

Herbert/Allen/Williams w/ Adams
Herbert/Allen/Ekeler w/ Adams
Herbert/Everett/Williams w/ Adams or Renfrow

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AT DETROIT LIONS

EAGLES

The two above games are the “obvious” ones, but this game is one I’ll be aggressively stacking as well. Jalen Hurts cheap relative to other high-end QBs, and offers a monstrous floor/ceiling combo against Detroit. While the Lions have done a lot to make their offense a bit more exciting, the defense that allowed the eighth most points to opposing QBs and the most to RBs puts Hurts on a pedestal where he can excel in all facets of the game. The Eagles just added AJ Brown to the WR mix as well, making this offense pretty scary. Devonta Smith and Dallas Goedert should have plenty of time to run routes as well as the Eagles’ offensive line is coming in as a top-five ranked unit across multiple sites. Goedert in particular is priced incredibly friendly, and the Lions allowed the eighth most FPPG to TEs a year ago.

This game also offers a unique “running stack” where you can fully exploit one team’s strengths and the other squad’s weaknesses. The Eagles ranked first in rush attempts last year and the Lions gave up the most FPPG on the ground. Jalen Hurts is already a smash play, but you can pair him with Miles Sanders and the Eagles D to get some unique leverage on others stacking this game. Kenneth Gainwell has deep appeal as well, but Sanders is still the RB1 until further notice.

LIONS

The Lions’ side offers some appeal as well as they also sport an elite OL, but the target share is a little unknown. I’m still fully on Amon-Ra St. Brown and his “Kupp-like” chemistry with Jared Goff, especially against the Eagles defense who notoriously gives up the underneath passes. TJ Hockenson has a similarly strong matchup, as the Eagles allowed the most FPPG to TEs last season. DJ Chark and Josh Reynolds I’m not interested in against the strong CB corps for Philly.

D’Andre Swift is a dual threat RB that was a top five PPR back before getting hurt a year ago. He has overall RB1 upside regardless of game script, and is a phenomenal bring back to Eagles’ passing stacks.

STACK IDEAS
Hurts/Brown/Goedert w/ Swift
Hurts/Brown/Smith w/ St. Brown
Hurts/Sanders/Eagles D w/ no DET

Goff/St.Brown/Hockenson w/ Brown
Goff/St. Brown/Swift w/ Brown