Lindeque identified Sam Stevens as the prototypical $7,400 flyer for builds that start with both Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler. Renaissance Club is "driver heavy," and Stevens averages 308 yards off the tee while gaining 0.55 strokes OTT per round over his last six events. His form is quietly trending—three top-30s in that stretch—and Byron likes how Stevens handled cross-winds on similar setups at Puerto Rico and the Texas Open. If conditions stay firm, Stevens can lean on the driver-wedge combo that produced a solo second at Torrey earlier in the season. Projected ownership under 5 percent makes him a leverage piece in 150-max GPPs; Byron will also punch a top-20 bet if books hang 5-1 or better.

Gannon tabbed Sam Stevens as his favorite sub-8.5K play. Though the recent stat sheet looks bland, Stevens prefers layouts where straight, long driving is rewarded. He has gained nearly eight strokes off-the-tee in his last two starts and has one made cut in two Deere appearances. Gannon thinks the setup suits Stevens’ confidence and provides breakout upside at modest ownership.

Kenny Kim locked Sam Stevens in as his third Cash-Game Cornerstone at $8,300, citing the Oklahoman’s cut-making consistency as gold in weaker fields. Stevens has made 24 of his last 27 cuts—including 11 of the past 12—thanks to steady tee-to-green play that prevents big numbers. He finished inside the top-40 at last year’s Deere and once again shapes as a ‘safety valve’ when 6-of-6 lineups are hard to find. Kim admitted the raw stat sheet looks bland but argued Stevens’ 87 percent recent cut rate is worth paying for in cash, especially when the bottom of the 6K range feels like landmines.

Eric Polzin recommended Sam Stevens as a salary-saving piece who lets you pay up for Scottie Scheffler without punting the final roster spot. Stevens ranks inside the top 25 in Polzin’s stat-fit model, owns eight consecutive made cuts on Tour, and is fresh off a T25 in a stronger field last week. While his lone appearance at TPC River Highlands yielded a forgettable result, Stevens’ balanced tee-to-green profile and improving putter suggest finishing mid-pack at worst—exactly what Polzin wants from a $6K golfer in a studs-and-duds construction. If Stevens simply lands one placement better than his price tag implies, the roster build pays off, giving Scheffler lineups both floor and ceiling.

Gehman pointed out that Sam Stevens has quietly stacked three straight top-30 finishes thanks to improved driving accuracy and a legitimately hot putter. Stevens gained 2.2 strokes tee-to-green in his lone Travelers appearance two years ago but lost 2.8 with the flat stick; Gehman argues that same ball-striking paired with his current putting form would put Stevens on the first page of the leaderboard. Priced below $7K and largely ignored in projections, Stevens offers massive leverage for DFS players chasing differentiation and is worth a sprinkle in top-20 betting markets.

Len Hochberg said Sam Stevens is his favorite bargain play on DraftKings at only $5,900. Hochberg is not projecting Stevens to win, but simply to make the cut—and at Oakmont that is critical because only 60 golfers and ties move on. Stevens has quietly gone 4-for-4 in making cuts at majors, including last month’s PGA Championship. He has played the U.S. Open twice (2022 and 2023) and made the weekend both times, and earlier this season he finished runner-up at Torrey Pines, another U.S. Open track. Those results, plus a game that travels well to long, demanding setups, make him an ideal sixth golfer to round out a GPP lineup.

Cradock highlighted Sam Stevens at +9000 after his solo 3rd at last week’s CJ Cup Byron Nelson and earlier runner-up at Torrey Pines’ Farmers Insurance Open. Stevens sits inside the top-65 in both Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and Strokes Gained: Total, confirming the ball-striking surge the numbers suggest. On a course where fairways and greens are at a premium, Cradock believes Stevens’ accuracy—he gained over a stroke per round off-the-tee and on approach at Craig Ranch—gives him legitimate top-10 equity and lottery-ticket win upside.

Matt Gannon flagged Sam Stevens as one of his core DFS targets at $7,600. Gannon said he has spoken with both Stevens and his caddie and came away convinced they are "really geared up for this week," playing extra practice rounds and believing a breakthrough win is coming soon. Although Stevens’ recent stat profile is unspectacular, Gannon noted that pricing usually over-reacts to that lull—this is the first time in months Stevens has been south of $8k. At a resort-style layout where confidence and aggression produce birdie streaks, Gannon likes betting on the intangible motivation combined with solid all-around skills, calling the salary "a great price for him here."

Gannon took Sam Stevens at 70-1 outright, noting that Stevens’ best statistical outputs continue to come on Texas soil. The Oklahoma State product owns multiple top-15 SG: Ball-Striking performances inside the Lone Star State and has gained over five strokes tee-to-green in three of his last four Texas starts. Books usually fear that profile, pinning him in the 40-50-1 range even in stronger fields, but a sluggish two-month stretch has finally pushed the price to a palatable level. With calm winds forecast and wedges dialed, Gannon sees Stevens as an ideal mid-tier outright and top-10 bet.

Sobel targeted Sam Stevens for a top-10 at +600 and notes his outright at +8000 is almost double the price he expected. Stevens hasn’t logged a top-10 since contending at the Farmers Insurance Open three months ago, which explains the drift. Still, he has made the cut in both prior Craig Ranch appearances and owns the kind of birdie rate needed in a 25-under shootout. Sobel believes Stevens’ ceiling is mispriced relative to the field and is happy to take advantage before a rebound collapses the odds.

