Ranking the top running backs in fantasy football.
More than likely, a running back is going to be the first player selected in your fantasy football draft. And because a top-tier running back can carry you a long way, it’s important to nail this position.
Health is always a concern at RB, so you might be inclined to avoid players who missed significant time last season like Derrick Henry and Christian McCaffrey. But there’s also an upside to those guys that has to be considered.
This is a ranking of running backs to draft for non-PPR formats, so while receiving helps, it’s not quite as important. That’s where running backs who do the bulk of receiving in committee backfields take a hit. Let’s get into it.
The field at Torrey Pines is loaded and ready to take on one of the toughest tests in golf.
In most minds, this is the week the golf season starts. The PGA Tour is back at Torrey Pines, a venue that saw two champions last season. Patrick Reed won the Farmers Insurance Open, while Jon Rahm took home the U.S. Open trophy in June.
The aforementioned World No. 1 enters the week as the betting favorite sitting at +650. Justin Thomas, who we haven’t seen since the Sentry Tournament of Champions, follows behind at +1300.
The field will play both the North and South courses in the first two rounds before both weekend rounds will take place on the South Course.
Jon Rahm watches his ball after teeing off on hole one of the Pete Dye Stadium Course during the final round of The American Express at PGA West in La Quinta, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022.
It’s no secret this place means a lot to Rahm. First major win, first PGA Tour win, among other things. Coming off a decent week in the desert where he wasn’t too happy about the setup, he’ll get the challenge he’s begging for this week at Torrey.
Will Zalatoris (+3000)
Zalatoris played well at the Farmers last year finishing tied for 7th. He tends to step up his game at tougher golf courses, and his ball-striking ability should keep him in the hunt despite his moody putter.
Xander Schauffele (+1500)
The San Diego native has had an up and down relationship with this event but played well at both Torrey Pines events last year: T-2 at the Farmers, T-7 at the U.S. Open. His last start on Tour was the Sentry TOC where he finished solo 12th.
Tony Finau (+2000)
Finau is second to only Rahm in cumulative scoring at the Farmers since 2017 (Rahm -51, Finau -46). His worst finish at the Farmers is T-24 (2015) and has since signed for four T-6 performances or better.
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Maverick McNealy
McNealy is off to a great start this season with five finishes of T-27 or better. He doesn’t have a long resume at the Farmers Insurance Open, however, he’s two for three making the weekend including a top-20 finish in 2020 (T-29 in 2018).
Bryson DeChambeau (+2000)
Bryson DeChambeau hits his tee shot on the third hole during the second round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions golf tournament at Kapalua Resort – The Plantation Course. (Photo: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)
The longest player on Earth at one of the longest, toughest courses on the PGA Tour schedule? This pick speaks for itself. And if you forgot, DeChambeau was leading the U.S. Open on Sunday before shooting 1,000 on the back-nine.
Luke List (+8000)
His last four starts at the Farmers, starting in 2018: T-12, T-40, T-36, and T-10. In his last seven starts on Tour: five starts of T-22 or better. AKA: He’s playing really good golf and is headed to a venue where he feels comfortable.
Ryan Palmer (+7000)
He missed the cut at the US Open last year, but at the Farmers, Palmer has finished T-21 or better in four consecutive starts (including 2 runner-ups).
Sungjae Im (+3000)
Im played well in the desert, eventually tying for 11th. He doesn’t have a statement finish at Torrey but has made the cut in all four appearances at the venue.
Marc Leishman (+3000)
The Aussie loves him some Torrey Pines. He won the event in 2020, finished in the top 20 last season, and had a top 10 back in 2018. Leishman already has three top 10s this season.
Jon Rahm highlights a stacked field in the desert. We have a list of players to target in fantasy.
After two weeks in Hawaii, the PGA Tour is back on the U.S. mainland. The boys are headed to the California desert for the American Express, a tournament hosted by the coffee-drinking stallion, Phil Mickelson.
One thing that won’t change this week: the amount of birdies.
After two events in a row that produced 34 and 23 under winners, expect the same again.
Jon Rahm plays a second shot on the fourth hole during the third round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions at the Plantation Course at Kapalua Golf Club on January 8, 2022 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
This is a chalk pick, no way around that. But it’s impossible to ignore what this man is doing right now. Every time he tees it up he’s near the top of the leaderboard with a chance to win. He’ll be expensive in lineups, but if you can afford him he’ll be worth it.
Patrick Cantlay (+900)
Another chalk pick, but another guy absolutely golfing his ball. He shot 61 in the final round here last season, nearly stealing the win from Si-Woo Kim. Cantlay is coming off a top-5 finish at the Sentry.
Scottie Scheffler (+2000)
The Texan is still looking for his first PGA Tour win, and this may be a great spot to grab it. Scheffler finished third here in 2020 and is coming off a fantastic fall season. Watch out for the Ryder-Cupper.
Russell Henley (+3000)
After having him for a top 20 and outright win last week, only feels right to come back to him. It hurt the soul to see him once again stumble down the back-nine at the Sony, but it’s easy to see he’s playing great golf.
Abraham Ancer (+3000)
Honest Abe is coming off a couple tough weeks in a row. After nearly coming in last at the Sentry TOC, Ancer missed the cut at the Sony Open. However, he loves it in the desert: in the last three seasons, Ancer owns the lowest cumulative score at the American Express.
Matthew Wolff (+3000)
Mathew Wolff celebrates after hitting a hole-in-one on the par-3 ninth hole during the final round of the Houston Open. (Photo: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports)
Whenever there’s going to be a lot of birdies needed to win, it’s tough not to look Wolff’s way. He’s 11th on Tour in birdie average and first in scoring average.
Will Zalatoris (+5000)
This will be the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year’s first start of 2022. The ball-striking machine should work his way around the three tracks with ease, but it’ll all come down to the flat stick. Can he put the yips away and make some putts?
