DFS Building Blocks – Week 7

The bye weeks are here with a vengeance. Six teams will be putting their feet up this weekend, giving us a smaller pool of teams to build our stacks from. Fewer games, fewer player options, more concentrated ownership, more leverage, more money for us.

Last week, the Dolphins lived up to expectations and the stack of Tua, Mostert and Hill or Waddle performed as well as we all expected. That offense really is a force to be reckoned with, and it should be fascinating to watch them face off against the Philadelphia Eagles this week. Miami and Philly won’t be an option for the Sunday slate lineups as their game is the Sunday Night primetime game this week, so we’ll be finding value in other areas.

Aside from some juicy matchups for the Packers and Seahawks, the standout game this week is an AFC East clash between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers. This one normally produces lots of points so will gain a lot of attention in the DFS community. Let’s dive into the matchups.

Game Overviews

Detroit Lions @ Baltimore Ravens

Time: 1:00 EST

Venue: M&T Bank Stadium – Baltimore, Maryland

Moneyline: Detroit Lions +135, Baltimore Ravens -163

Spread: Detroit Lions +3 (-115), Baltimore Ravens -3 (-105)

Total Points: Over/Under 42.5

The Lions surging offense heads to Maryland to take on the vaunted Baltimore defense in week seven. Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam Laporta have been elite to start the year, but a Ravens unit that features Roquan Smith, Marlon Humphrey, Jadeveon Clowney and more makes them a less obvious start this week. Both LaPorta and St. Brown are getting incredible volume, coming off a week that saw season-highs for targets, so I wouldn’t warn you off staying loyal to them despite the bad matchup. This should also be a close game throughout giving it a higher chance of turning high scoring.

The injury to David Montgomery makes Jahmyr Gibbs an interesting play if he is healthy. It is a high-risk, high-reward play this week in his first game back against an elite defense. The price is right, but he’ll be popular.

For the Ravens, a passing game stack could be a great option this week. The Lions are an elite run defense and, while their secondary has been performing admirably through injuries, the passing game is the best way to attack them. Zay Flowers is dominating from a targets perspective and he looks electric with the ball in his hands. We all know how dangerous Mark Andrews could be, and with no explosive players in the Ravens backfield, plenty of damage could be done through Flowers and Andrews. If you’re taking a shot on Gibbs, you should also be betting on the Ravens passing game on the other side.

Building Blocks (stacks to build around)

Jackson + Gibbs + Andrews/Flowers

Jackson + Flowers + Andrews + St. Brown

Flowers + LaPorta

St. Brown + Andrews

Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)

Jackson

Flowers

St. Brown

LaPorta

Andrews

Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field

tournament)

Jameson Williams

Las Vegas Raiders @ Chicago Bears

Time: 1:00 EST

Venue: Soldier Field – Chicago, Illinois

Moneyline: Las Vegas Raiders -140, Chicago Bears +120

Spread: Las Vegas Raiders -2.5 (-110), Chicago Bears +2.5 (-110)

Total Points: Over/Under 36.5

Soldier Field will host an all-time battle between backup quarterbacks in week 7. An all-around struggling Chicago Bears team led by Tyson Bagent will host a Raiders team with either Aidan O’Connell or Brian Hoyer under center – sounds like Brian Hoyer at this point. The over/under total of 36.5 fairly reflects the lack of offensive playmaking we can expect in this one.

For fantasy purposes, a Brian Hoyer start would be preferable over the rookie O’Connell. I trust him a bit more to find Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, and the team’s newest option in the passing game, Michael Mayer. The Garoppolo injury is a shame because I was quite excited to see if Mayer could continue his mini-breakout and become a proper fantasy option. His usage last week suggests he can absolutely still do that, but it will be harder with the backup quarterback in the lineup.

