Owen OBrien emphasized Kyle Schwarber as a solid fantasy and betting play entering Monday's series opener. Schwarber has hit a homer in three of five series openers this season and already has six homers and an elite 1.066 OPS in early 2025. Historically, Citizens Bank Park is a hitter-friendly environment for Schwarber (20 of his 38 homers at home last season), making him an attractive DFS option and player prop bet to homer in Monday night's matchup.

Owen OBrien highlighted Landen Roupp as a pitcher to back due to a favorable matchup against the slumping Phillies offense. Roupp is coming off a strong outing versus the Reds, allowing just one run over six innings. He showed promise in his rookie campaign last year (3.58 ERA across mixed roles), finishing strong with no runs allowed in two of his last three starts. Meanwhile, the Phillies were shut out twice and only managed four total runs in their weekend series against the Cardinals, giving Roupp increased viability as a bet in Monday's matchup and attractive DFS appeal.

Owen OBrien recommends backing Taijuan Walker in betting markets and DFS formats after his outstanding start to the 2025 season. Walker has tossed 10.2 innings of scoreless baseball with an excellent 1.13 WHIP through two starts. Despite a shaky 2024 season (7.10 ERA), Walker has a career ERA of 4.16 and only one truly bad season historically. His current form and track record create strong momentum going into a matchup against the Giants, presenting value in wagering markets and as a DFS pitching option.

Owen OBrien highlighted Jung Hoo Lee's breakout performance, noting his impressive .352 batting average (seventh-best in MLB) and his elite 1.130 OPS (fourth-best in MLB). Lee crushed two home runs and had four RBI against the Yankees on Sunday, signaling he's entering this Phillies matchup locked in at the plate. This makes Lee an excellent DFS target and player prop candidate for Monday's series opener.

Owen OBrien pointed out Wilmer Flores's hot start, recommending fantasy managers or bettors target Flores given his surprising early power explosion this season. He's already hit six homers, surpassing his total from last year's 71-game campaign. Flores is one of three Giants maintaining an OPS over .800, providing key offensive production. His hot streak makes him appealing for DFS lineups and prop bets, especially with the Giants performing well overall in early season action.

Owen OBrien highlighted White Sox catcher Korey Lee as an intriguing early-season fantasy performer. Lee is off to an extremely hot 2025 start, hitting .385 with a strong .967 OPS over eight games. He notably produced three hits in his most recent game and has recorded extra-base hits in consecutive contests. His impressive early-season bat makes Lee a sneaky valuable streaming or DFS option, particularly given the current struggles of the White Sox lineup, presenting relative undervalued potential versus DFS market rankings and fantasy waiver-wire availability.

Owen OBrien highlighted 25-year-old pitcher Shane Smith as a potentially undervalued asset for the White Sox in Tuesday's matchup against Cleveland. Smith, the first overall selection in the 2024 Rule 5 Draft, made his MLB debut on Opening Day 2025. Although the White Sox lost that game 8-3 to the Twins, Smith showed promising signs in his first start, surrendering just two runs and two hits over 5.2 innings with three strikeouts. OBrien suggests that Smith’s encouraging debut could indicate hidden betting value for Chicago as significant underdogs (+168 money line) despite their rough start to the season.

Owen OBrien identified Cleveland's starting pitcher Ben Lively as a sneaky valuable bet for Tuesday's matchup against Chicago. At 33 years old, Lively is coming off his best MLB season in 2024 with a career-best 3.85 ERA and 1.25 WHIP. After several years pitching abroad and a quiet return to the majors with the Reds, Lively found new life with the Guardians, suggesting he may be experiencing a renaissance at an age when many pitchers typically decline. OBrien suggested that betting on Cleveland with Lively starting could be a more attractive option due to his track record of recent success and stability.

Owen OBrien praised Cleveland third baseman Jose Ramirez as a impactful fantasy and betting option, highlighting his hot start and consistency as a dependable veteran. Ramirez has been red-hot to start 2025, batting .320 with four home runs and a stellar 1.318 OPS, ranking second-best in the league. OBrien pointed out Ramirez's explosive performance last Friday (three home runs against the Angels) as proof of his ability to singlehandedly carry Cleveland, reinforcing him as a top target in fantasy leagues, DFS lineups, and player prop betting scenarios. Ramirez’s consistent career production, including finishing last season with the eighth-best WAR (6.5), helps solidify confidence in his value early in the season.

