Stacking in Best Ball: Why It Matters (and How to Do It Right)

In best ball fantasy football, stacking has emerged as one of the most important strategic tools for maximizing your lineup’s weekly and seasonal upside. Whether you’re new to the format or a seasoned drafter fine-tuning your approach, understanding stacking and how to do it right can be the difference between a good team and a tournament winner.

This short guide will explain what stacking is, why it matters in best ball, and how to execute effective stacks based on trends from the past few years.

New to Best Ball? Check out Jay’s Beginners Guide!

Stacking in Best Ball Fantasy Football

What Is Stacking?

Stacking is the strategy of drafting multiple players from the same real-life NFL offense, typically focusing on quarterbacks and their pass-catchers (wide receivers and tight ends). The idea is simple: if a quarterback has a big game, chances are one or more of his receivers should too. In best ball formats, which automatically start your best lineup each week, this correlation can create massive spike weeks that push you ahead in weekly scoring and playoff advancement.

Why Stacking Matters in Best Ball

Unlike traditional redraft leagues, best ball is all about upside and correlation; you can’t make waiver moves or set lineups. You need your roster to produce peak scores throughout the season, especially during the fantasy playoffs (Weeks 15–17 in most tournament formats like Underdog Fantasy’s Best Ball Mania).

1. Maximized Weekly Upside

When a stack hits, it often leads to multiple players in your lineup scoring simultaneously. For example, in 2021, Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase exploded in Week 17 (446 yards and 4 TDs for Burrow; 266 yards and 3 TDs for Chase), swinging countless best ball finals.

2. Playoff Correlation

Best ball tournaments are top-heavy. Getting through the early rounds matters, but winning comes down to Weeks 15–17. Stacking offenses in potential shootouts or playoff-relevant games can boost your chances of advancing each round with fewer active roster spots.

How to Stack Properly in Best Ball

Here are key stacking strategies and tips to help you build better teams:

1. Primary Stack: QB + WR/TE

This is the foundation. Always aim for at least one primary stack on your team.

Example: In 2022, Jalen Hurts + A.J. Brown + DeVonta Smith was a league-winning stack. Hurts’ dual-threat ability, paired with two high-ceiling WRs, gave drafters consistent weekly upside.

Tip: Don’t force an elite QB early just to stack. Let the draft come to you if you land Garrett Wilson in Round 2, keep an eye on Justin Fields in the later rounds.

2. Secondary Stack: Opposing Offense

This is especially useful for Week 17 correlation, pairing players from both sides of a potential shootout.

Example: In 2021, Chiefs vs. Bengals (Week 17) was a best ball finals gold mine. Stacking Mahomes + Hill/Kelce with bring-backs like Chase or Higgins created massive upside.

Tip: Look ahead at Week 17 matchups during the offseason. Many sharp drafters build mini-stacks (WR+WR or RB+WR) from both sides of a projected shootout.

3. Value Stack: Later Round Connections

Not every stack has to be elite. In fact, late-round stacks can offer massive ROI and allow you to allocate premium picks elsewhere.

Example: In 2023, Brock Purdy + Brandon Aiyuk + George Kittle were often drafted in the later rounds and produced top-tier numbers in several weeks.

Tip: Target ambiguous or undervalued offenses (e.g., Texans in 2023, Lions in 2022) where ADPs don’t yet reflect the offense’s ceiling.

4. Double or Triple Stacks

Pairing a QB with two or even three pass catchers increases your exposure to blow-up games.

Example: The 2020 Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, and Cole Beasley/Gabe Davis triple stack was affordable and helped dominate best ball tournaments.

Tip: Don’t overdo it. You don’t need three pass-catchers unless the offense is elite and concentrated. Diversify elsewhere on your roster.

5. Running Back Stacks

RBs aren’t traditional stacking partners, but they can be valuable, especially pass-catching backs.

Example: Christian McCaffrey with Brock Purdy or Jahmyr Gibbs with Jared Goff provides dual upside when RBs catch passes or finish drives.

Tip: Only stack RBs when they’re known receiving threats or heavily involved in red zone work.

Common Stacking Pitfalls to Avoid

• Overstacking bad offenses: Don’t force a stack on a low-upside team just for correlation’s sake. There’s a difference between a value stack and a bad bet.
• Reaching multiple rounds: It’s okay to reach slightly for a QB to complete a stack, but don’t kill your draft value chasing correlations.
• Ignoring Week 17 entirely: You don’t need to build your whole team around it, but a few thoughtful mini-stacks or game correlations can be the tiebreaker in big contests.

Final Thoughts

Stacking in best ball is about embracing the variance and correlation of real NFL offenses. In a format where you can’t fix your team mid-season, building stacks ensures your roster has outsized upside and aligned paths to ceiling weeks.

Whether you’re chasing $3 million in Best Ball Mania or just trying to win your friends’ league, stacking is a core strategy you can’t afford to ignore.

So draft smart. Stack strategically. And shoot for the ceiling

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