The Chicago Bears are a sensational matchup for opposing playmakers, and after complaining about his usage, Davante Adams should blow up here, regardless of who is in at quarterback. I would leave Jakobi Meyers out for this one though, thanks to questions at the QB position and Adams likely getting most of the targets.

Josh Jacobs is in a great spot here. He has been loaded with touches in recent weeks and the Chicago Bears will struggle to stop him having a huge game. He is a great stack with Adams on a bet that all the TDs come via Adams and Jacobs. I’m eyeing a rare game stack of WR + RB + DEF here.

For Chicago, just no. Tyson Bagent is an undrafted rookie and there is no way that I can trust the Bears’ fantasy options until we have seen Bagent be able to function in an NFL offense and create some opportunities.

Building Blocks (stacks to build around)

Josh Jacobs + Davante Adams + LV DEF

Josh Jacobs + Davante Adams

Hoyer + Adams

Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)

Josh Jacobs

Davante Adams

Michael Mayer

Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field

tournament)

D’Onta Foreman

DJ Moore (what if Bagent doesn’t suck)

Cleveland Browns @ Indianapolis Colts

Time: 1:00 EST

Venue: Lucas Oil Stadium – Indianapolis, Indiana

Moneyline: Cleveland Browns -163, Indianapolis Colts +135

Spread: Cleveland Browns -3 (-110), Indianapolis Colts +3 (-110)

Total Points: Over/Under 40.5

This should be the first game where Jonathan Taylor gets more run than Zack Moss, with the former’s snap share increasing over his first two starts. The problem is, a Cleveland Browns defense that just shut down the 49ers awaits. I would be watching the split in the Colts backfield with an eye to playing Taylor next week, but not risking it in this one.

With the running backs parked for this week, we move to the wide receivers. The injury to Anthony Richardson limits the offense as a whole, but it should be good news for Pittman, and, to a lesser extent, Josh Downs. The tough matchup makes Pittman a risky play, but he should have a lower ownership as a result. Last week, with Minshew under center, Pittman had 14 targets, which follows another 11 targets in Minshew’s first start of the season. He could get there on volume this week as a nice contrarian play, but the Browns are the best defense against wide receivers, so proceed with caution.

On the Browns side of the ball, I really like Jerome Ford this week. Kareem Hunt is also an option, with the two producing as an effective tandem last week, but I think Ford has the higher upside. At the end of the day, the Browns picked him over Hunt heading into the season. He runs hard and, regardless of who starts at quarterback for Cleveland, they will want to get him going.

A stack of Ford and Cooper would be a good play, but you will want to monitor Deshaun Watson’s health if you are planning on playing Cooper. Cooper comes in $500 cheaper than Pittman, and his matchup is much nicer. He is definitely an option.

No tight ends are worth playing in this one, but the Browns’ defense remains a great play. Not only are they playing like the best unit in the league, but they also get to go up against Gardner Minshew, who threw 3 interceptions against Jacksonville last week.

Building Blocks (stacks to build around)

Ford + Cooper

Ford + Cooper + Browns D/ST

Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)

Ford

Cooper

Browns D/ST

Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field

tournament)

Elijah Moore

Buffalo Bills @ New England Patriots

Time: 1:00 EST

Venue: Gillette Stadium – Foxborough, Massachusetts

Moneyline: Buffalo Bills -450, New England Patriots +350

Spread: Buffalo Bills -8.5 (-110), New England Patriots +8.5 (-110)

Total Points: Over/Under 40.5

Bill Belichick’s pain looks set to continue, following up last week’s loss to his former colleague, Josh Mcdaniels, with a brutal AFC East matchup against the Buffalo Bills. The Bills have won six of the last seven fixtures, coming into this one as massive favorites again.

Therefore, James Cook could be an interesting option this week. Some of the shine has come off Cook in recent weeks, as he has ceded more and more work to Latavius Murray. Cook is the more efficient receiver though, and the Patriots have been susceptible to running backs in the receiving game. Cook isn’t going to get the carries in the red zone, but he should be able to do enough damage between the 20s in this one to warrant a play, with the potential for a long touchdown always there from him.