Seamus Power (+3000)
The Irishman is coming off two solid weeks in Hawaii, T-15 and T-3, and is off to a fantastic start to the new season. In eight starts, Power has six finishes of T-21 or better (that includes five top 15s).
Tony Finau (+2000)
The big man likes himself some desert golf. Finished solo fourth last season and tied for 14th in 2020. In Maui he played decently, eventually tying for 19th.
Si-Woo Kim (+5000)
Tough not to put the defending champion on the list. Kim is coming off two mediocre performances on the islands, but if he’s able to get the putting going, watch out for the South Korean.
TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas welcomes back the Shriners Children’s Open and a strong PGA Tour field this week off of Sam Burns‘ win at the Sanderson Farms Championship. Below, we look at the fantasy golf power rankings for the 2021 Shriners Children’s Open, with PGA Tour picks and predictions.
The field is fronted by three of the top-10 golfers in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings. Viktor Hovland (No. 3), Louis Oosthuizen (No. 5) and Paul Casey (No. 7) are among the betting favorites looking to dethrone reigning Shriners champion Martin Laird.
Each of the last two winning scores at TPC Summerlin were minus-23, with four of the last five champions finishing 20-under par or better. The par-71 venue measures 7,255 yards and features bentgrass greens.
Led the field last week at the Sanderson Farms Championship with 1.44 Strokes Gained: Around-the-Green per round and also averaged 1.52 SG: Tee-to-Green per round. He struggled on approach to the green, but he can rely on his short game at this venue.
19. Si Woo Kim (+4000)
Has averaged 1.34 total strokes gained on the field across 16 career rounds at TPC Summerlin. Tied for eighth last year with a field-best 1.29 SG: Around-the-Green per round.
18. Brian Harman (+6000)
Tied for 13th in this event last year with a strong putting performance (1.76 SG: Putting per round) and his driver play improved throughout the season while registering five top-10 finishes thus far in 2021.
17. Cameron Tringale (+4000)
Finished T-11 last week with strong overall play. His 30 career rounds played at TPC Summerlin rank near the most in this field and include a T-19 finish last year with a strong putting display.
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16. Patrick Reed (+4000)
Playing only his second event since early August and his first event since being left off the US Ryder Cup team. He’ll be looking to make a statement despite the Americans’ victory at Whistling Straits; however, he has just five rounds played at this venue.
15. Joaquin Niemann (+4000)
Tied for 10th in 2018 and rebounded from a missed cut in 2019 with a T-13 last fall. Has missed just one cut with five top-10 finishes through 22 events this year.
14. Harris English (+3000)
Failed to impress through the FedEx Cup Playoffs following a stretch of three top-five finishes in four events, including victory at the Travelers Championship. Missed the cut here last year but averaged 0.94 SG: Off-the-Tee per round over 36 holes.
13. Hideki Matsuyama (+3000)
The reigning Masters champion missed the cut here last year, even with 1.24 SG: Putting per round. He’s still averaging 1.34 strokes gained per round across 10 rounds at TPC Summerlin.
12. Paul Casey (+3000)
Failed to qualify for the Tour Championship but racked up nine top-10 finishes along with one victory through 19 international events this year, including a T-4 at the Olympics. His excellent short game suits the venue well.
11. Brooks Koepka (+2000)
Although the former World No. 1 rarely plays during the fall swing, he has 14 career rounds played in this event with a runner-up finish in 2016. He proved at the Ryder Cup that he’s healthy.
10. Sam Burns (+2000)
Golfers are rarely worth backing the week following a victory, but Burns followed up his first career PGA Tour win with a runner-up finish at the AT&T Byron Nelson two weeks later. He led last week’s field with 3.71 SG: Tee-to-Green and 1.54 SG: Off-the-Tee per round.
9. Corey Conners (+4000)
Tied for 17th last week but was sixth with 1.70 SG: Tee-to-Green per round. His short game remains a weakness, but his iron play is well suited to this course.
8. Louis Oosthuizen (+2000)
The South African debuted at this event last year with a T-19 finish. He had three top-five finishes in his final seven events of the 2020-21 season and his short game plays well anywhere.
7. Kevin Na (+3000)
Two-time champ, including 2019, will also look to make a statement after being left off the Ryder Cup team. Only six members of the field have more rounds played here.
6. Viktor Hovland (+2000)
Debuting at TPC Summerlin this week following Europe’s Ryder Cup loss. He’s the top-ranked player in the field from the Golfweek rankings and just needs an average short game to complement his iron play.
5. Scottie Scheffler (+2000)
Missed the cut here last year following a T-74 finish in 2019. He’s a much better golfer than he was then and he’s one of the best in this field in SG: Off-the-Tee.
4. Will Zalatoris (+2000)
Started the 2021-22 season with a T-11 finish at the Fortinet Championship and a T-14 at the Sanderson Farms Championship and makes his second appearance at this event off of a T-5 finish last year.
3. Abraham Ancer (+2000)
Finished fourth here last year with 2.08 SG: Putting per round to rank second in the field. His iron play was uncharacteristically poor, but he finished the 2020-21 season with 0.57 SG: Approach per round.
2. Webb Simpson (+2000)
Leads this field among those with at least 10 rounds played at TPC Summerlin with 1.73 strokes gained per round. Won here in 2013 and tied for 13th last year while gaining 1.07 SG: Around-the-Green per round.
1. Sungjae Im (+3000)
Tied for 31st last week as one of the pre-tournament favorites but finished second with 1.39 SG: Around-the-Green per round. He tied for 13th last year and for 15th in 2018 with great tee-to-green play both years.
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Collin Morikawa enters this week atop the season-long standings with two wins on the season.
This week’s Northern Trust at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey marks the beginning of the 2021 FedEx Cup Playoffs.
