DFS GPP STACKS WEEK 3 2021

DFS WEEK 3 GPP STACKS TO TARGET

We have some FUN games on this upcoming Sunday slate, with high game totals and coaches who are showing a huge propensity to push the pace early on. Tracking ownership through the weekend is going to be important, as are some key injuries that are hanging over the slate, but we have you covered at Football Diehards! You can also follow me on twitter @jac3600 to stay up to date with all the Diehards’ content.

 

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Last week’s Chargers/Cowboys tilt was a colossal letdown from a fantasy perspective, save for a few individual players. This week the Chargers are once again involved in the projected highest scoring affair, as this game currently features an O/U of 55.5 points. The Chargers are vastly on the losing end of this projection with a 24.5 implied team total, but the pace of this game SHOULD reap some fireworks (even though it didn’t with Dallas).

Justin Herbert averaged over 300 YPG in his two games against the Chiefs last year, and it’s pretty evident that he’s going to have to put up a lot of passes in this one as well. You can stack him with any combination of receivers, as well. Mike Williams is surprisingly leading the Chargers in targets through the first two weeks, but Keenan Allen is only one behind him and he’s my preference of the two even with a much lower aDOT. Even with their pace of play, the Chiefs allowed the second fewest pass plays over 20 yards last season, which diminishes Williams’ X-receiver upside. He’s still fine to use in stacks, but I’d spread out the exposure to others. Austin Ekeler was back to his receiving ways with nine catches in week two, and this track meet style of play fits his PPR floor perfectly. He can be used in Chargers stacks, or as a bringback to the Chiefs. Jared Cook is a great cheap option, as the Chiefs have allowed 11.5 YPT to TEs to start the young season. He has 13 targets through two weeks.

As for the Chiefs, their 31 team total leads the slate, which is no surprise. What WAS a surprise was how the Chargers’ D held down Dak Prescott and the Dallas passing game after what they did against TB. Mahomes is an every week QB1, and always worthy of one of the top stacks in GPP, but it’s interesting to see if LAC can replicate that magic. Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill are the obvious top pass catchers to stack with Mahomes, but they’ll deal with top CBs and Derwin James. The upside is higher than the downside. Mecole Hardman is $3900 which is way too cheap as a double-TD upside play. He ranks third in snap share and target share by a wide margin over every other pass catcher not named Hill or Kelce.

Now, the CEH dilemma…

Twitterverse has already called him a bust first-rounder, BUT let’s keep in mind that he’s still getting the lion’s share of touches out of the backfield and the Chargers have given up 5.5 YPC so far this year. Plus, he’s $4800, which is the same price as (checks notes) Jeremy McNichols and Chuba Hubbard.

STACK IDEAS

Herbert/Allen/Williams w/ any Chiefs pass catcher (or two)
Herbert/Allen/Williams w/ CEH
Herbert/Allen/Ekeler w/ any two Chiefs
Herbert/Allen/Cook w/ any Chief (or two)

Mahomes/Hill/Kelce w/ any Chargers pass catcher
Mahomes/Hill/Kelce w/ Ekeler
Mahomes/Hill/Hardman w/ any Charger

ATLANTA FALCONS AT NEW YORK GIANTS

The 48 O/U on this game strikes me as a representation of the two teams’ offensive efficiency (or at least how they’re perceived). I’d hammer the over if you’re betting, and this game has sneaky stack potential. The Giants defense that excited me so much last year has looked nonexistent this season, allowing 7.5 YPA with only three sacks through the first two games to the likes of world-beaters Teddy Bridgewater and Taylor Heinecke. Matt Ryan is proven to be less efficient without Julio Jones, but with a clean pocket and Kyle Pitts he has a chance to pad the boxscore here. Calvin Ridley is obviously fine to use in stacks, but I like Pitts more. The Giants bottled up WR1s for the third fewest FPPG last year but have already given up 16/159/2 to opposing TEs. Pitts has 14 targets through two weeks. For the RBs, Mike Davis and Cordarelle Patterson have combined for 21 targets through two weeks and would seem to each have a solid PPR floor for RBs if Atlanta continues to lack in air yards.

