When it comes to NFL DFS or all DFS sports for that matter, there are specific approaches you need to take when entering Guaranteed Prize Pools (GPPs) and stacking is one of them. If you’re unaware what stacking is, it’s taking multiple players off of the same team and using them all in one lineup. Most people know this, but we still need to reiterate for the new DFS players. If you have been playing DFS for years and haven’t been stacking, well you’re definitely behind the eight ball. Let's dive into some strategies behind it.

When to Stack

It was pretty much brought up in the introduction but stacking in GPPs is the move. Two-man stacks in cash games are fine, even three players at times, but four-man cash stacks is too much. If that team does not score and you have four players from that team in your stack, you’re going to have a hard time reaching the cash line because you’re relying on the rest of your roster to pick up a TON of slack, and that’s just not feasible nine out of 10 times.

Stacking in GPP’s is ideal and if you enjoy making money, well, take this approach and run wild with it. A word you should always...ALWAYS remember in terms of stacking is variance. Variance is the quality of being different or divergent, which is exactly what we’re looking for when stacking in a tournament setting. Tournaments are meant to be won, not to simply cash, so using variance with our stacks is how we should look at every GPP we enter.

Priority Stacks

Quarterback with Wide Receiver No.1

This feels quite obvious when but let’s talk about pairing a quarterback and his go-to wide out together. We call them “go-to” receivers because they receive the most volume. On both DraftKings and FanDuel and really all DFS platforms, they use a PPR system, so more volume equals more opportunity for points. Those WR1’s are going to be the most targeted players up and down the field and most of the time, they’re the primary target within the red zone as well. Every time a QB throws a touchdown pass to his WR1, you’re collecting points off of both of them thanks to the stack you’ve used. Expect to see a lot of Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins stacks this season for example.

Quarterback with Wide Receiver No.2

It’s generally not as impactful with the second receiver, but there are teams with WR2 that can be game changers at times. We saw Calvin Ridley  put up WR1 numbers for the Falcons last season as the teams WR2. Adam Thielen as the Vikings WR2 last year caught 74 passes for 925 yards and 14 scores for the Vikings. The Seahawks had TWO receivers surpass 1,000 yards and combine for 20 touchdowns in D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett . The list goes on, so we don’t need to continue giving examples, but this is slightly more contrarian than using the QB/WR1 approach.

Quarterback with Wide Receiver No.1 & Wide Receiver No.2

A call back to the aforementioned Seawhawks here with Russell Wilson providing elite upside because of his elite receiving group. This is a very commonly used approach because if a QB is averaging 30 pass attempts a game, he’s not only throwing to one wide receiver the entire game. That’s where WR2 comes into play because like we mentioned in the section above, there are elite WR2’s in the game right now. When specific offenses are more aerial than ground-and-pound, this approach is especially formidable. You also should bring the Chiefs into play when considering this approach. Though Travis Kelce is a tight end, stacking Patrick Mahomes with Kelce and Tyreek Hill can produce big points. If there is a high game total and we could see a potential shoot out, that’s where we pounce on using both pass catchers. We’re not telling you to always eat the chalk either, just know what offenses have high totals and good match-up’s going into each slate.

Quarterback & Pass Catching Running Back

This approach has become especially popular on DraftKings and full-point PPR DFS sites across the board. With how few bell cows there are and how many split backfields we have around the NFL, every team is fully equipped with a weapon out of the backfield that they can seemingly deploy to go out and catch eight passes each and every week if they wanted to take that offensive approach. Elite backs such as Christian McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara obviously stand when you think of a pass catching back but a pairing of Justin Herbert and Austin Ekeler this year could be a popular QB/RB stack in DFS this season.

Quarterback & Tight End

Tight End is generally where DFS players look to save money but spending up on elite tight ends can produce elite fantasy production. Stacking the likes of Patrick Mahomes /Travis Kelce or Lamar Jackson /Mark Andrews would have netted you some serious fantasy points last season. The key here is to find a tight end that is going to be among the top two pass catchers on the team’s offense so we want to look for targets. Darren Waller for example with Derek Carr would be another stack. Of course, you can always look to exploit match ups with your stacks as well like we did all last year against the New York Jets where any tight end you played against them found pay dirt.

Running Back & Defense/Special Teams

This one is used far less than it should be because everyone automatically assumes you NEED to stack a quarterback and wide receiver, but that’s not the case. The reason you would pair an RB and defense is because the better your defense plays, the more likely it directly impacts how a team’s offense calls it’s plays. The better your defense plays and holds the opposing team to the fewest points possible while their offense builds a lead, as the game progresses they’re going to run the ball more, which is why the pairing can work so well. It’s a VERY underrated and appreciated approach because of how much stock we put into QB’s & WR’s.

Are There Avoidable Stacks?

There are stacks that if deployed could hinder your lineups upside, which is what tournaments are all about. Using three wide outs from one team is so impossible to predict that even if you love the prospects of Robert Woods , Cooper Kupp and Tyler Higbee of the Rams’ in a specific week, picking the right one is going to give you heartburn. Pick wrong and you’ll be able to enjoy the rest of your Sunday early and not worry about your DFS lineups.

It’s also not the best approach to stack a QB with the RB1 if he’s not a pass catcher. How much upside do you truly get from Ryan Tannehill if he turns around and hands off to Derrick Henry  25 times in a game? There is a reason they’re pounding the rock and although in this particular situation Henry has tremendous value, what is Tannehill’s upside? It’s not GPP winning upside, that’s for sure.