Week 1 is finally upon us. We’ve waited almost seven months since the Chiefs defeated the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII. We now have 16 games to look forward to in Week 1, and there are plenty of QB/WR duos that you’ll want in your fantasy football lineup for Week 1’s main DraftKings fantasy football slate.
The reason for stacking a quarterback with his favorite wide receiver is that both players benefit from each completion, doubling the value of that play for your lineup. My strategy for these stacks will be to target duos who are facing subpar passing defenses. Below are my four favorite stacks for Sunday’s main slate.
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4. Sam Darnold ($5,200)/ Justin Jefferson ($8,400), Minnesota Vikings at New York Giants
This is a medium-risk play, as we’ve yet to see how Darnold is going to look in this Vikings offense. However, there is a lot of potential upside here with these salaries. Justin Jefferson is fully healthy for Week 1 and is capable of having a monster day on any given Sunday, regardless of who his quarterback is. Kevin O’Connell loves to dial up the pass, and that was proven last season, as the Vikings finished 5th in passing yards per game (256.4). I expect Darnold to look vastly improved from his time with the Jets, and I think he will throw for a ton of passing yards this season if his weapons can stay healthy.
The Giants have had concerns at cornerback all offseason and were far from amazing against the pass last year, finishing 19th in that category. I think this could be a big day for Darnold and Jefferson, and this might be the last time we can get them at such low salaries.
3. Geno Smith ($5,500)/ DK Metcalf ($6,200), Denver Broncos at Seattle Seahawks
This is another QB/WR duo that has relatively cheap salaries for Week 1. The Geno Smith to DK Metcalf connection was working last season, as Metcalf had another season of over 1,000 yards while also scoring eight touchdowns. For Smith, it was his second great season for the Seahawks in a row, finishing with over 3,600 yards, 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions in only 15 games. If Geno can have another solid season in 2024, I expect this duo to be firing on all cylinders.
This is a great matchup for them, going against a Broncos defense that was not good against the pass last season, finishing 23rd in passing yards against. They were especially bad at passing defense on the road, where they gave up an average of 56.9 more passing yards per game than in home games. I expect Geno Smith and the Seahawks offense to hit the ground running in Week 1 with a favorable matchup.
2. Baker Mayfield ($5,600)/ Mike Evans ($7,300), Washington Commanders at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield had a breakout year in his first season with the Buccaneers. He threw for over 4,000 yards, 28 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions. This offseason, he was rewarded for his stellar play with a three-year deal worth up to $115 million. A big reason for his success in 2023 was his chemistry with Mike Evans. Evans finished with at least 1,000 receiving yards for the 10th consecutive season, totaling 1,255 with 13 touchdowns.
Heading into Week 1, the duo will be matched up against the worst passing defense from last season in the Washington Commanders. Washington allowed 262.2 yards per game in the air last season, which was dead last in the NFL. Baker finished 9th in passing yards last season, while Evans finished 9th in receiving yards. It’s safe to say the Commanders will have their hands full in Week 1.
1. Tua Tagovailoa ($7,000)/Tyreek Hill ($8,700), Jacksonville Jaguars at Miami Dolphins
For me, these two are the clear-cut best duo for this slate. Tua and Tyreek dominated last season, particularly in home games. The Dolphins were second in team passing yards last season and threw for an average of 271.9 yards per game in Miami. The difference in home games vs. away games was also apparent in Tyreek Hill’s stats, as he finished with over 1,000 yards at Hard Rock stadium alone. The Dolphins were particularly good in home games at the start of last season, and I’m hoping that trend will continue in 2024.
They have a very favorable matchup in the opening week, hosting a Jaguars defense that finished 26th in the NFL in passing yards given up a season ago. Tua led the NFL in passing yards last season, while Tyreek led the league in receiving yards. This couldn’t be a tougher matchup for this Jaguars secondary, and I think this Miami offense will start the season firing on all cylinders. The Tua to Tyreek connection should be a huge part of that, and I could easily see Tyreek finishing Week 1 with over 100 yards receiving.
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is ciarandoyle77) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skills and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