A field of 124 is in attendance with the top 70 in the season-long standings after this week advancing to the BMW Championship. Below, we look at the fantasy golf power rankings for the 2021 Northern Trust, with PGA Tour picks and predictions.
The three-week playoff stretch will culminate with the top 30 golfers at the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club Sept 2-5. Dustin Johnson is the reigning FedEx Cup (FEC) champion and winner of last season’s Northern Trust, but that victory was at TPC Boston. He begins this year’s postseason at No. 17 in the FEC standings.
Collin Morikawa enters this week atop the season-long standings with two wins on the season, including the British Open. Jon Rahm, who’s No. 1 in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings, is fifth in the FEC standings.
Followed up a T-8 at the British Open with a 14th-place finish at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational. He has seven top-10 finishes against four missed cuts in 2021. His strong putting and short game will be emphasized at Liberty National.
19. Hideki Matsuyama (+4000)
Though he remains inconsistent on the greens he ranks among the field leaders in Strokes Gained: Approach per round. He tied for second against the elite field at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational prior to missing the cut at last week’s Wyndham Championship.
18. Matt Fitzpatrick (+6000)
One of the best putters on Tour this season with 0.65 SG: Putting per round. He hasn’t played at this venue before but should be a course fit.
17. Tony Finau (+6000)
Started 2021 with four top-five finishes through his first five events but has just two top-10 finishes since, both in majors. He can up his game in bigger events and his 0.38 SG: Around-the-Green per round for the season will play well here.
16. Daniel Berger (+3000)
Sixth among qualified golfers with 0.88 SG: Approach for the 2021-22 season and enters the week 20th in the FEC standings with one victory and eight top-10 finishes since the fall.
15. Bryson DeChambeau (+3000)
Tied for eighth at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational for his first top-10 finish since a T-9 at the Wells Fargo Championship in early May. He rarely gets enough credit for his excellent putting, but his short game is a weakness that could be exposed at Liberty National.
14. Harris English (+4000)
Vaulted to fourth in the FEC standings by claiming his second win of the season at the Travelers Championship and finishing fourth at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational. He has two other top-10 finishes through 17 events in 2021, including a third-place showing at the U.S. Open.
13. Viktor Hovland (+3000)
Has never played this venue but is a strong fit for any course with 0.79 SG: Approach per round for the season. His short game is a weakness but it hasn’t stopped him from racking up two wins and seven top-10 finishes between the PGA Tour and European Tour in the 2020-21 season.
12. Abraham Ancer (+3000)
Won the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational to move to sixth in the season-long points standings. He finished second in this event in 2019 while leading the field in SG: Off-the-Tee and SG: Tee-to-Green.
11. Xander Schauffele (+2000)
Missed the cut here in 2019 with 1.23 strokes lost putting per round and 0.78 strokes lost around the greens. He has been much better this season in both areas and is also averaging 0.82 SG: Approach per round.
Second in the field with 1.04 SG: Approach per round while adding 0.27 SG: Around-the-Green per round. Followed up a T-4 at the Olympic Golf Competition with a T-5 at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational and hasn’t missed a cut since the RBC Heritage in mid-April.
9. Justin Thomas (+3000)
A rare value by the betting odds after slipping to 13th in the Golfweek rankings. He has just one top-10 finish through 12 international events since winning The Players Championship. He remains excellent with the irons but his putting has been a struggle.
8. Brooks Koepka (+2000)
Tied for 30th in 2019 with 1.20 SG: Off-the-Tee per round but 0.37 strokes lost per round with the putter. Tied for 54th in the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational following a stretch of four finishes of T-6 or better within five events, including three majors.
7. Webb Simpson (+3000)
Leads all golfers in this field with more than eight rounds played at Liberty National with 2.64 strokes gained on the field per round. Tied for 18th in this event with 0.91 SG: Around-the-Green per round in 2019 and led last week’s Wyndham Championship field with 2.12 SG: Approach per round.
6. Rory McIlroy (+2000)
The two-time FedEx Cup champion tied for sixth in this event en route to winning his second title in 2019. He ranked fourth among those who made the cut with 1.27 SG: Off-the-Tee per round. He enters this year’s event 26th in the FEC standings.
5. Patrick Cantlay (+3000)
Third in the FEC standings with wins this season at the Zozo Championship in the fall and the Memorial Tournament in early June. He’s averaging 0.65 SG: Approach and 0.44 SG: Around-the-Green per round for the season.
4. Dustin Johnson (+1500)
It has been a disappointing 2021 campaign for the three-time winner in 2019, but he has corrected a bit of late with a T-8 finish at the British Open and a T-10 at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational. The reigning Northern Trust champion tied for 24th at Liberty National in 2019.
3. Jon Rahm (+900)
The No. 1 golfer in both the Golfweek rankings and the Official World Golf Ranking enters the week fifth in the FEC standings. He tied for third in this event in 2019 and leads all golfers this season with 2.17 SG: Tee-to-Green per round.
2. Jordan Spieth (+1500)
The resurgent Spieth is second in the FEC standings with one win and nine top-10 finishes this season. He tied for sixth here in 2019 with 2.09 SG: Putting per round and his short game and driver have been in much better form this season.
1. Collin Morikawa (+2000)
The British Open champ tied for fourth in the Olympics but then tied for 26th at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational to cap a difficult stretch of travel. He took last week off and comes to Liberty National GC better rested and still the Tour leader in SG: Approach. He tied for 52nd in his debut here as a 22-year-old in 2019.
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Check out the fantasy golf power rankings for the PGA Tour’s 2021 Wells Fargo Championship.
The PGA Tour returns to Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, for the first time since 2019 for the Wells Fargo Championship. The 2020 tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Max Homa is the defending champion from 2019 and looks to become the first-ever back-to-back winner at Quail Hollow. Two-time champion Rory McIlroy and eight of the top-10 golfers in the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings will look to stop him. Justin Thomas has never won the Wells Fargo Championship, but he won the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club.
