After a busy week at the deepest field in golf at THE PLAYERS Championship, the Florida Swing wraps up at the Valspar Championship across the state in Palm Harbor.

Scrutinizing the full field of 156 players should balance out the top-heavy lineups usually found at the Signature Events, majors, and THE PLAYERS.

The last two winners at the Copperhead Course (par 71, 7,352 yards), Peter Malnati ($6,000) and Taylor Moore ($8,600) suggest that a top-heavy lineup does not guarantee a successful week.

The top of the DraftKings DFS board is highlighted by the top three players in the Official World Golf Rankings. Winless since the 2022 PGA Championship, but in excellent form over the last six months, Justin Thomas ($10,800), the highest average scorer in the field, commands top dollar. Xander Schauffele ($10,500) will look to extend his streak of playing the weekend to 59 consecutive events. Neither cracked the top 30 last week at TPC Sawgrass. Tommy Fleetwood ($10,300) joins the trio of players who have not missed a cut all season and played well here but never lifted the trophy on Sunday.

Digging through the tiers and finding gems can lead to a balanced roster. With only $50,000 to spend, littering a lineup with on-form players who enjoy golf in the Sunshine State can cover more bases than a couple of “can’t miss” guys from the top of the heap.

All rules have exceptions but I’m eyeing up Sepp Straka ($10,000) and Shane Lowry ($9,4000) to lead my lineup. The international Ryder Cup stars have feasted on the fairways of Florida this month, and both excel tee to green. Straka, the only player valued at $10,000 or more with a win on the ledger this season, also won previously in Florida at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches. Lowry will no doubt be buoyed by Rory McIlroy’s big victory Monday at THE PLAYERS Championship. Finishing second to his compatriot at the AT&T Pebble Beach, he returned to his adopted Florida to cash T11 in the Palm Beaches, seventh at Bay Hill, and closed with 67 to earn T20 money at TPC Sawgrass.

Course historians will point out that Sam Burns ($9,800) is the only two-time champion in the field. Before missing the cut last year, he was one of two players to have posted three consecutive top-10 paydays. Corey Conners ($9,600) rolls in off back-to-back top six paydays. The Canadian excels on difficult ball-striking layouts and should flourish again this week. Alex Smalley ($9,000) has not cashed outside T21 in six weekends from seven starts. He sits third in Strokes Gained: Total and fifth SG: Tee to Green. Ranking seventh in Scrambling and 10th in Total Putting, I can see why he is racking up big finishes.

While players like Luke Clanton ($8,500) and Sahith Theegala ($7,600) will draw investors dollars, I’m looking at Jake Knapp ($8,100) instead. Cashing in seven consecutive events, he's acclimated to the Bermudagrass of Florida. After opening with 59 at PGA National, he settled for a share of sixth place before racking up T12 at TPC Sawgrass. His streak of top 25 paydays is now at four. If he does not fit, Ryan Gerard ($7,500) or Jacob Bridgeman ($7,400) can provide adequate cover.

Digging deeper for top-heavy lineups, I’d look in the direction of course horse Joseph Bramlett ($7,100) or quietly emerging Quade Cummins ($6,800). Bramlett has rattled off four straight paydays with T17 in 2024 the best of the bunch and ran third at the Puerto Rico Open two weeks ago. Cummins has played three consecutive weekends and four of five and has pocketed T34 or better each time. His current form might put others off, but K.H. Lee ($6,200) has a healthy record at the Copperhead Course. His last three visits have resulted in paychecks of T9, T19, and T29 in three of the last four seasons.

Here's how I would devise a six-man lineup this week at the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort, staying within the $50,000 salary cap for DraftKings contests:

• Sepp Straka ($10,000)
• Shane Lowry ($9,400)
• Alex Smalley ($9,000)
• Jake Knapp ($8,100)
• Joseph Bramlett ($7,100)
• K.H. Lee ($6,200)