While most fantasy managers are focused on the 2023 NFL Draft and their dynasty teams, now is the perfect time to draft a best ball team. There are bargains within the early ADP that will correct themselves over the offseason.
Meanwhile, the key to winning your best ball league is upside. Safe floor players are deadwood on your roster. Stacking players is one of the best ways to have upside on your team. However, stacking works only if you have the right players. Stacking Davis Mills and Noah Brown won’t bring you a championship.
Below are six stacks that I am targeting in best ball drafts.
- NFL Draft Needs for Every Team
- Introduction to Best Ball Leagues
- Erickson’s Best Ball Positional Primers
Best Ball Stacks to Target (2023 Fantasy Football)
Expensive Stacks
These stacks come at an expensive cost. Fantasy players will almost certainly have to use their first two draft picks to build these stacks.
- Patrick Mahomes (QB – KC): QB2 | ADP: 19.1
- Travis Kelce (TE – KC): TE1 | ADP: 5.5
Last year Patrick Mahomes proved he didn’t need an elite wide receiver to be a fantasy superstar. Despite the Chiefs trading away Tyreek Hill in the offseason, Mahomes ended the 2022 season as the QB1, averaging 24.5 fantasy points per game. He led the league in passing yards (5,250) and passing touchdowns (41). Furthermore, the superstar had 511 more passing yards and six more passing touchdowns than any other quarterback last year. Mahomes is the clear-cut QB1 as long as Travis Kelce is healthy.
Speaking of the future Hall of Famer, Kelce had another TE1 season in 2022. He has been the TE1 in six of the past seven seasons, with the lone exception in 2021, where Kelce was the TE2. The superstar averaged 15.4 half-point PPR fantasy points per game, four more points per game than any other tight end last year. Furthermore, Kelce finished second in the NFL with 12 receiving touchdowns and third with 110 receptions. After the team lost JuJu Smith-Schuster in free agency, the superstar tight end could see a career-high in targets next season.
- Jalen Hurts (QB – PHI): QB3 | ADP: 21.1
- A.J. Brown (WR – PHI): WR6 | ADP: 8.5
Jalen Hurts was a popular breakout candidate last year, and he didn’t let fantasy players down. The Philadelphia superstar was the QB1 on a points-per-game basis last season, averaging 25.2 fantasy points per contest. Furthermore, he was a force on the ground. Hurts had 13 rushing touchdowns last year, the second-most in the NFL and a career-high. More importantly, the superstar quarterback had a career year throwing the ball with 3,701 yards and 22 touchdowns compared to only six interceptions.
The biggest reason Hurts was such a popular breakout candidate was the addition of A.J. Brown. Philadelphia acquired the star wide receiver during the 2022 NFL Draft, and he was unstoppable for the Eagles. Brown was the WR5 last season, averaging 15 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Furthermore, he led the team in targets (145), receiving yards (1,496) and receiving touchdowns (11), all career highs too. Fantasy players should also draft DeVonta Smith if possible (WR12 | ADP: 21.2). He and Brown were both top 10 wide receivers in 2022.
Mid-Level Stacks
Unlike the expensive stacks, fantasy players won’t have to invest their top two draft picks to build these mid-level stacks. However, it will likely require two of their first five or six picks.
- Justin Fields (QB – CHI): QB4 | ADP: 34.5
- DJ Moore (WR – CHI): WR21 | ADP: 41.6
Despite subpar passing numbers, Justin Fields was a fantasy superstar last season. The second-year star led all quarterbacks in rushing yards (1,143), while he was second in rushing attempts (160) and rushing touchdowns (eight). Meanwhile, Fields had only 2,242 passing yards and 17 touchdowns last season. Yet, the Bears have already improved his receiving core this offseason with DJ Moore’s addition. Fantasy players should expect a Hurts-like jump from Fields in 2023. Both young quarterbacks were fantasy stars in their second year because of their rushing ability. Then Hurts had a jump in his passing production when the team gave him a No. 1 caliber wide receiver.
