DK Strategy Guide: Your Double-Check List Before Submitting a Lineup
Do you ever feel like this right before you submit your DraftKings lineup?
Like a guy with a laptop...on a deck...in the middle of a valley. You're not alone. This daily fantasy sports thing can be a little tough, but there are sure-fire ways to improve your chances of winning and making money.
Sure, there is some luck involved, but success is primarily attained from finding a system that works, obeying the principles of that system, staying abreast of the day-to-day happenings in your sport of choice and making informed drafting decisions.
Most of you probably already have a system for picking lineups. This slideshow is designed to serve as a quality check for your draft choices and overall drafting philosophy.
Are there any holes in your process? Take a gander at the next 10 slides to see if there's something you've been missing when picking your lineups.
This Is Not About Fandom
1 of 10
I was born and raised in Chicago. I grew up 10 minutes from where Derrick Rose did.
In short, D.Rose is my favorite player. However, that cannot factor into my draft decisions.
Currently, that particular example is a moot point because Rose is injured, but when he is healthy, my love for the kid from Chicago can't influence my decision on the point guard and/or guard I select.
Sometimes we find ourselves gravitating to the players we like the most, or even to players from our favorite team. It's only natural. Most of us that compete in DraftKings contests are interested in them because there's real money to be won, but also because we love sports.
That love for sports almost always includes a passion for a team and/or player.
Don't be blinded by love.
I remember filling out NCAA tournament brackets with my dad when I was younger, and I'd come to matchups involving schools I really liked: the Michigan Wolverines, Illinois Fighting Illini, the DePaul Blue Demons (yeah, I'm old enough to remember when the latter actually made NCAA tournaments). Pops would say to me: "Don't go with your heart."
The same rule applies when it comes to DraftKings player selection. If you look at that lineup and it's pretty much a list of your favorite players, chances are you've done something wrong.
Big 3s, Big Letdowns
2 of 10
Taking too many guys from the same team is asking for trouble. This primarily applies to hoops, but it could also have a negative effect on your drafting in other sports.
What is the likelihood that Kyrie Irving, LeBron James and Kevin Love are going to tear it up on the same night? There's only so many points, rebounds and assists to go around. With most prominent players carrying salaries north of $6,800, it's a big risk to take more than two stars from one team—especially in the NBA.
In MLB and the NFL, it's a little safer, but similar concepts can still be an issue.
For example, are you taking Mike Trout, Albert Pujols and David Freese? It can be tempting, but you're obviously hoping that the opposing team's pitching staff completely collapses that night.
In the NFL, do you really want to gamble that Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate will be productive enough to all warrant selection? It can happen, but winning at DraftKings has a lot to do with playing the percentages. Overloading on one team decreases the chances you'll see a payoff for your investment.
There are exceptions, such as days with limited games on the schedule. Obviously, those situations force you to add multiple players from one team. Outside of that, it's best to avoid leaning too heavily on one team's total statistical domination on a given night.
Beware the Russell Westbrook Effect
3 of 10
This applies to every sport, it's just that Oklahoma City Thunder star Russell Westbrook is the most prominent current example. Westbrook has been an absolute statistical monster this season. He's the type of player whom you can pencil in with at least 45-50 fantasy points a night.
In fact, he's averaging an insane 53.6 fantasy points per game. That's almost irresistible, right?
Well, Westbrook is currently carrying a DraftKings salary of $12,900. Give or take a few thousand dollars, that's pretty much where he will be throughout the remainder of the regular season and NBA playoffs.
That's just under 26 percent of your total allotted salary for a lineup per night. At that rate, the average salary for the rest of the members of your lineup is $5,300. If you've ever looked through the players available for that amount, you know the pickings can be slim.
Chances are, there aren't seven other players you can feel comfortable drafting with what you'll have left.
The same concept holds true in MLB, NFL and even MMA picks. Ronda Rousey is probably the most automatic selection in the sport right now, but you can bet she'll carry a hefty price. For her last scrap, Rousey's DK salary was $13,500.
She obviously proved to be worth it, but taking Rousey would have left you with just $36,500 to spread out among four other picks. That's an average of $9,125 per pick, which means you're almost forced to correctly pick an upset or to tab two or more winners in really close fights.
That's the type of pressure stars like Westbrook and Rousey create when drafted by DK contest participants. Obviously, it can work out, but it's something you have to be aware of when selecting lineups.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Check for Late Scratches
4 of 10
This one is pretty simple and fundamental to being competitive in any fantasy sports games.