Below, we look at the fantasy golf power rankings and odds for the 2021 Wells Fargo Championship, with odds and predictions here. Odds provided by BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Monday at 7 p.m. ET.
The 47-year-old is one of two two-time winners on the 2020-21 PGA Tour season. He won the Safeway Open in the fall to snap an 11-year winless drought and most recently won the RBC Heritage against a much stronger field following an impressive T-12 showing at the Masters.
He has averaged 1.47 strokes gained on the field per round over 38 career rounds at Quail Hollow.
19. Tommy Fleetwood (+5500)
The Englishman is struggling with the driver this season, but his short game has been adequate and he’s still gaining strokes on approach to the green.
18. Jason Day (+4500)
The winner of the 2018 Wells Fargo Championship enters off a missed cut at the Masters. The familiar venue should improve his putting, and he’s still averaging 0.61 SG: Off-the-Tee for the season.
17. Brian Harman (+4500)
His 2017 Wells Fargo Championship title was at Eagle Point Golf Club in Wilmington, North Carolina, but he’s a strong fit for this venue, as well. He’s averaging 0.65 SG: Tee-to-Green per round for the 2020-21 season.
16. Abraham Ancer (+4000)
Finished alone in fifth at last week’s Valspar Championship and his odds rose this week against a stronger field. His putter ran hot last week, but he also averaged 0.91 SG: Off-the-Tee per round and will need to replicate that at the lengthy Quail Hollow.
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15. Corey Conners (+3300)
The Canadian has made the cut in six straight strokeplay events and had four top 10s in that stretch before a T-21 finish last week. He’s averaging 0.84 SG: Approach this season, and he was second among those to make the cut with 1.54 SG: Approach at the 2018 Wells Fargo Championship.
14. Sungjae Im (+4000)
Tied for 31st in his debut at Quail Hollow in 2019 with 0.77 SG: Around-the-Green per round. His short game is struggling this season, but he has been excellent off the tee and with his irons.
13. Max Homa (+4000)
The 2019 champion did so while leading the field with 2.47 SG: Putting per round. He earned his second PGA Tour win earlier this year and is coming off a T-6 at the Valspar, but he’ll face a much stronger field this week than he did two years ago.
12. Will Zalatoris (+3000)
Ranked 28th in the Official World Golf Ranking, the runner-up at the Masters is in this field on a sponsor’s exemption. He still needs a win to qualify for this season’s FedExCup Playoffs and remains highly motivated.
11. Joaquin Niemann (+3300)
His T-8 finish last week was his third top-10 showing through nine events this year, and he hasn’t missed a cut since The Northern Trust in August. His 1.38 SG: Tee-to-Green will play well here.
Has never won this event but was a co-runner-up in 2015 and has averaged 1.43 strokes gained per round over 38 rounds at Quail Hollow. He’s first on Tour in scrambling this season and his short game is very strong.
9. Viktor Hovland (+2000)
Made a valiant charge up the leaderboard Sunday with a round of 65 and finished eighth among those who made the cut with 1.23 SG: Approach per round at the Valspar Championship.
8. Rory McIlroy (+1800)
Won this event by four strokes in 2010 and by a record seven in 2015. His 2.76 strokes gained per round at Quail Hollow lead this field.
7. Patrick Reed (+3000)
The 13th-ranked player in the Golfweek rankings comes off a missed cut at the Valspar. He was undone by putting with 1.00 strokes lost per round on the greens, but he averaged 1.01 SG: Tee-to-Green over two rounds.
6. Xander Schauffele (+1800)
Hasn’t played competitively since a disappointing T-3 finish at the Masters. Has poor course history at Quail Hollow, but should be a much better fit with strong irons and solid putting.
5. Tony Finau (+2800)
Fifth among PGA Tour regulars with 0.96 SG: Approach through 38 measured rounds on the season. He’s 10th on Tour and fifth in this field in Birdie or Better Percentage.
4. Patrick Cantlay (+2500)
Missed the cut at both the RBC Heritage and the Masters, but is still ninth among qualified golfers with 1.57 SG: Tee-to-Green per round. Makes his debut at the Wells Fargo Championship; tied for 33rd at the 2017 PGA Championship.
3. Justin Thomas (+1000)
Has an average of 2.28 strokes gained on the field over 14 career rounds at Quail Hollow, including his major victory. He tied for 21st in this event in 2018 and leads the Tour in SG: Approach this season.
2. Bryson DeChambeau (+1400)
The only two-time winner this season other than Cink and leads qualified golfers with 1.21 SG: Off-the-Tee per round. He has just 10 rounds played at Quail Hollow to date and his recently-added distance will play well at the 7,521-yard venue.
1. Jon Rahm (+1000)
Rahm is the Tour leader with 2.28 total strokes gained on the field per round through 35 measured rounds and top-ranked golfer in the Golfweek rankings. He hasn’t played since a T-5 finish at the Masters and enters well-rested.
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Feeling lucky this week? Check out the fantasy golf power rankings for the PGA Tour’s 2021 Valspar Championship.
The PGA Tour shifts back to the Sunshine State for the final time on the 2020-21 schedule for this week’s Valspar Championship. A surprisingly strong but top-heavy field will tee it up at Innisbrook Resort’s Copperhead course in Palm Harbor, Florida.
Three of the top-seven golfers in the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings lead those looking to challenge two-time defending champ Paul Casey, who enters the week at No. 25 in the world rankings. Casey last won at Copperhead in 2019. The 2020 tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Below, we look at the fantasy golf power rankings and odds for the 2021 Valspar Championship, with PGA Tour picks and predictions.
Thirty-one rounds of competitive experience at Copperhead with an average of 0.46 strokes gained on the field per round. He’s consistently accurate off-the-tee and is averaging 0.44 SG: Approach per round through 46 measured rounds on the season.
