2026 US Open Sleepers: 5 Potential DraftKings Golf DFS Values
US Open week is officially upon us, and we’re kicking things off with 2026 PGA Championship sleepers. The third major of the year brings us to Southampton, Long Island, where we’ll see the game’s best converge at the famous Shinnecock Hills Golf Club for the first time since the 2018 US Open. I could not be more excited to discuss this field and my favorite 2026 US Open DFS picks.
We are one year removed from a 150-1 longshot prevailing in the most difficult scoring conditions. J.J. Spaun’s triumph at Oakmont should give the other longshots in this 2026 US Open field some hope that they, too, can shock the world. It will be a tall order, however, as Shinnecock Hills is one of the most grueling tests on the US Open rota, and requires elite short game and consistent ball-striking to survive. Ahead, we’ll go through my favorite sleeper and longshot options for US Open odds and fantasy considerations.
View the players below for a selection of US Open odds if you’re looking for betting markets.
COURSE INTRODUCTION FOR US OPEN DFS
Shinnecock Hills Golf Club was established in 1891, a date that is closer to when America gained its independence (115 years) than now. 135 years later, Shinnecock Hills is renowned as a seminal institution of American golf architecture, and is recognized as a consensus top-5 golf course in the world.
A 7,440-yard par-70, Shinnecock Hills is a long test, but far from the behemoths who push the absolute limits of the property they sit on, like Torrey Pines, Winged Foot, and Los Angeles Country Club have shown us in US Opens. For context, Shinnecock’s official yardage is just 44 yards longer than Aronimink and 70 yards longer than Oakmont, two recent major championships where accuracy prevailed over sheer power. Shinnecock Hills Golf Club is a Capital-C classic golf architecture institution, and truly transforms you back in time to the game’s humble beginnings on this stunning links setup in Southampton, NY.
All in all, short game is an absolute must at Shinnecock Hills, with scrambling figuring to be inevitable on this firm, fast, undulated, and wind-exposed setup. Of course, ball striking form is crucial as well, but this is a week I will weigh the importance of short game as high as I would at The Masters.
For a deeper dive into the course, read my US Open preview. Without any further delay, let’s get to our US Open DFS picks, focusing on longshots and sleepers for your lineups.
2026 US OPEN DFS PICKS: 5 SLEEPERS
From a DFS standpoint, I’ll try to fit in at least two top-10 players from this field into each lineup, avoiding the mid-tier range for balanced builds. That means hitting on the high upside value players in the $7K and $6K ranges is crucial.
Below, find my favorite value DFS options and longshots for the 2026 US Open. US Open stats pulled from across the last 36 rounds unless otherwise noted.
JJ Spaun ($7,500)
The San Antonio Slayer is kindred spirits with New York’s Knicks, each knowing what it takes to conquer that city. Spaun has won not once, but twice, at the heavily wind-impacted Valero Texas Open, and has sustained a great stretch of form since picking up his 3rd career win at TPC San Antonio. Defending US Open champions have a pretty good track record at Shinnecock Hills as well, as Brooks Koepka successfully repeated as US Open champion here in 2018.
It was a slow start to the season for Spaun, but he’s rebounded nicely since his Valero Texas Open win, with five top-15 finishes over his last eight starts. He has been a consistent force from tee to green, ranking 1st in SG: APP, 4th in SG: Ball Striking, and 9th in SG: T2G over his last 36 rounds. Though the putter has been shaky of late, he proved that same club can carry him to victory just one year ago at this same event.
Jordan Spieth ($7,100)
In true Jordan Spieth fashion, it has been a roller coaster of performances throughout 2026. While he hasn’t quite pieced everything together for four consecutive rounds in the same tournament, the signs are there that a breakout is coming soon. Spieth is on a short list of players who have finished top-20 in each of the first two majors this season (T12 at The Masters, T18 at the PGA Championship).
Spieth’s three career major victories have come at Augusta National, Royal Birkdale, and Chambers Bay. Each of those three venues distinctly shares common elements of generous sloping fairways, exposure to high winds, and a need for creativity and touch around the greens. Those are Jordan Spieth’s superpowers, and he’s shown glimpses of that vintage form throughout this season. With seven top-20 finishes over his last 12 starts, Spieth’s game is more than good enough to contend at the 2026 US Open.
David Puig ($6,500)
Any LIV fans who still remain will convince you until they’re blue in the face that David Puig is one of, if not the best, young talents in the game of golf today. I would like to see him perform against the best in the world more consistently before passing my judgment, but a T18 at last month’s PGA Championship was certainly an encouraging sight to see.
Puig profiles as a bomber with elite putting skill and a reliable touch around the greens. The area he needs to improve on most to this point in his early career is his approach play, having lost strokes to the field on approach in eight of his last 12 starts. If Shinnecock Hills borders on unplayable conditions where greens are impossible to hold for well-struck approaches, a scrambling contest will tip in Puig’s favor. With six consecutive top-20 finishes leading into this week, I believe Puig is a very appealing high-upside, low-owned play in fantasy formats.
Alex Noren ($6,400)
You’ll notice a theme of short game specialists in this article. Noren’s resume lacks a win on the PGA Tour, thus making him a longshot to win the 2026 US Open, but you have to feel good about his floor outcome at Shinnecock Hills. Noren has finished top-30 at each of the first two majors of the season, and has finished top-35 in 10 of his last 12 starts leading into this week. He also notably won twice on the DP World Tour this past Fall, so he is capable of contending under pressure.
Of the four majors, its The Open Championship where Noren has found the most success over his veteran career, finishing top-25 in five of his last six appearances. That’s an encouraging sign as he prepares for Shinnecock Hills, whose links setup will emulate that of an Open Championship venue more so than a traditional US Open. With one of the most dependable short games on the PGA Tour, Noren projects as a reliable cut-maker and viable top-20 option this week.
Nick Taylor ($6,300)
Chants of “Go Birds” in Philadelphia for last month’s PGA Championship may have been misconstrued as support for Ludvig Aberg and inadvertently propelled him to a T4 finish. After a Knicks championship, it may be this Nick who unexpectedly captures the support of the home New York crowd.
Taylor’s history in majors has been puzzlingly poor considering his track record as a high-stakes closer on the PGA Tour. He appeared to be more ready for the moment at Aronimink last month, however, as he was in contention leading into Sunday before finishing T26. He is playing his best golf of the season now, with three finishes of T26 or better over his last three starts. As an accurate ball striker with a consistent short game, Taylor’s game has held up well in difficult, windy conditions, as proven by his past win at Pebble Beach. Having finished top-40 in three of his last four major starts, I believe we are starting to see Taylor turn a corner on the biggest stage. He makes for a high-floor, low-owned option in fantasy formats this week.
Best of luck if you choose to roster these US Open DFS picks.
Photo Credit: AP/Sue Ogrocki
