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QB/RB/WR Stack
Kirk Cousins/Dalvin Cook/Adam Thielen
The Minnesota Vikings saw mixed offensive results throughout the 2018 season, ranking only 20th in the NFL in yards (345.6) and 19th in points (22.5) per game. They get a great matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, who allowed 384.5 total yards and 26.4 points per game last season. The Vikings are currently -4 point favorites in a game set at 48 points. They own an implied team total of 26 points this weekend.
Kirk Cousins saw plenty of ups and downs throughout the 2018 season, but he averaged 268.6 yards and 1.9 touchdowns on 37.9 pass attempts per game. He flashed tremendous upside throughout the season, scoring 30+ DraftKings (DK) points against the Green Bay Packers (x2) and Los Angeles Rams. His favorite target was Adam Thielen, who lead the team with 153 targets. He was also the most efficient receiver on the team, posting a 113/1,373/9 line on those targets. Thielen also boasted a 15/90/6 line on a team-high 20 red zone targets. Thielen got off to a hot start in 2018, averaging 28.4 DK points per game through his first eight games. He tailed off over his final eight games, but could find success early this season, as well. Dalvin Cook only played in 11 games last season, and he failed to record 20 carries in any game. Overall, he averaged 55.9 rushing yards and 0.2 rushing touchdowns on only 12.1 carries per game in 2018. He also averaged 3.6 receptions for 27.7 yards and 0.2 touchdowns on 4.5 targets per game. He played in only one preseason game in 2019, taking 2 carries for 88 yards and 1 touchdown. Cook is expected to play full snaps this season, and he could be a featured part of this offense. Keep in mind, Stefon Diggs can also be considered in this stack, but I prefer Thielen this weekend.
QB/WR/WR Stack
Jameis Winston/Mike Evans/Chris Godwin
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers featured one of the best passing offenses in the NFL last season. They lead the league with 320.3 passing yards per game, while also recording 36 passing touchdowns. They get a great matchup against the San Francisco 49ers, who only allowed 233.3 passing yards per game last season. With that being said, they also gave up 35 passing touchdowns, while recording only 2 interceptions. The Bucs are +1 point underdogs in a game set at 51 points, but they still feature an implied team total of 25 points.
Jameis Winston only played in 11 games (9 starts) last season, while also getting pulled at times. Still, he averaged 272.0 yards and 1.7 touchdowns through the air in those games. Winston also totaled 281 yards and 1 touchdown on the ground last season. Winston’s biggest struggles have come through interceptions, but that’s an issue for real life football more than fantasy. Mike Evans was the clear-cut WR1 for Tampa Bay last season, leading the team in receptions (86), receiving yards (1,524), receiving touchdowns (8), and targets (138). He averaged a healthy 28.7 DK points per game in contests that he scored a touchdown, and this is an ideal matchup for his scoring potential. Chris Godwin played in 16 games last season, but only started 5 of them. He lost targets to DeSean Jackson and Adam Humpries, who are no longer on the team. Even in limited snaps, Godwin posted a 59/842/7 line on 95 targets. He also ended the season on a high note, scoring 32.4 fantasy points against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 17. Godwin and Evans were the focal points of the Tampa Bay offense in the red zone, as they rank first and second on the team in red zone targets, respectively. Overall, the duo combined for 12 receptions, 121 yards, and 10 touchdowns on 30 targets. Tampa Bay is expected to feature a more efficient offense under Bruce Arians, and this stack comes with as much upside as any on this slate.
QB/WR/TE Stack
Jimmy Garoppolo/Dante Pettis/George Kittle
The San Francisco 49ers saw plenty of ups and downs with their passing attack in 2018. They averaged 241.7 passing yards per game to go along with 26 passing touchdowns last season. They get an elite matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season, as they gave up 259.4 passing yards per game last season. They also allowed 34 passing touchdowns in 2018 to go along with only 9 interceptions. The 49ers are -1 point favorites in a game set at 51 points, giving them an implied team total of 26 points.
Jimmy Garoppolo saw mixed results in only three games in 2018, as he averaged 239.3 passing yards and 1.7 passing touchdowns on 29.7 pass attempts per game. He doesn’t offer a ton of rushing potential, but he does possess untapped potential that he could flash in this matchup. Dante Pettis only played in 12 games last season, starting 7 of them. He saw 5+ targets in each of his final 6 games, averaging 4.0 receptions for 61.8 yards and 0.7 touchdowns on 6.2 targets per game. Pettis has been announced as the WR1 for San Francisco, and he could be in line for a breakout sophomore season. George Kittle is one of very few elite receiving tight ends in the NFL. Last season, he posted 88 receptions for 1,377 yards and 5 touchdowns on 136 targets between three quarterbacks. Kittle also comes with elite upside, as he scored 32.9 and 37 DK points in two of his final four games last season. His role is unlikely to change in 2019, making him an elite tight end option on a weekly basis. Marquise Goodwin and Deebo Samuel can also be considered in this stack, but they are far riskier options than Pettis.
High Upside GPP Stack
Lamar Jackson/Mark Ingram/Mark Andrews
The Baltimore Ravens featured one of the best rushing offenses in the NFL last season, as they averaged 152.6 rushing yards per game. They also scoring 19 rushing touchdowns, and those numbers increased once LamarJackson took over as the starting quarterback. Baltimore gets an elite matchup against the Miami Dolphins, who allowed 145.3 rushing yards per game last season. They also gave up 17 rushing touchdowns to go along with 4.8 yards per carry in 2018. The Ravens are -6.5 point favorites in a game set at only 38 points, and they possess an implied team total of 22.3 points.
Lamar Jackson started only seven games in 2018, flashing tremendous fantasy potential. In those games, he averaged only 159.1 passing yards and 0.7 passing touchdowns on 22.6 pass attempts per game. With that being said, he also averaged 79.4 yards and 0.6 touchdowns on 17.0 attempts per game on the ground. He has an elite floor because of his rushing potential, scoring 16+ DK points in each of his eight starts (including playoffs) in 2018. He also flashed tremendous upside, scoring 27.16 DK points against the Cleveland Browns in Week 17. Mark Andrews played in all 16 games last season, while starting only 3 of them. He looked outstanding for a rookie tight end, posting a 34/552/3 line on 50 targets. He was also seemingly a safety blanket for Jackson, who gave 12 targets over their final two games together in 2018. Baltimore has already stated that Andrews is a mismatch for the majority of defenders, and I expect them to try to exploit that throughout the season. Baltimore’s run heavy team allowed Mark Ingram to be paired with Jackson. While Jackson did see 119 carries over his seven regular season starts in 2018, the Ravens recorded a ridiculous 316 rush attempts over that span. Ingram is coming off of a successful season with the New Orleans Saints, running for 729 yards and 6 touchdowns on 156 carries. He also added a 25/185/1 line on 31 targets. I expect Jackson to continue to develop as a passer, but he could still rely heavily on his tight end and running backs for easy completions. Miami struggled to defend the run last season, and Baltimore has a very easy formula to success in this game. Jackson and Ingram make great options, while Andrews adds upside for a low price tag.
Follow Justin Bales on Twitter (@BalesSJustin)
