PGA DFS Picks for the Rocket Classic: Top Studs and Value Plays on FanDuel

Building a PGA DFS lineup requires plentiful considerations: course fit, cut rules, current form, and much more.

After weighing all those factors, which golfers stand out on FanDuel this week for the Rocket Classic at Detroit Golf Club?

Let's dig into the field, using FanDuel Sportsbook's golf betting odds as a guide for our lineups.

Top Golfers for PGA DFS at the Rocket Classic

PGA DFS Studs

Patrick Cantlay ($11,800)

The two best long-term golfers in this field this week, by a mile, are Collin Morikawa and Patrick Cantlay. The latter seems like a much better fit for Detroit GC.

As one of the easiest courses on tour to score, the path laid out in this week's Rocket Classic best bets piece is tried and true. You want as much distance off the tee without penalizing rough, and everyone hits greens to force a putting contest. That's why I'm not placing as much emphasis on approach play as usual this week.

Unlike Morikawa, Cantlay has positive length off the tee (303.2-yard average drive) and ranks 68th on tour in strokes gained: putting per round (0.108 SG: PUTT).

Collin also struggled badly on approach at last week's Travelers (-0.55 SG: APP per round), so I'd make Cantlay, who has positive SG: APP per round in each of his last nine starts outside of majors, this week's outright favorite.

Cameron Young ($11,500)

The "bomb and gouge" formula is going to lead to Cameron Young more often than not, and Young is peaking as we approach the FedEx Cup playoffs.

Cam is top 20 in driving distance (311.5) and SG: PUTT per round (0.573), so I want to get behind him at these sorts of birdiefests. That hasn't been an issue, either, with the PGA Tour's 14th-ranked birdie-or-better percentage (35.0%).

Detroit Golf Club is a straight, long course with flat greens. It doesn't require much creativity on approach, but even there, Young has positive SG: APP per round in four of his last six starts. He's got three T7 or better finishes in that stretch, including the U.S. Open and Travelers last week.

Anecdotally, this, and next week's John Deere Classic, are events where ascending players can experience a breakthrough in a weaker field. Young has never won on the PGA Tour as a seven-time runner-up. Do breakthroughs get more obvious than that?

Harry Hall ($11,200)

Weak fields can bring golfers to the top of the salary pool that almost spook you. The sticker shock was real with Harry Hall, but he deserves it.

The Englishman is on my short list of surprise contenders at next month's Open Championship, but a second PGA Tour victory -- and first in a featured event -- could be on the horizon. Hall snuck into T9 at last week's Travelers for his sixth straight top-25 finish.

He'll be a contender at places where birdies are necessary. He's got the best birdie-or-better rate (36.3%) and SG: PUTT per round (0.784) in the entire field this weekend.

Though his approach play is closer to fine than special, Hall's driving distance (301.2) is long enough to keep him in range to score at Detroit Golf Club.

PGA DFS Mid-Range Picks

Alex Smalley ($9,900)

Personally, Morikawa's concerning course fit and a loaded mid-range of "bomb and gouge" specialists only adds to the appeal of a balanced build this week.

Alex Smalley is a darn good specialist. He's an ultra-consistent 41st in driving distance (306.3), 41st in birdie-or-better rate (32.7%), and 40th in SG: PUTT per round (0.244). Check, check, and check for this week's formula.

Frankly, the approach play is solid, too. He's gained on approach in 10 of 15 starts this year, recording top-20 finishes in a few birdiefests like the Sony Open (T16), American Express (11th), and Cognizant Classic (T18).

While perhaps lacking upside to win, Smalley has been a reliable commodity away from difficult courses.

Stephan Jaeger ($9,400)

Now back in solid form, don't be surprised if Stephan Jaeger is in the final few groups on Sunday.

Jaeger recorded two top-10 finishes at the Rocket Classic in 2022 and 2023 before following the overall trend of his game last year and missing the cut in 2024.

However, you can't deny the German's game has returned in full force. He's made 10 of his last 11 cuts and is an ideal fit for this course with top-25 marks in birdie-or-better rate (35.0%) and SG: PUTT per round (0.303) with his usual above-average distance (304.5).

Headed to a familiar venue while having gained on approach in five straight, the time could be right for Jaegerbomb.

Jake Knapp ($9,300)

Jake Knapp has one of the smoothest swings on tour, so it was peculiar to see him fall out of rhythm earlier this season.

Slowly but surely, the American is showing flashes of putting aside his sophomore slump. Quietly, Knapp has top-30 finishes in 6 of his last 12 starts. The problem? He's also missed the cut in five of the exceptions. When perusing those missed cuts, it's a lot of long, difficult courses that emphasize approach like Quail Hollow, TPC San Antonio, and Copperhead.

Detroit is a very different story and should play to his strengths. Here's yet another mid-range option with top-30 marks in driving distance (308.4), birdie-or-better rate (35.7%), and SG: PUTT per round (0.354). He's second in the field to Hall when it comes to putting circles on the scorecard.

Knapp has lost strokes on approach in five of his last eight, so he's a bit dicier than the other two options but still profiles well for this event. He finished T31 in his lone start here last season.

PGA DFS Value Plays

Jesper Svensson ($9,000)

Jesper Svensson is a name to watch specifically here.

Using my ordinary process, Svensson is a cross-off. He's lost strokes on approach in 10 of his last 11 starts and just isn't a consistent golfer at places that penalize sloppy drives, require shaping shots, or emphasize proximity.

Detroit Golf Club does none of those things.

The Swede is a bomber, ranking fourth on tour in distance (317.8). He's parlayed that into a 35.2% birdie-or-better rate (11th) that also comes with the 23rd-fewest holes per eagle (114.8). He's 36th in SG: PUTT per round (0.240), too.

If you can put Svensson on straight track where he just has to mash and putt, he's among the best in the world at specifically those two things.

Patrick Rodgers ($8,700)

Balancing course history with current form in this section is a nightmare. Cam Davis ($8,800) should be popular as a two-time winner here, but the flat stick and driver aren't performing as you'd hope for the salary overall.

Patrick Rodgers is a decent balance of our formula and history at this place. He's got both experience and success with four straight made cuts (and top-45 finishes) at the Rocket Classic.

Rodgers has also been a regular at these high-scoring events, finishing T15 at the Byron Nelson and T18 at the Cognizant. He's 72nd in birdie-or-better rate (31.7%) and 54th in SG: PUTT per round (0.156).

Irons are absolutely a weakness, losing strokes on approach in seven of his last nine. He's still clawed to make seven cuts in this stretch, and a more forgiving Detroit layout to longer hitters like Rodgers (305.5) helps.

Lee Hodges ($8,700)

Last we saw Lee Hodges, I talked about his potential turnaround at the RBC Canadian Open despite missing five of six cuts entering the event. He went on to finish T9 there.

Hodges' putter went ice cold through the spring schedule when it was white-hot in January and February. Overall, Hodges ranks 58th in SG: PUTT per round (0.148), so if that's the weakness in his profile, he's a great play at $8,700.

The American has now gained on approach in 14 of his last 18 events, and he's got plus driving distance (304.7) and ability to cash birdies or better (31.4%) for this tournament.

He'll fly completely off the course history radar with consecutive missed cuts at the Rocket Classic where he lost on approach both starts. If his irons stay hot, I think he's got enough to contend. Not many golfers in this salary range have shown upside like four top-12 finishes this season.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.