Stacking proved to be a viable strategy for NFL DFS players in Week 2. In Week 3, it's once again shaping up to be a nice week to stack. Whether you're playing in cash games or tournaments, there are plenty of opportunities to take advantage of what has been a fast start for many offenses across the NFL.
Both DraftKings and FanDuel have some solid stacking options this week. It's a bit easier to make three-player stacks on DraftKings, as their pricing is more variable than FanDuel's, but both sites provide rock-solid options for fantasy owners who are looking for opportunities to earn double points or take advantage of positive game scripts.
WEEK 3 DFS LINEUPS: FanDuel | DraftKings | Yahoo
Most commonly, you'll want to stack a quarterback with either a wide receiver or tight end. You can also use two pass-catching weapons with a quarterback. Running backs and defenses form nice stacks as well, and there is an opportunity on this slate to trust a contrarian stack.
Below are some of the best stacks for DraftKings and FanDuel lineups this week. Week 3 contains a lot of opportunities to triple-stack, and there are some unique ways to use RBs as well. Be sure to follow our Twitter account @SN_Fantasy to see all of our DFS content heading into kickoff every week.
MORE WEEK 3 DFS: Best values | Lineup Builder
Week 3 NFL DFS Picks: Top cash game stacks for DraftKings, FanDuel
QB Teddy Bridgewater, WR Courtland Sutton, TE Noah Fant, Broncos vs. Jets (DK/FD Stack)
So far in two games with the Broncos, Bridgewater has averaged 296 passing yards and two touchdowns per game. He also hasn't turned the ball over yet and is averaging 10 rushing yards per game.
These aren't huge numbers, but they're rock-solid. Bridgewater isn't that expensive either, so he makes sense as a high-floor quarterback that can allow fantasy owners to save money to spend at running back. The Broncos get a third consecutive easy matchup in Week 3 against the Jets, so Bridgewater should have another game with at least 250 yards and a couple of TDs.
Meanwhile, Sutton and Fant combined for 18 targets on Bridgewater's 34 passing attempts in Week 2 with Jerry Jeudy (ankle) out. Sutton has big-time yardage potential and netted nine catches for 159 yards against the Jaguars. Fant will get red-zone looks after logging four red-zone targets in his first two games, tied for the eighth-most in the NFL.
The Broncos are a safe, solid offense to trust. Many will have the same idea to trust them even against a Jets defense that has been above-average against the pass but has only faced Sam Darnold and Mac Jones to date.
WEEK 3 PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins, Cardinals at Jaguars (DK/FD stack)
It almost seems unfair that Murray gets to face the Jaguars. Jacksonville has looked helpless on defense through two games this season while Murray has nine total touchdowns in that same span. The Cardinals just got lucky to beat the Vikings, so they should be ready to beat up on the Jaguars.
Murray will be a legitimate 30-point player in this matchup. The only concern is whether the Jaguars will make this competitive enough that he will have to throw. Given the success Kirk Cousins just had against this defense, Trevor Lawrence should do enough to ensure that happens.
We're spending up for Murray, so we might as well spend up for Hopkins too. He saw only four targets against the Vikings, who worked hard to take him away, but he caught all four for 54 yards and a TD. You'd like more than that from the second-highest-priced player on the slate, but cash lineups are more about each player's floor. Hopkins has a high one and could also post 30 fantasy points. And bare minimum, he should get double-digits again so long as he doesn't get hurt.
WEEK 3 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
RB Derrick Henry and DEF Titans vs. Colts (DK stack)
Normally, recommending the Titans' defense would warrant consideration for tournament lineups. However, Tennessee will be a chalky play in Week 3 after Carson Wentz's latest injury.
Wentz went down with multiple ankle injuries against the Rams and was forced to exit the game. He wasn't able to return despite the Colts' three-point deficit, so Jacob Eason took over the Colts' offense. He threw five passes. Two were completed and one was intercepted.
Wentz is questionable this week, but it seems like he will be out of action. Even if he plays, he probably won't be 100 percent. That said, the Titans' defense will have a chance to either tee off against Wentz or rattle Eason. Seems doable, so, at a bargain-barrel price of $2,400, they are worth a roll of the dice.
