Winning on DraftKings requires more than just a little good luck. While some good fortune never hurts, the consistent winners are lineups with a solid base of highly-projected stars, perfectly blended with the right sleepers. Being good at picking those sleepers is the mark of consistent fantasy sports winner.
With the massive number of lineups that can be entered in any given contest, owning a little piece of uniqueness can help as well. Here are some tips to working within the salary cap to put together a lineup with a higher probability of being in the money. We’ve divided each segment up by sport, with some special tips on special contests and tournaments with big cash payouts.
How to win NFL Contests on Draft Kings
There are some to winning at any daily fantasy format. Most involve a little persistent research. On the other side of the coin, there are some sure ways to lose. If you miss an inactive tag on a player in your lineup, you can almost guarantee you’re fall out of the money.
Watch for Injury Updates
Keeping a fully active lineup is essential, but making sure that lineup has a few oddities can also be the difference from a good lineup and a winner. One way to improve your chances is to study the injury report. This will avoid inactive zeroes, plus help you spot potential sleepers.
Pick the Right Sleeper
Handcuff running backs, for instance, will invariably have a far lower price tag than the lead back. If you can pinpoint a budget saver at any position, you’ll have extra funds to spend on highly projected stars. Taking a gamble on a potentially strong sleeper can also help you add some uniqueness to your lineup. Be smart with your sleeper picks. If you have the option, drift away from the obvious. Be sure to measure the salary of every sleeper against a projected floor, or lowest point total projection.
Go With Your First Hunch
Remember that analogy about changing too many answers on a test? Beware of second-guessing yourself too much on any fantasy lineup. Stick with the hunches you have developed with thorough research. That doesn’t mean swap a player when news indicates a drop in usage or playing time. However, many times the best strategy is to stick with your first hunch. These three tips will help with most any game or tournament. Here are a few tips on the big money NFL contests and showdowns.
Individual Contest and Tournament Strategies
There are different types of contests on DraftKings. You have multiple entry tournaments, leagues, (both classic and casual), showdowns, plus big money contests like the NFL Millionaire Maker. Here are a few tips on how to gain an edge in these exciting DraftKings contests.
NFL Millionaire Maker Strategy
Use much of the same strategy employed above, to help gain an edge in the Millionaire Maker. Make sure to stick with a primary high-projected point player. Navigate away from sleepers who are already being used by a high-percentage of the entries. If your bankroll budget allows it, post multiple lineups. Take your best lineup and make a few limited versions. Rotate between two or three of your highest rated superstars, and do likewise with three or four of your highly-projected sleepers. Do your research, but when in doubt, revert back to your first intuition.
Strategy for the NFL Showdown
Showdowns are tricky. There isn’t any set strategy that seems to be consistent. To stay under the salary cap, you must use at least a pair of second and third tier players. This is where research becomes invaluable. If you can pick the one player that outperforms his average fantasy point total by three times or more, you’ll stand a great chance of being in the money. Another important tip is to avoid trying to skip the obvious. There are going to be high-priced players who you simply cannot ignore. Sure, they’re going to be part of nearly every lineup, but that is the nature of the DraftKings Showdown format. Rarely will a Showdown winning lineup be without one or both of the highest salaried stars.