For large‑field Milly Maker shots, Gannon likes Sam Stevens and Max McGreevy at $7.3K. Stevens enters with four straight made cuts and quietly ranks 15th in opportunities gained over his last 24 rounds, while McGreevy carries a history of spike putting weeks on Bermudagrass. Gannon believes the low ownership and high birdie rate make them ideal for 6‑of‑6 lineup completion behind a McIlroy stack.

Bob Weeks recommended betting Sam Stevens to finish within the top 20 at +180 for the Valero Texas Open. Weeks explained Stevens is coming off a strong Sunday round of 65 last week, leading to an 18th-place finish that signals positive momentum. Weeks stressed Stevens' proven success at this tournament, finishing tied for second two years ago and tied for 14th last year, bolstered by his strong driving ability that aligns well with the demands of TPC San Antonio.

Cam DaSilva recommended Sam Stevens for a top-10 finish, citing his past success at TPC San Antonio with a second-place finish in 2023 and 15th place in 2024. DaSilva reinforced this pick by highlighting Stevens' impressive performance last week in Houston, shooting two rounds of 65 and finishing tied for 18th, underscoring his continuing strong form.

Matthew MacKay recommended playing Sam Stevens at the Valero Texas Open, highlighting Stevens's track record at TPC San Antonio, which includes a previous runner-up finish and a T18 placement. Stevens is also coming off another T18 finish at the Texas Children's Houston Open. His consistency makes him attractive plays on DraftKings DFS this week at a $8,000 price point, particularly given his strong fantasy points per game average of 75.3 FPPG this season.

Landon Silinsky labeled Sam Stevens a dependable DFS choice for the Valero Texas Open due to his outstanding consistency, making 15 cuts in his last 17 events. Silinsky noted Stevens' particular success at TPC San Antonio, recording finishes of T14 and second place in his two most recent visits. While Stevens doesn't dominate any specific statistical category, he's consistently long off-the-tee and maintains satisfactory iron play and short game performances. His reliable ability to navigate four full rounds, combined with proven high finishes at this venue, justify Silinsky’s recommendation to confidently roster Stevens at an attractive $8,000 price point on DraftKings, specifically calling him a strong third golfer option to complement an Akshay Bhatia-headed lineup.

Wes Reynolds identified Sam Stevens as a valuable betting target at 55-to-1 odds, largely based on Stevens' exceptional course history at TPC San Antonio. Stevens was runner-up in 2023 and added finishes of 14th and 19th in other appearances at this event, suggesting a pronounced comfort and affinity for the course. Reynolds also pointed out Stevens' near-win at the Farmers Insurance Open, signaling current form and confidence could combine for a strong showing at Valero.

Ben Coley sees Sam Stevens as an appealing choice at 50/1 for the Valero Texas Open, referencing Stevens' strong course history. Stevens finished runner-up at San Antonio in his rookie season and placed 14th even amidst weaker form last year. Coming off an encouraging 18th-place finish in Houston last week—highlighted by two rounds of 65—Stevens appears poised to capitalize at a comfortable venue. Coley acknowledges minor concerns about Stevens' busy schedule chasing a Masters berth but is reassured by Stevens recently taking a week off, reducing potential fatigue risks.

Brandon Gdula hesitated on Sam Stevens despite Stevens' limited yet encouraging history at the Valero Texas Open, with just two starts resulting in a 2nd and 14th place finish. Gdula's primary concern is Stevens' current iron play, describing it as cold and inconsistent right now. His recent strong showing (top 30) at Houston came primarily from strokes gained around the green rather than solid iron play—an approach Gdula finds unsustainable for reliable success. Gdula compared Stevens' style humorously to his own golf experience, indicating skepticism that these 'greasy par saves' would continue yielding consistently good outcomes, making Stevens a risky DFS option.

Byron Lindeque expressed strong interest in Sam Stevens, specifically for cash game DFS lineups at Valero, stressing Stevens' recent strong form on courses similar to TPC San Antonio. His consistency includes a 2nd at Farmers, 31st at Genesis Invitational (an iron-heavy test), and recent top-15 finishes (14th and 2nd), making him a safe and compelling DFS pick at his affordable 8K price tag this week.

Tyler Tamboline expects Sam Stevens to gain significant popularity as a DFS roster filler at the 2025 Houston Open due to projections favoring him strongly. Despite recent underwhelming performances, Stevens continues to pop in optimizer-driven projections, potentially making him a high-owned cheap alternative akin to a lower-priced Kurt Kitayama. Tamboline advised caution by labeling this as a situation resembling optimizer-driven noise rather than performance-based confidence. As such, Tamboline implied DFS players should be cautious following Stevens' high projected ownership and mixed recent form.

Derek Farnsworth focuses heavily on Sam Stevens as one of his preferred DFS options in the lower $7Ks, citing several compelling factors. Stevens has consistently excelled on long driver-heavy courses and ranks among the field leaders in windy conditions, an important factor in Texas-based tournaments. Additionally, Stevens boasts a perfect two-for-two record making the cut at this event specifically. Farnsworth consistently targets him on these tougher, length-oriented courses, suggesting he'll be a core play in DFS lineups this week.