Drafting a DFS defense (DST) or offensive player without considering defensive injuries is like planning a picnic without checking the weather. Not too bright.
And, the same could be said about not analyzing where the smart money is betting.
DFS Hub makes doing both easy. Check out this key defensive injuries report and then review the Sharp Bettor report below.
How to use Defensive Injuries for NFL DFS
A defensive line finding itself without their star pass rusher may struggle to generate pressureA “pressure” in NFL parlance is when the quarterback is hurried, hit or sacked. Defenses that pressure the opposing QB more than average allow fewer points and win more games, for obvious reasons. QBs under pressure throw away the ball more and make more mistakes (e.g., throw... More, giving opposing quarterbacks more time in the pocket.
Similarly, a depleted secondary can potentially leave wide receivers with more room to exploit mismatches and accumulate fantasy points.
When a key defensive player is sidelined, it opens up opportunities for opposing offenses. By analyzing DFS Hub’s defensive injury report, savvy fantasy managers can:
- Understanding the significance of each player’s absence
- Strategically target offensive players facing weakened defenses
- Avoid picking DSTs that may be overvalued due to unaccounted-for injuries
- Capitalize on QB, RB, WR and TE mismatches — which most DFS players miss (because they don’t consider defensive injuries).
This defensive injury list tells you:
- Which key individual defensive players (IDPs) are out or questionable
(We define “key” as PFF top 200 defenders.) - Whether they practiced Friday (if they didn’t, they’re unlikely to play, especially early in the season)
- How key they are to their team (the star rating)
A three-star defensive player is typically the most impactful to a defense’s fortunes, but even a one-star player can make a difference. A team that’s missing its starting cornerback (CB), even if he’s a one-star, will likely give up more points to whomever that CB is covering.
Two last important notes:
- DFS Hub only lists defensive players that are in the top 32 for each position, as ranked by Pro Football Focus’s (PFF’s) defensive player grade.
- Our IDP injury list is posted on Friday nights. Remember that players might recover or new players might get injured after this time, so check NFL injuries and team news from our NFL Matchups page for the latest updates.
How to use Sharp Action for NFL DFS
Understanding team matchups is critical to smart DFS play. This is not just about checking the Vegas line or totals. You also have to understand where the smart money is betting.
DFS Hub ranks the most notable sharp plays every Friday night. That is, we tell you:
- Who the smart money is betting on the most
- What the line movement is on those games.
Smart money bettors leave their tracks in cases where the handle percentage is significantly greater than the bet percentage—at least 20% or more.
By aligning your lineups with the sharp money, you often increase your chances of selecting the right players and maximizing your scores. That’s particularly true when the over/under is high (e.g., 50+).
Here’s a simple example. If Team A’s starting running back is out and sharps are betting heavily on Team B, (relative to regular bettors), you may want to avoid Team A, even if it’s the favorite. Odds are, the smart money knows that Team A will be forced to throw more, and Team B will gameplan for that.
Use the insights provided by DFS Hub’s Sharp Action report to find value where others don’t look.
