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NFL DFS Strategy Overview: Welcome to the 2016 Season

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Aug 26, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) throws a pass during the pre-season game at Bank of America Stadium. Patriots win 19-17 over the Panthers. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports NFL DFS Strategy

The NFL preseason is finally over.  Most of you have completed your drafts, or will in the next couple days.  Now is the time to get ready for week 1 NFL DFS (daily fantasy sports).  Whether you are a serious player, or just want to throw a few dollars in hopes of a huge return, daily fantasy sports can provide a lot of fun for everyone.  In order to be successful playing DFS, you must know a few things about the different types of contests, and how to build your lineup to fit the contests you are in.

There are several types of DFS contests, there are cash games, which consist of 50/50’s and double ups.  In a 50/50, the top half of each contest win the same amount of money.  It is the safest game to play and can be quite profitable if you are ok with winning a small amount at a time.

Most players try to hit the lotto and win a huge tournament, or GPP (guaranteed prize pool).  A smaller percentage of players in those contests will get paid out, and it’s a lot harder to be consistently successful playing tournaments.  The good thing about tournaments though is it could only take 1 contest to make a lot of money.  The contest you choose to play in should determine the type of lineup you construct.  Let’s take a look at how to construct each type of lineup.

Nov 29, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) is unable to make a catch during the third quarter as New Orleans Saints cornerback Brandon Browner (39) defends at NRG Stadium. The Texans defeated the Saints 24-6. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

When you construct a 50/50 or cash game lineup, you want to go for players that have consistent production.  All you have to do to win a cash game contest is score in the top half of your contest.  You want to avoid taking chances on players, for example, in week 1 at the WR position on Fanduel, both Jordy Nelson and DeAndre Hopkins are priced at $8,400.

If I were playing a cash game and had that much to spend on a WR, I would choose Hopkins because he has fewer questions heading into week 1.  We are not sure how well Nelson will perform coming off a limited preseason following his torn ACL last preseason.  You want to take guys that have a high floor, or consistent point production. 

Now, on the flip side to that, when you play tournaments or GPP’s, you have to take some chances on guys that will likely be less owned than other players at the same position.  Ownership percentage in a GPP is key to winning it.  If you happen to select players that are highly owned, you have a chance at cashing, but you have zero chance of winning it.  Now, don’t take that strategy to the extreme and go completely off the board and take players at each position that no one will own, but you do need to have a few players in your lineup that very few people in the contest own.

Each week I will post a 50/50 lineup and try to give you what I feel will be my best GPP lineup.  I enter multiple GPP lineups each week so there will be times when the lineup I post as my GPP will not be my highest scoring each week.  I usually do 1 or 2 50/50 lineups, I will post each one every week.  I generally try to do 70% of the of the bankroll I play in 50/50’s and 30% will go to GPP’s and qualifiers.  Let’s win some cash this season!

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