Crazy, is the word I would use to describe week 4. While there were many surprises last week, if you read this article and played some of the stacks I gave you there is little doubt that you won some money. My Steelers stack was the biggest success along with my WR of the week Will Fuller who finished as the #3 over all WR in Fanduel. However, Week 4 shore did teach us how valuable a stack can be as Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and Matt Bryant all finished 1st among players at their position last week. If you started that stack it cost you 21,000 of your 60,000 budget and it scored you a ridiculous 92.52 points. All I can say is Wow! Lets take a look at some value plays and some decent stacks for this week.
Value Qb’s
Pick of the week: Derek Carr $8100 vs Chargers: Carr is quickly becoming a big time QB. His matchup at home this week against the Chargers screams.. PLAY ME! The Chargers D gives up points in bunches and that’s exactly what think you will get playing him this week, bunches of points!
Paxton Lynch $6800 vs Falcons: Okay, he is a rookie and there is about a 50/50 chance he even starts this week. If he does, I like his chances to deliver some points. My only fear is if Kubiak pulls the reigns in like he did early this season with Siemian, My gut says he doesn’t but it’s a little risky.
Andy Dalton $7800 @ Cowboys: This is another gut pick. Dalton likes to throw the ball and the Cowboys D has allowed a nice amount of points to Cousins and Hoyer this year. Stacking him with Green is something I would definetly look at as well.
Other Value QB’s: Kirk Cousins $7500 @ Ravens, Brian Hoyer $6000 @ Colts
Value pick at RB:
Pick of the week: Todd Gurley $7600 vs Bills: The Bills D has been a solid fantasy play in 3 of 4 games this year, however, they have allowed big stat lines to Forte and D. Johnson this season. I think the Rams will ride Gurley like a horse this week and that leaves us with opportunity.
Jordan Howard $7200 @ Colts: Yes, I am picking on the Colts D but I have to tell you, I really like Howard and I think he is a major threat as a runner and receiver. His value at $7200 is very good against a really poor D.
Melvin Gordon $7700 @ Raiders: I feel like I pick him every single week.. With 6 TD’s over the first 4 games of the season I think his value is terrific against the Raiders.
Giovani Bernard $5500 @ Cowboys: This is my sneaky play of the week. Bernard averages just under Fanduel points per week. I like him to score more than that this week. At $5500 I will be sure to get him into a few lineups.
Other Value RB’s: DeMarco Murray $8400 @ Dolphins, C.J. Anderson $8000 vs Falcons, Terrance West $6400 vs Washington, Latavius Murray $6100 vs Chargers
Value plays at WR’s
Pick of the week: Julian Edelman $7000 @ Browns: Tom Brady returns and gets his favorite healthy target in the mix early and often. Truth be told, Edelman is a good matchup here even if Brady wasn’t playing. I can see something like 8 for 120 with 1 TD.
Emmanuel Sanders $7100 vs Falcons: Sanders has been terrific this season and I think that trend continues. It doesn’t even matter to me what QB plays, this is a matchup that could be great.
Michael Crabtree $6900 vs Chargers: I might be a little careful not to chase his points from last week but Crabtree has proven to the WR1 in Oakland. The Chargers have surrendered plenty of points to WR’s this year so this is a trend I want to bank on.
Demaryius Thomas $7700 vs Falcons, T.Y. Hilton $7700 vs Bears, Jarvis Landry $7500 vs Titans, Terrelle Pryor $7200 vs Patriots, DeSean Jackson $6700 @ Ravens, Eddie Royal $5700 @ Colts
Bonus WR pick: Odell Beckham $8500: With his maturity coming into question this week (and rightfully so) I think we are going to see a very motivated Beckham this Sunday night. Find a way to get him in a few lineups.
Value plays at TE:
Pick of the week: Jordan Reed $7800 @ Ravens: Reed is a monster and basically a WR1 for Cousins. He is always the first choice in the Red Zone and that’s enough of a reason to start him on its own.
Delanie Walker $6400 @ Dolphins: Walker is another gut pick for me. He hasn’t had the best start for his season but I think he gets healthy off of a lack luster Dolphins D.
Other Value TE’s: Kyle Rudolph $5500 vs Texans, Richard Rodgers $5000 vs Giants, Zach Miller $5400 @ Colts
Value picks at K:
Pick of the week: Brandon McManus $4700 vs Falcons: In full disclosure, every time a Broncos kicker is at home and under $5000 he is my favorite play at kicker.
Other value plays at K: Matt Bryant $4800 @ Broncos, Justin Tucker $5000 vs Redskins, Adam Vinatieri $4700 vs Bears.
Value picks at D
Pick of the week: Vikings $4800 vs Texans: If you remember 3 weeks ago I mentioned that the Vikings would soon become an elite fantasy D over the next few weeks. Well “soon” has arrived. They are a great start week in and week out.
Other value plays at D: Steelers $4900 vs Jets, Rams $4700 vs Bills, Bills $4600 @ Rams.
Stacks
Stack 1
Tom Brady $8700 with Julian Edelman $7000 and Stephen Gostkowski $5100 @ Browns: Brady will be a very popular pick this week as most feel he will come out of the gate on fire after serving his suspension. Teaming him with his favorite WR is a no brainer. I can even make the case for Martellus Bennett in this stack.
Stack 2
Ben Roethlisberger $8600 with LeVeon Bell $8600 and Antonio Brown $9600 vs Jets. This stack should look familiar, I gave it to you last week and it payed off pretty well. I look for it to pay off again this week against the Jets. In fact, if you are a risk taker, you can add one of the Steelers young TE’s to this stack. However, I do not advise it because they don’t just feature one.
Stack 3
(Short stack)
Ryan Tannehill $7100 and Jarvis Landry $7500 vs Titans. This is a smaller stack using just the 2 players. I really like the potential here for a few TD’s. You could also add Parker or Stills to this stack if you wanted to double down on a passing game that isn’t afraid to throw the football.
Bonus Stack:
Aaron Rodgers $9100 with Jordy Nelson $8400 with Richard Rodgers $5100 and Mason Crosby $4500 vs Giants. The Giants are all banged up at CB and that could be music to Rodgers ears. Cook being ruled out means Richard Rodgers should see a nice amount of targets.. HINT: this would be a nice stack to try and fit Beckham into if you can find some value to fill the other positions.
Sample line up using the Patriots stack.
QB: Tom Brady $8700
RB: LeVeon Bell $8600 or Todd Gurley $7600
RB: Giovani Bernard $5500 or Melvin Gordon $7700
WR: Julian Edelman $7000
WR: Terrelle Pryor $7200 or Michael Crabtree $6900
WR: Jarvis Landry $7500 or Emmanuel Sanders $7100
TE: Kyle Rudolph $5500
K: Stephen Gostkowski $5100
D: Vikings $4800
Let me leave you with this.. Do not be afraid to take a stack that you like and enter it with different supporting players. Changing even 1 player different could be the difference of a good line up and a great one.
Any questions or comments? Contact me on Twitter @JohnHazelet475