Wind forecasts, particularly days ahead of time, can be an anxiety inducer for the savvy DFS player and this week’s predictions ahead of the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches certainly have many on alert.

As it stands early in the week, the chance of some heavy gusts moving over PGA National Resort on Thursday night remains in the forecast. What is in debate is whether they’ll start to build while the afternoon wave is on the course and remain a factor while the same players return to play Friday morning.

While nothing in the extreme is forecasted during play hours over the first two rounds, there is a chance the late/early wave gets winds above 10 mph while those on the other side have closer to calm conditions. We’ve seen it much worse at PGA National before.

But still, with the threat of this happening, consider adding two lineups this week in the DraftKings DFS contest – one without the draw in mind, but one stacked with early/late wave players just in case.

The man at the top of the salary board this week is Russell Henley ($10,700). The 2014 champion has made the cut nine of 10 attempts here giving you supreme confidence and has three other top 10s to go with his win. The Georgia Bulldog has two top 10s already this season as trends collide.

The other five-figure player this week is Shane Lowry ($10,500). The Irishman has a nearby Florida base and has been unlucky not to win here before with three top-five finishes, one a runner-up where rain helped scuttle his chances. He is also one of the best on TOUR from 175-200 yards, a distance needed in high numbers this week.

Similar arguments can be made to add some of the next four men on the list as you search for an edge.

• Daniel Berger ($9,900) – Has a runner-up and two fourth-place finishes at PGA National and is adept in Florida conditions, where he grew up. Vibing after recent strong results in the WM Phoenix Open (T2) and The Genesis Invitational (12th).
• Sungjae Im ($9,800) – A former champion at PGA National who started the season with a couple of top fives but has since cooled off. Finished T33-T57-CUT the last three times out this season and is on the potentially tougher side of the draw.
• Taylor Pendrith ($9,500) – Big-hitting Canadian also in the potential wind side of the draw has three recent top 15s on TOUR but just one top 25 at PGA National.
• Sepp Straka ($9,400) – Has a win and T5 in recent years at PGA National and has the benefit of having already won this season at The American Express. A great course fit with great recent form so expect heavy ownership.

In the $8,000s you have to keep an eye on Cameron Young ($8,800) and defending champion Austin Eckroat ($8,100). Young was T16 in 2022 and T4 in 2024 at PGA National and has a few top 15s already this season to have the former PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year on your radar. Eckroat showed his win last season was no fluke, backing it up with another late in the fall season. Like Young, has two top 15s this season. Also in that bracket is first-time participant Jordan Spieth ($8,600). Does one gamble on a player who can be erratic at times, and as such could easily find water that lies on 15 of 18 holes, but who also is a known winner on TOUR?

In the $7,000s we find the likes of Billy Horschel ($7,900) and young gun Luke Clanton ($7,700). The latter is chasing a made cut to earn his TOUR card via the PGA TOUR University Accelerated program. Horschel loves the return to his Florida roots and Bermuda greens to a place where he has three previous top 10s. Then there is Nicolai Højgaard ($7,400) who is coming off a sneaky top 10 in Mexico and who sits third in SG: Approach, and 10th in SG: Tee-to-Green plus 14th in Bogey Avoidance and seventh in SG: Total!

Kevin Roy ($7,200) pops in Bogey Avoidance this week while Isaiah Salinda ($7,100) is coming off a third-place result in Mexico and Veteran Zach Johnson ($6,600) could be a good cheap buy to consider given three top 25s in the last four trips to PGA National.

Here's a look at how I would build a lineup this week at PGA National without concern for the possible draw bias, staying below the $50,000 salary cap for DraftKings contests:

• Shane Lowry $10,500
• Daniel Berger $9,900
• Luke Clanton $7,700
• Nicolai Højgaard $7,400
• Kevin Roy $7,200
• Isaiah Salinda $7,100

Conversely, here's a look at how I would build a lineup this week at PGA National if I were to exclude the late/early wave, staying below the $50,000 salary cap for DraftKings contests:

• Daniel Berger $9,900
• Sepp Straka $9,400
• Cam Young $8,800
• Billy Horschel $7,900
• Nicolai Højgaard $7,400
• Zach Johnson $6,600

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