NFL Optimizer: Tips and Tricks

Using the Optimizer

Football can be hard to predict by analytics alone. This optimizer was made to be used as a mathematical TOOL to generate lineups. The projections may not reflect obvious values that come from especially weak matchups or close to game time injury decisions. We recommend locking/banning a few players to create a lineup with your own personal touch and gut feel.

Lock / Ban

To ban a player from showing up in the optimal lineup, click the next to them in the player table. If from your research you have identified a player that you want in the lineup no matter what, lock in that player by clicking the next to them in the player table.

Player Salary Limits

To eliminate players under/over a certain price, drag the slider to the desired price.

Lineup Cost Max

If you do not want to use the maximum salary for the entire lineup, drag the slider to your desired max. This can be useful for GPP lineups in large fields where the hope is leaving money on the table can lead to a unique lineup.

Offense vs. Defense

In most cases, you will not want to have an offensive player against your defense in your lineup. The "Allow Players vs. Defense" toggle is defaulted off. If you would like to allow offensive players to be played against your defense toggle this to on. This will not automatically ensure that a player vs your defense is in the lineup, it will just allow it to occur if the projections/optimizer math say so.

Stacking

In NFL DFS, you may want to have multiple players from the same team – especially if they're playing against a weak defense, have a high team implied total, or you are looking for some positive correlation between your selected QB and one of his targets. We allow you to stack a QB with one or more RB, WR, TE. If a team is expected to win comfortably and will probably be running the ball a lot, we also provide the option to stack a Defense with a RB.

It may also be advantageous to do a game stack. If you, or the vegas game total, implies a high scoring game, you might want to have multiple players from the game (from both teams). To accomplish this, lock in players of your liking by selecting the icon.

Stacking can sometimes be advantageous, especially in tournaments (top heavy contest payouts) where you need to outscore the field to win. However, stacking is also placing all your eggs in one basket. If your stack fails, there's a good chance you do not do well.