Projection
Expected fantasy points.
A useful starting point for comparing players at the same position.
How It Works overviewGet comfortable with
NFL tool guide · about 4 minutes
Get comfortable with
NFL Projections.
See who projects well, what they cost, and how popular they’re expected to be. You don’t need to study every column to get started.
01
Getting started
Choose the contest you’re playing.
Match the page to your entry before you compare players.
Site
Choose DK or FD.
Salary and scoring differ by site.
Format
Choose Classic or Showdown.
Classic covers multiple games; Showdown covers one.
Slate
Check the name, time, and date.
Main, early, and late slates have different player pools.
Choose your site, format, and slate
Use Current for the upcoming slate. History is for reviewing past dates. Check the projection update time before your final lineup decisions.
02
What to look at first
Start with four columns.
Read them together. Each answers a different question.
Salary
The cost of the player.
Every dollar spent here changes what you can afford elsewhere.
Value
Projected points per $1,000.
Helps you compare salary efficiency. Higher value does not always mean more points.
Own%
Expected popularity.
Shows how often the player is expected to appear in lineups. Popularity alone is not a reason to play or fade someone.
From the captured slate
Jared Goff: 22.89 projected points at $6,600 = 3.47 Value. That’s 3.47 projected points per $1,000. Use it to compare salary efficiency, alongside the actual point projection.
What about the other columns?
Proj Tier / Value Tier: In Classic, A–E grades compare a player with the leaders at his position. Projection and value are graded separately. Filters don’t change those grades.
Floor / Ceiling: Lower and upper scoring estimates. They help you compare risk and upside; a player can finish outside either estimate.
Team / Opp / Pos: Use these to connect the player to his game and lineup slot.
Rating: An additional comparison score. You can leave it for later and start with the four columns above.
03
Try it
Turn the full table into a short comparison.
On the live tool, choose a position and click a column heading to sort. Use the game buttons, search, or tier filters when you want to narrow the view further.
These are screenshots of the October 11 Main slate in Current. Expand a view to read the rows and game cards, then use the same controls on your own slate.
Filter WR and sort by projection
Click Value to compare salary efficiency
Read the comparison
In this captured slate, Michael Wilson shows 19.68 projected points at $6,200. Tre’ Harris shows 13.00 at $4,100. Harris saves $2,100, but gives up 6.68 projected points. Both show a 3.17 Value score, yet their projected point totals are different.
The best value is not always the best play. It depends on the contest you’re playing and the rest of your roster. Saving salary helps when it improves another spot, but sometimes paying more for extra points or upside is the better fit.
Spending up?
Look at the points you gain and the salary you give up elsewhere.
Saving salary?
Check how much projection you lose. Use the savings to improve another lineup slot.
Playing tournaments?
Add ceiling and ownership to the comparison. Then check how the player fits the rest of the lineup.
A simple way to use the tier filters
Select Proj Tier to focus on higher-projected players at each position. Use Value Tier to explore salary-efficient options. You can select more than one grade.
A projection grade and a value grade answer different questions. A player can be strong in one and weaker in the other. Use Clear filter inside the dropdown to return to the full view.
A few useful shortcuts
Can I see a player’s recent games?
On Current projections, click a player’s name to open his game history. Use it to add workload and performance context to the projection.
How do I use Showdown?
Choose Showdown, then select the correct game. The table uses UTIL and MVP buttons to switch roles; the MVP view represents the featured scoring role, including DraftKings Captain.
Compare salary, projection, and ownership in the role you plan to use. A player’s featured-role profile is different from his regular-slot profile.
How do History and Export work?
History: Choose a past date, site, and format to view the final saved update available for that slate. Check the saved timestamp when reviewing it.
Export: Downloads the players in your filtered view as a CSV. This is a projection file; use the optimizer’s lineup export when you need finished lineups.
Why am I seeing no players?
Check your site, format, and slate first. Then return to ALL and All Games, clear the tier filters, and empty the search box. A missing slate will appear when its data is available.
04
Put it to work
Leave with a shortlist, not a finished lineup.
Identify the players worth researching, then use the next tool to understand their role in your build.
Start with one position. Compare the points, salary, and ownership. You can build from there.