Owen OBrien identifies Daniel Berger as an intriguing longshot betting option at 40-1 for the Valero Texas Open. Berger enters with impressive recent form, achieving top-25 finishes in each of his past five events, notably a T-2 at the Phoenix Open in early February and T-20 finish at the Players Championship. Berger ranks 12th on the PGA Tour in total strokes gained this year and has displayed elite driving accuracy and scrambling skills, ranking 5th in total driving, 10th in driving accuracy, and top-10 in scrambling metrics. Although Berger’s putting has been a challenge this season, timely improvement with the flat stick could propel him to victory in a field missing many of golf's elite, creating strong value as a betting selection.

Owen OBrien suggests betting on Denny McCarthy at 30-1 odds for the Valero Texas Open. McCarthy nearly won the event the previous year, losing in a playoff after a stunning final-round 63. Recently, McCarthy has placed inside the top-20 in four of his last five PGA Tour tournaments, including a T-14 finish at the Players Championship. Although McCarthy's typically strong putting stats have surprisingly dipped in 2025, his previous season performance ranked top-12 in multiple key putting metrics. If his putting regresses positively and returns to form, he can contend again, making him valuable at these odds.

Owen OBrien highlighted Jordan Spieth as intriguing betting value for the 2025 Valero Texas Open at 22-1 due to Spieth's strong history at TPC San Antonio. Spieth notoriously ended a four-year winless drought with a victory at the 2021 Valero Texas Open, marking a critical turnaround in his career. He finished 10th in the previous year's event, marking his fourth top-10 finish in his last six tournaments at this course. Spieth's performance this season includes making cuts in five of six tournaments and two top-10 finishes. Additionally, his current rank of 44th on the Tour in total strokes gained showcases improvement from his 80th position the previous season. Given Spieth's comfort level and consistent performances at this venue, the expert model views his odds offering significant betting value for this event.

Owen OBrien highlighted Alex Smalley at 60-1 odds as an undervalued betting opportunity entering the 2025 Houston Open. While the 28-year-old is still hunting his first PGA Tour victory, OBrien noted major statistical leaps this season compared to last year, as Smalley climbed from 146th to seventh in total strokes gained on tour. Additional metrics support his case, like jumping from 145th to 11th in scrambling and improving drastically in scoring average to third-best behind only Sepp Straka and Collin Morikawa. Smalley's recent form, including a T-14 at The Players Championship, confirms his improvement. Crucially, his past success at Memorial Park, where he finished T-4 in 2023, underscores his potential to perform well again, reinforcing OBrien's stance as Smalley presents noteworthy betting value.

Owen OBrien advised betting on Min Woo Lee as a strong value longshot at 40-1 to break through for his first PGA Tour victory at the 2025 Houston Open. Lee has consistently showcased tremendous length off the tee, currently ranking third on tour in driving distance after finishing seventh last season. Although he's traditionally struggled with driving accuracy, there's notable improvement this year from ranking 147th last season to 125th currently. OBrien sees significant potential for Lee if he continues to straighten his drives, particularly in a weaker field outside of stars Scheffler and McIlroy. Recent form includes contending at The Players Championship, where Lee was 11-under through two rounds before stumbling on Saturday, still resulting in a top-20 finish. OBrien cited Lee's four top-20 finishes in six events this year and last season's two runner-up finishes, including at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, as evidence he's closer than ever to breaking through for a win.

Owen OBrien identified Tony Finau as a valuable longshot bet at 35-1 odds to win the 2025 Houston Open. He underscored Finau's outstanding record at Memorial Park, including a previous win at the Cadence Bank Houston Open two years earlier where Finau dominated with a 16-under performance highlighted by rounds of 62 and 65. Furthermore, Finau nearly repeated this success last year with a T-2 finish, shooting another strong 8-under 62 round and completing Sunday at 4-under 66. Although winless in 2024, Finau remained consistent with five top-10 finishes and a 23rd-place finish in the FedEx Cup standings. The combination of clear course comfort, past victories, and recent top results positions Finau as an attractive betting candidate at Memorial Park.