The big thing in NFL best ball tournaments is stacks and which ones to target in playoff weeks. I’m not mathematically wise enough to figure out how +ev that is, but I’m willing to entertain the idea.
My first thought is that there are tons of “green” matchups on the schedule matrix and tons of “red” matchups—24 of each, to be exact. If that tells me anything, it’s that forcing a specific matchup probably isn’t all that beneficial if it means sacrificing overall production. I’m a man of the people, though! I put together five stacks that I think are worth at least using as a tiebreaker OR maybe as a way to create variety in your many lineup entries.
Ashton Daniels and Elic Ayomanor – Stanford vs. San Jose State
Most teams in Week 14 face off against conference foes or at least another team in the P4, but not Stanford. They face off against a San Jose State team that gave up 56 and 42 points to Pac-12 opponents last season (USC and Oregon State).
We all have high hopes for this Stanford offense in year two, and the Daniels to Ayomanor connection could be very real in 2024. Daniels’ 2023 numbers are alarmingly low in the category, but at least he was a part of 14 of the 25 total touchdowns they scored! With this connection, you’re getting a dual-threat quarterback who’ll likely run the ball 10+ times but also throw 30+ times, with eight or more of those targets likely going to Elic Ayomanor. Ayomanor saw eight-plus targets in seven of his last nine games last season, with highs of 15 and 19 during that stretch.
Nico Iamaleava and Squirrel White – Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt
If Bazooka Joe can throw for 383 yards and four touchdowns against Vanderbilt, why not Nico? Vanderbilt has not improved enough to consider them a tough matchup, and Squirrel is the clear WR1 heading into 2024. In that 2023 game where Tennessee won 48-24, Squirrel didn’t catch a touchdown but did bring down ten passes for 110 yards. There’s a world where the run game takes over against the Commodores, but we’re shooting for upside, and this matchup certainly has it.
Josh Hoover and Eric McAlister – TCU vs. Cincinnati
If we’re right, Hoover and McAlister are a fun combination because the volume could be huge. Last season, the Horned Frogs used just about everyone at receiver. Was that because they didn’t have an alpha? Can McAlister be that alpha? Two years ago, Quentin Johnston commanded over 22% of team targets, and that’s with him missing two games. This matchup is green on the schedule matrix, and thus, I find this stack worth a shot at its currently very affordable cost.
Alan Bowman and Brennan Presley/Rashod Owens – Oklahoma State vs. Colorado
I still can’t get over the fact that Bowman was average last season yet only threw ten regular-season touchdowns on over 400 attempts. How is that possible? Well, Ollie Gordon is the reason for this. I want to say that teams will key in on him, and that’s why Bowman is a great play here, but Colorado isn’t stopping anyone, no matter how much they focus on them. I think there is some touchdown regression, though, as Bowman is a super veteran in an offense returning just about everyone.
This offense should hum in 2024, and two capable receivers in Presley and Owens are worth targeting in drafts if you miss out on Ollie. You can best believe Ollie teams will be in those final lineups standing and this is a great pivot away from him.
Donovan Smith and Joseph Manjack – Houston vs. BYU
Who is left standing in the receiver room at Houston? The consensus WR1 for the Cougars is Joseph Manjack and his teens ADP, making things quite attractive for those wanting to stack Houston against BYU in week 14. I can’t quit Smith. Sorry, not sorry. The athleticism is there, and while there’s a new offense in town, Michael Pratt certainly gave us plenty of great weeks in CFF in the past.
BYU gave up two or more touchdowns in seven of nine conference games last season. With Smith’s legs, if he utilizes Manjack in a WR1 role, there’s potential for a good game through the air combined with value on the ground to put us over the top. All at a low cost!
