The playoffs are here, and that means fantasy football needs are different. We’ve got you covered on Best Ball and Playoff Challenge contests, so I’m approaching things this weekend from a roster construction standpoint for DFS.
In an effort to touch on the highest number of players, I’m looking at the Wild Card slate as a whole. Some of the ideas and research shared below can be repurposed into Showdown or Single Day slates, but content for those niche spots wouldn’t cover the larger schedule that is most popular among casual players.
Stacking drives DFS. There are variations of how you do it, and I’ll show you some of that, but at a base level, it (the art of rostering players from the same team/game in an effort to build in correlation) is at the core of DFS lineups that find themselves at the top of leaderboards.
We all have opinions on how these games will play out; that’s the beauty of this game. I’ve covered a handful of team/game stacks to support you where you’re comfortable. There is obvious overlap between the rosters, as I often end up with cheaper options. Consider me something of your information buffet: pick what you like and build a plate of profit that is all your own!
Wild Card DFS Lineup Construction: Philadelphia Eagles Stack
QB | Jalen Hurts (vs. SF)
RB | Christian McCaffrey (at PHI)
RB | Blake Corum (at CAR)
WR | A.J. Brown (vs. SF)
WR | DeVonta Smith (vs. SF)
WR | Parker Washington (vs. BUF)
TE | Dalton Schultz (at PIT)
Flex | Kayshon Boutte (vs. LAC)
D/ST | Los Angeles Rams (at CAR)
To build out a Jalen Hurts stack, you have to be willing to take on some risk. He ranks No. 20 of 25 qualifiers in pass attempts per game, and that might lead you to believe that rostering him without a pass catcher is the way to invest, but we’ve celebrated three holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day) since his last rushing score.
I think if you’re leaning in, you have to lean all the way in. The banged-up 49ers rank bottom-5 in pressure rate, opponent TD/INT rate, and passer rating when throwing deep. That’s an advantageous profile, but it will come with relatively low ownership due to the narratives and price tags surrounding the Eagle stars.
Talented players in a great matchup? I think I can get behind that.
The regular season is over. None of it mattered. This is the playoffs.
Go Birds pic.twitter.com/4UvyjJ4RVY
— Philly Dawgs (@PHLDawgs) January 7, 2026
Hurts has four games this season with at least 280 passing yards, and that’s effectively what we are betting on here. In those four games, A.J. Brown has posted a +26% target share in three of them and DeVonta Smith a +27% three times. In the two most recent instances, both Brown and Smith cleared 85 receiving yards, production that is very much within the range of outcomes on Sunday afternoon.
On average this season, the top two opposing target earners have seen 48.3% of passes thrown their way (in Weeks 1-2-7-9-11, the opposing top duo saw over half of the targets vs. SF).
In those four Hurts games, Saquon Barkley averaged just 67.8 scrimmage yards, giving us nice leverage off of those rosters by way of getting the Eagle production in a different way. That doesn’t mean you full fade their RB1 (keep reading), but it is a path to victory because this lineup succeeding would likely mean a chalk piece falling short of expectations.
The important piece that makes this star-studded lineup work is Kayshon Boutte, a name you’ll see peppered into the majority of my lineups because of the price point/upside combination.
The Chargers ranked No. 29 in blitz rate this regular season (18.8% of opponent dropbacks). While the offensive line has been a topic of discussion for the Patriots, they have had a handful of top-10 weeks per PFSN’s NFL Offensive Line Impact Metric.
Patriot Pressure Rate Allowed When Not Blitzed
- Weeks 1-11: 38.5% (No. 30)
- Weeks 12-18: 31.3% (No. 10)
If Drake Maye has time, we are in business. You’re not rostering him for his floor, but rather hoping that he can turn a good lineup into a great one. He’s averaging 25.2 yards per TD reception this season, and if we can land a single punch, he’s paying off his price tag in a major way.
