It’s simple. If you finish in the top half of the small group of competitors you nearly double your buy-in. It is a great way to get a feel for how daily fantasy works without the discouragement GPP tournaments can bring.

Choosing Your Roster

In large tournaments or GPP play you are often looking for a diamond in the rough. A player that has high upside, but still sets you apart from the rest of the field. High variance players are your targets. To put it simply, variance is a term that is associated with the volatility in the NFL. A high level of variance means higher unpredictability. In comparison, lower variance means the player or team is more reliable or predictable.

In 50/50 contests however, it is typically more lucrative to play low risk players with a consistent track record. Low variance players are more viable targets for you to consider in this format. A player that comes to mind from last season would be Antonio Brown. He averaged just over 8 catches, 100 yards, and 0.8 TD per game throughout the regular season. That’s exactly what you’re looking for in this format, consistency and low variance.

Often, you will see similar lineups in 50/50 games. This is okay. There is no added bonus for being the top scorer in the group. The risk it would take to diversify your lineup to be the top scorer is not worth the gamble in this format. Again, the key to 50/50 games is to minimize risk.

The best advice is to go with you gut. Yes, you can find value at cheaper salaries but it’s important to not get to cute with your lineup choices. You want to maximize the number of targets and touches in your 50/50 lineup first.

Never overspend on a Kicker and Defense. Play matchups with your defense and get a minimum cost kicker you think will be in a high scoring game or in a dome.

Bankroll Management

Strategy aside, once you build your lineup you need to decide what games to join and how much of your bankroll to commit.

If you are looking to play more than one week I would recommend never playing more than 20-25 percent of your bankroll or 10-12 percent for a more conservative player. This is one of the biggest mistakes I see with new players. There are factors in NFL football that no one can control. You need to be able to ride out a bad week or a bad call once in awhile to be successful in the long term.

Game size is also a factor. You can choose from a small field (10, 20, 30 players) to a large field (100-300 players) in 50/50 games. For a beginner you may have more success in the large field 50/50 games. You may catch more inexperienced players in a larger field which increases your odds of finishing in the top half.

Closing Tips

Know who is injured - It sounds simple but you would be surprised how many people end up with players in their lineup that become inactive right before kickoff. Don’t be this person. Be the person that capitalizes on injuries because many people will not alter their lineups for last minute developments. Value can surface late in a week due to injuries especially at the running back position.

Find bargain players - When players are injured you can get the backup for cheap which allows to you to spend in other areas. For example, Alfred Blue became a nice value play last season when Arian Foster was out due to injury. He was a good play not because of his talent, but because you could insert him into your lineup for cheap and reasonably expect a high volume of touches in a very good running game.

Use QB and WR tandems - Also called “stacking”. If a game is likely to be a shootout, why not grab the quarterback and wide receiver (Ex: Peyton Manning & Demaryius Thomas). They are bound to score and when they do it will pay off twice in the touchdown department.

Find favorable matchups, especially when choosing your RB - Matchups are key. You need to be aware of what defense your running back is facing as no matter who they are, an unfavorable matchup can effect how well they perform. You don’t want to pay top dollar for a player who may have a down week due to a poor matchup.

Check the weather - Sounds simple enough but poor weather can kill fantasy numbers, especially if you are relying on a quarterback to have a big day through the air. Same holds true when choosing between a kicker playing outside and a kicker in a dome.