The Fantasy Insider: The Barclays

text size

No time to kid around or get cute. We're in the Playoffs. Just four weeks between you and fantasy glory, a championship season. A virtual trophy would look pretty good on your mantle, don't you think?

VIDEO EDITION: Want more fantasy information? Check out this week's video version of The Fantasy Insider. Click here PLAY FANTASY GOLF: Join our fantasy leagues! Click here

There's no course history to consider for The Barclays, as the best in the world take dead aim at a new tournament site, Liberty National. With that in mind we'll focus on recent form, play around the greens and consistency on the fairway as we make our selections

Last Week: It was a strange week -- three of our picks didn't make it to the weekend and contender Chris Riley slipped on Sunday (74, and out of the top 10). We still had four players land in the top 25 for the week, but with no bonus points and not a lot of birdies on Sunday, the net haul was a modest 116 points. We're in the 95th percentile for the season..

Fantasy Game Basics: We're picking eight players every week from three separate pools: two players from the A-List, four players from the B-List, and two players from the C-List. From round to round, you'll "start" four of those players (one of your A players, two from B, one from C), making daily changes as you see fit.

If your guys play well that day or for the week, you score well. The eight players you pick at the beginning of the week are the only ones you can use and switch up during a particular tournament; the next week, you'll re-evaluate and refresh your group of eight.

You're allowed to use any player up to 10 starts for the year, and anything from 1-4 rounds in a given event counts as a single "start." As always, choose carefully, and have a long-term plan in addition to your short-term goals.

A-List Selections

PHIL MICKELSON (Round 1 starter): It's a little tricky to predict Phil's performances given how much time he's missed in recent months, but you have to like that he's a member at Liberty National and I'm going to try to get some extra star power into my Playoff Lineup here given that I'm forced to rest a certain E. Woods in this spot (more on that later). Mickelson isn't having his best scrambling year but he's 31st in putting. He's had success at The Barclays (albeit on different courses), logging five top-20 finishes in his last six starts. JIM FURYK: It hasn't been his best year with the irons but there's still a lot to like with the gritty Furyk; he's ninth in scoring, tenth in putts per round and sixth in scrambling. Furyk raised his game in last year's playoffs, finishing 12th or better in all four events. OTHER A-LIST OPTIONS: If you have multiple starts left in Tiger Woods, by all means, put them in play. I've only got one Tiger shot left on my dance card and it makes sense to wait until we're in a smaller field. Geoff Ogilvy wasn't a factor in the last two majors and he's got just one top-20 finish over his last eight starts. Sergio Garcia is a feel player and a bit of a streak guy too, so maybe it's time to hop on board after his strong fourth-place run at Wyndham last week. The stat sheet seldom offers a lot of security with your Garcia pick -- he's outside the top 100 in driving accuracy, putting average and scrambling -- but when Garcia gets a little early confidence and momentum going, he's capable of beating any field. Kenny Perry is as good as anyone these days (third in ball striking) and he's missed just one cut on the season. Perry's also stepped up his play when he misses the green, ranking 30th in scrambling. Now and forever, he's the ultimate safe play. Robert Allenby is coming into this week with a little momentum (a tie for second at Bridgestone, T24 at the PGA Championship). The flat stick is what's kept Allenby from winning a bunch of times this decade, but if the Hazeltine greens didn't throw him too much, why worry now. Stewart Cink wasn't on my primary list of contenders right before the British Open win, I didn't get a boost from his T6 at the Bridgestone Invitational, and his T67 at the PGA Championship followed, just to throw us for a loop. Cink's stat profile doesn't add any extra security -- too many ranks outside the top 100 and he's just 59th in scoring -- and he didn't rally in the playoffs last year (T38, T33, T60, T24). Add it all up and I'll keep Cink on the bench, probably in vain while he finds his best form again.

