It is finally here! Week 1 of the 2019 NFL Season is upon us. Everyone rejoice! In this weekly article, I will highlight a few potential GPP stacking options for the Sunday main slate that might go overlooked. I’ll also provide one low-owned stud option that is flying under the radar and finish off the article with a few low-owned value fliers that you can use to fill in the last lineup spots.
This week there are some good opportunities to pivot away from chalky options at running back by using that team’s passing game instead. We also have a running back that nobody is talking about who has the potential for multiple touchdowns and a variety of good value options with GPP upside. Let’s dig in for Week 1!
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Stacking Options
QB Kirk Cousins (MIN): $7,400 / WR Adam Thielen (MIN): $7,400
Vikings running back Dalvin Cook is expected to be one of the most popular players on the slate as the Vikings have talked all offseason about committing more to the run. However, let’s not forget that the Vikings have a consolidated passing attack and they will be facing a Falcons’ team that can also put some points on the scoreboard with Matt Ryan at the helm giving this matchup some shootout potential. The Falcons’ pass defense allowed an average of 273 passing yards (26th) and 2.1 TD passes (29th) per game last season. You could run both Vikings wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Thielen in a stack, but they both found the end zone the same week just three times last year. With Diggs nursing a sore hamstring, I’ll give the edge to Thielen. Consider bringing the stack back with a Falcons’ wide receiver. I’ll go with the cheaper option, Calvin Ridley.
Bring it back with: Calvin Ridley (ATL): $6,500
QB Russell Wilson (SEA): $8,200 / WR Tyler Lockett (SEA): $6,800
Much like the situation in Minnesota, the Seahawks are expected to feature a run-heavy game plan as a big home favorite with Chris Carson toting the rock. But what if the Bengals offense was able to keep up with the Seahawks and force Russell Wilson and company to air it out more than they did last season? Wilson and Lockett were an uber-efficient duo last year and will face a Bengals secondary that allowed 283 passing yards (29th) and 2.0 TD passes (28th) per game last season. Lockett might be fairly popular with his very reasonable salary but pairing him with a low-owned Wilson and maybe even throwing in a min-priced tight end in Will Dissly could be the ticket to the top of a GPP. Bring it back with the Bengals primary pass-catcher, Boyd, who also gets a favorable matchup and should get all of the targets he can handle with A.J. Green out.
Bring it back with: Tyler Boyd (CIN): $6,900
RB Mark Ingram (BAL): $6,600 / DEF Baltimore Ravens: $5,000
The Dolphins might be a complete train wreck this season, so I’m going to try to jump on them early before everyone they face gets priced up. In Week 1, the Ravens and their run-heavy game plan will get the first crack at the Dolphins. The Dolphins allowed almost 115 rushing yards (30th) and just under one touchdown per game (28th) to running backs last season. With the Ravens expected to jump out to a lead, Mark Ingram should get plenty of work for his new team at a very reasonable salary. Meanwhile, the opportunistic Ravens’ defense should get some chances for big plays with Ryan Fitzpatrick’s willingness to take shots slinging the ball downfield with a weak offensive line that got even worse with the trade of Laremy Tunsil.
Low-Owned Stud
Le’Veon Bell (RB – NYJ): $7,900
The last time we saw Bell play an NFL game was during the 2017 season for the Steelers. He might be a little rusty, but he certainly should be well-rested and healthy going into the 2019 season with the Jets. After leaving a bad impression with fantasy players during his 2018 holdout, Bell is not getting much love heading into the Week 1 slate. However, he gets a potentially very favorable matchup against the Bills who typically funneled production to the running game last season with a stingy pass defense but suspect run defense that allowed over a touchdown per game to running backs on the ground. A multiple-touchdown day is not out of the possible range of outcomes for Bell who might be out to prove something in the opener.
Low-Owned Fliers
- Jared Goff (QB – LAR): $7,800
- Jimmy Garoppolo (QB – SF): $7,200
- Tony Pollard (RB – DAL): $5,200
- Dante Pettis (WR – SF): $6,500
- Sammy Watkins (WR – KC): $6,300
- Dede Westbrook (WR – JAC): $5,900
- Will Dissly (TE – SEA): $4,000
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Brad Richter is a featured writer at FantasyPros and a contributor at DailyOverlay. For more from Brad, you can view his archive or follow him @RotoPilot.
