Both DraftKings and FanDuel offer contests with a FLEX position. This position can be filled with a running back, wide receiver or tight end. It’s typically an RB3, WR4 or TE2.
Choosing who to fill your FLEX slot is not just a matter of squeezing the highest-salary player that you can still afford...That’s just gambling.
Remember, the right FLEX player can make or break your ticket, so let’s dive into some proper strategy.
Core DFS FLEX Strategies
Optimal strategy differs depending on:
the game type (classic, single-game, etc.)
and scoring system you’re playing (PPR or half-PPR)
the size of the field (head to head, 100 people, or a huge tourney with 250,000 opponents)
In classic cash games, most people go with running backs.
The reason: RBs are the most reliable position and cash games require players with higher floors.
Three-down backs who get receiving targets are most desirable.
Other things equal, RBs who play are also relatively more valuable than receivers on FanDuel, given its half-PPR scoring method.
In GPP games, Millionaire Maker winners most often use wide receivers for their flex position.
With full PPR scoring, receivers tend to offer the most upside (higher ceilings) relative to their price tags.
Low-end #3 receivers generally score more in PPR than low-end running backs
Running backs are a very close second, particularly pass-catching RBs. In fact, RBs perform just as well if priced low enough (e.g., a salary under $5,000 on DraftKings).
Big GPP winners generally spend less than $5,000 on the FLEX position
If you roster a pass catcher in a GPP FLEX, try to steer away from smaller slot receivers. Other things equal, lean towards a big receiver with breakaway speed who goes deep. They’ll give you a higher ceiling most of the time.
Past winners show that stacking your FLEX in a GPP is definitely not required but if you’re going to do it, a QB-WR or QB-Opposing-WR stack works best.
Avoid TEs—especially TE2s—in FLEX in big GPPs as they rarely exceed significantly more than 20 points.
Perhaps you can unearth other cases but we can recall just one Milly Maker lineup in recent years that had a TE in FLEX (it was Jordan Reed in 2020).
Hitting on one tight end is tough enough, let alone two.
Game script is important to consider. You usually don’t want an RB in your FLEX if his team is an underdog. Teams that play from behind late have to throw more than they rush.
If your slate spans multiple time periods and you’re in a late swap contest, put the player with the latest start time in the FLEX spot. This gives you three options:
You can replace him before gametime if necessary due to late-breaking developments (illness, weather, etc.)
You can add insurance. For example, suppose you:
Are in the money with one game to go
Want to protect your lead
Have someone with a high ceiling, but less consistency, as your last player to start
One option is to replace that player for a player with a higher floor (i.e., a safer play).
If you’re out of the money and need a long-shot to win, you can sub another player with higher upside and lower ownership.
One trap that many fall into is overspending at other positions and then leaving themselves with too little salary to draft a decent FLEX. This is a mistake.
You’re better off re-drafting a lower-cost WR2 or WR3 than settling for a junk FLEX player.
If your contest allows kickers, sometimes choosing the best kicker makes for a good flex choice. That’s particularly true if his team gets into the red zone more than average but has a lower-than-average red zone touchdown ratio.
Injuries = Opportunity
Something you should do every week is scour an NFL DFS injury report.
Find an affordable player who will be filling in for an injured star.
Rookies in the Flex Slot
If you want to fill your FLEX with a rookie, here’s a tip. Increased targets are an especially good sign for a top rookie (e.g., 1st or 2nd round pick in the draft).
Here’s an example. Note Chase Claypool’s subtly increasing targets in weeks one, two and three
That rising target count showed he was slowly being worked into the offences, and it preceded his 45.6 point eruption in week five. Take into consideration a rookie’s growing involvement in their team’s offence.
