Week 5 is the season’s first bye week, which means our DFS options are slightly limited by the absence of Browns, Buccaneers, Seahawks and Chargers players. But we don’t need them to build successful stacks -- especially not the Browns. The theory behind stacking players is that by putting correlated players into your lineup, you only need one event to ‘hit’ to be a success.
It’s like double dipping in the guacamole at your favorite Mexican restaurant -- except significantly less gross. Let’s double dip together as we go through three of the best Week 5 stacks.
Cincinnati Bengals @ Arizona Cardinals
- Joshua Dobbs ($5200 DraftKings, $6600 FanDuel)
- Zach Ertz ($3500 DraftKings, $5100 FanDuel)
Since Week 2, Dobbs has averaged over one passing TD per game, throwing no interceptions and finishing as a top-8 fantasy QB twice. The matchup against the Bengals isn’t frightening either, as far as opposing defenses go. While the Cardinals were believed to be tanking, they clearly want to win. I’m not sure I’ve ever watched a scrappier football team than these Cardinals, and I expect them to find a way to stay in this against a hobbled Bengals team.
More on the NFL:
- Cody's Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE-K-DEF.
- Couple of Zachs and You're Good to Go (sportstopia.io)
- A Frugal Play, Brian Robinson (sportstopia.io)
- The Pats are Bad -- That's Good for Us (sportstopia.io)
- The Bears Will Win ... Just Not Tonight (sportstopia.io)
- Studs & Duds: Not Quitting on Burrow ... Yet (sportstopia.io)
Zach Ertz has seen double-digit targets in half of the games so far this season and 8-plus in three of four. He’s yet to find the end zone, but that could be this weekend. You’re not sacrificing upside with this stack, but you are saving a ton of money to use elsewhere.
Kansas City Chiefs @ Minnesota Vikings
- Patrick Mahomes ($8200 DraftKings, $9200 FanDuel)
- Travis Kelce ($7600 DraftKings, $8789 FanDuel)
- Isiah Pacheco ($5700 DraftKings, $6600 FanDuel)
Yeah, I know. Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce is pretty freaking basic, but they are, uh, really good. The Chiefs will wallop the Minnesota Vikings. The total is 52.5, the highest of any Week 5 game.
You’re spending big here, but we’re expecting big points. I like adding Pacheco after a big Week 4. The Chiefs will roll, which could mean another big day for Pacheco. If you really feel like spending all your money up top, add Justin Jefferson on the other side of this game.
New York Jets @ Denver Broncos
- Zach Wilson ($4900 DraftKings, $6700 FanDuel)
- Garrett Wilson ($6000 DraftKings, $7400 FanDuel)
I saved this one for last, so you wouldn’t stop reading after seeing Zach Wilson’s name. I know it seems like chasing points after the best game of his career, but there is more at play here.
Let’s build context around the situation. Wilson gets drafted second overall and then fails spectacularly over his first two seasons, to the point that he gets benched for Mike White. The Jets all but give up on him as a starter by trading for Aaron Rodgers. The entire offseason is spent building an offense for Rodgers, not for Zach Wilson. Then BAM, Week 1 he’s thrown into action unprepared, and it showed.
My point is that what we saw could be the best game Zach Wilson plays in his career OR we could be seeing a third-year QB taking a step forward after a couple of unexpected starts. Add to that a Broncos defense that has been porous and you’ve got a hot and very affordable stack in the Wilsons of New York in Week 5.