19. Kevin Kisner (+8000)
Sixth on Tour in driving accuracy and averaging 0.47 SG: Putting per round. Missed the cut in three of his last four events but had five top-10 finishes in 22 events last year.
18. Chris Kirk (+4000)
Has vaulted from No. 265 in the Official World Golf Ranking at the end of 2020 to No. 62 entering this week. He has four top-10 finishes already this year and is averaging 1.11 SG: Tee-to-Green per round.
17. Russell Henley (+3000)
Ranks 24th on Tour in driving accuracy and is tied for fifth in scrambling. He just missed out on an invitation to the 2021 Masters but tied for ninth at the RBC Heritage the following week.
16. Bubba Watson (+5000)
Ninth in this field among those with at least 10 rounds played at Copperhead with an average of 1.14 strokes gained on the field per round. He has struggled with the putter but has been very strong off-the-tee and with his irons.
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15. Scottie Scheffler (+2800)
The reigning PGA Tour Rookie of the Year makes his debut at the Valspar Championship after the 2020 tournament was canceled. He’s averaging 0.65 SG: Off-the-Tee for the season and has three top-10 showings in his last seven events.
14. Kevin Na (+5000)
Already a winner this year, Na is greatly discounted with just the 22nd-best odds to win this week. He has played well across 42 career rounds at Copperhead with an average of 0.98 strokes gained on the field per round.
13. Tyrrell Hatton (+2800)
No. 15 in the Golfweek rankings and shares the 10th-best odds to win but missed the cut at plus-8 in his first appearance at this event in 2019. He is a much better golfer now than he was then, but his 1.48 strokes lost per round with the putter in his event debut are cause for concern.
12. Justin Rose (+4000)
Finished alone in seventh at the 2021 Masters and now begins preparations for the PGA Championship after a ninth-place finish in the first major on the 2020 schedule. Many of his stats for 2020-21 are skewed by time missed due to injury, but he’s fourth on Tour in Par 5 Efficiency: 550-600 Yards and needs to score on those holes at Copperhead.
11. Jason Kokrak (+3300)
Tied for second in 2019 following a T-8 finish in 2018. He’s gaining strokes off-the-tee and has been money with the flat stick all season.
Lost in a playoff last week with playing partner Charl Schwartzel largely due to his opening shot of the playoff finding the water. There’s little water to be found at Copperhead, and he has averaged 1.20 strokes gained per round over 22 career laps.
9. Joaquin Niemann (+3500)
Averaging 1.41 SG: Tee-to-Green through 43 measured rounds this season. He had a lackluster T-37 finish in his event debut in 2019, but he averaged 0.88 SG: Approach and 1.01 SG: Tee-to-Green per round.
8. Viktor Hovland (+2000)
Ranks second in this field at No. 4 in the Golfweek rankings. Has two second-place finishes and two other top-10 showings in nine international events this year with 0.92 SG: Off-the-Tee and 0.77 SG: Approach per round.
7. Abraham Ancer (+2800)
Tied for 16th in his only appearance at the Valspar Championship in 2018 with 1.17 SG: Approach and 2.07 SG: Tee-to-Green per round. He has finished no worse than T-26 in his last six events.
6. Sungjae Im (+2500)
Debuted at the Valspar Championship in 2019 with a T-4 finish and 2.14 SG: Tee-to-Green per round. He has two top-10 placings and just one missed cut through 12 events this year.
5. Dustin Johnson (+1100)
Slipped to No. 3 in the Golfweek rankings with just one top-10 finish on Tour this season, but he’s still the top player in this field after rebounding from his missed cut at the Masters with a T-13 finish at the RBC Heritage. Tied for sixth in this event in 2019.
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4. Patrick Reed (+1800)
Missed the cut in 2019 following a T-2 finish in 2018. He’s more accurate than long off the tee, and that plays to his favor here. His red-hot putter plays well anywhere.
3. Corey Conners (+1800)
The Canadian is ninth on Tour with 2.17 strokes gained on the average Tour pro over his last 20 rounds. The stretch includes top-10 finishes at the Players Championship (7th), the Masters (T-8) and RBC Heritage (T-4).
2. Paul Casey (+2200)
The two-time winner of this event is just sixth by the betting odds this week. He has slipped a bit of late in recent events, but he won on the European Tour early this year and tied for fifth at the Players.
1. Justin Thomas (+1000)
BetMGM’s betting favorite leads this field with 1.21 SG: Approach per round. He hasn’t been nearly as sharp off-the-tee, but his irons can save him at this shorter 7,340-yard venue.
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Check out the fantasy golf power rankings for the PGA Tour’s RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links.
There’s a strong field in attendance at Harbour Town Golf Links for the RBC Heritage in Hilton Head, South Carolina. The tournament can be considered the PGA Tour’s version of a “trap game” on the heels of Hideki Matsuyama’s historic win at the Masters. Below, we look at the fantasy golf power rankings and odds for the 2021 RBC Heritage, with PGA Tour picks and predictions.
Five of the top-10 golfers in the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings are teeing it up this week, including defending champion Webb Simpson. Bryson DeChambeau, No. 6 in the Golfweek rankings, withdrew Monday.
Harbour Town is a par-71 course measuring 7,099 yards and featuring plenty of water hazards. The Jack Nicklaus and Pete Dye design puts an emphasis on accuracy off the tee and approach into small, Bermudagrass greens.
Twenty-eight competitive rounds played at Harbour Town with an average of 1.12 strokes gained on the field per round. Fourth on Tour this season in driving accuracy percentage and is better rested than most of the top names off a missed cut at Augusta National Golf Club.
19. Harris English (+4500)
Eighth on Tour this season in scrambling and is well-equipped to escape the trouble prevalent on nearly every hole. Tied for 17th in this event last year.
