NFL Week 8 DFS Stacks - Lineups on DraftKings & FanDuel

Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were a DFS-winning duo for sure last week, so let’s keep the hot streak going. Six teams were on bye in Week 7, but all return now for the midseason hoorah of Week 8.

Here are three stacks you should consider for DFS this week.

This weekly column provides you with the information you need before choosing a stack in DFS.

• A “steep stack” -  A top-priced QB and a top-priced WR or TE — pricey, but still worth it.
• A “sleeper stack” - The inverse of a “steep stack” including a QB outside the top 10 and an offensive weapon deep off the radar.
• A “no pain, no gain stack” - Exemplifies the risk/reward that DFS players are accustomed to.

Steep stack

Lamar Jackson and Zay Flowers vs. ARI

Could you go with Mark Andrews? Absolutely — he was a winning part of our Week 7 DFS lineup, after all. But in an attempt to save some of the budget amid a “steep stack” Zay Flowers will suffice. Hell, this may be an even better fit for DFS.

Lamar Jackson has played his best football since his MVP season in 2019. At this rate he’s set to add another MVP title to his resume, and in doing so Jackson provides fantasy owners with elite production. He’s one of four quarterbacks who average over 20 FPPG and has scored 22 fantasy points or more in four of his last six games.

Jackson’s reputation and upside with his rushing volume speaks for itself. So why pair that brilliance with Flowers? Well, the first-round rookie boasts an impressive 28% target share, but it’s his yards after the catch that makes the Boston College product stand out.

Flowers has the 15th-most YAC in the NFL and faces a Cardinals team that ranks 30th in net yards allowed per passing attempt. It shows the bigger plays Arizona continues to be prone to, which can be devastating against an elusive receiver like Flowers. The Ravens duo continues to look good, and now they can put it all out there for fantasy.

Sleeper stack

Bryce Young and Adam Thielen vs. HOU

Strap in, everyone. This is diving into the deep subconscious of DFS sleepers.

The rookie quarterback had a rocky start to his NFL career, but his Week 6 performance was arguably his best of the season. He had a turnover-free game and is flirting with heavy usage that could equate to fantasy value.

Young has attempted 79 passes across his last two games and slung four touchdowns in that span. His rushing volume has been far less than one would’ve expected of him — not that he’s Justin Fields, but he can scramble — but Young has improved week after week.

The 2023 No. 1 overall pick is now coming off a bye week, which can be a big indicator of noticeable steps forward for young players. The Texans rank 26th against fantasy quarterbacks, and Young comes with a price tag equivalent to A.J. Dillon in value. He’s not going to wow anyone with a top-10 finish, but he could sneak inside the top-15 and return value on his price point.

Adam Thielen is the natural pairing, as the 33-year-old receiver has enjoyed a career revival in Carolina, sitting with a whopping 21.1 PPG (WR6) at a WR11 price tag.

This stack is absolutely a risky one and should not be used in numerous lineups. But it’s one that is worth a speculative stab given the low ownership and prices within.

No pain, no gain stack

Brock Purdy and George Kittle vs. CIN

This section may as well be renamed to honor Brock Purdy’s commitment to inflicting pain upon fantasy managers over the last two weeks. He’s looked terrible, and the 49ers don’t have a bye week to address all those concerns.

But Kyle Shanahan typically doesn’t need much to get his offenses back on track, and the Bengals are a solid matchup to do just that. After Purdy has thrown just X touchdowns over the last two games, he gets to face a Bengals’ defense that sits below the league average in passing touchdowns allowed. Cincinnati’s run defense has also been incredibly suspect, which will likely lead to more stacked boxes to try and limit Christian McCaffrey.

That should open up Purdy to hit George Kittle for big gains against a unit that has also allowed four touchdowns in six games to tight ends. This is also a home game for Purdy, who looked his best against the Giants, Cardinals and Cowboys, all of which were home games.

The Bengals could put up points coming off the bye against this 49ers defense, and at least should force a competitive game script that will force Purdy to show up or shove out before San Francisco’s bye week.

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