Top DFS Game Stacks and Leverage Plays for DraftKings

In this article, I'm going to take a deeper dive into game stacks and leverage options. Let's first take a look at what injuries could affect the 12-game main slate.

Visit RotoWire's DFS Top Plays page to see our recommended targets!

Injuries to Monitor

Christian McCaffrey : CMC popped up on the injury report Thursday with a calf injury but is expected to play. If he's unable to go, Brian Robinson ($5,800) would get the start.

Jayden Reed/Dontayvion Wicks : The Green Bay duo are both questionable but practiced in a limited fashion Thursday and Friday. Tucker Kraft ($4,000) would likely get a bump in target share and be a preferred target at TE if Reed is out. 

Darnell Mooney : Mooney has been banged up throughout the summer with a shoulder injury and is a true game-time decision. Ray-Ray McCloud ($3,700) would step in as the No. 2 WR if Mooney is out and Drake London ($6,500) would be in for a massive target share. 

Analyzing Game Stack Rankings for Maximum DFS Impact

Here is how each game ranks in implied points, projected pace/plays per game and how popular we expect each game stack to be in GPPs:

There are a lot of different ways you can form a game stack, with my primary option being a QB with two pass catchers (due to correlation) and one player from the other team (commonly referred to as a bring-back). QB-WR-WR and bringing back a WR is the most popular, but I'm fine going with a TE as one of the pass catchers or an RB from the opposing team. 

My preferred game stacks

JAX/CAR: Trevor Lawrence, Brian Thomas and Travis Hunter with Tetairoa McMillan

IND/MIA: Daniel Jones, Josh Downs and Tyler Warren with De'Von Achane

CLE/CIN: Joe Flacco, Jerry Jeudy, David Njoku with Chase Brown

TB/ATL: Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, Emeka Egbuka with Drake London

Key Leverage Plays for GPP DFS Success

In this section, I'll briefly discuss 10 players that we project to be rostered by less than 10 percent of lineups in GPPs. These can be used as contrarian plays to differentiate yourself from the competition. 

RB Tyrone Tracy ($5,600) at WAS: There has been plenty of hype around Cam Skattebo since the Giants drafted him in the fourth round, but this is still Tracy's backfield. He had three 100-yard rushing games after taking over the starting role in Week 5 and faces a bottom 10 defensive line in Washington. 

RB Chuba Hubbard ($6,000) at JAX: Rico Dowdle and Trevor Etienne shouldn't eat into Hubbard's role as the workhorse, who the Panthers gave a four-year contract to in November. This is expected to be a tight game and it's not easy to find the 30 DK point upside that Hubbard showed multiple times last season in this salary range at RB. 

RB Kenneth Walker ($5,900) vs. SF: We know that Zach Charbonnet is a very capable backup, but as long as Walker is healthy, he's a quality fantasy option. Walker's 17-game pace last year was over 70 catches, and he also produced seven scores on the ground in 11 games. The 49ers are also nowhere near as good defensively as in past years.

RB Bucky Irving ($7,100) at ATL: I'm not sure why Irving isn't expected to be more popular this week considering this game is tied as the highest over/under matchup on the slate. The Buccaneers should be able to control the line of scrimmage against an inferior Atlanta defensive line. 

WR Jerry Jeudy ($5,400) vs. CIN: Jeudy steps into this season as Cleveland's unquestioned top wideout and will benefit from Joe Flacco under center rather than the QB carousel of Deshaun Watson, Jameis Winston and co. from last year. The Bengals kept him in check last year which is keeping his rostership down, but this game has shootout potential. 

WR Marvin Harrison ($5,500) at NO: The Saints are going to be a mess this year and figure to be really weak at corner, so this should be a good opportunity for Harrison to kick off what he hopes will be an improved sophomore campaign. Target share should be high with Trey McBride being the only other notable option.

WR Calvin Ridley ($5,000) at DEN: The unknown that is first overall pick Cam Ward will leave Ridley low rostered - that along with the Patrick Surtain-led Denver defense. The good thing is that Ridley is cheap and the Titans are the biggest underdog on the slate, so they'll likely be trailing and passing often.

WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba ($5,800) vs SF: Smith-Njigba was mostly drafted outside of the WR1 range this summer despite a stellar second season in which he caught 100 passes. Sam Darnold had no problem supporting Justin Jefferson last year, and I'm not sure the aging Cooper Kupp is going to cut into JSN's role.

WR Tyreek Hill ($6,700) at IND: Hill showed this offseason that at 31-years-old, he's still as fast as ever. And no matter how disappointing last year was, as long as he and Tua Tagovailoa are healthy, he's capable of being the highest scorer on the slate. I'm getting him in my lineup early in the season before things could potentially go off the rail. 

WR Puka Nacua ($7,600) vs. HOU: On a fantasy point-per-game basis, only Ja'Marr Chase and Chris Godwin were better than Nacua last season. And unlike last year, Nacua comes into the season healthy. He's shown a safe floor with an elite ceiling when he finds the end zone. I like pivoting from Chase or Nico Collins to get unique with Nacua.

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