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Hey there RotoBallers! Week 11 saw exciting shootouts between the Cowboys-Lions and Cardinals-49ers. The Ravens continue to roll on offense, posting 41 points in a win over Houston. The Jets surprised many with a 34-point performance while the Saints matched them with 34 points of their own in a less-surprising outcome. This marks the final bye week of the season, with the Cardinals, Chiefs, Chargers, and Vikings all idle. There are several games that are projected to be high-scoring, including the Falcons/Buccaneers game, which checks in with a 51.0-point over/under, highest on the slate. The Eagles/Seahawks and Saints/Panthers games should also finish with high point totals.
The goal of this weekly column will be to locate some of the best DFS stacks each week. Stacking, or pairing a quarterback with one of his pass-catchers, is a great way to maximize the number of points scored. This method is generally viewed as a strategy in tournaments, but I also have no problem using safe, high-floor stacks in cash games, as well.
The top Week 12 DFS stacks will be listed below, loosely sorted by my preference. This article will center on the main slate (1:00 PM and 4:00 PM Sunday) games across both DraftKings and FanDuel. Each stack will reference two pass-catchers along with their quarterback. The pass-catchers will be listed in preferential order but sometimes a three-man stack is in play as full-game stacks led to several wins in the Milly Maker in 2018. If you feel strongly about how an offense will perform in a given week then consider loading up on several offensive players from that offense. All references to team defense DVOA come from Football Outsiders while cornerback and wide receiver matchups and grade references come from Pro Football Focus.
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Week 12 DFS Tournament Stacks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons
QB Jameis Winston ($6,200 DraftKings, $7,600 FanDuel)
WR Mike Evans ($7,300 DraftKings, $8,000 FanDuel)
WR Chris Godwin ($7,200 DraftKings, $7,800 FanDuel)
It has been ugly at times this season but Jameis Winston continues to find a way to get fantasy results. He is the overall QB9 in points per game on DraftKings and the QB11 over at FanDuel. Even last week, when he threw four picks, Winston scraped together 21.82 DK points (18.82 FD) against the Saints. He draws a favorable Week 12 matchup against an Atlanta pass defense that ranks just 27th in DVOA. Winston has also shown surprising rushing upside of late, having gained at least 23 rushing yards in three of his past four contests.
It has been difficult to predict whether Evans or Godwin will have a bigger fantasy performance in any given week. In Week 11, Evans led the way with four catches for 69 yards but it was Godwin who found the end zone. Both have a chance to go off in Week 12 against a leaky Atlanta pass defense. The Falcons are allowing the eighth-most fantasy points per game to the wide receiver position. Both receivers have equally fantastic matchups as Evans will see primary coverage from Isaiah Oliver, who has a 57.9 grade from Pro Football Focus and is allowing 0.53 fantasy points per route covered. Godwin will mostly see slot corner Kendall Sheffield (58.0 grade, 0.41 FP/RT). You will have to make concessions at other positions due to price but a three-man Tampa Bay stack is very much in play in Week 12.
Seattle Seahawks @ Philadelphia Eagles
QB Russell Wilson ($6,800 DraftKings, $8,200 FanDuel)
WR Tyler Lockett ($7,600 DraftKings, $7,400 FanDuel)
WR D.K. Metcalf ($6,300 DraftKings, $6,700 FanDuel)
Did you miss Russell Wilson and the Seattle offense as much as I did in Week 11? This is another fine spot for Seattle as they travel to Philadelphia as 1.5-point road dogs in a game with a healthy 48-point over/under. The Eagles sport a defense that is stout against the run but is not as effective at stopping the pass. That should push more work onto Wilson's plate and force the Seahawks out of their preferred run-first approach. Russ has been one of the most dominant quarterbacks in fantasy this season and brings that weekly rushing upside that helps to keep both his floor and ceiling high.
Tyler Lockett appears fine after giving his team a scare during their Week 10 win over the 49ers. He had a Week 11 bye to give him extra time to heal up and head coach Pete Carroll expects him to be able to play. He draws a great matchup against Philadelphia slot corner Avonte Maddux, who has just a 48.7 grade from PFF. While it was tempting to include Jacob Hollister, the Eagles have been solid when it comes to shutting down enemy tight ends. That isn't to say ignore Hollister as he makes for an interesting contrarian pivot if looking to differentiate from the higher owned Lockett and Metcalf.
New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers
QB Drew Brees ($6,600 DraftKings, $8,500 FanDuel)
WR Michael Thomas ($9,300 DraftKings, $9,200 FanDuel)
RB Alvin Kamara ($8,200 DraftKings, $8,300 FanDuel)
The Saints bounced back from a slow Week 10 to hang 34 points on Tampa Bay on the road in Week 11. They return back to the SuperDome this weekend, where Drew Brees and company have been much better for fantasy purposes over the years. Brees will take on a Carolina defense that is ranked seventh in pass defense DVOA but has been losing steam of late. After a strong start to the season, Carolina has allowed lines of 175 passing yards, two touchdowns, and one interception to Jimmy Garoppolo, 331/1/2 and a rushing score to Ryan Tannehill, 233 yards to Aaron Rodgers, and 311/1/0 to Matt Ryan last week. While it isn't a slam dunk matchup, it certainly is not a shy-away matchup for one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL.
Michael Thomas continues to post absolutely absurd numbers. The veteran wideout already has 94 catches for 1,141 yards and five touchdowns. He has failed to catch just 20 targets all season. In Week 12, he will see primary coverage from James Bradberry, who has been dealing with a groin injury over the past few weeks. Bradberry has a 67.3 grade from PFF and should struggle to contain Thomas, much as most of the rest of the NFL has done.
As usual, Alvin Kamara will operate as the No. 2 option in the passing attack with whatever rushing production he posts serving as an added bonus. He caught 10 passes in Week 11 and should have his way against a Carolina pass defense that has allowed a running back receiving touchdown in two straight contests now.
Under-Owned Week 12 DFS Stack
Detroit Lions @ Washington
QB Jeff Driskel ($5,500 DraftKings, $7,300 FanDuel)
WR Kenny Golladay ($6,600 DraftKings, $7,800 FanDuel)
WR Marvin Jones ($6,100 DraftKings, $7,200 FanDuel)
Driskel was excellent in Week 11, finishing with 27.46 points on both DK and FD, aided greatly by 51 rushing yards and a score on the ground. That being said, Driskel has always had the ability to do damage on the ground, so fantasy gamers can expect him to continue to tack on some extra fantasy points in that manner again this week. Driskel will take on a weak Washington pass defense that ranks 26th in DVOA on the season.
Another thing that makes Driskel such an appealing fantasy option is the strong wide receiver duo of Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones. They have been trading off big games, which is a bit of a concern when trying to nail down which wideout to target. The preferred option this week is Golladay as Jones is expected to draw primary coverage from emerging lockdown force Quinton Dunbar. While he isn't a household name, Dunbar has been dominant this season, posting a 90.0 grade from PFF and allowing just 0.25 fantasy points per route covered. Golladay, meanwhile, will deal with former lockdown corner Josh Norman. Norman is no longer the force that he once was, earning just a 45.2 grade from PFF. A two-man stack with Driskel and Golladay will get the job done if looking for a contrarian option this weekend.
Thanks for reading, go win some money this weekend!