Belichick has a reputation for taking away the opposition’s number-one player and often succeeds. Stefon Diggs is playing at an elite level this year though, and I still back him to play well. The extra attention on him could make Gabe Davis the more appealing option. Especially considering he comes in $3,000 cheaper than Diggs on DraftKings. You can save some money here and the chances of getting a bigger game is quite good.

For the Patriots, there is not much joy in the offense. Both running backs had a good game against the Raiders last week, but they are splitting the work quite evenly, and there probably won’t be many scoring opportunities in this one. Even though the Bills can be had on the ground, I’d leave the Patriots’ running backs out.

I am also not interested in any of the tight ends in this game, but the Buffalo defense could be the highest-scoring defense on the week. The Patriots lack playmakers and Mac Jones is giving defenses lots of opportunities to take the ball away.

Building Blocks (stacks to build around)

Allen + Cook + Davis + Bills D/ST

Allen + Davis + Bills D/ST

Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)

Allen

James Cook

Stefon Diggs

Gabe Davis

Bills D/ST

Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field

tournament)

Latavius Murray

Washington Commanders @ New York Giants

Time: 1:00 EST

Venue: MetLife Stadium – East Rutherford, New Jersey

Moneyline: Washington Commanders -150, New York Giants +125

Spread: Washington Commanders -3 (-105), New York Giants +3 (-115)

Total Points: Over/Under 37.5 (-110)

This matchup pitches two poor offenses against two poor defenses, so who knows what lies ahead. The points total is set low, and a lack of offensive playmaking is the most likely scenario. Daniel Jones may be back, but it doesn’t make a huge difference for the Giants, whose receiving options may actually prefer to see Tyrod Taylor out there.

Taylor hit Wan’Dale Robinson with 8 targets in week six, with Slayton also having his best game of the year. Saquon Barkley remains a good play every week, returning last week and looking healthy enough to retain his bell-cow role.

When Washington is on offense, Brian Robinson and Terry McLaurin are your best options. McLaurin has been frustrating, with Sam Howell sharing his targets between a much wider range of targets than we would ideally want. A matchup with the Giants means that a big game could be on the cards for McLaurin though, who you could play with Robinson and Howell if you wanted to go for a rare Washington stack.

Howell is erratic but has had some big fantasy performances, and Robinson has the kind of workload that could lead to a big game against a poor Giants defense. Not many people will play the Washington stack, so if you’re feeling brave, it could pay off for you in a big way.

Logan Thomas had a poor game in week six, after having two excellent performances in weeks four and five. He could bounce back here and is an affordable option on DraftKings, coming in at just $3,500.

Building Blocks (stacks to build around)

Howell + Brian Robinson + McLaurin + Hyatt/Robinson

Howell + McLaurin + Thomas

Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)

Brian Robinson

Barkley

McLaurin

Wan’Dale Robinson

Logan Thomas

Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field

tournament)

Darius Slayton

Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Time: 1:00 EST

Venue: Raymond James Stadium – Tampa, Florida

Moneyline: Atlanta Falcons +115, Tampa Bay Buccaneers -135

Spread: Atlanta Falcons +2.5 (-110), Tampa Bay Buccaneers -2.5 (-110)

Total Points: Over/Under 37.5

There are tricky matchups all over in this one. The Falcons are 7th best against wide receivers and the Buccaneers come in as the 4th best unit against running backs. Therefore, the likes of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier are risky plays.

I think the safest bet of those players are Bijan and Godwin. Bijan is used so heavily in the passing game that he should be fine in every matchup, with his incredible agility giving him weekly blow-up potential.

Mike Evans will likely be shadowed by A.J. Terrell, which could free up more targets for Godwin, who has proven to be a solid and reliable PPR option. I would leave Rachaad White out of your lineup though. He has been inefficient this year and is losing touches to Vaughn.