18. Brendon Todd (+9000)
Leads the Tour in driving accuracy while hitting 73.54% of fairways. Second among qualified golfers in Strokes Gained: Putting through 41 measured rounds on the 2020-21 season.
17. Matt Kuchar (+4500)
The 2014 RBC Heritage champ was also the runner-up in 2019. He tied for 41st last year but was beginning to show good form prior to the Masters with a third-place finish in the match play and a T-12 at the Valero Texas Open.
16. Russell Henley (+5000)
Twenty-seventh in driving accuracy, fifth in scrambling and 20th in sand save percentage. Wasn’t invited to the 2021 Masters but can book his ticket for 2022 with a win this week.
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15. Brian Harman (+3300)
Got off to a strong start at the Masters with a 3-under, 69 in each of his first two rounds before shooting 74 both Saturday and Sunday. It was on the heels of a third-place showing at The Players Championship. The 34-year-old is hanging with the big names.
14. Paul Casey (+2800)
Averaging 0.88 SG: Approach for the season and is well-tailored for reaching these small greens. He’s just 67th in driving accuracy but is T-23 in scrambling.
13. Sungjae Im (+3500)
Missed the cut in this event last year but with 2.20 strokes lost per round with the putter. He gained 0.76 strokes off-the-tee and can avoid the trouble; he just needs to be average on the greens.
12. Tommy Fleetwood (+3500)
Playing this event for the second time after a T-25 finish in 2019. He averaged 0.87 SG: Off-the-Tee and 1.41 SG: Tee-to-Green per round and his iron play is well-suited for this venue.
11. Corey Conners (+3000)
His T-8 finish at the Masters was his third top-10 result in his last five events with the others also coming in strong fields at The Players and Arnold Palmer Invitational. He tied for 21st last year in his fourth appearance at this event.
Comes off a T-18 finish at the Masters that marks his best result in five PGA Tour events this year. Tied for third last year with an uncharacteristic 2.31 SG: Putting per round.
9. Will Zalatoris (+2800)
The surprise runner-up at the Masters moved to 27th in the Official World Golf Ranking and fourth in the Golfweek rankings. He’ll remain motivated as he still needs to win this year to qualify for the 2020-21 FedEx Cup Playoffs.
8. Cameron Smith (+2500)
His length off the tee and excellence on par 5s don’t really translate to Harbour Town GL, but he has averaged 0.66 strokes gained on the field per round over five appearances at this event.
7. Daniel Berger (+2000)
Tied for third last year with 1.32 SG: Putting and 0.81 SG: Around-the-Green per round. He’ll need to lean on that short game off a missed cut in Augusta, Georgia.
6. Abraham Ancer (+2800)
Last year’s runner-up averaged 2.96 SG: Approach per round but lost strokes both on and around the green. His short game has been better this season, and he’s second in driving accuracy.
5. Dustin Johnson (+1200)
The top-ranked player in the field at No. 3 in the Golfweek rankings is coming off a missed cut at the Masters in defense of his 2020 title from the fall.
4. Patrick Cantlay (+1600)
Second to Johnson in this field with 2.01 total strokes gained on the field per round for the 2020-21 season. He’s also coming off a missed cut last week but is second in the field with 2.55 strokes gained per round at Harbour Town.
3. Collin Morikawa (+1800)
Leads this field in SG: Approach per round. He’s also sixth in driving accuracy off a T-18 finish last week.
2. Matt Fitzpatrick (+2500)
Tied for 34th last week for his worst finish in six PGA Tour events this year. He has 20 rounds played at this venue with an average of 1.06 strokes gained on the field per round.
1. Webb Simpson (+1400)
The defending champ returns fifth on Tour this season in driving accuracy, first in scrambling and ninth in sand save percentage. He has 42 rounds played at this venue with an average of 1.56 strokes gained per round.
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Analyzing the best fantasy golf picks for the 2020 Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands.
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The 2020 Travelers Championship is set to tee off Thursday at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut. The third event on the PGA Tour’s revamped 2020 schedule is the first to be played on its regularly scheduled dates and features another star-studded field. Below, we look at the top-30 fantasy golf power rankings for the 2020 Travelers Championship.
Thirteen of the top 15 players in the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings will be in attendance, including reigning RBC Heritage champ Webb Simpson. Daniel Berger, who has risen all the way to No. 5 in the Golfweek rankings, withdrew from the event Sunday night.
TPC River Highlands is a par-70 measuring just 6,841 yards and featuring Bentgrass greens.
Here are my top-30 fantasy golf rankings for the 2020 Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands.
30. Ryan Moore
Moore has never won here, but has gained an average of 1.75 strokes per round on the field across 44 career rounds at TPC River Highlands, according to Data Golf.
29. Matthew Fitzpatrick
A regular contender on the European Tour, Fitzpatrick is still looking for his first win on the PGA Tour after a T-14 result last week at a favorite course of his.
28. Corey Conners
Conners again lost strokes putting last week and still managed a T-21 finish. His ball-striking should shine through at this short venue.
27. Joel Dahmen
Dahmen has quietly climbed into 31st in the Golfweek rankings with a top-50 finish in each of the last three events. He was in contention last week until a Sunday 75 dropped him to T-48.
26. Ian Poulter
The veteran Poulter has taken up residency on the PGA Tour with the European Tour still on pause. He tied for 14th last week after grabbing a share of the first-round lead.
(Photo Credit: Brian Spurlock – USA TODAY Sports)
25. Jason Day
Still one of the best Bentgrass putters on Tour, Day has a good history here with a T-8 in 2019 and T-12 in 2018.
24. Scottie Scheffler
Potentially a sneaky play after last week’s Tuesday morning withdrawal. Scheffler scores well on par 4s from 400-450 yards and gains scoring opportunities on these shorter courses.
