X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

DraftKings PGA DFS Lineup Picks - The John Deere Classic (2025)

Michael Kim - PGA DFS Lineup Picks, Golf Betting Picks

Spencer's DraftKings PGA DFS lineup picks for the 2025 John Deere Classic. His PGA DFS targets and value plays for daily fantasy golf lineups, and golfers to avoid.

Welcome, everyone, to my DraftKings PGA DFS lineup picks and advice for the 2025 John Deere. I'll be providing DFS picks and analysis to help you set those winning DraftKings lineups.

New starting this year -- if you want to see a deeper dive into my DraftKings analysis and thoughts for the week, you can click that link and find my beefed-up version, including more picks, data, analysis, and PGA DFS models.

Be sure to follow me on Twitter /X @TeeOffSports to get more answers this week. Also, if you aren't doing so already, I'd love for you to consider signing up for my RotoBaller premium subscription. There are numerous tools available, including my heralded 'PGA Rankings Wizard Model.'

Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 50% off using code SUMMER! Win more with expert advice from proven winners and exclusive DFS tools. Get instant access to RotoBaller's Lineup Optimizers, Research Stations, daily picks and VIP chat rooms across 10 sports! Go Premium, Win More!

 

Fantasy Golf Lineup Picks for DraftKings - The John Deere

Below are some of my favorite picks for DraftKings. We also have tons of other great weekly PGA articles, DFS analysis, tools, and DFS advice. Be sure to read our other fantastic articles regarding this week's event.

 

PGA DFS Rankings Wizard - Spencer's Model (And More)

We have some exciting changes that we are implementing this year over at RotoBaller. There will be multiple subscription-based tiers for our readers to enjoy, including my very own TeeOffSports VIP Package that will include the following items:

PGA Rankings Wizard Model (Pre-Tournament)

  • A powerful and interactive data spreadsheet that allows users to input data to create custom rankings and models for golf. If you are considering signing up, take a look at this how-to guide on everything you can find weekly inside my pre-tournament model. The sheet is loaded with sortable and weighable information to help you in all sectors of the market. 
  • The John Deere Classic

Vegas Report (All Pre-Tournament Bets)

  • Top Pre-Tournament H2H Pick: (104-60-9) 63.41%
  • All Pre-Tournament H2Hs: (296-228-30) 56.48%
  • In-Tournament H2Hs (300-200-55) 60.00%
  • Total H2Hs Since 2017: (596-428-85) 58.20%
  • Outright Winners Since 2017: 51
  • Units: +340.903 Units
  • All Totals Are Entering 2025
  • Click here to see an example

In-Tournament Model (Updated Stats + User Configuration Ability)

  • Here, you will find updated stats for the particular tournament -- all sortable and weighable when you make a copy of your own under the file tab. The purpose of this is to provide an area where you can research the daily proceedings for DFS strategy or find outright or daily head-to-head wagers. There are over 25 weighable categories by the time Round 4 comes around, including the ability to add back in your pre-tournament research for every day.

In-Tournament Head-To-Head Bets For Rounds 1,2,3 and 4

First-Round Leader/ 3-Ball Articles

One & Done (Deep-Dive Into Potential Options To Consider)

  • 10+ million in earnings during two of the past three seasons while providing information for contests. We will take a comprehensive look at a handful of options to consider.
  • Click here to see an example

Late DraftKings Article (Condensed Player Pool) + Ownership Trends

  • We will build off the Monday article throughout the week and consolidate selections toward a more concrete player pool for everyone to consider by Wednesday.

Premium Discord Access

  • Join the community! You will be able to talk to fellow subscribers and have real-time weekly chats with the team.

TeeOffSports membership

You can also sign up for the rest of the year for a discounted purchase that runs through December 31st. Now is the perfect time to try out all the great features at RotoBaller!