Aside from Bijan, the player most likely to have a big game is probably Drake London, but his upside is dented by his quarterback, Desmond Ridder. Ridder has been playing poorly this year, but he has at least been targeting London more than we saw last year.

The biggest surprise with the Falcons is that they are producing two viable fantasy options at the tight end position. Both Pitts and Smith are getting home thanks to the Falcons leading the league in tight end usage. Pitts is being used further down the field, so has the bigger upside, but saving some money and going for Smith could work as well.

Building Blocks (stacks to build around)

Robinson + London + Godwin

Ridder + London + Pitts + Godwin

Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)

Robinson

London

Godwin

Pitts

Smith

Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field

tournament)

Mack Hollins

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Los Angeles Rams

Time: 16:05 EST

Venue: SoFi Stadium –           Inglewood, California

Moneyline: Pittsburgh Steelers +140, Los Angeles Rams -167

Spread: Pittsburgh Steelers +3 (-105), Los Angeles Rams -3 (-115)

Total Points: Over/Under 43.5

The Steelers come out of their bye and head to SoFi Stadium for a clash with the Los Angeles Rams, who have been a pleasant surprise in 2023. Entering the season, many people had them pinned as a team that could potentially hold the number one overall pick. Now, six weeks into the season, the Rams have been enjoyable to watch and have given us plenty of fantasy stars to feature.

Kyren Williams’ injury last week means that the running back position for the Rams is out of the equation, unless you want to take a dart throw at Zach Evans or Darrell Henderson.

Unfortunately, the injury to Kyren Williams creates major question marks around the Rams running back position. The team has got a messy stable of running backs ready to fill in, but it’s anyone’s guess as to who will be the leader. Maybe Darrell Henderson is the safest option, given his experience with Sean McVay, but Evans is the upside play.

Matthew Stafford has been a top-10 quarterback this year, and the return of Kupp will only strengthen his chances for success moving forward. Puka Nacua had a historic start to his career, setting a new record for receptions in his first two games. Kupp’s return takes a bit off of his upside, but he remains a locked-in WR1. His connection with Stafford is fantastic and it appears the passing attack will funnel through these two stud receivers. They could both have huge games this weekend against a Steelers’ secondary that have been picked on this year. No other Ram WRs or TEs are worth starting.

The Steelers will be interesting to watch this week. Diontae Johnson and Pat Freiermuth were due to return, but now Freiermuth is out. Pickens has played well in recent weeks, but he’s worth leaving out due to the question marks over how the offense will look back at full strength.

The Rams’ defense is a good matchup for running backs, but I won’t be rushing to play Najee Harris or Jaylen Warren. The Steelers’ offense hasn’t played well this year and the two backs are splitting work pretty evenly.

Building Blocks (stacks to build around)

Stafford + Kupp

Stafford + Evans + Kupp

Stafford + Nacua

Stafford + Kupp + Nacua

Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)

Kupp

Nacua

Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field

tournament)

Zach Evans

Darrell Henderson

Arizona Cardinals @ Seattle Seahawks

Time: 16:05 EST

Venue: Lumen Field – Seattle, Washington

Moneyline: Arizona Cardinals +290, Seattle Seahawks -350

Spread: Arizona Cardinals +7.5 (-110), Seattle Seahawks -7.5 (-110)

Total Points: Over/Under 44.5 (-110)

The Cardinals’ plucky performances have dropped off a bit in recent weeks, with Joshua Dobbs regressing to the sort of play we would expect from the backup-level quarterback. The injury to James Conner has made it even harder for them to move the ball and the only player you can really consider starting is Marquise Brown. Brown has been peppered with targets by Dobbs, which keeps him as a viable option.

