March 11, 2026
Matt Fitzpatrick recorded his first finish outside the top 25 this season at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, struggling on Sunday and finishing T41. He looks to return to his top-end results at THE PLAYERS, where he has nine career starts with five missed cuts and two top-10 finishes. TPC Sawgrass rewards players who find fairways, play well on approach, and convert opportunities on the greens. Fitzpatrick ranks 20th in strokes gained on approach (+0.585 per round), 11th in driving accuracy, and 13th in total driving. His only notable weakness has been on the greens, where he is losing -0.236 strokes per round with the putter, though he has gained strokes with the flat stick in all but three starts at TPC Sawgrass. Fitzpatrick has been on a roll to start the season and presents a very solid option at $8,900 on DraftKings.
--Dakota Legg - RotoBallerSource: PGA Tour
March 11, 2026
Sam Burns has struggled to start the year, with three missed cuts through five events, though he has also registered a T6 finish at Pebble Beach. His usually reliable putter has been anything but that, sitting 70th on tour in strokes gained putting (+0.171 per round), a number heavily influenced by gaining nearly 5.2 strokes on the green in his opening round at Pebble Beach. He looks to get something going at THE PLAYERS, where he has competed five times, with his best result being a T26 in 2022. Burns ranks just 135th in driving accuracy, 69th in total driving, and 105th in strokes gained on approach (-0.125). He also sits 64th in proximity from 125-150 yards and 94th from 150-175, ranges that accounted for 36.5% of approach shots here last year. Burns typically makes up for his lack of elite ball-striking with a strong putter, but it hasn't been as sharp this season. Despite this, he still offers upside with the flat stick that could push him above others in this range, making him a high-risk, high-reward option.
--Dakota Legg - RotoBallerSource: PGA Tour
March 11, 2026
Keegan Bradley has cooled off after a strong 2025 campaign, with three missed cuts and only one top-30 finish through his first five events this year. He now tries to find some momentum at THE PLAYERS, where he has played 14 times with five missed cuts and two top-10 finishes. TPC Sawgrass rewards players who find fairways, play well on approach, and convert their opportunities on the greens. Bradley ranks 133rd in strokes gained on approach (-0.465 per round) and 156th in putting (-0.697), but he has been solid off the tee, sitting 42nd in total driving. His iron play has been a major concern so far this season, ranking 137th in proximity from 125-150 yards and 164th from 150-175. That is troubling, considering 36.5% of all approach shots here came from those ranges last year. While TPC Sawgrass has produced a few strong finishes for Bradley in the past, his current form makes him difficult to trust this week.
--Dakota Legg - RotoBallerSource: PGA Tour
March 10, 2026
Xander Schauffele finished tied for 24th at last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational, and this was followed by a tie for seventh finish at the Genesis Invitational two weeks ago. Schauffele has now rattled off three straight top-25 finishes, and he has gained strokes across the board in his two prior starts. Schauffele finished 72nd in last year's PLAYERS Championship and tied for second in the 2024 edition. Over the past 12 months, Schauffele ranks in the 82nd percentile in proximity to the hole on approach shots from 100-150 yards in the fairway. This is important because over 30% of approach shots came from this distance at last year's PLAYERS Championship.
--Ian Christenson - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
March 10, 2026
Rory McIlroy is set to return at this week's Players Championship held at TPC Sawgrass after he withdrew before his third-round tee time due to a back injury at last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational. McIlroy was sitting at 4-under before withdrawing and was within striking distance of the leader, Daniel Berger. McIlroy won the Players Championship last year and finished tied for 19th in 2024. Over the past 12 months, McIlroy ranks in the 92nd percentile in proximity to the hole on approach shots from 100-150 yards in the fairway. This is worth mentioning because at last year's Players Championship, over 30% of approach shots came from this distance.
--Ian Christenson - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
March 10, 2026
Jake Knapp is set to return at this week's Players Championship held at TPC Sawgrass after he had to withdraw before his first-round tee time due to illness at last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational. Knapp has had an excellent start to the 2026 season by rattling off four straight top-10 finishes and five straight top-15 finishes. Knapp finished tied for 12th at the 2024 PLAYERS Championship and tied for 45th in 2023. Over the past 12 months, Knapp ranks in the 43rd percentile in proximity to the hole on approach shots from 100-150 yards in the fairway. This is important because at last year's Players Championship, over 30% of approach shots came from this distance.
--Ian Christenson - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
March 10, 2026
Viktor Hovland found his putting stroke at last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational, and that buoyed him to a tied-for-13th finish that was followed by a tie for 41st finish at The Genesis Invitational two weeks ago. Hovland has secured four top-25 finishes in six starts this season. Hovland has struggled at TPC Sawgrass in the past, missing the cut last year and finishing tied for 62nd in 2024. Over the past 12 months, Hovland ranks in the 98th percentile in proximity to the hole on approach shots from 100-150 yards in the fairway. This is important because at last year's PLAYERS Championship over 30% of approach shots came from this distance.
--Ian Christenson - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
March 10, 2026
Rasmus Hojgaard missed the cut at last week's Puerto Rico Open, and that was followed by a tie for ninth finish at the Cognizant Classic two weeks ago. Hojgaard has secured two top-25 finishes this season and missed his first cut of the season last week. Hojgaard missed the cut at last year's PLAYERS Championship and will need to find his form to compete this week at TPC Sawgrass. Over the past 12 months, Hojgaard ranks in the 57th percentile in proximity to the hole on approach shots from 100-150 yards in the fairway. This is worth pointing out because at last year's PLAYERS Championship over 30% of approach shots came from this distance.
--Ian Christenson - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
March 10, 2026
Tommy Fleetwood finished 49th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last weekend, and that was followed by a tie for seventh finish at the Genesis Invitational two weeks ago. Fleetwood has secured three top-25 finishes in five starts this season. Fleetwood has played well at TPC Sawgrass, finishing tied for 14th in 2024 and tied for 35th in 2023. Over the past 12 months, Fleetwood ranks in the 90th percentile in proximity to the hole on approach shots from 100-150 yards. This is worth pointing out because at last year's PLAYERS Championship over 30% of approach shots came from this distance.
--Ian Christenson - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
March 10, 2026
Akshay Bhatia walked away as the winner at last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational, and that was followed by a tied for 16th finish at The Genesis Invitational two weeks ago. He'll start preparing for this week's THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass. Bhatia has played well at TPC Sawgrass, finishing tied for third in 2025 and missing the cut in 2024. Over the past 12 months, Bhatia ranks in the 90th percentile in proximity to the hole on approach shots from 100-150 yards in the fairway. This is important because at last year's PLAYERS Championship over 30% of approach shots came from this distance.
--Ian Christenson - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
March 10, 2026
It was a week to forget at Bay Hill for Justin Thomas, who was playing in his first start since having back surgery over the offseason. The former Tide golfer lost an average of 2 or more strokes off the tee, on approach, and putting over his two-round stint, posting back-to-back rounds of 79 to miss the cut by a handsome margin. It was really the type of week that was expected, as it's difficult to prepare for the beast of Arnie's place coming off the bench. TPC Sawgrass is another demanding test that won't be kind to the 32-year-old. It's doubtful that anyone has plans to utilize him in DFS after last week's display, but in case anyone is still trying to talk themselves into it... Don't.
--Todd McGillSource: Data Golf
March 10, 2026
It could be a more difficult row to hoe for Scottie Scheffler this year at TPC Sawgrass, after losing strokes on approach this past week at Bay Hill for the first time in 28 starts. For anyone counting, that tournament stretch goes back to 2024. No matter how sure of someone's game we are, this sport and the performance of players ebb and flow. Scheffler didn't rise to this superstardom overnight; he shouldn't fall from it that fast either. And the unfathomable consistency might be waning, but it isn't moving his DFS value back into the normal realm yet. He's undoubtedly been the best player at this week's venue and has the overall skillset to still be a force here without his best ball striking. For Scheffler truthers, keep holding down the fort.
--Todd McGillSource: Data Golf
March 10, 2026
Anyone who's watched golf over the last month likely already knows, but Collin Morikawa is perhaps the hottest current player on the PGA Tour, with a solo fifth and a T7 following his win at Pebble Beach. He has been destroying fields with his irons, averaging +1.76 strokes gained on approach over that three-event span. What's more impressive is the putting stats that have continually improved week-to-week this year, topping out at +0.88 strokes gained average last week at Bay Hill. Morikawa is undoubtedly the type of player who should be able to manufacture a great week at TPC Sawgrass. It's happened a few times already in his career, but if this is the year he breaks through to win, no one should be surprised.
--Todd McGillSource: Data Golf
March 10, 2026
There aren't many players who can consistently show up at The Players Championship, but Shane Lowry is on the short list of names that have done that over the last five seasons. The Irishman has found his way inside the top 20 at this golf course four out of the last five years. It's been through a staggering strokes gained on approach effort, averaging +1.343 over his last 20 rounds. Judging by his missed cut last week at the API, another place that he's flourished, it's easy to assume he's still beside himself after what we saw a couple of weeks ago at PGA National. He'll get over that pain eventually, and a Player's trophy probably tickles his fancy more anyway. Play Lowry with hope this week.
--Todd McGillSource: PGA Tour
March 10, 2026
It has quietly been a really good start to 2026 for Russell Henley. He hasn't been a serious part of any conversation week to week, but has only slipped outside of the top 20 on any leaderboard in his first five starts. He's been a DFS darling, but there have been significant shortcomings almost every week that have kept him from really breaking out. For the last three, it's been his iron play, and his chipping and putting before that. Henley has become one of the most well-rounded players on the PGA Tour, and eventually, everything is going to align. His tournament history at TPC Sawgrass isn't great, but there are plenty of past champions with similar resumes. If he can start finding his way on approach, look for a career-best week at The Stadium Course.
--Todd McGillSource: Data Golf
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