 

Let's Look at the Stats

Stat John Deere PGA Average
Driving Distance 286 283
Driving Accuracy 70% 61%
GIR Percentage 70% 65%
Scrambling Percentage 58% 57%
Average Three-Putts Per Round 0.48 0.54

 

Field

Field Size: 156
Cut: Top 65 & Cuts
Top 20 Entrants: 1

 

Last Five Winners of The John Deere

2024 Davis Thompson -28
2023 Sepp Straka -21
2022 J.T. Poston -21
2021 Lucas Glover -19
2020 Dylan Frittelli -21

 

Expected Cut-Line at John Deere

2024 -4
2023 -3
2022 -2
2021 -3
2020 -2

 

TPC Deere Run

7,268 Yards - Par 71 - Greens Bentgrass

Course breakdown will land in my Vegas Report this week

 

First Look Into Outright Bets

Player Price
Sam Stevens 55
Alex Smalley 55
Joe Highsmith 150
Patrick Fishburn 150
Michael Kim 55
Rico Hoey 90

 

Did you know RotoBaller has a Premium DFS PGA and Betting subscription?

Like what you read today? You can show your support for Spencer by using the promo code TEEOFF when purchasing a PGA Premium Pass. You get 10% off and full access to all of our Premium PGA articles, Spencer's data models, DFS tools, and Lineup Optimizer! You also get exclusive access to weekly betting picks from Spencer Aguiar, one of the top betting minds in the industry!


Favorite Mid-End Plays

Alex Smalley ($7,900)

There is no need to play things down the middle this week, but I honestly don't see a huge difference in playability once we get past Ben Griffin and Davis Thompson inside of the $9,000+ range. Technically, Jason Day, Michael Thorbjornsen and Lucas Glover all carry intrigue of their own if you want to branch that list out further, but there are a handful of these $7,900+ golfers who make sense at TPC Deere Run when we dive into the data. I will highlight three of the names I bet outright.

Alex Smalley has evolved into a highly volatile golfer, as evidenced by his inconsistent performances of landing inside the top 30 or missing the cut nearly every other start. While the track record of missing the cut last weekend does indicate a surge might be about to happen if we use that flawed math to predict the future, it is Smalley's statistical profile and overall rank that leads me to be most optimistic about his chances in Illinois this week.

Smalley cracked the top 10 of my overall ranking this week for one of the first times all year (excluding the typical upside marks that often put him there). We see that with the Duke product (boooo...Go UNLV) placing ninth for Weighted Strokes Gained: Total, 10th at Easy-Scoring Properties, and fourth when combining my concoction of Easy Scoring, Putting From 5-10 Feet, and GIR Rate.

There is a reason Smalley has nearly won here in the past. Use last week's missed-cut performance to your advantage.

Sam Stevens ($8,300)

I continue to locate these potential first-time winners at prices of 40/1 and above. Tommy Fleetwood at the Travelers, Max Greyserman at the Rocket Mortgage and now Sam Stevens and Alex Smalley at the John Deere Classic.

Even though none of those names have managed to get themselves into the winner's circle after close calls in back-to-back weeks, the profiles of the two that I am most heavily targeting here do show many similar signs of upside.

Stevens ranked second in this field for Strokes Gained Total: Bentgrass, seventh for Expected T2G and first for Weighted Strokes Gained Total. That profile encompasses one of the better returns for par-four scoring, which includes landing as one of only three players to crack the top 25 for Total Driving + Expected Putting at TPC Deere Run. The other two who fit that bill were Cameron Champ and Pierceson Coody.
 

Michael Kim  ($8,200)

Will the real Michael Kim please stand up?

Let's see where ownership lands in DFS, as Kim delivers one of the stranger profiles this week. Perhaps this ends up being a better outright bet than anything else if gamers do hold onto that 2018 result at a massively heightened projection. Still, the data tells the story of a golfer who has not only found something this season but also returns to a property where he won in runaway fashion by eight shots.

Kim is ranking as a top-five player for me at similar easy-scoring courses over the last 50 rounds and might end up being the ultimate wild-card if gamers decide to look the other way. Yes, the floor is low, but the ceiling is tantalizing if the real Michael Kim decides to show up.

 

  Win More With RotoBaller

Win more with expert tools and advice from proven winners! RotoBaller's PGA Premium Packages feature several savvy analysts and proven winners for DFS and betting.

Our very own Joe Nicely took down a big DraftKings DFS tournament for the Travelers Championship. And as an encore, RotoBaller subscriber @tenndolly2 won $100K on FanDuel with the help of Joe and the rest of our Premium PGA team: Between all the incredible Premium PGA DFS and Betting content and tools we put out each week, and our Premium Slack Community where we chat with our subscribers before lineups lock, RotoBaller PGA subscribers are armed with the tools, analysis, and advice to win more.