There's nothing worse than checking on your lineup's production only to find out a player or fighter you selected was a late scratch from the game or fight. At that point, you know your chances of winning probably dropped as much as a Justin Masterson sinker.
If you're in a contest, you have to make it your business to do a quick once-over for your lineup to ensure that everyone is still active. It's almost impossible to win a DraftKings contest when you effectively forfeit the production of one of the spots in your lineup.
Zeroes are really bad.
Investigate the Questionables
5 of 10
Even if a player isn't a late scratch, you're still going to want to know what kind of shape they're in before drafting them—or sticking with your initial selection.
When a player is labeled "questionable," you should do some quick research to determine if the injury is something you feel won't allow them to perform well.
Here's a few questions you can look into: How long have they been questionable? Being questionable for a few games might indicate the player has become accustomed to playing through the issue.
How have they performed since initially suffering the injury? If their production has been down since incurring the injury, that's clearly a bad sign.
Are they in the second half of a back-to-back situation? This is most often an issue in basketball. However, in baseball, this can be a problem on most days because teams play almost every day.
All "questionable" statuses aren't created equal. You should find out the particulars before making a decision on drafting or sticking with a player who is hurting.
Did You Pick the Right Guy?...Ahem, the Morris Twins
6 of 10
Marcus and Markieff Morris of the Phoenix Suns, and Andrew and Aaron Harrison of the Kentucky Wildcats, can be nightmares for DK players.
All four men have had games that would make DK players glad they drafted them, but it's pretty easy to mix them up when you're drafting your team. It's not just identical twins who happen to play on the same team that can be a potential issue.
A few years back, the Chicago Bears had a running back named Adrian Peterson who was far less productive than his namesake who has been a superstar with the Minnesota Vikings. Even guys who simply share a last name can catch you slipping if you're not careful.
Always make sure you're drafting the guy you want.
There may only be a few letters difference between the names of Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners and Pedro Hernandez of the Colorado Rockies, but it could be a huge disparity in fantasy points.
Are the Stats You’re Researching from the Right Day?
7 of 10
Obviously, stats are what make the whole fantasy sports scene possible. We have to study the numbers to be successful, but are you looking at the right stats?
Are you comparing Peyton Manning's passing numbers against the New York Jets or the New York Giants? If you're checking to see if a pitcher or hitter has been on a hot streak, are you looking at the most recent statistics?
This might seem like a rudimentary concept, but the little things can be the difference between drafting a player based on misinterpreted statistics. Always ensure you're looking at the data you find the most helpful.
Don’t Set Your Lineups Too Early
8 of 10
In an effort to be prepared for upcoming contests, we may be tempted to draft a lineup for an event days in advance. This is the same as trying to give an answer before hearing the full question.
Why make picks before you have to? Injuries, suspensions and other things are somewhat commonplace in sports. Setting a lineup too quickly can leave you with a dead spot in your lineup—unless you're following the rules of the fourth slide.
Even if you're checking for late scratches, setting a lineup too quickly can force you to make a knee-jerk reaction to quickly fill a spot vacated by an inactive player. If a fighter doesn't make weight—which wouldn't be determined until the night before a UFC event—or a player is ruled out after batting practice or doing morning shootaround, you might have to select someone with the same salary or less to fill the spot in your lineup.
You probably won't be too happy with the athlete you're forced to draft.
If you haven't set your lineup when you find out an athlete is unable to compete, you're able to structure your entire team with the new developments in mind. It should lead to a lineup that makes you feel more comfortable.
Study Long, Study Wrong
9 of 10
This might sound a little contradictory based on all the items I've mentioned in this slideshow, but once you get accustomed to following the steps, you'll blow through the process in no time.
Once you have done the research that has proven to be successful and you've avoided the potential pitfalls that can hamper DK success, step away from your desktop, laptop or mobile device.
Trust your process and your picks, and just let the games, matches or fights play out. You don't want to agonize over a pick and change your mind at the last minute about someone who winds up putting up big numbers that night.
You'll be kicking yourself, saying, "If I'd only stuck with my initial decision."
Save That Lineup
10 of 10
If you find a lineup as successful as the Wildcats have been this season (OK, maybe not that good), don't be opposed to revisiting it on another day.
As long as all of the pieces are still in place and the different players still check out through your research, there's nothing wrong with running it back.
It's totally possible to find a winning combination with the same or similar look.
That's all I have. Now let's go and win some contests.
Salaries and fantasy points per DraftKings
Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter for more basketball, MMA and baseball DraftKings advice
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