23. Patrick Reed
Missed the cut last week at a short, but tight course following a T-7 finish at Colonial Country Club. Reed is a much better putter on Bentgrass than last week’s Bermuda greens.
22. Jordan Spieth
The rollercoaster continues, but there’s denying Spieth is a strong choice in any fantasy format that rewards birdies more strongly than it punishes bogeys.
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21. Sergio Garcia
A T-5 finish last week was his best result since a T-4 at the 2019 Wells Fargo Championship. Led the field in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and ranked second in SG: Approach last week.
20. Sungjae Im
A rare missed cut was entirely the fault of losing 2.20 strokes per round putting on the Bermuda greens at Harbour Town Golf Links. He ranks 41st in this week’s field on Bentgrass greens, according to Fantasy National.
19. Joaquin Niemann
A first-time winner at A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier in the first event of the 2019-20 season, Niemann resurfaced with last week’s T-5 result in a considerably stronger field. He excelled from tee to green and on approach.
18. Jon Rahm
Still ranked second in the Golfweek rankings, Rahm is one of the few players from among the world’s elite without a top-20 finish in two events back from the midseason pause.
17. Xander Schauffele
Lost strokes in all key areas except for SG: Off the Tee last week after narrowly missing out on a playoff at the Charles Schwab Challenge. Missed the cut in 2018 after a T-14 in 2017.
(Photo Credit: Brian Spurlock – USA TODAY Sports)
16. Viktor Hovland
His first victory at the Puerto Rico Open in February was on a much longer course, but he’s an expert ball-striker who can create scoring opportunities.
15. Tony Finau
A disappointing restart to the season with a T-23 and T-33 finish. Missed the cut last year, but tied for 17th in 2017.
14. Dustin Johnson
Johnson gained an impressive 1.35 strokes off the tee and 0.79 strokes on approach last week. The T-17 finish was his best result since a T-10 at The Genesis Invitational.
13. Gary Woodland
Stumbled to a T-62 last week following a ninth-place finish at the Charles Schwab Challenge. Playing here for the first time since 2016.
12. Collin Morikawa
Last year’s T-36 finish in his debut last season now pales in comparison to what he has accomplished since. Still hasn’t missed a cut as a professional.
11. Patrick Cantlay
Back-to-back T-15 finishes here in the last two years. Returns to play for the first time after sitting out the last two events following the midseason suspension.
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10. Justin Rose
Another veteran with good history here, but no appearances since a 13th-place showing in 2013. Back-to-back top 15s out of the break.
9. Bubba Watson
A three-time champion here looks to tie Billy Casper’s 47-year-old record four titles. Has been quietly playing well and salvaged a T-52 finish with a Sunday 65 last week.
8. Bryson DeChambeau
All that added power may be for naught at such a short venue. Struggles on Bentgrass greens compared to Bermuda or Poa Annua, as well.
7. Rory McIlroy
Has excelled on shorter courses in his career, including a victory at 22-under par at last year’s RBC Canadian Open. Has gained 1.84 strokes per round in two appearances here.
6. Marc Leishman
A champion in 2012, Leishman has averaged 1.13 strokes gained per round on the field at TPC River Highlands. Leads this field in SG: Ball Striking and Par Efficiency: 400-450 Yards on courses shorter than 7,200 yards and featuring Bentgrass greens.
(Photo Credit: Brian Spurlock – USA TODAY Sports)
5. Webb Simpson
Now a two-time winner in 2020, Simpson rebounded nicely from a missed cut at the Charles Schwab Challenge to win last week. He’s been largely unimpressive here and last missed the cut in 2018.
4. Abraham Ancer
Came oh-so-close to his first career PGA Tour win last week in Hilton Head, S.C. Led the field with 2.96 SG: Approach and ranked second in SG: T2G.
3. Justin Thomas
Two top 10s since returning to play, but has struggled at this venue since tying for third in 2016.
2. Brooks Koepka
Flashed his old form in a seventh-place finish last week, while gaining 1.73 strokes per round off the tee. Also gained 0.94 strokes putting on the Bermuda greens, including some clutch long attempts on Sunday.
1. Paul Casey
The would-be course history darling if it weren’t for Watson. Casey has finished either T-5 or as a runner-up in four of his five appearances here. Leads the field in Opportunities Gained in what should be another shootout in the Tour’s return to play.
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Sportsbookwire ranks the top fantasy golf options for the 2020 Genesis Invitational.
Riviera Country Club hosts the PGA Tour’s best event of the season thus far in this week’s Genesis Invitational. Eight of the top-10 golfers from the Official World Golf Ranking are part of the 120-man field. Meanwhile, seven of the top-10 golfers in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings are in the tournament.
Below, we rank the best fantasy golf options for the 2020 Genesis Invitational.
Fantasy Golf Top 30
Rory McIlroy during the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines – South Course. (Orlando Ramirez – USA TODAY Sports)
Here are my top-30 fantasy golf rankings for the 2020 Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club.
30. Marc Leishman
The Farmers Insurance Open champion has had mixed results over his last five appearances at Riviera CC, with three missed cuts and two top-5 results. He has been erratic with the driver of late and won’t have much room for error here.
29. Jordan Spieth
Typically reliant on his putter, Spieth gained 7.8 strokes from tee-to-green at last week’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am en route to a ninth-place finish. He’ll need to stay in control of his driver.
28. Jason Kokrak
Still looking for his first PGA Tour victory, Kokrak was a co-runner-up here in 2016, and he hasn’t missed the cut in any of his last five appearances. He’s coming off a week of rest, as he returns to one of his favorite courses.
27. Joaquin Niemann
Niemann opened the 2019-20 season with a victory at A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier. His only top-10 result since was a T-5 at the 30-man Sentry Tournament of Champions, but the expert ball striker is a strong fit for his second attempt at Riviera.