Golf DFS News and Player Outlooks

More PGA Analysis and DFS Lineup Picks

POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Kevin Durant

Rockets Not Interested in Keeping Kevin Durant with Max Extension
NBA

Isaiah Mobley Joins Turkish Team
NBA

Cole Swider Links Up with EuroLeague Powerhouse
Ethan Thompson

Joins Heat for Training Camp
NBA

Clippers Add Jason Preston for Training Camp
Jakob Marsee

Homers Twice in Seven-RBI Night
Owen Caissie

Cubs Promoting Owen Caissie to Majors
Miguel Amaya

Going on 10-Day Injured List With Sprained Ankle
Max Muncy

Scratched With Side Soreness on Wednesday
Josh Hader

Will be Out Longer Than Two Weeks
Matt Chapman

Out in Series Finale With Hand Soreness
Justin Jefferson

Won't Practice This Week, Will be Re-Evaluated Next Week
Oneil Cruz

Placed on Seven-Day Concussion Injured List
Wyatt Langford

Out Wednesday With Forearm Tightness
Adolis García

Adolis Garcia Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Sprained Ankle
Nolan McLean

to Make MLB Debut on Saturday
Akshay Bhatia

a High-Upside Play at BMW Championship
Robert MacIntyre

a Safe Play at BMW Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im a Risky Play at BMW Championship
Xander Schauffele

Chases Big Week at BMW Championship
Shane Lowry

Aims to Rebound at BMW Championship
Si Woo Kim

Looks to Build Momentum at BMW Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick

Looking to Rebound at BMW Championship
Patrick Cantlay

Eyeing Another BMW Championship Victory
Jac Caglianone

Tallies Four Hits in Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday
Jacob Misiorowski

Scheduled to Throw a Bullpen on Tuesday
Neemias Queta

Wants to Raise His Free-Throw Attempts
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Stuggling to Trade Anfernee Simons
James Cook

Bills Agree on Four-Year Extension
Cole Anthony

Focuses on Winning with Bucks
NBA

Jesse Edwards Moves to Australia
Kessler Edwards

Joins Nuggets
Brice Turang

Dealing With Pinky Injury
Willson Contreras

Exits Early Tuesday With Right-Foot Bruise
Oneil Cruz

Leaves Tuesday's Game with Apparent Head Injury
Bradley Beal

Feeling Rejuvenated in Los Angeles
Frankie Montas

Moves to Bullpen, Hopes for Reset in Relief Role
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Looking "Incredible"
PIT

Chad Ruhwedel Retires From NHL
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. to be Activated Soon
MIN

Jack Johnson Signs Tryout Deal with Wild
Ryker Evans

Kraken Extend Ryker Evans with Two-Year Deal
Josh Hader

Astros Place Josh Hader on Injured List With Shoulder Strain
Rondale Moore

Out for the Season With Knee Injury
Félix Bautista

Felix Bautista Won't Return This Year With "Significant" Shoulder Injury
Zach Eflin

to Undergo Back Surgery, Out for the Year
Christian Watson

Likely to Begin Season on PUP List
Jordan Love

Undergoes Procedure on Left Thumb
Bud Cauley

Needs a Big Result in Maryland
Harris English

Confident for BMW Championship
Jason Day

Faces Uphill Battle at BMW Championship
Cameron Young

Hot at the Right Time
J.J. Spaun

Rolls in After Near Miss in Memphis
Brian Harman

is a Longer Shot Heading to Maryland
Corey Conners

Appears Safe This Week in Maryland
Daniel Berger

Must Play Better at BMW Championship
Zach Neto

Homers Twice on Monday
Miami Heat

Kai Jones Works Out for Heat
Sacramento Kings

Russell Westbrook Likely to Join Kings
Golden State Warriors

Al Horford Expected to Sign with Warriors if He Doesn't Retire
Jonathan Kuminga

Reportedly Leaning Toward Accepting Golden State's Qualifying Offer
Cam Thomas

"Increasingly Interested" in Signing Qualifying Offer
Sepp Straka

Withdraws From BMW Championship
Maverick McNealy

Finishes Tied for 28th at FedEx St. Jude Championship
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Third at FedEx St. Jude Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied For 22nd at FedEx St. Jude Championship
Rory McIlroy

