NFL Week 7 DFS Stacks - Lineups on DraftKings & FanDuel

It seems two of last week’s stacks were cursed because both Baker Mayfield and Trevor Lawrence fought through injuries on poor or middling days. Sometimes, that’s just the way it goes, though our honorable mention of Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp certainly won some cash.

With six teams on bye for Week 7, expect ownership levels to be even higher on the consensus studs and chalk plays. Factor that in as you make your DFS decisions this week.

Here are three stacks you should consider for Week 7.

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

Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce vs. LAC

Please recognize that paying up for Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce in the best possible matchup at home in Arrowhead Stadium will likely lead to high ownership. Many of the top-tier quarterback options have tough matchups, which will cause a lot of people to simply choose the best of the best.

That could make this stack an undesirable play in big tournaments that would negate the points provided. But in smaller tournaments and DFS showdowns, Mahomes and Kelce will dominate lineups.

The Chargers are the best matchup for fantasy quarterbacks through DraftKings’ scoring, and Mahomes is overdue for his first big game since Week 3 against Chicago. Dak Prescott was the QB1 overall in Week 5 against Los Angeles after several disappointing games, and Michael Gallup dropped a long touchdown that would’ve added to Prescott’s big day.

Kelce is and always will be the natural stack with Mahomes. Many will consider Rashee Rice, who has impressed each week, but he’s quickly becoming a known commodity in DFS. Rice won’t be the value many think he will be due to his high ownership, and his snaps have yet to reflect his projections.

Rice should be playing more, but he’s played over 40% of snaps just three times this year. Expecting a high ceiling from Rice is asking a lot with that small workload.

Sleeper stack

Geno Smith and Jaxon Smith-Njigba vs. ARI

Geno Smith has thrown just five touchdowns in 2023 and has yet to flash the ceiling to make him worthy of DFS consideration. However, there are plenty of signs of positive regression to come.

There are 14 quarterbacks who average 230 passing yards a game or more, with Smith included in that bunch. The other 13 quarterbacks averaged 9.7 passing touchdowns this year. Smith’s five touchdowns, even with a Week 5 bye, pales in comparison to the average.

This is a good bounce-back spot for Smith and the Seahawks after a tough loss to Cincinnati in Week 4. The Cardinals allow the fifth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks, and Smith’s $6,000 price tag on DraftKings would slot him in as the QB8, behind similar quarterbacks in tougher matchups.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba is among my favorite sleeper picks this week and will certainly be mentioned in depth in my DFS sleepers article. The breakout has yet to come for the 2023 first-round pick, but his usage has steadily climbed each week. Rookies tend to take a step forward after a team’s bye week, shaping up for a breakout Week 7 performance.

No pain, no gain stack

Sam Howell and Curtis Samuel @ NYG

“No pain, no gain” applies perfectly to the beating Sam Howell has sustained this season. Fortunately for the young quarterback, he gets to face the New York Giants who rank dead last in sacks per game (0.8).

Howell’s two best fantasy performances came against defenses who sit below the league average in sacks per game (Denver, Chicago). The Commanders’ QB also put up a QB8 day against Chicago in Week 5, a unit who sits 30th in sacks per game and is somewhat comparable to the Giants. Howell has shown plenty of flashes of fantasy stardom this season, but he is certainly better when he is afforded the luxury of staying upright.

Howell could be a strong play on his own without a stack, but Curtis Samuel has been surprisingly productive this season. He has been a WR2 or better for three consecutive weeks, and now faces a Giants team that is an above-average matchup for receivers. Rookie Deonte Banks has played well on the outside, which could force Howell to look to his slot receiver for help.

It’s worth noting that slot cornerback Cor’Dale Flott has played fairly well this season and could give Samuel a run for his money. But Flott also hasn’t been challenged with the strongest of slot players, so let’s see what Samuel can do.