Matthew Fitzpatrick during the third round of the 2019 FedEx St. Jude Classic at TPC Southwind. (Christopher Hanewinckel – USA TODAY Sports)
26. Matthew Fitzpatrick
Fitzpatrick will play on the PGA Tour for the second week in a row after a T-60 finish at Pebble Beach. The five-time winner on the European Tour makes his debut at this event.
25. Kevin Na
Na was a co-runner-up in 2018 following a T-4 in 2017. He tied for 14th last week for his best finish since winning the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. He’s one of the best in the field in Strokes Gained: Around the Green.
24. J.B. Holmes
The defending champ has ramped up his play coming into the week with three straight top-20 finishes. He has been excellent off the tee and with the driver, and he has been starting strong before fading over the weekend.
23. Sungjae Im
Im missed the cut in his debut at this event last year, but he won the Korean Tour’s Genesis Championship in mid-October for his third pro victory.
22. Abraham Ancer
The little-known 29th-ranked golfer in the OWGR is coming off a T-6 finish at the Saudi International following his runner-up result at The American Express. He finished T-44 here last year and T-68 in 2018.
21. Matt Kuchar
Kuchar isn’t a great course fit as a shorter hitter, but he’s strong around the greens and on par 4s. His best result at this event in the last five years was a T-8 in 2016.
Phil Mickelson during the final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am at Pebble Beach Golf Links. (Kyle Terada – USA TODAY Sports)
20. Phil Mickelson
Lefty made a great run at defending his title at Pebble Beach, before ultimately falling behind eventual winner Nick Taylor. He won this event back-to-back in 2008 and 2009, and more recently finished T-6 in 2018. This will be his fifth event in the last five weeks.
19. Patrick Reed
Reed makes his first appearance here since a T-59 result in 2017. He’s one of the best on Tour around the greens, but he’ll need to improve off the tee this week.
18. Collin Morikawa
The star sophomore will compete in one of the strongest fields of his pro career. He enters the week ranked 53rd by the OWGR. He just needs to be average around the greens and with his putter in order to compete.
17. Paul Casey
Casey was a co-runner-up in 2015, but while he made the cut each of the last four years, he hasn’t finished better than last year’s T-25. He can score low at these longer venues and there are eagle opportunities on this course.
16. Jason Day
Day finished T-64 in his only trip to Riviera in the last five years (2017). He finished fourth last week and seemed to recapture his expert play around the greens.
Bryson DeChambeau during the third round of the 2020 Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. (Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)
15. Bryson DeChambeau
DeChambeau tied for 15th last year for his best result in three appearances. He finished just 52nd at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, but he excelled off the tee, and it will shine through much more at Riviera.
14. Sergio Garcia
Sergio tied for sixth at the Saudi International and will participate in a PGA Tour event for the first time since the WGC-HSBC Champions. He ranks eighth in the field in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking over everyone’s last 50 rounds on courses measuring 7,200 to 7,400 yards, per my stat model at Fantasy National.
13. Tony Finau
Finau has the ability to overpower the long par 4s (450-500 yards), which are a common theme at Riviera. He’ll need to overcome another Sunday collapse at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
12. Hideki Matsuyama
Matsuyama tied for ninth last year after skipping the 2018 event following a missed cut in 2017. He was previously T-4 in 2015 and T-11 in 2016 and clearly a fan of the course.
11. Xander Schauffele
Schauffele debuted with a T-9 result in 2018 and followed it up with a T-15 last year. He missed the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open but bounced back with a T-16 at the Waste Management Open before taking last week off.
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10. Justin Rose
Rose enters the week 10th in the OWGR after a missed cut at the Farmers. He skipped this event the last two years following a T-4 in 2017 and T-16 in 2016.
Tiger Woods during the final round of the 2020 Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines- South Course. (Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports)
9. Tiger Woods
Tiger will take his second try at his record-breaking 83rd career PGA Tour victory. He hasn’t done particularly well at this event since back-to-back runner-up finishes in 1998 (at Valencia Country Club) and 1999, but he can score low and is in top form with his irons.
8. Bubba Watson
Watson has three wins here since 2014. He’s coming off a T-3 in Phoenix following his T-6 at the Farmers to open his 2020 season. He has the driving distance, and he has been putting very well through those two events.
7. Adam Scott
Scott has gained more strokes per round at Riviera than all but two others in this field among those with at least 10 rounds played, according to Data Golf. He’ll tee it up for the first time since his win at the Australian PGA Championship.
6. Patrick Cantlay
Cantlay tied for fourth in his debut at Riviera in 2018 and followed it up with a T-15 last year. He’s one of the top ball strikers in the field and he excels on the long par 4s.
Rory McIlroy and Brooks Koepka at the 2020 Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club. (Butch Dill – USA TODAY Sports)
5. Brooks Koepka
Koepka will participate in his first event ranked something other than first in the OWGR since the 2019 PGA Championship, after he gave way to Rory McIlroy Monday morning. He missed the cut in his lone appearance here over the last five years (2015), but he certainly has the motivation this time around.
4. Dustin Johnson
Johnson won this event by five strokes at 17-under par in 2017. He has two other top 5s, another top 10 and a T-16 in his other four visits to Riviera in the last five years. No one in the field has averaged more strokes gained per round at this venue.
3. Rory McIlroy
McIlroy, the new World No. 1, ranks second to Johnson in strokes gained at Riviera over his 12 rounds played. He tied for fourth last year after finishing T-20 in 2018 and 2016.
2. Jon Rahm
Rahm hasn’t missed the cut in a PGA Tour event since last year’s Charles Schwab Challenge, and he hasn’t finished worse than T-13 in that time, either. He has been as steady as they come, and he shines in these fields.
1. Justin Thomas
Thomas gave this tournament away to Holmes last year with a Sunday round of 75 in poor weather. He has finished in the top 10 each of the last two years and has already won twice in the 2019-20 season.