The Seahawks have given up the 3rd most points to the receiver position, but the matchup may not be as good as it seems on paper for Brown. Seattle’s rookie cornerback Deven Witherspoon has had a fantastic start to the year, coming out on top against Ja’Marr Chase last week. He could line up against Brown a lot this week, making him a risky play. And making Michael Wilson an attractive, cheap option.

It’s a different story for the Seahawks, whose playmakers should feast this weekend. DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are great plays, but Kenneth Walker is potentially the play of the week going up against a defense that has given up the third most points to running backs.

Kyren Williams gashed the Cardinals on the ground last week, and Walker is a far superior rusher. He will help Seattle dominate this game and should see plenty of opportunities in a dream matchup. 100 yards and a touchdown feels like a lock for Walker.

As a lottery pick, Jaxon Smith-Njigba might be worth a shot. After Seattle’s bye week, JSN saw his best game, and they may see this as a great opportunity to work him into the game plan even more.

Building Blocks (stacks to build around)

Walker + Metcalf + Wilson

Walker + Lockett + Wilson

Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)

Walker

Lockett

Metcalf

Brown

Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field

tournament)

Smith-Njigba

Wilson

Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos

Time: 16:25 EST

Venue: Empower Field at Mile High – Denver, Colorado

Moneyline: Green Bay Packers -120, Denver Broncos +100

Spread: Green Bay Packers -1.5 (-110), Denver Broncos +1.5 (-110)

Total Points: Over/Under 44.5

The Packers are another team coming out of a bye week, and they get the dream matchup against the Denver Broncos. An easy game against a dismal defense is just what Jordan Love needs after falling apart before the bye.

If Aaron Jones returns from injury, he would be a great play here. The Broncos rank dead last against running backs, meaning AJ Dillon is also in play. Even if Jones returns, the Packers are unlikely to overload him, so Dillon could be a nice cheap play in your flex.

Jordan Love has been erratic so far this season, but has made nice throws at times and shown that he is capable of putting up points. One of his receivers is bound to have a blow-up performance in this one, so getting some exposure to Watson for $5,500 or Doubs for $4,900 would be a good idea. Their upside improves even more if Jones sits.

Luke Musgrave is also a good option, providing some value at just $3,300 at the tight end position. He had 6 receptions before the bye week. The same amount of opportunities against this defense would likely lead to a very valuable day from the rookie.

I have no interest in any of the Broncos. Courtland Sutton has popped up with some touchdowns recently, but the wide receiver usage is not good enough to warrant a play, and the running back position is a mess when they are all healthy.

Building Blocks (stacks to build around)

Love + Jones + Watson/Musgrave

Jones + Doubs

Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)

Jones

Dillon

Watson

Doubs

Musgrave

Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field

tournament)

Jaleel McLaughlin

Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs

Time: 16:25 EST

Venue: Arrowhead Stadium – Kansas City, Missouri

Moneyline: Los Angeles Chargers +195, Kansas City Chiefs -240

Spread: Los Angeles Chargers +5.5 (-110), Kansas City Chiefs -5.5 (-110)

Total Points: Over/Under 47.5 (-115/-105)

The last five matchups between these two teams have gone over 50 points, so the 47.5 over/under reflects the slightly disappointing play that is coming from both offenses.

The Chiefs haven’t looked their usual fluent self this year, but Kelce and Mahomes remain one of the safest stacks in DFS. Isaiah Pacheco is in a great matchup this week, especially considering his increased usage in the receiving game. On DraftKings, he is $6,100, which is $100 cheaper than Zack Moss. This makes him a screaming value in my eyes.

In terms of the Chiefs’ receivers, the only player worth starting is Rashee Rice. Rice has been, by far, the most productive of the group, despite his limited opportunities. After Justin Watson suffered what looks to be a long-term injury, Rice saw a higher snap share in week six, which will only increase moving forward.

You can definitely play the Chargers stars as well. Justin Herbert, Austin Ekeler and Keenan Allen will be one of the more popular stacks on the week, so looking elsewhere to get your edge might be smart. While the Chargers have the capability to post a big total, the Chiefs’ defense is better than it has been in recent years and this could be a different-looking matchup between the two AFC West sides.

Building Blocks (stacks to build around)

Mahomes + Pacheco + Kelce

Mahomes + Kelce + Rice

Pacheco + Rice

Mahomes + Pacheco + Rice

Herbert + Ekeler + Allen

Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)

Pacheco

Ekeler

Rice

Allen

Palmer

Kelce

Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field

tournament)

Quentin Johnston

Kadarius Toney

The Lineup Build

There are a fair share of underwhelming matches this week, so I will be sticking to the elite offenses and picking on the worst defenses for this week’s stacks. The AFC West clash between Kansas City and Los Angeles is normally an end-to-end affair.

I will also be highlighting the Cardinals and Broncos as defenses to go up against this week. This means a Seattle stack will be the focus of one of our lineups, eyeing up Kenneth Walker as a potential for top-scoring running back.

The Packers are the lucky team to be facing the Broncos this weekend. I am hoping that Love’s poor game before the bye will scare people away from Green Bay and give us some preferable ownership percentages. I am backing Love to get back to winning ways in fine fashion this week, so I will be honing in on his playmakers.

FD

I’ll be playing a lineup that mostly fades the Chiefs game and a lineup that stacks the Chiefs game.

In a fade lineup, Stafford still feels way too cheap. These are some of the QBs priced higher than him on FD…. Garoppolo, Ridder, Geno, Daniel Jones, Russell Wilson, Sam Howell (kind of like him though), Deshaun Watson, Jordan Love…

Both Kupp and Nacua are projected in the top ten of ownership in a matchup that favors the pass and for a Rams team that has a banged up run game. Those two WRs can’t support those prices and ownership levels if Stafford isn’t also having a great game, but he only needs a good game at this price.

I’ll add Pacheco who has arguably the best matchup of any of the Chiefs and should give us leverage off the surely high owned Chiefs passing game.

I’ll go a little non-traditional – and a little risky – and play Adams + Jacobs + Raiders DEF. You don’t need to do this, can just pick one, but I’m going to bank on two solid games from both on a slate that may not have a ton of high-scoring players. Walker is a great substitute here for Jacobs; St. Brown a good pivot from Adams. Hoyer starting likely means the Raiders want to win the game with rushing and defense.

I’ll add Zach Evans to save some salary and further stack up the Rams.

I’ll play around with the last two WRs, with plenty of salary left – could go a number of different ways.

For the Chiefs stack, paying up for Mahomes, Pacheco and Kelce. Jerome Ford slots into the second RB slot, followed by a cheap Bills mini-stack of Gabe Davis and Latavius Murray as a lottery pick.

Wan’Dale Robinson and Chris Godwin are cheapish options who have good PPR potential, filling my other two wide receiver slots for a combined $12,100. The Packers are the defense selection at $3,900.

DK

Jordan Love is good value on DraftKings, so he, Christian Watson and Luke Musgrave are added in here. They are all on the cheaper side, so we can afford to splash out on Davante Adams and Zay Flowers as our other receivers.

Jerome Ford and the Browns’ defense form a mini-stack against the Colts, with Josh Jacobs coming in as our second running back in a great matchup against the Bears. That leaves enough to stick Drake London into our flex.

Yahoo

Seattle will be the focus of the Yahoo lineup. I am opting for Walker, Metcalf and Smith-Njigba, who is chucked in as the lottery pick. Metcalf is quite cheap on Yahoo, and the selection of JSN means we have a lot of salary left over. As a result, Puka Nacua and Keenan Allen complete a loaded wide receiver room, with Brian Robinson filling the other running back slot.

The QB options aren’t that great this week, so Lamar Jackson comes into this lineup. Finally, Logan Thomas is the pick at tight end, and the Raiders are a nice option at defense, especially considering their upside going up against the Bears.