Kayshon Boutte Production Splits
- When Maye isn’t blitzed: 24 catches on 33 targets for 402 yards and 3 TDs
- Blitzed: 13.5 yards per catch (down from 16.8)
- When Maye isn’t pressured: 29 catches on 37 targets for 472 yards and 5 TDs
- Pressured: Just seven targets on 122 routes
Wild Card DFS Lineup Construction: Buffalo Bills Stack
QB | Josh Allen (at JAX)
RB | Travis Etienne Jr. (vs. BUF)
RB | Kyren Williams (at CAR)
WR | Nico Collins (at PIT)
WR | Tetairoa McMillan (vs. LAR)
WR | Jayden Reed (at CHI)
TE | Dalton Kincaid (at JAX)
Flex | Kenneth Gainwell (vs. HOU)
D/ST | Philadelphia Eagles (vs. SF)
With Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, and Joe Burrow sitting at home, it’s easy to fall in love with the fantasy profile of Josh Allen. He’s cleared 23 fantasy points in the majority of his games this season, gets to play in a warm-weather game that is projected to be tight, and owns the highest total on the board.
I get it.
If we are being honest, this isn’t a direction I see myself landing very often. It’s not that Allen can’t produce; he obviously can, but that he’s a favorite to lead the position in ownership, and that gives you little room for error elsewhere.
To get the big Allen lineup right, I think you have to throw the dart correctly on which teammate he brings along for the ride.
PPR Details In Josh Allen’s Top 4 Fantasy Games
- Dalton Kincaid: 17.0 PPG
One DNP, over 14 PPR points in the three games - James Cook: 16.6 PPG
Two over 20 and two under 14 - Khalil Shakir: 8.5 PPG
One dud, 9.6-12.4 points for the other three - Keon Coleman: 10.8 PPG
One DNP, 25.2 points in Week 1, under four points in the others
In my mind’s eye, those Kincaid numbers are far better than I remember. Allen has pulled him along in his explosion spots, and I think that’s a pretty viable way to free up salary in a different way to leverage your Allen pick in a reasonably unique way.
The tight end position is difficult to fill league-wide, and the playoffs are going to be no different. I think we see the TE ownership gravitate toward the more traditional passers. That is, those in on Trevor Lawrence might scoop up Brenton Strange shares. I could see Justin Herbert stans rostering Oronde Gadsden, C.J. Stroud people going with Dalton Schultz, or those dreaming of a potential pairing of Colston Loveland and Caleb Williams.
MORE: Try PFSN’s NFL DFS Lineup Optimizer
By stacking Kincaid with Allen, you’re different from naked Allen builds, something that I expect to be more popular than what we have, and you position yourself opposite of a star in James Cook (every completion from Allen to Kincaid is a point that Buffalo’s starting RB doesn’t have access to).
Take it a step further, and you’ll see that Dawson Knox has nine catches across those three spike-Allen games in which Kincaid was active. What if that usage comes our way?
For the bring back, I want a single piece that is game script agnostic. Travis Etienne has cleared 1,000 rushing yards with at least 35 catches in three of his four professional seasons, a level of versatility that the Jags have weaponized since the bye to the tune of 18.5 touches per game.
For our purposes, more important than the high touch count is the fact that 4.2 of those looks are coming inside of the opponents’ 20-yard line (37.5% of Jacksonville’s red zone touches over that stretch).
Since Week 12, 80.1% of Etienne’s rush yards have come after contact (Weeks 1-11: 67%), a level of hard-nosed running that I like to exploit a Bills defense that ranks No. 24 in EPA against running backs, No. 25 in RB rush TD rate, and No. 27 in RB yards per carry.
If this game works away from the home team, their bellcow back has seven games with at least three receptions, and Liam Coen has shown the ability over the past two months to get Etienne out in space as a pass catcher.
As for my skinny stack in this construction, give me the Texans to jump out and the Steelers to treat this week like they did last: a must-win contest in which they are trying to claw back.
The Texans made it clear what they think of Nico Collins, with him being the only starter they rested in Week 18. He has six games this season with four deep targets, and while he hasn’t scored on such a pass since September, his odds of finding the painted area increase if Pittsburgh is anywhere near as vulnerable downfield as they were last week.
Yes, it’ll be a different game plan (Woody Marks isn’t Derrick Henry), but the talent difference between Collins and Zay Flowers is great, and the slightest miscommunication could result in a splash play that dictates the game environment.
On the other side, I’m banking on being right, something that you have to do at some level in order to build a winner this time of year, where the number of different lineups lessens.
