NFL Optimizer

NFL DFS Stack Finder — QB + Pass-Catcher Combos, Ranked

Who this is for: For GPP players who know correlation wins tournaments and want the stack math laid out per team in seconds.

Pick a team and get its QB + pass-catcher combos ranked — combined salary, projection and value per $1k, plus the bring-back play.

Quick answer: Stacking = rostering a QB with his own pass-catchers so big plays score twice. This finder ranks each sample-slate team's stack shapes (QB+WR1, QB+2WR, QB+TE, bring-back…) with combined salary, projection and pts/$1k — e.g. the ATL page's top combo: QB + WR1 at $13,200 for 32.0 pts. Lock the combo into the optimizer for the full 9.

KC playersPosSalaryProjPts/$1k
A. VossQB$7,20018.72.60
F. IversonRB$8,00018.22.27
C. StallworthWR$6,40014.02.19
F. QuillRB$7,10012.81.80
E. GalloWR$5,10011.72.29
J. VitaleWR$4,90010.12.06
O. IversonTE$4,8008.31.73
B. VanceRB$3,9007.82.00
K. WexlerWR$3,2006.01.88
A. FerrisTE$2,5004.51.80

QB + WR1

2.40 pts/$1k
32.7$13,600

A. Voss (QB) · C. Stallworth (WR)

QB + WR1 + WR2

2.37 pts/$1k
44.4$18,700

A. Voss (QB) · C. Stallworth (WR) · E. Gallo (WR)

QB + TE

2.25 pts/$1k
27.0$12,000

A. Voss (QB) · O. Iverson (TE)

QB + WR1 + TE

2.23 pts/$1k
41.0$18,400

A. Voss (QB) · C. Stallworth (WR) · O. Iverson (TE)

QB + RB

2.43 pts/$1k
36.9$15,200

A. Voss (QB) · F. Iverson (RB)

QB + WR1 + opp WR (bring-back)

2.35 pts/$1k
48.6$20,700

A. Voss (QB) · C. Stallworth (WR) · K. Mireles (WR)

Sample slate (DK-format salaries). Stacks raise variance in both directions — mostly a GPP tool; cash builds usually stay unstacked. Lock the combo into the optimizer to fill the remaining seats.
Core facts
Combos rankedQB+WR1 · QB+2WR · QB+TE · QB+WR+TE · QB+RB · bring-back (opp WR)
Per comboCombined salary · combined projection · pts per $1k
Sample leaderATL QB + WR1: $13,200 → 32.0 pts (2.42 pts/$1k)
Best forGPP ceiling builds; cash games should mostly stay unstacked
Slate size8 games / 16 teams in the sample slate
Next stepLock the stack in the optimizer → fill the other 6-7 seats optimally

Why stacking works — and what this tool does

A stack pairs a QB with his own pass-catchers so one big play scores twice: the completion feeds the receiver's points and the QB's yards/touchdown at once. That correlation is mostly useless in cash (you want floors) and valuable in GPP (you want ceiling). This finder takes a team from the sample slate and ranks its stack shapes — QB+WR1, QB+2WR, QB+TE, QB+WR+TE, QB+RB and the bring-back (your QB + your WR + the opponent's best WR) — each with combined salary, projection and pts/$1k. On the sample slate, the ATL stack page tops out at $13,200 for 32.0 projected (2.42 pts/$1k).

The honest caveat: stacking increases variance both ways. The bring-back exists because when your stack's team is winning big, the opponent is passing to catch up — the two correlations offset in the same game. Use the finder to price shapes, then lock the combo into the optimizer to see the best surrounding seven.

Common uses

  • Pricing QB+WR1+WR2 vs two separate cheaper stacks before building a GPP core
  • Finding which team's TE is actually usable in stacks (usually 2-3 per slate)
  • Checking whether a bring-back fits your salary structure at all
  • Comparing stack value per $1k across the slate's top 4-5 projected teams

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a stack in DFS?
A lineup construction where you roster a QB together with players who benefit from his success — his WR1, WR2 or TE. One long touchdown can score for two or three of your roster spots at once, which is why stacked lineups win top-heavy GPPs more often than their projection implies.
What is a bring-back?
Adding a player from the opposing team — usually their best WR — to your QB+WR stack. The logic: if your stack's team leads big, the opponent abandons the run and passes constantly, feeding your bring-back receiver. It keeps correlation while hedging blowout direction.
Should I stack in cash games?
Generally no. Cash games reward floor and low ownership; stacking raises variance in both directions. The classic cash build spreads across games. This finder is aimed at GPP building, where correlation is a feature.
How many players can I stack from one team?
Platform rules allow up to 4 same-team players on DraftKings NFL (the cap this site's optimizer can enforce), and practical roster math rarely justifies more than QB+2 pass-catchers plus maybe a bring-back. Use the optimizer's per-team limit with stacks locked in.
Where do the combo numbers come from?
The same sample slate used across this site — salaries in realistic DK ranges, projections proportional to salary with per-position value curves. For live slates, use the combo math on your own pasted numbers via the optimizer table.

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