Mike Petta strongly advocated fading Viktor Hovland, describing recent performances as extremely poor. His struggles are severe enough that Petta does not believe DFS players will select him frequently, despite relatively low ownership opportunities. He advises confidently fading him, comfortable accepting any financial loss if Hovland improbably rebounds.

Mike Petta highlighted Xander Schauffele as an excellent leverage play because of his low expected ownership at the top pricing tiers. Petta explained that most DFS participants are likely skipping over Schauffele due to pricing concerns and perceived value elsewhere. He emphasized that Schauffele's upside and talent warrant consideration, especially given the potential ownership advantage and reduced competition at his price point.

Mike Petta noted Rory McIlroy as a potential leverage target due to projected ownership between just 15-20%. Petta believes this ownership estimation is reasonable but thinks there's a chance DFS players underestimate how easily rosters can accommodate higher-priced golfers like Scottie Scheffler with low-priced value golfers. This roster construction dynamic could keep McIlroy's ownership at moderate levels, offering leverage in tournaments if his lower-than-normal ownership holds true.

Mike Petta identified Chris Kirk as an appealing DFS pivot off chalkier Doug Ghim due to their identical price but likely divergent ownership levels. Petta noted Ghim as somebody expected to attract significant ownership, recommending Kirk as the contrarian alternative for large-field tournaments. He emphasized this decision as primarily ownership-driven rather than heavily statistics-based, making Kirk an attractive ownership-based pivot to differentiate tournament lineups.

Mike Petta recommended pivoting from the popular Michael Kim to Jake Knapp at the same price point, citing ownership leverage and Knapp's consistent recent form. Petta highlighted Knapp's solid finishes—6th, 25th, 17th, 44th, and 33rd in recent starts—suggesting stable, reliable golf. He admitted the risk that Knapp's strong performance might not translate perfectly to THE PLAYERS Championship, but emphasized that the significantly lower ownership relative to Kim creates optimal leverage for tournaments, making Knapp a sharp pivot option in DFS lineups.

Mike Petta endorsed Justin Rose as an attractive, high-upside DFS play at a bargain price, particularly suited for tougher courses and strong fields. Petta cited Rose's recent eighth-place finish last week as indicative of his capacity to contend in challenging conditions. He emphasized Rose's ability to 'grind' effectively on difficult layouts and stated Rose is his favorite inexpensive choice, providing substantial upside at a price point of only 6,300 in DraftKings contests.

Mike Petta highlights Keegan Bradley as a likely DFS ownership magnet due to his recent excellent performance, which DFS players have noticed. Bradley comes into THE PLAYERS Championship on the strength of consistent high-level play, making him an appealing mid-priced option contributing to popular roster constructions. Petta expects Bradley's current form and attractive DFS salary to drive ample ownership numbers, making him a solid selection for building safer, high-floor DFS lineups. However, DFS players looking for leverage might consider pivot options if Bradley's ownership becomes overly concentrated.

Mike Petta identifies Aaron Rai as a highly popular DFS pick for THE PLAYERS Championship slate. Rai is priced attractively at just $7,100 and appears to fit comfortably into nearly every lineup construction strategy discussed—both balanced and stars-and-scrubs. Due to the structure of the salary ranges and the limited number of attractive golfers in the lower pricing tiers, Petta expects Rai to carry significant ownership. Despite anticipated chalk status, Rai represents strong DFS value at this relatively affordable price in this field's context.

Mike Petta believes Collin Morikawa could approach or even match Scottie Scheffler in DFS ownership at THE PLAYERS Championship this week. He points out Morikawa's significantly cheaper price point compared to Scheffler makes him appealing to most roster constructions, providing lineup flexibility and comfort. He also noted there seems to be rising public sentiment toward Morikawa and mentioned that discussions already happening in DFS circles support this increase in expected ownership. Overall, Petta sees Morikawa becoming potentially chalky, but a cornerstone of many DFS lineups due to affordability and positional flexibility.

Mike Petta predicted Scottie Scheffler's ownership will be lower than many anticipate due to his aggressive 12,800 DraftKings price tag at THE PLAYERS Championship. Petta reasoned people will opt for balanced lineups featuring two golfers from the 10K range (like Collin Morikawa and Ludvig Aberg), rather than paying all the way up for Scheffler, because team constructions with two slightly cheaper elite players appear safer. As a result, he foresees Scheffler ownership being suppressed, making it an excellent week to get exposure above the field on Scheffler, providing significant leverage in tournaments.