2026 John Deere Classic Fantasy Golf Picks & TPC Deere Run Player Board
The CaddyBytes early-week John Deere Classic fantasy board is now posted for TPC Deere Run. The board starts with players carrying the best recent high finishes, then favors the names whose fairways-hit, greens-in-regulation, driving-distance, and putting profiles fit this week.
Wednesday night is the final pre-tournament check for tee times, weather/wind, withdrawals, and any final field movement before Round 1.
Fantasy golf only. This page does not provide betting picks, odds, sportsbook information, or gambling advice.
Top 12 John Deere Classic Fantasy Picks
Early-week ranked board before the Wednesday night final check.
| Rank | Player | Recent high-finish note | Four-stat fit note | Fantasy read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | J.T. Poston | Memorial winner and top-5 major finish in the recent window. | Balanced enough across fairways, GIR, putting, and scoring to stay at the top despite a poor Sunday at Travelers. | Top CaddyBytes target. |
| 2 | Tom Kim | Solo third at the U.S. Open and one of the best recent high-finish names in this field. | Accuracy, greens, and control profile fit a TPC Deere Run board better than pure distance-only names. | Strong top-tier play. |
| 3 | Ben Griffin | Top-10 at Travelers and strong enough major-week form to remain a top John Deere fantasy name. | Putting and scoring profile keep him near the top; Wednesday check should confirm tee-time and weather draw. | Core anchor. |
| 4 | Keith Mitchell | Top-5 U.S. Open finish gives him one of the better current form notes in the John Deere field. | Driving distance gives him a clear boost; GIR and putting need to hold for four rounds. | High-upside stat fit. |
| 5 | Chris Gotterup | Two-time winner this season and still one of the strongest names in the field. | Distance and scoring upside keep him high; fairways and GIR decide whether he moves up Wednesday. | Win-upside play. |
| 6 | Jacob Bridgeman | Season win, multiple top finishes, and current-field strength keep him in the first six. | Putting is the best part of the profile; fairways/GIR need to be clean enough at Deere Run. | Strong fantasy scorer. |
| 7 | Rickie Fowler | Four top-10s this season and strong enough current-tour standing to make the early board. | Fairways-hit profile is the best reason he stays this high; putting can make him a top-10 fantasy finisher. | Clean-fit veteran. |
| 8 | Eric Cole | Recent Travelers lead flashes and active scoring form put him inside the top 12. | Putting/scoring path is strong; GIR needs to keep him from chasing too much. | Good fantasy ceiling. |
| 9 | Nico Echavarria | Season winner and current-field top-board name. | Needs cleaner fairways and GIR than his cooler recent form shows, but scoring upside keeps him on the board. | Volatile upside. |
| 10 | Keegan Bradley | Field strength and experience keep him inside the fantasy top 12. | Fairways and GIR can play here; putting is the Wednesday watch item. | Safer cut/made-week profile. |
| 11 | Michael Thorbjornsen | Rising field name with enough current form to make the early board. | Driving distance and scoring upside push him ahead of several veteran names. | Upside/value blend. |
| 12 | Sungjae Im | Established name in the field who still fits the fantasy pool even without the best recent high finish. | Balanced profile keeps him playable if fairways and GIR are steady early. | Final top-12 hold. |
Watch List 13-15
These three stay close to the main board for the Wednesday final check.
| Watch Rank | Player | Why he is close | Wednesday note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Max Greyserman | Good current form and enough scoring punch for TPC Deere Run. | Can move into 10-12 if weather/tee-time draw helps. |
| 14 | Matt Wallace | Useful all-around fantasy profile and enough putting upside for a low-score week. | Needs a clean fairways/GIR read to move up. |
| 15 | Jordan Spieth | Two-time John Deere winner with obvious course comfort. | Putting and recent consistency decide whether he stays a watch name or moves into the top 12. |
Value Plays and Sleepers
Lower-board names that can still matter for fantasy lineups at TPC Deere Run.
Johnny Keefer
GIR strength and steady scoring profile make him a useful value name if the price/check fits.
Davis Thompson
Past John Deere winner with enough scoring history at Deere Run to stay in the sleeper pool.
Max Homa
Name value is not enough for the top 12, but he remains a usable value watch if the ball-striking looks sharp Wednesday.
Ben Kohles
Cleaner profile than the name value suggests and a useful lower-board option for cut-made fantasy builds.
Risk Flags Before Wednesday Final
Names that need one more check before moving higher.
| Player | Risk flag | What would help Wednesday |
|---|---|---|
| Jordan Spieth | Course history is strong, but putting/current form must be cleaner. | Friendly tee-time/weather draw and better putting read. |
| Tony Finau | Distance is useful, but recent finish profile is not strong enough for the top 12. | Move up only if GIR and putting check better. |
| Taylor Pendrith | Distance and past John Deere result help, but he needs better current form. | Clean tee-to-green note and no bad-weather draw. |
| Max Homa | Name value without enough recent high-finish support. | Can move into value range, not main-board lock. |
CB Caddie Hunch: Keith Mitchell
Keith Mitchell is the CaddyBytes hunch because the recent U.S. Open top-5 finish gives him current heat, and the distance profile gives him more fantasy upside than several safer names below him.
Wednesday check: Hold him high if the tee-time/weather draw is neutral and there are no late-week field changes that hurt the board.
Wednesday Night Final Pre-Tournament Check
Wednesday night update should be a final housekeeping check before Round 1, not a full rebuild.
| Check | What to update |
|---|---|
| Weather / wind | Note any clear tee-time wave advantage or storm/wind concern. |
| Tee times | Add AM/PM draw notes if needed. |
| Withdrawals | Remove any withdrawn player and move the next watch name up. |
| Final field movement | Check alternates/late entries before Round 1 starts. |
| Caddie Hunch | Confirm Keith Mitchell or switch only if weather, tee time, or withdrawal news changes the board. |
Fantasy note: This page is for CaddyBytes fantasy golf analysis and tournament coverage. It does not provide gambling picks, odds, sportsbook information, or betting advice. Wednesday night update checks weather, tee times, withdrawals, and final field movement before Round 1.