If Houston can take an early lead (ideally via a Collins score or two), this is a Kenneth Gainwell spot. The team voted him as their MVP, and we saw some of that on Sunday night with a critical touchdown and a near 2-to-1 snap edge over Jaylen Warren when Pittsburgh was trailing.
Jahmyr Gibbs: 59
Kenneth Gainwell: 51
Bijan Robinson: 49
What are those, you ask? They are the three running backs with 45+ targets since Week 11. That stretch includes good and bad Aaron Rodgers, wins and losses, games with and without DK Metcalf.
Given the price tag on Collins, if we airball on him, this lineup is drawing thin anyway, so why not double down with the Gainwell piece as a bring-back?
Wild Card DFS Lineup Construction: Los Angeles Rams Stack
QB | Matthew Stafford (at CAR)
RB | Saquon Barkley (vs. SF)
RB | Woody Marks (at PIT)
WR | Puka Nacua (at CAR)
WR | Tetairoa McMillan (vs. LAR)
WR | Christian Watson (at CHI)
TE | Oronde Gadsden II (at NE)
Flex | Luther Burden III (vs. GB)
D/ST | Philadelphia Eagles (vs. SF)
We got news on Monday that the Rams expect Davante Adams (hamstring) to return to action this weekend, his first action since suffering a setback during Week 15.
Matthew Stafford is locked to the pocket and is the only QB I have ranked in the top tiers this week that plays like that, making him something of a unicorn for this slate. My expectation is that it will make him less attractive to the masses, but for those who do trend in this direction, to double down on his top two pass catchers.
I can’t blame them.
Matthew, and we cannot stress this enough, Stafford.
More highlights on https://t.co/bPpSS6zu02 pic.twitter.com/MEMpQj7B2s
— x – Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) January 7, 2026
Stafford has cleared 25 fantasy points five times this season, with three of those games seeing both Puka Nacua and Adams active. In each of those contests, their combined target share has been north of 41% and they have recorded multiple TD receptions. In theory, I get the desire to double down, but this is a great spot to pivot off the norm.
You’ve seen me build rosters with Ram running backs before this, and that’s not random.
Weeks 1-7: 67.7% success rate vs RBs (No. 5)
Weeks 8-18: 56.3% success rate vs RBs (No. 28)
I don’t like pairing a running back with Stafford, but I do fear the backfield enough to wonder off the path of rostering two pass catchers as a part of this stock.
Any part of a good stack involves considering the other side of the equation. Again, you need to assume you’re right in some of your assumptions, so I’m going to do that here.
I’m assuming this Los Angeles passing attack will thrive and that we’ll see them push the Panthers into an uncomfortable game environment.
In four of Stafford’s aforementioned five big games, the opponent has funneled over 31% of their targets to a single player (the lone exception was a game against the 49ers, where Christian McCaffrey earned a 25.6% target share, arguably more impressive than +31% for a receiver).
In essence, when forced to push against the Rams, the opposition has honed in on a single playmaker. Those dots aren’t hard to connect, but are the majority of Ram stackers going to be looking at Tetairoa McMillan?
I’m not so sure. These teams met in Week 13, and the impressive rookie saw just 10% (a season low) of passes thrown his way as he was a clear focal point.
That’s a tough data point to swallow, and I expect many to use it as an excuse to pivot. But take it just half a step further, and you can come around to the idea of using him as a bring-back.
I play with advanced numbers a ton, but this isn’t one of those times. It’s basic. The Rams allocated time and energy to slow McMillan six weeks ago; that’s a fact.
They lost and allowed 31 points, that’s also a fact.
READ MORE: Fantasy Football Dynasty Rankings 2026: Top Players Include Bucky Irving, Bijan Robinson, and RJ Harvey
I don’t think Los Angeles ignores McMillan, but if what they tried the first time didn’t result in the desired results, a change in scheme is possible, if not likely.
The D/ST position is highly variable, so I’m more concerned with rostering a unit that makes sense with the team I’ve built. You’ve seen me list the Eagles as my choice in consecutive lineups, so let’s get into it.
They have a stout run defense, and that, in part, fuels the sixth-highest opponent average depth of throw. There’s a need to stretch them vertically to loosen them up near the line of scrimmage, and when you’re a successful team like the Eagles, game script also demands increased aggression on the other side.