Finishes Tied For Seventh at Open Championship
Brandon Aiyuk

Could Return in Week 6
Boston Celtics

Miles Norris Waived by Celtics
Javonte Green

Inks Deal With Pistons
Anthony Hernandez

Extends His Win Streak To Eight
Roman Dolidze

Submitted At UFC Vegas 109
Ode' Osbourne

Drops Decision At UFC Vegas 109
Steve Erceg

Gets Back In The Win Column
Angela Hill

Outclassed At UFC Vegas 109
Angela Hill

Iasmin Lucindo Dominates Angela Hill
Christian Rodriguez

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Andre Fili

Gets Back in the Win Column
Miles Johns

Drops Split Decision At UFC Vegas 109
Miles Johns

Jean Matsumoto Edges Out Miles Johns To Win Split Decision
Eryk Anders

Suffers First-Round TKO
Christian Leroy Duncan

Scores First-Round TKO Win
Alexander Mattison

Will Miss Entire Season With Neck Injury
Zayne Parekh

Has Sights Set on Making Flames Roster
Hampus Lindholm

Fully Healthy for New Season
NHL

Nathan Bastian Joins Stars on One-Year Contract
Christopher Bell

Good Pit Strategy Helps Elevate Christopher Bell to Second
William Byron

Extends Championship Lead with Fourth-Place Finish
Ryan Blaney

Despite Finishing Sixth, Watkins Glen Might've Been Ryan Blaney's Best Road Race
Alex Bowman

Loses Ground Above Playoff Cutline, but Still Pretty Safe
Kyle Larson

Finishes Last After Brake Failure and Spin
Chris Buescher

Scores Another Top-5 Run At Watkins Glen
Ryan Preece

Earns Stage Points, but Loses Ground to the Playoffs At Watkins Glen
William Byron

Keeps the Regular Season Points Lead After Watkins Glen
Chase Briscoe

Continues His Hot Streak With A Top-5 Finish At Watkins Glen
Chase Elliott

Top-20 Streak Ends at Watkins Glen After Pit Struggles
Josh Giddey

Bulls Still Apart In Contract Negotiations
Jeremy Sochan

Expected To Miss EuroBasket With Calf Injury
Matthew Stafford

Will Return to Practice on Monday
Tyjae Spears

to Miss a Couple of Weeks
Rondale Moore

Expected to Miss Season
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen the Heavy Favorite to Win at Watkins Glen
Kyle Larson

Is Kyle Larson a Must-Play in DFS at Watkins Glen?
Chase Elliott

an Easy Pick to Make in DFS at Watkins Glen
Chris Buescher

Trying to Repeat at Watkins Glen
Tyler Reddick

Struggling to Find Speed at Watkins Glen
Michael McDowell

a Legitimate Threat at Watkins Glen
Joey Logano

Has Been Solid at Watkins Glen in Next Gen Car
Todd Gilliland

Has Upside at Watkins Glen
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

. has Favorable Watkins Glen Record
Justin Haley

Fastest in Practice at Watkins Glen
Riley Herbst

Could Be A Sneaky DFS Play
Tyjae Spears

Picks Up High-Ankle Sprain in Loss
Jayden Reed

Wearing Walking Boot
Tyjae Spears

Carted Off on Saturday
Rachaad White

Won't Return on Saturday
James Cook

Not Willing to Play During Contract Dispute
Anthony Richardson Sr.

Plans to Practice Saturday
NHL

Jakub Vrana Signs Two-Year Deal in Sweden
COL

Avalanche Bring Back Joel Kiviranta on One-Year Deal
Matthew Tkachuk

Could Miss 2-3 Months with Surgery
Chris Olave

Tweaks Ankle at Practice
Najee Harris

' Status for Week 1 Uncertain
Jake Ferguson

Practices on Friday
Ladd McConkey

Returning to Practice on Friday
Tyreek Hill

Sidelined with Oblique Injury
Mason McTavish

Several Teams Keeping Tabs on Mason McTavish

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP