John Deere Classic: Top PGA DFS Picks, Values, and Sleepers for Large-Field Tournaments on DraftKings

They say “nothing runs like a Deere,” and the John Deere Classic has been a very reliable and productive PGA TOUR event over the last 65 years, living up to the slogan of its title sponsor. The John Deere company has been the main sponsor since 1999, and the event moved to TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois, in 2000. The course was built on land donated by the Deere family and is one of the most beautiful stops on the PGA TOUR each year. It’s also a favorite for many of the players, and it typically plays easy relative to par with low-scoring birdie fests as players pile up par-breakers.

The event has become known as a great place for players to get their first career win or for fringe players to improve their status going forward with a key victory before the final push to the FedExCup Playoffs after the trip to the U.K. for the next two weeks. Last year, Brian Campbell defeated Emiliano Grillo with a par on the first hole of the playoff. For more info on the field, the format, and the course for this week, check out this First Look from RotoGrinders.

Especially in large-field tournaments, you’ll want to make sure to target players who have lower ownership projections than their potential performance suggests. Finding high-leverage plays is critical for tournament success, so the picks here go against the grain, looking for under-owned options.

Usually, I rely heavily on the Strokes Gained Model in FantasyLabs, which is very predictive of results. I also tend to lean toward players who excel in Strokes Gained: Approach, which is more sustainable week to week than a hot putter.

Since these are tournament picks, we can accept more risk in exchange for getting a higher ceiling. High-risk, high-reward options with low ownership create the “boom-or-bust” style lineups that often lead to large-field success. To find guidance for all contest types, check out our full Daily Fantasy Golf coverage each week.

No matter what type of format you prefer, be sure to use the FantasyLabs PGA Models to help you make the best choices. These models use stats and simulations to highlight different players’ strengths and weaknesses. A few critical new stats for tournament play are Perfect% and SimLeverage, which are further explained here.

As you dig into the numbers, you can enjoy the many tools FantasyLabs offers, including the Lineup Optimizer, which effortlessly creates up to 300 lineups. Alternatively, you can use the Lineup Builder if you prefer a more hands-on approach.

Check out my top picks in each price range listed below.

Editor’s note: SimLeverage and Perfect% numbers may change after this piece is published. Be sure to check the PGA Models for any updates to the sims.

High-Priced PGA DFS Picks

Chris Gotterup $10,700

Even though Chris Gotterup has the highest salary in the field and the second-shortest odds to win this week, according to Vegas, his ownership projection is only the fifth-highest in the field. Since he has the fourth-highest median, ceiling, and floor projection along with the second-highest Perfect%, he seems to be shaping up to be a good source of pay-up leverage. He has the fourth-highest SimLeverage in the field.

Gotterup doesn’t come in with quite as much momentum as some of the other top options on the board, but he hasn’t been totally out of form either. He has made the cut in 11 straight events with six top-25 finishes, including a T6 at the Texas Children’s Hospital Open and a T10 at the PGA Championship. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in seven of his last nine tournaments.

Even before that run of results, Gotterup claimed two wins this PGA TOUR season, winning the season-opening Sony Open in Hawaii and the WM Phoenix Open in early February. He ranks second in the field in SG:T2G over the last three months and leads the field in SG:T2G and Total Strokes Gained over the last six months.

In his previous appearances at TPC Deere Run, Gotterup finished T4 in his debut in 2022, missed the cut in 2024, and finished T21 last year. In his first two visits, he lost strokes putting, but he was much better with his flat stick last season, and his improvement in putting has been a huge part of his strong results this season.

Even though it’s been a while since he won, Gotterup has the potential to contend this week if he’s at his best, and he has a high enough floor to make him a solid pay-up play for all formats, especially since the public is chasing other options near the top.

Jackson Koivun $9,400

One of the most interesting storylines to watch this week will be the professional debut of Jackson Koivun. Koivun has the highest SimLeverage in the field since it does seem like a big risk to pay up to play the 21-year-old in his first start as a pro, but he brings a lot of upside and a very high potential ceiling as well.

Koivun could be ready to make a big splash right away after notching six wins in 13 collegiate starts this year. He added a 2nd National Championship trophy at Auburn University, and he’s coming off an impressive T23 at the U.S. Open. After that finish, he announced that he would turn pro and forgo his senior year at Auburn after earning full-time PGA TOUR status through the PGA TOUR University accelerated program.

After becoming Data Golf’s highest-rated amateur player of the modern era, Koivun will look to continue the success he had as an amateur both in college and in spot starts on the PGA TOUR. He had four top-15 finishes in his six PGA TOUR starts in 2025, including a pair of top-5 finishes.

Last year, he impressed at the John Deere Classic with a T11 behind excellent driving and putting. He actually struggled on approach but overcame that by making plenty of putts.

He’s high-risk in his pro debut, but his upside is high enough that he is worth a play in boom-or-bust tournament lineups. He gained strokes across all major categories at the tough U.S. Open and will look to carry over that success in his return to TPC Deere Run this week.

Now available: our PGA DFS SimLabs Lineup Generator that creates advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation.

Mid-Priced PGA DFS Picks