Sleepers: Deutsche Bank Championship

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Editor's note: PGATOUR.com has tried to make our experts work a little harder when they make their picks each week. The favorite can be anyone in the field, although Tiger Woods could only be used seven times during the year. Sleepers can't have won in 2008 or had a top 10 in their last five starts. A sleeper can't be ranked in the top 30 in the field, either.

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T.J. Auclair
PGATOUR.COM Interactive Producer
Pick: Scott Verplank
Verplank has always been one of my favorite players to watch. He's a smart player and gets a ton out of his game. He's a grinder. That's going to be important this week. He's currently No. 100 in the Playoffs standings and needs to finish in the top-70 to be eligible for next week's BMW Championship. It can be done, but it's going to take a good week at the Deutsche Bank Championship, which Verplank is more than capable of.

Lauren Deason
PGATOUR.COM Editorial Coordinator
Pick: Bubba Watson
Not much to go on here but a gut feeling. Watson did tie for 12th at the Deutsche Bank Championship in 2006 but missed the weekend last year. Plus, he grabbed a share of 12th place last week at The Barclays. Watson is best known for his driving abilities, as he currently leads the TOUR in Driving Distance while averaging 313.9 yards. That's certainly impressive, but it hasn't gotten him in the winner's circle just yet. As recently as six weeks ago, Watson was a runner-up at the Buick Open, so he's certainly close. Maybe this is his time to finally close the deal.

Melanie Hauser
PGATOUR.COM Correspondent
Pick: Scott Verplank
He's tough, a great putter and he finished three shots back last week. He's got one last chance to make Captain Paul Azinger think out of the box, shake it up and pick a guy who's 4-1-0 in past two Ryder Cups.

John Maginnes
PGATOUR.COM Correspondent
Pick: Jason Day
Jason Day has not had the breakout season that many of us expected for the 20-year-old. Injuries slowed him at the beginning of the year. And for whatever reasons, he just hasn't seemed as comfortable on the PGA TOUR this year as he did when he was earning sponsor's exemptions a couple of years ago. But this rookie has enormous potential and upside. The TPC Boston is a bomber's paradise, and young Mr. Day is undoubtedly a bomber. Coming off a few good days at The Barclays could just be the thing that gives this young man the confidence to push on to the BMW Championship.

Win McMurry
Host, PGA TOUR Today
Pick: Charles Howell III
This Augusta native has made the cut in each of his last four starts in Boston and in two of them (2005 and 2004), he finished inside the top 10. Sitting 79th in the standings, Howell is right outside of the bubble for next week's BMW Championship. He'll be working not only to get into the St. Louis field, but also to see if he can wow Captain 'Zinger for his first Ryder Cup team. Howell played on the 2003 and 2007 Presidents Cup teams.

Scott Pianowski
The Fantasy Insider
Pick: Ben Crane
I've been bitten just about every time I've endorsed Crane this year, but let's take one more crack at it. The versatile stat profile gets my attention quickly, and he should be a good fit for TPC Boston, which is a think-your-way-around type of course.

Helen Ross
PGATOUR.COM Chief of Correspondents
Pick: Scott Verplank
He's never played at the TPC Boston before, but Scott Verplank makes his debut this week playing well. He's finished in the top 20 in three of his last five starts, including a tie for 12th on a difficult course in Ridgewood Country Club at The Barclays last week.

Dave Shedloski
PGATOUR.COM Senior Correspondent
Pick: Scott Verplank
Finished in top 12 last week at The Barclays despite a balky putter, an unusual liability for the control-oriented golfer. We don't expect that to continue for long.

John Swantek
PGA TOUR Productions Fantasy Insider
Pick: Dustin Johnson
If you can bomb it, you can compete at TPC Boston. Fourth in Driving Distance at 309 yards a pop will work for Johnson. He opened with 75 last week on a much tighter course, but bounced back with a second-round 69 to miss the cut by a shot. Remember, Brett Wetterich bombed power fades all the way to a final-round pairing in Boston last year. The rookie could step right into that role.