For the Giants, I’m happy to say that Daniel Jones is one of the most exciting QB options this week. He’s third in rushing yards among NFL QBs with two TDs (should have been three). His accuracy over 20 yards is third in the NFL, Atlanta has the third lowest adjusted sack rate, and have allowed the most FPPG to opposing QBs. Sterling Shepard has ascended to a PPR gold WR with his chemistry with Jones, and can be played in all formats. Kenny Golladay has struggled with drops but he’s an elite WR in general and his ownership will be down. This is the week he has more boom than bust in him. Saquon is the real diamond in the rough here, however. He hasn’t instilled any confidence in any of us through the first two weeks, but keep in mind that his snap share was up to 84% in week two, and Atlanta has allowed 4.7 YPC to start the year while also giving up the most receptions to RBs over the past three years. He’s a bargain at $6500 and is my favorite bringback to Falcons stacks. Darius Slayton can be mixed into MME as the deep threat, even though his name is mud with Giants fans after his untimely drop. He is still running a 65% snap share.


STACK IDEAS

Ryan/Ridley/Pitts w/ Barkley
Ryan/Ridley/Pitts w/ Shepard

Jones/Shepard/Golladay w/ Ridley or Pitts
Jones/Shepard/Golladay w/ Davis or Patterson

ARIZONA CARDINALS AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Unlike the first two, this is not a stack I think can go either way, as I prefer the Arizona side with JAX bringbacks. Kyler Murray is playing like the QB1 he was last season before he got banged up, and Arizona is pushing the pace at an even higher rate than in 2020. We’ll talk about Rondale Moore in a second, but first off, make sure Murray-Hopkins is your priority stack here. Hopkins is already higher than his career best catch % from last year, and Jacksonville’s secondary has allowed the tenth most FPPG to WRs so far. Just keep an eye on Hopkins’ health, as he’s dealing with a rib injury.

Now, for Rondale Moore. Very few were higher on him than me during the preseason, but we must keep an eye on a couple of things. Yes, Rondale currently leads the Cardinals in catches, yards, and targets, but he still only ran on 42% of snaps last week, which was STILL behind not only Hopkins but Green and Kirk as well. I’m not saying to fade Moore, but I at least would temper the exposure if MMEing Cardinals stacks, because there’s still bust potential there.

Chase Edmonds and James Conner can be used as bringbacks if stacking Jacksonville, and Edmonds can also be used in Cardinals stacks with more PPR upside. Both could see ample volume in this one as the Jaguars have allowed the most rushing attempts and the eighth most FPPG to RBs.

For the Jags, the offense has been a little too inefficient to be comfortable stacking, but if you are, the way is pretty clear to stack Lawrence with Marvin Jones and Laviska Shenault. They rank 1-2 in targets this year and the absence of James O’Shaughnessy should open up more receiver targets. We can at least bank on the fact that JAX will have to push the tempo here, and game script (ARI -7.5) indicates they’ll be throwing more.

James Robinson outtouched Carlos Hyde last week by a lot which was encouraging, but Urban Meyer coaches this team doesn’t bode well for Robinson to get the necessary volume to pay off his price tag each week. If you want to bring back a Cardinals stack with Robinson in MME, it’s not the most awful thing. Arizona surprisingly stuffed Derrick Henry in week one, but did no such thing against Dalvin Cook last week, proving there are holes in the front and in space.


STACK IDEAS

Kyler/Hopkins w/ Jones or Laviska
Kyler/Hopkins/Moore w/ Jones or Laviska
Kyler/Hopkins/Moore or Edmonds w/Robinson


Lawrence/Jones/Laviska w/ Hopkins
Lawrence/Jones/Laviska w/ Edmonds or Conner