B-List Selections

STEVE STRICKER (Round 1 starter): He didn't justify our faith at the PGA Championship but no matter, Stricker remains a must-play in this spot. He's got plenty of FedExCup success on his track record (second overall in 2007; four top-25s last year) and if anything he's in the midst of a more dynamic season now. Stricker stands fifth in putting average, second in scoring, 26th in GIR, third in all-around rank. You tell me, how can you sit him? HUNTER MAHAN: He's got a bunch of solid results through two years of Playoffs and if anything Mahan is a more consistent and mature player this season. The stat sheet will get behind a Mahan pick; he's 13th in GIR, 41st in putting average, fourth in scoring, 12th in total driving. Stardom isn't far away here. LUCAS GLOVER: He's been too dynamic and too consistent to rest at this time, especially for my time where I have (far too many) Glover plays left. Glover's confidence got a significant boost from the U.S. Open victory and he clearly knows he can win at any time on any style of course. You won't find many obvious weaknesses on his stat profile; the steady Glover stands fifth in scoring, 32nd in putting, seventh in par breakers and fourth in all-around rank. The only thing I'd call for is a little more consistency on Sundays (95th in final-round scoring); otherwise, he's been money all season. DAVID TOMS: He's got a very portable skill set that should work well at a new venues; Toms is first in driving accuracy, tenth in GIR, third in scoring and seventh in all-around rank. He's been on the cusp of contention for three straight events before slipping a little on Sunday; this could be the week he stripes it for four consecutive days. OTHER B-LIST OPTIONS: Sean O'Hair was a mandatory and automatic pick in this space for so many weeks but he's been off his game for a while now, finishing outside the top 60 in his last four starts. If he shows a rebound at The Barclays, I'll be happy to consider him for the final three playoff events Steve Marino's game hit a mini slump after the British Open but he seemed to be out of it last week, posting a 67-68-63-69 line en route to a top 10 check at Wyndham. Marino sits 18th in ball striking and 27th in all-around rank; if his play improves a little around the green he's capable of being a star. Brian Gay was a buzz player after his win at the St. Jude Classic but things have gone south since; three missed cuts and nothing better than a T37. He's well-rested in this event and back under the radar, which can only help. Rory Sabbatini is another player who hit a rough patch after a trophy hoist; he was victorious at the HP Byron Nelson Championship back in May but he hasn't seen the top 30 since. Sabbatini was a sole third at The Barclays two years back, albeit over a different course. Angel Cabrera has shown us several times that he can slay strong fields (two majors sitting on the mantle). You won't be wowed by most of his individual stats but he knows how to get it into the hole (21st in scoring).

C-List Selections

IAN POULTER (Round 1 starter): I'm not giving up the ghost yet; Poulter is on the cusp of a significant breakthrough and I want to be present to cash in. His 75-79 at the British Open was a surprise but he's gotten over it, grabbing a pair of solid checks on the rebound (T15, T19). There's adaptability in Poulter's game (third in scrambling) and that will come in handy on a course most are unfamiliar with Y.E. YANG: The storybook victory at the PGA Championship certainly didn't come without advance warning; he took the Honda Classic in March and had three straight top-20 finishes into the Hazeltine story for the ages. Yang is a strong iron player who's shown plenty of confidence around the greens in recent weeks; let's keep running with this. OTHER C-LIST OPTIONS Luke Donald stands second in putting, first in sand saves and 29th in scrambling -- the type of stats you want to get behind as we head to an unfamiliar course. Donald has missed just four cuts on the season, another feather in his cap. Now's not the time to take crazy fliers with reach picks. Scott Verplank receives a lot of run in this space and his iron play always gives him a shot no questions asked, but I'm a little concerned about his sharpness after watching him miss the cut at the Buick Open and the PGA Championship. Let's give him a week to get back on the beam, and then we'll revisit. Retief Goosen has eight straight cuts made, a powerful driver and a pressure-tested putting stroke -- that could go a long way at The Barclays. I'm low on Goosen options so I really have to wait a week, but if you've been prudent here then by all means, get him in play. Charles Howell has a reputation as an early-season flash who tends to slide in the second half, but 2009 could be the year he shakes that tag. He fashioned a nifty T13 at Wyndham last week, his third top 30 check in his last six starts. Matt Kuchar has slipped back a little after a nice start to the year and he wasn't a factor in last year's Playoffs but I'm still putting him on my hunch list for this week, in part because he ranks second in scrambling. Justify the love, Yellow Jacket.