Fantasy players rejoiced when the Bears acquired Moore from the Carolina Panthers because he has played with awful quarterbacks throughout his career. The star receiver averaged 9.9 half-point PPR fantasy points per game last season, the lowest average since his rookie season. However, Moore had seven receiving touchdowns, a career-high. Despite playing with multiple sub-par quarterbacks in his career, the former Maryland star has three seasons with over 1,150 receiving yards. Furthermore, Moore has been a top-24 wide receiver every year since his rookie season. Expect the first top-12 finish of his career this year.
- Trevor Lawrence (QB – JAX): QB8 | ADP: 59.1
- Calvin Ridley (WR – JAX): WR19 | ADP: 37.6
After an awful rookie year, Trevor Lawrence had an impressive sophomore season. The former No. 1 overall pick ended the year as the QB7, averaging 17.4 fantasy points per game. Furthermore, he had 12 touchdowns and 17 interceptions as a rookie before totaling 25 and eight last year. More importantly, Lawrence’s completion percentage increased by 10.1%, while his quarterback rating increased by 24.5%, thanks to the additions of Christian Kirk, Zay Jones and Evan Engram. Calvin With Ridley joining the team next year, Lawrence has top-three upside.
I highly encourage you to read Ridley’s “A Letter to the Game” article. It’s a great read and provides insight into what the star receiver has dealt with over the past two years. I expect a massive year from the former Atlanta Falcon in 2023. The last time Ridley was on the field was in 2021, when he averaged 11.1 half-point PPR fantasy points per game in five contests. However, the former Alabama star was the WR4 in 2020, averaging 15.8 fantasy points per game, a career-high. Furthermore, he averaged 1.7 fantasy points per target that year. While the team has a few talented pass catchers, Ridley is a steal as the 19th wide receiver off the board.
Discount Stacks
These stacks are my favorite to build. They require fantasy managers to hit on a late-round quarterback while finding a value mid-round wide receiver. Unlike the previous two categories, players can create these stacks without investing prime draft capital.
- Sam Howell (QB – WAS): QB29 | ADP: 206.6
- Terry McLaurin (WR – WAS): WR27 | ADP: 50.9
Despite playing only one game as a rookie, Sam Howell will enter training camp as the No. 1 quarterback on Washington’s depth chart. The free agent signing of Jacoby Brissett will help keep Howell’s ADP down during the offseason. However, the former UNC star played well in his lone start as a rookie. He had 169 passing yards and a touchdown in the game. More importantly, Howell showed off his rushing ability with 35 yards on five attempts and a touchdown. The 18.3 fantasy points he scored was the fifth-most by any Commanders quarterback last year.
Much like Moore, Terry McLaurin has produced, despite a never-ending merry-go-round at quarterback. The former Ohio State star had a career year in 2022. McLaurin had 77 receptions on 120 targets for 1,191 receiving yards and five touchdowns last season. More importantly, he had a career-high in receiving yards and fantasy finish (WR14). The star receiver had three receptions on six targets for 74 receiving yards and a touchdown while scoring 14.9 half-point PPR fantasy points in Howell’s lone start.
- Desmond Ridder (QB – ATL): QB32 | ADP: 220.7
- Drake London (WR – ATL): WR24 | ADP: 46.7
The Falcons started Marcus Mariota for the first 13 games of the year before turning to Desmond Ridder. Yet, the rookie played well despite the poor situation. He averaged only 9.7 fantasy points per game in his four starts. However, Ridder didn’t have an interception as a rookie. More importantly, he ended the year playing well. The former Cincinnati Bearcat completed 63.3% of his attempts for 224 yards and two touchdowns in the Week 18 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, scoring 15.9 fantasy points. Unfortunately, fantasy managers never saw the rookie play with Kyle Pitts. While some wanted the team to pursue Lamar Jackson this offseason, Ridder will be the Falcons’ starter in 2023.
Despite Atlanta’s run-heavy offense, London ended his rookie year as the WR35, averaging 8.4 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. He played well when the team utilized him. The former USC star averaged only 4.5 fantasy points per game in the five contests with five or fewer targets. By comparison, London averaged 9.2 fantasy points per game in the 13 contests with six or more targets, scoring 11 or more fantasy points in 38.5% of the matchups. Meanwhile, the Falcons haven’t done much to improve the receiving corps in free agency. With a complete offseason to build chemistry as starters, fantasy players shouldn’t be surprised if Ridder and London become draft-day steals.
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Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.
