RADIO
Have you checked the calendar recently? It's December, and that means the fantasy football playoffs are right around the corner for season-long leagues. For daily players, only five regular-season weeks remain. I say this every season, but it bears repeating -- the NFL season goes by too fast. Enjoy it while it's still here!
The goal of this weekly column is to help find the most profitable DFS stacks, while avoiding the duds. Stacking, or pairing multiple players from the same NFL team, is an ideal way to maximize your point production, which is crucial in larger GPP (guaranteed prize pool) tournaments. Let's take a look at some of the top DFS stacks for Week 13, loosely sorted by salary.
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High Priced Week 13 DFS Stacks
Atlanta QB Matt Ryan and WR Julio Jones vs. Kansas City
Jones continued his weekly unpredictability last Sunday, finishing with just four receptions for 35 yards. Jones has six 100-yard games this season, but he also has four games with less than 40 yards. We're banking on a bounce-back performance this Sunday against the Chiefs.
Ryan should have little trouble moving the ball against Kansas City's 20th-ranked pass defense. The Chiefs have been particularly poor against opposing wide receivers this season, and were just burned by Denver's Emmanuel Sanders (162 yards, TD). Ryan and Jones will keep that trend going in Week 13.
New Orleans QB Drew Brees and WR Brandin Cooks vs. Detroit
So, that was weird. The Saints scored 49 points and piled up 555 total yards of offense last Sunday against Los Angeles, yet Cooks failed to garner even a single target. We're going to chalk that up to the randomness of fantasy football.
Don't expect a repeat performance this Sunday against a beatable Lions' defense that's allowing slightly more than 250 passing yards per game. Brees is matchup-proof, especially in the friendly confines of the Superdome. Michael Thomas and Willie Snead are fine stacks as well, but the bounce-back narrative favors Cooks.
Indianapolis QB Andrew Luck and WR T.Y. Hilton at New York Jets
Make sure to monitor the health of these two leading up to Monday night's game. Luck should be able to return after missing the Thanksgiving night game due to a concussion, and Hilton is expected to play despite a back injury.
The Jets' defense has been one of the worst in the NFL this season, and a poor game feels inevitable on the heels of last Sunday's demoralizing loss to New England. There is some risk involved with this stack, but it's worth a gamble for the upside of a long touchdown or two.
Moderately Priced Week 13 DFS Stacks
Seattle QB Russell Wilson and WR Doug Baldwin vs. Carolina
Last Sunday's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was downright ugly for Seattle. Wilson was under duress all game long and finished with one of the worst stat lines in his career (17-of-33, 151 yards, two INTs). The upside? He finished with a season-high 80 rushing yards and still completed seven passes to Baldwin.
Seattle has played much better at home this season than on the road, and Carolina enters Sunday night's game with the 29th-ranked pass defense (275 yards allowed per game). That combination makes a Wilson-Baldwin stack quite appealing.
New York QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and WR Brandon Marshall vs. Indianapolis
The Jets came up short against the Patriots last Sunday, but it's difficult to fault Fitzpatrick and Marshall for that. The much-maligned Fitzpatrick passed for 269 yards and two touchdowns, while Marshall caught six passes for 67 yards and a TD.
We highlighted Luck and Hilton earlier in this piece, but the Colts' pass defense is actually worse than the Jets', at least statistically. Monday night's game could turn into a sneaky shootout, so pairing Fitzpatrick and Marshall might be a savvy move.
Buffalo QB Tyrod Taylor and WR Sammy Watkins at Oakland
In his first action since Week 2, Watkins finished with three catches for 80 yards, including a 62-yard reception, last Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. There will always be a certain degree of risk associated with Watkins due to the lingering foot issue, but he displayed the tremendous upside he still has.
What Taylor lacks in passing yards, he usually makes up for on the ground. The Bills are going to have to score plenty of points to keep pace with the Raiders, so a long touchdown or two to Watkins is a realistic possibility.
Bargain Week 13 DFS Stacks
Houston QB Brock Osweiler and WR DeAndre Hopkins at Green Bay
A very real case can be made that Hopkins is the most disappointing fantasy player of 2016. He entered the season as a top-five wide receiver and consensus first-round pick in most drafts, but ranks just 41st in receiving yards (610), behind such stalwarts as Rishard Matthews, Cole Beasley and Quincy Enunwa.
Less was expected from Osweiler, but he's been equally disappointing. The appealing factor here is the price -- both players are dirt cheap, which makes them a viable stack against an injury-riddled and struggling Packers defense. Sure, it's a punt play, but it's worth a look.
Kansas City QB Alex Smith and TE Travis Kelce at Atlanta
Rookie wide receiver Tyreek Hill might be stealing all the headlines after his three-touchdown performance against Denver last Sunday night, but Kelce has quietly posted back-to-back 100-yard games. Now the Chiefs draw a matchup with the Falcons' 32nd-ranked pass defense.
This is a safer stack if Jeremy Maclin misses a fourth consecutive game, but even if he doesn't, Kelce is still worth consideration. Smith's upside is limited, but the matchup is perfect.
