While most casual fantasy football players only play in redraft leagues, best ball has become a more popular version of the game over the past several years.
Stacking players is one of the more popular draft strategies for best ball leagues. However, fantasy players only want to build stacks from fantasy-friendly offenses. Therefore, teams like the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers are not ideal for stacking players.
- 2024 NFL Draft Guide
- 2024 Best Ball Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- Free Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator
A stack involves three or more players from the same offense. Most stacks include the team’s quarterback and top two pass catchers. However, fantasy players can also build a stack using the superstar running back, elite tight end and a cheap dart-throw option with a late-round pick.
Let’s dive into a few of the Best Ball stacks I’m drafting this offseason.
Best Ball Stacks to Target
ADP courtesy of Underdog Fantasy
Philadelphia Eagles
- Jalen Hurts (QB – PHI): ADP 36.3 | QB2
- Saquon Barkley (RB – PHI): ADP 16.2 | RB7
- A.J. Brown (WR – PHI): ADP 10.5 | WR7
Hurts had a fantasy MVP-type year in 2022, averaging 25.2 fantasy points per game. The superstar had 22 passing touchdowns and only six interceptions, totaling 13 scores on the ground. Last year, he put up similar numbers, tallying 23 passing touchdowns and 15 rushing scores. However, Hurts had 15 interceptions, matching his total from his first two seasons as a starter. Yet, the former Oklahoma star was the QB2 in 2023. Hopefully, he can cut back on the interceptions next season.
After six years with the New York Giants, Barkley signed a massive free agent deal with the Eagles. The superstar was an RB1 in 2023 despite missing three games with a high ankle sprain and playing on an awful offense. Some are worried Barkley won’t get enough touchdown production, with Jalen Hurts toting double-digit rushing scores in three consecutive years. Yet, Barkley has been outstanding for fantasy players despite having only a 2.9% rushing touchdown rate in his career.
Last season was an up-and-down one for Brown. The veteran wide receiver was the WR7, averaging 13.9 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. By comparison, he was the WR5, averaging 15 fantasy points per game in his first year with Philadelphia. While Brown’s production fell off a cliff to end the season, the superstar set career highs in receptions (106) and targets (158) in 2023. He is Jalen Hurts’ go-to target, posting a 28.1% target per route run since joining the team (per Fantasy Points Data).
Atlanta Falcons
- Kirk Cousins (QB – ATL): ADP 125.6 | QB18
- Drake London (WR – ATL): ADP 24.8 | WR16
- Darnell Mooney (WR – ATL): ADP 171.2 | WR75
- Kyle Pitts (TE – ATL): ADP 69.7 | TE6
While he has never been considered an elite fantasy quarterback, Cousins always finds a way to finish in the low-end QB1 range. Last year, he was the QB7 on a points-per-game basis, averaging 18.7 per contest despite missing Justin Jefferson nearly half of those matchups. Unfortunately, Cousins is coming off a torn Achilles. Yet, it shouldn’t impact his production as a non-running quarterback. The veteran takes over a passing attack that will transform from one of the worst in 2023 to possibly one of the best in 2024.
London was the first receiver picked during the 2022 NFL Draft. Yet, he isn’t considered the same talent as Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave because of his bad luck with quarterbacks. The former USC star was a massive fantasy bust last season, totaling double-digit half-point PPR fantasy points in only 37.5% of the contests. However, that won’t be the case for London in 2024 following the change at quarterback. Cousins has consistently made his No. 1 wide receiver a fantasy star since his days in Washington.
Some were surprised to see the Falcons give Mooney a significant contract in free agency this offseason. He was an afterthought on an inconsistent Chicago Bears passing attack last year, averaging only 4.2 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Yet, there is hope for him in Atlanta. Kirk Cousins twice produced two top-12 wide receivers in the same season with the Minnesota Vikings (2018 and 2020). While Mooney won’t be that good for fantasy players, he is undervalued as the WR75 in ADP.
Unfortunately, many fantasy players have given up on Pitts despite the tight end being full of talent and potential. Instead of asking Kirk Cousins for a check in exchange for his No. 8 jersey, Pitts only asked for consistent targets, something the fantasy community has begged to see for years. Despite playing with awful quarterbacks, the former Florida star ranked first among tight ends in air-yard share last season (24.9%) per Fantasy Points Data. If he is healthy, Pitts will finally become a fantasy superstar.
Los Angeles Rams
- Matthew Stafford (QB – LAR): ADP 138.7 | QB20
- Kyren Williams (RB – LAR): ADP 13.4 | RB5
- Puka Nacua (WR – LAR): ADP 9.5 | WR6
- Cooper Kupp (WR – LAR): ADP 40.4 | WR27
- Demarcus Robinson (WR – LAR): ADP 210.9 | WR88
Stafford was the QB15 last year, averaging 16.2 fantasy points per game. While that was an improvement from his injury-riddled 2022 season, it was still well below his first year in Los Angeles. However, the former No. 1 overall pick was outstanding in the second half of the season once he had all his weapons healthy. Stafford was the QB6 from Week 12 through Week 17, averaging 2.5 passing touchdowns and 20.8 fantasy points per game, a higher average than Patrick Mahomes and Brock Purdy.
While everyone expected Cam Akers to have a featured role heading into the year, Williams stole the show in Week 1. The former Notre Dame star had two rushing touchdowns and 17.4 half-point PPR fantasy points in the season opener. He finished the year as the RB6, averaging 19.9 fantasy points per game despite missing five games. Christian McCaffrey was the only running back to average more fantasy points per game than Williams last season. Thankfully, he should have a featured role again in 2024.
Last year, there were several massive surprises in the NFL. However, the biggest one was Nacua. The fifth-round star was the WR4, averaging 14.5 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. More importantly, he averaged 13.9 fantasy points per game in the 11 contests with Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp. The rookie would have been the WR11 on a points-per-game basis with that average, finishing ahead of Ja’Marr Chase. Furthermore, Nacua had the seventh-most targets (71) among wide receivers, where he was deemed open or wide open by Fantasy Points Data last season.
The veteran was one of 16 players to have four 100 or more receiving yard games in 2023, including his first two contests of the year. Despite playing in five fewer contests, Kupp had more games with over 20 half-point PPR fantasy points (three) than Puka Nacua (two). Furthermore, he had a higher first-read target share than the rookie in the 11 games they played together (per Fantasy Points Data). While the veteran turns 31 in July and has struggled with injuries lately, I’ll happily draft Kupp at his ADP.
There are several players I won’t draft in season-long leagues but will in Best Ball. One of those players is Robinson. The veteran has never been fantasy-relevant for an entire year, averaging 3.7 half-point PPR fantasy points per game for his career. Yet, he was outstanding to end the 2023 season. Robinson was the WR12 from Week 13 through Week 17, averaging 13.3 fantasy points per game. If Los Angeles’ offense gets hot like it did late last year, the veteran could have some spike week performances.
More Best Ball Draft Advice
- Erickson’s Must-Have Best Ball Draft Targets (Premium)
- Fitz’s Must-Have Best Ball Draft Targets (Premium)
- DBro’s Must-Have Best Ball Draft Targets (Premium)
- Hoppen’s Must-Have Best Ball Draft Targets (Premium)
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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.
