One strategy that has been more popular in recent seasons in best ball is stacking. Stacking players can be a big advantage over your league mates, if executed correctly.
What is Stacking?
Simply, stacking is all about having multiple players from the same team on your roster. The most effective stacks are the ones that are able to help you increase your variance.
The premise is that a QB-WR stack will help your team if they both hit. A WR-WR stack wouldn’t- as it’s likely only one will hit.
Stacking Tips
Stacking is fine (if applied correctly) so let’s share some tips.
Stack Players on Good Offenses
This is really the first thing when it comes to effective stacks. Getting a stack of a middling or low-scoring offense isn’t going to do it. Try and find a stack with a high-powered offense that is going to score alot of points. It might seem obvious, but it can be overlooked.
Don't Force a Stack
Reaching by a place or two in ADP is fine, if you are wanting to complete your stack. Especially early in drafts, it’s a mistake to reach on a player by a round (or even more!). Later in your draft, when you are in the double-digit rounds, it’s fine- but don’t do it before!
More Stacks Are Better Than Deep Stacks
It’s better to have a few stacks of two or three players than it is to stack an entire offense from one! Also, if possible, try and mix up the positions that you are stacking.
Think Season-long
In any given week, it’s unlikely that a team’s running game and passing game are both likely to be great. However, having exposure to both elements of a top-tier offense will give you some level of stability week-to-week- as well as giving you some season-long upside.
Look at the Board!
You can try and figure out what your opponents are wanting to do in the middle rounds by looking what they have done early. Looking at the receivers and QBs that they have taken (the more popular stack) you can make an educated guess at who they are targetting.
That can help you both block their stacks, and know which ones you are going to be able to (likely) complete.
If you want some help with best ball, roster construction, or otherwise, you can reach out to us. Remember you can always have a look at our analysis in our best ball section of the website. Or, drop into our discord server.
Image Credit: Brad Rempel – USA TODAY Sports
