The sheer volume of different DFS contests can be pretty overwhelming for those who have never played before. Options like Double Ups, Head-to-Heads and Guaranteed Prize Pool tournaments on DraftKings and FanDuel can often times make it difficult for beginners to know where to start.
Don’t worry, we got you covered. Here are some general guidelines for NFL DFS beginners.
Know Your Scoring Format
No matter what type of contest you end up wanting to pick, the first core essential for any beginner to know about DFS is to simply understand how your players will score points on whatever DFS platform you are using.
Two of the biggest DFS sites out there are DraftKings and FanDuel, which both have their own distinct scoring systems. Sure, some of them overlap – but the slight differences can be crucial to your success.
For example, one big difference between the formats is that DraftKings awards players with one full point per reception while players receive just 0.5 (half a point) for receptions on FanDuel.
Types of Contests
If you have a strong belief that your DFS team is going to score a lot of points, then you should simply enter that team into every type of DFS contest you are going to play, correct? Well, yes and no.
The type of DFS contest could present a reason to slightly alter your approach when constructing a lineup.
There are generally two types of popular DFS contests available. Guaranteed Prize Pool (GPP) tournaments and cash games.
GPPs are very popular because of the high payouts these contests a lot. The issue with these tournaments is simply the high volume of entrants playing in the contest, which can make finishing inside the top 20% of highest scorers to secure winnings a bit challenging. These contests are exciting, but come with a high risk, high reward type format.
Cash Games are the inverse of these bigger tournaments. Formats like 50/50s, Double Ups, and Head-to-Heads generally improve your odds of winning up to 50%, but generally lower your potential winnings significantly. This is a lower risk, lower reward format that is often a great starting point for DFS beginners to learn the ropes while improving their odds making money on these sites.
Contest Strategies
There are countless ways to enter a DFS lineup, but some of my general guidelines are a bit more contest specific.
For example, in Cash Games where you are competing against fewer entrants and the payout includes a higher percentage of participants – I want to mitigate risk in my lineup by deploying more consistent producers who are relied upon heavily in their respective offense to give myself a better chance of securing a payday.
On the flip side of the coin, I am far more open to taking a risk or two in my lineup when playing in a GPP tournament. I want to include a high upside player who is an inconsistent producer but capable of a breakout performance because the odds of him being utilized in other participants roster is likely lower, which actually elevates my chance of winning when I connect on one of these home runs.
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NFL DFS for Beginners: How to Choose Specific Contests to Play