- Brock Purdy, deep passes (15+ yards): 78.7 rating (No. 24), 13.5% (No. 33, last)
- Brock Purdy, short passes (under 10 yards): 110.3 rating (No. 1), 0.5% INT (No. 4)
Notice that I didn’t pair the Eagles D/ST in my stack (Lineup #1). Not a mistake. We need the defense to make splash plays, and if they are doing that, counting on the passing game in any capacity is a risk that isn’t worth taking.
The ownership of the D/ST figures to be flat: I think we get as much upside as anyone with this play, and it allows us to likely back the CMC lineups into a bit of a corner.
Wild Card DFS Lineup Construction: Chicago Bears Stack
QB | Caleb Williams (vs. GB)
RB | Saquon Barkley (vs. SF)
RB | James Cook III (at JAX)
WR | Christian Watson (at CHI)
WR | Luther Burden III (vs. GB)
WR | Kayshon Boutte (vs. LAC)
TE | George Kittle (at PHI)
Flex | Josh Jacobs (at CHI)
D/ST | Los Angeles Rams (at CAR)
You sippin’ the Kool Aid in Chicago yet?
The oddsmakers suggest that you’re not (the Bears are a home underdog), and with multiple MVP candidates on this slate, it’s not hard to see this path to creating a lineup as unique.
We got this matchup twice in December, and both teams signed up for a battle in a rivalry that is as old as the sport (series split, Packers scored 44 points and the Bears 43, would have been 44 if they had to kick the extra point after the walkoff winner to D.J. Moore in Week 16). I expect this to be competitive for 60 (or more?) minutes, and that means Ben Johnson is a good bet, sooner or later, to lean into his passing game.
Lean into it.
Caleb Williams has four games this season with 280+ passing yards, and in all four instances, he got a teammate to the 100-receiving-yard bonus. For me, it’s less a matter of “if” and more a matter of “who” when it comes to his supporting cast.
The most anticipated game of the year…
Packers vs Bears
Matt LaFleur vs Ben Johnson
Jordan Love vs Caleb WilliamsTHIS IS ROUND 3 pic.twitter.com/OMziyvS1VJ
— 𝑨𝒏𝒕 (@PCK3RS) January 7, 2026
Luther Burden shows up in a few of my lineups, and the rookie is trending in the direction of being a true game-changer in redraft leagues in August.
Why wait?
He’s caught 17 of 20 targets over his past three games for 257 yards (15.1 yards per catch). In addition to looking the part of a high pedigree prospect, there’s a nice little sample of Green Bay struggling to stop the big plays from Johnson-crafted offenses.
In the first meeting between these two this season, Burden turned four catches into 67 yards. DJ Moore posted a 5-97-1 stat line in the Week 16 matchup, including the walkoff winner (Burden: DNP). If you go back to last season, Jameson Williams, under the tutelage of Johnson, totaled 80 yards on five catches against this Packers defense in Week 14.
With Micah Parsons out, this game could well turn into a shootout, and that’s the environment we want when it comes to betting on big plays.
Remember those four games I mentioned for Williams at the beginning of this spiel? The ones with 280+ passing yards, where he produced at the rate we are banking on?
In three of those weeks, the opponent faced a player account that scored multiple touchdowns from scrimmage (Brock Purdy, Tee Higgins, and Derrick Henry). I’m not projecting any Packer (or any player, for that matter) to do that, but the idea of a high-scoring game is there, and that’s why I have a Packers skill player in three of these four lineups.
If a Christian Watson bomb can hit in this game, that forces the Bears to be aggressive and gives the Packers a reason to throttle down a bit with a high-volume Jacobs game. It’s a very specific runout that we need, but that’s the nature of a six-game slate that includes a double-digit spread and a Steelers team that I’m not exactly moving mountains to get exposure to.
Saquon Barkley has been a pay-up option in each of these last two lineups after me actively avoiding him in the first one, and that’s why building at least a few different lineups is valuable.
Which angle do you most believe?
I’m not 100% sure which side of the Eagles offense is right, but I do feel reasonably strong that not having any of them is wrong. Opposing running backs have been better than league average before contact in nine of the last 13 San Francisco games.
Five of Barkley’s even best post-contact games have come since Week 12: if there’s a spot for the 2024 version of him to reemerge, this would seem to be it!