Pairing the Titans defense with Henry is a no-brainer. If the Titans get up on the Colts, they will certainly run a lot. Henry just racked up 237 scrimmage yards a three TDs against the Seahawks. The Colts' stop-unit is better than Seattle's, but Henry should rack up over 100 rushing yards and should operate as a big-time TD threat once again.
WEEK 3 FANTASY: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em
Week 3 DraftKings, FanDuel Picks: Best stacks for daily fantasy football GPPs/tournaments
QB Daniel Jones, WR Sterling Shepard, WR Kenny Golladay, Giants vs. Falcons (DK/FD stack)
This stack is perfect for tournament play. There's nothing sexy about it — I mean, who really wants to play Daniel Jones? — but the upside is certainly there.
For all of Jones' flaws, he looked very good against a stout Washington defense in Week 2. He posted 29.5 DraftKings points and would have had more if a questionable holding call didn't wipe out a touchdown drive.
Jones' scrambling ability will give him a nice, high floor but he could eat as a passer against this Falcons defense. They have allowed 41 points per game through two contests and have allowed eight total passing touchdowns in those outings. Granted, one of those quarterbacks was Tom Brady, but the other was Jalen Hurts.
If Hurts can produce against the Falcons, so can Jones. We're willing to trust him as a low-money quarterback that we can pair with his two top receivers. Shepard has averaged eight catches and 103.5 receiving yards per game, and while, Golladay hasn't clicked with Jones yet, he has averaged seven targets per game so far. He should get opportunities to make downfield plays, so at $5,600 on both DraftKings and FanDuel, he's worth the risk.
The Giants will probably be higher-owned than usual, but there still should be a cap on people willing to trust an inconsistent offense. This stack could provide key lineup differentiation, which is critical in tournament formats.
QB Lamar Jackson, RB Ty'Son Williams, Ravens at Lions (DK/FD stack)
Here's a nice little contrarian stack that takes advantage of the Lions' biggest weakness: their poor run defense.
In 2020, the Lions allowed a whopping 29 touchdowns to running backs. They also allowed quarterbacks to scramble for six touchdowns despite allowing just 160 rushing yards to the position. Those struggles have continued into the 2021 NFL season, as they have already allowed six total TDs to running backs, which is the most in the NFL. They also have allowed 13 quarterback runs — tied for the second-most in the league — though the gains for QBs have been negligible.
Jackson and Williams can take advantage of this. Jackson just gashed the Chiefs' defense for 107 yards and two touchdowns on the ground alone. This year, he is averaging 14 rushes and 96.5 rushing yards per game. He should continue to run the ball (and run it well) against Detroit.
Williams should do the same. He is splitting carries with Latavius Murray, but he has averaged 6.5 yards per attempt compared to Murray's 3.4. Williams should get plenty of work against the Lions, especially as he looks to hone his pass protection skills.
Jackson will probably be high-owned, but few will choose to pair him with Williams. However, they both could have big days and there's a small chance for double points here, as Jackson could throw a TD to Williams. It's well worth the risk, especially considering that Williams isn't too pricey.
QB Kirk Cousins, WR Adam Thielen, WR KJ Osborn, Vikings vs. Seahawks (DK Stack)
So far this season, the Seahawks' defense has been porous. They have allowed 434 yards per game, good for the fourth-most in the NFL.
The Seahawks have actually been slightly better against the pass than the run, but this game could turn into a shootout. Dalvin Cook was also a bit banged-up in Week 2, so we'll trust a few of the Vikings' offensive weapons here.
Cousins has averaged just under 300 passing yards in his first two games and 40.5 passing attempts per game. The Vikings' defense has had its share of issues and will probably have trouble containing Russell Wilson and the Seahawks' offense. As such, Cousins will have to throw a lot in this one to keep pace. That could make it a big day for him.
The question after that becomes: which Minnesota wide-outs do you want to stack with him? There are three options in Thielen, Osborn, and Justin Jefferson, but we're rolling with the former two.
Jefferson is the most expensive of the bunch and is the biggest name as well. However, he hasn't produced quite at the level of Thielen, who has three TDs, and Osborn, who has one fewer catch than Jefferson but is less than half his price on DraftKings. Osborn feels particularly mispriced, so we'll grab him before his value goes up again.
You can run this stack back with a couple of Seahawks, too, if you want to stack the game, which should have a high point total. But either way, this three-player Vikings stack should pay off well.
