adam.sardinha1@gmail.com 
This is my first article as part of the Win Daily team. As the newest member, I would like to review my general DFS Strategy for fantasy football for DFS DraftKings. We shall keep it simple to start as I provide some of my overarching general tricks and tips that I utilize while playing Daily Fantasy Football. We will review the game type you select, roster construction, and the late-game swap.
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What Are You Playing on DFS DraftKings?
Cash
Cash or GPP? The game setting that you play is crucial towards your overall DFS DraftKings strategy and making the largest return on your investment. It is crucial to create your roster with the contest settings in mind.
In terms of cash games, choose players that are not so boom-or-bust. Choosing players with safer production projections is the smartest approach. Remember the payout structure in cash games; everybody that finishes within the top range receives the same payout. For example, in a 50/50 contest of 60 entries, finishing 30th will net you the same winnings as placing first. So save your boom-or-bust players for tournament (GPP) play.
For cash games, the strategy is to go with what you know and try to mitigate as much risk as possible. For DFS DraftKings as an example, you just click the button on the high priced running backs that have predictable workloads and are game-script proof. Christian McCaffrey is the perfect example of a player that you just lock into your cash lineups regardless of matchup. It does not matter whether or not the Panthers are winning or losing; McCaffrey’s dual usage as both a receiver and runner make him usable no matter what game script is apparent.
GPPs
To win in tournaments you need to be contrarian in some aspects. Be the person who opposes or rejects the popular opinion. This is how you build successful GPP lineups. That because you need to place within at least the top 25% in most cases to receive a payout. Diversify your lineups with players that will have low ownership. Identify the chalk players and use that to your advantage. Say the chalk player at wide receiver is Player X at $9000. Player Y is priced slightly under him at $8700 but has a terrible matchup or is coming off a disappointing performance. Target Player Y in GPPs. You are playing to win in DFS DraftKings, not be safe. Try to avoid most chalk players because if everybody has them, it will not help you place in tournaments.
Also, another important tip for being contrarian is that your entire roster DOES NOT have to be contrarian. Only part of it needs to be different to create a lineup that will be unique. Nothing is worse than placing first in a GPP, but then realizing you now need to split your winnings 50/50 because somebody else had the same lineup as you.
Roster Construction
There is a common theme among rookie DFS DraftKings players. They always lose. Ask anybody how they did when they first started playing DFS, and I guarantee they struggled from the start. And the reason for that is rookie players tend to focus so much more on the players; not on the way they construct their lineups.
In most formats quarterback is the first position that needs to be slotted in. So most players tend to sway in that direction to start their roster. That is the first mistake. You should never build a roster around a quarterback to start. That’s because the quarterback is where the most value can be exposed. Think Ryan Fitzpatrick from last year in Week 1. He was sub $4500 on DFS DraftKings and absolutely blew up. Paying up at quarterback makes it much more difficult to get value back, and leaves you less salary to pay more at the running back position; that is where your money is needed.
Identifying the top running backs to use the majority of your bankroll should be first. Then you add the receivers and tight ends that you can get the most value on based on their price. Receivers and tight ends are so much harder to predict; they are volatile by nature, so investing significant salary into them is not recommended. Hitting on the receivers and then “stacking” them with the quarterbacks that perform above expectations leads you to the promised land in DraftKings DFS.
For those new players, a commonly known strategy across DFS, “Stacking”, or playing players in the same game whose production is correlated, is the backbone of successful GPP lineup construction. More on Stacking here.
You then need to incorporate where you can find an edge. Identifying the edge and exploiting is the best way to win. So for example, if you think that Team X is going to beat Team Y by multiple scores, but the spread is at -3.5 than that is an edge that you can expose. You then take the running back on the Team X that is lower priced than the high-priced game-proof backs. That is because in games where Team X is winning that running game is much more productive.
DraftKings Millionaire Maker Lineup
Specifically, in the popular DFS DraftKings Millionaire Maker Lineup,here are my top tips to conquer big tournament GPPs.
- Slightly favor a pass-catching running back in the FLEX, but do not disregard the idea of using a WR in the FLEX
- Play an opposing RB instead of an opposing WR to your QB in a game stack play in addition to stacking your QB with his RB.
- QB – WR2 stack > QB – WR1 stack
- If you feel like you have made the optimal lineup and have salary left over, leave it.
- You hit on one of the mid-tier priced QBs between priced between $5000 and $6100. When in doubt pay down at the QB position rather than pay up.
- Pay down at the tight end!
- Paying up at the RB position even if seems chalky is the sharp move. RB is not the position where you need to go contrarian or be concerned if a player has high ownership.
- Avoid the high-priced chalky wide receivers. If they are low-priced at a value, but still chalky eat the chalk.
- With defense, it is not necessarily about going super chalky or super contrarian. Just try to find value with price and potential output in mind.
Late-Game Swap
One of the biggest advantages that advanced players have on DFS DraftKings is leveraging the late-game swap DFS strategy. Essentially what this DFS strategy entails is making changes to your roster near the end of the early games before lineups lock with the late afternoon games. You are swapping out a player you had in your original roster lineup with another player whose game has also not started yet; making him eligible for the roster.
Most players create an initial lineup, then leave it and move on. But this late-swap DFS DraftKings strategy gives players an extra advantage as they can make adjustments to their lineups knowing more about what situation they are in. Did some of their players blow up on Thursday night/Sunday morning? Or did they put up complete duds? Knowing this information, you can now review your rosters and identify if you need to be riskier and chase upside in the late games.
Maybe you need to just select a player to differentiate from the chalky play. Or even swap to the same player that your opponent has in a 50/50 so they cannot gain any more points on you. If you can start using the late-game swap it can give you a significant edge as you approach the DFS DraftKings landscape.
Conclusions
So what are the main takeaways that you can leave with after reviewing this DraftKings DFS advice article? Well for starters, know what type of game you are playing. Is it cash or is it a tournament? Next, forget about the players because DFS is all about building the correct roster. It’s crucial that you take note of the tips and tricks I have provided in terms of roster construction. Once your roster is built you are all set, right? Nope, only for the fish it’s all set. The best DFS players will be incorporating the DFS late-swap and leveraging the stack. So keep refreshing Twitter when the inactives come in for those late games. Just by being more attentive than your opponents could add a few extra 00s to your bankroll.
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