How NFL DFS players can use the SimLabs Lineup Generator to improve their game

It’s a new era in DFS where simulation products are changing the way players build their lineups. At FantasyLabs we have always prided ourselves on providing some of the best possible DFS tools, which is why we are excited to introduce our new SimLabs product to FantasyLabs subscribers.

We took the time to build the tool right – in a way that can improve your chances of making money. For a detailed description of how it works and how to use it, see our user guide here.

Of course, like any tool, it is only as useful as the person using it.

SimLabs is an excellent tool for novice DFS players who want to build competitive lineups without a lot of work. It will help level the playing field for new players and address some of the growing pains that have traditionally hampered DFS.

However, if you’re reading this, that may not describe you. You read the articles; You understand context – you are willing to invest the time to excel at DFS. Not only do you want to be competitive; They want to crush the competition and win big prizes.

How can this product improve your game? That’s what I found out over the last few weeks as I tested SimLabs ahead of its public launch – and what we’ll get into below.

Build around stacks

If you’ve played DFS for any length of time, you’ve had this experience many times. You enter a handful of lineups, or 20, or even 150. Your favorite stack is lost, and with it some of your favorite one-off plays, low-owned sleepers, or minimum-pay punts.

You were right about almost everything this week – but somehow you weren’t able to be right about everything in the same lineup. Maybe you had some solid cash wins, but no big results that could make the entire season profitable.

The solution to this problem was the idea behind lineup optimizers, which allow you to build as many lineups as you want with a small group of players. However, even the best optimizers can’t quite manage this. They create semi-random lineups around these players based on various other inputs – primarily projections and/or ownership.

This is where simulations come into play. Instead of randomly assembling pieces, SimLabs simulates the list thousands of times to see which lineups are the most profitable. This gives a far better perspective on the list, as it takes into account what else happened in the scenarios in which your group set off.

For example, if you’re building a lineup around a quarterback with a cheaper price tag, you’re betting on the best players at the position, who will disappoint you relative to their salary. What else needs to (or is likely to) happen in this scenario? These teams’ top receivers also score fewer points, the opposing defense has a surprisingly strong day, or the majority of production came from the ground game – the possibilities are huge.

SimLabs takes all of this into account, while traditional optimizers don’t. Since they are based solely on predictions, they do not take into account all the variables that also play a role in achieving your stack.

The obvious way to use SimLabs for this purpose is to set SimLabs to include the entire team/game stack you want to field. This can include a bring-back from the opposing team or just a team’s quarterback and top pass-catcher.

SimLabs will find out which opposing player (if any) is most likely to be featured in a winning lineup based on a specific grouping.

Of course, it doesn’t just have to be quarterback/pass catcher. Opposite RB1s and WR1s also have a strong correlation, with this pairing appearing in numerous GPP winning lineups recently. The classic RB1/defensive pairing is also an option, or even top receivers from opposing teams to the exclusion of both QBs.

The only limitation is your creativity, as SimLabs easily creates lineups around the poses you want to do in a given week.

Figuring out the final pieces

Another common topic in DFS: the classic 1v1 or 2v2 debate. You’ve been grinning all week and you’re almost there – the perfect lineup. They have seven or eight pieces right now knowledge are right, but can’t quite figure out the final options.

In large GPPs like the Milly Maker, these are critical decisions. The difference between a million dollars in first place and a place outside the top 100 is just a few points some weeks. Maybe it’s a punt tight end you did wrong, or a decision to either spend more on defense with a value running back or spend less on defense to get the best player. Either way, these close calls can make or break your week – and sometimes your season.

This is also where SimLabs comes into play. Just tell the tool to take as much of the product range as you want and let it cook. You get as many possible variations as you need, with ratings based on a range of criteria – all tailored to the field size of the competition you’re entering.

Maybe it’ll give you an idea you’ve never thought of before, or maybe it’ll give you the confidence to trust your gut about the lineup you’ve already been in.

Either way, now you have a finished lineup (or more) and are ready to start making money.

Test your setup

Maybe you’re like me, a hardcore cash game grinder who builds by hand. What value can a high-tech tool like SimLabs bring to us?

This is the dilemma I initially found myself in, but the answer came quickly. The In the Money (ITM) score on SimLabs is a perfect way to test your lineup.

Simply enter most of your lineup (or all but one or two if you’re still undecided).

The ITM value ranges from 0 to 99 and measures how often this lineup hits the cash line. A higher score here means that it ended up “in the money” more often than other lineups in the field. Note that this number may vary depending on the field type of your contest.

While it’s not specifically optimized for cash games, it’s still a good indicator of how solid the lineup is.

Get a strong score? Great, here’s your lineup for this week. Got a bad one? Maybe it’s time to explore the optimizations you’ve been thinking about.

Of course, this is not just limited to cash games. If you are a one-time GPP player, you can use the same process to evaluate your tournament lineups. Especially in high-stakes contests where winning money is a solid (and difficult) goal, it’s helpful to have a second set of “eyes” on your lineup before you hit “submit.”