Fantasy golf managers face a loaded U.S. Open board as Jon Rahm, Xander Schauffele, Matt Fitzpatrick and Rory McIlroy headline this week’s picks.
The 2026 U.S. Open fantasy golf board is loaded with star power, strategy and a few fascinating betting angles. With PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf now adding more in-tournament roster flexibility, this week isn’t just about picking the biggest names.
It’s about knowing when to use them, when to save starts and when to trust major-championship form.
That makes this week especially interesting.
Matt Fitzpatrick is getting plenty of attention, and for good reason. The Englishman has already proven he can handle brutal U.S. Open conditions, and his recent form keeps him firmly in the fantasy conversation.
Several experts are leaning into Fitzpatrick as a core play, with some even giving him the captain spot for bonus-point upside.
Jon Rahm is another obvious heavyweight.
The 2021 U.S. Open champion has the profile fantasy managers love in a major ... power, touch, fire and the ability to grind when par becomes a good score.
Rahm showed enough at Aronimink to suggest his game is close, and when he starts sniffing around contention, he usually doesn’t stay quiet for long.
Then there’s Xander Schauffele, who might be the sharpest play on the board.
Somehow, Schauffele still feels slightly overshadowed by the bigger weekly narratives around Scottie Scheffler’s dominance and Rory McIlroy’s major-championship chase.
But Xander’s U.S. Open resume is ridiculous. He’s never finished worse than 14th in this championship, which makes him one of the safest high-end fantasy plays in the field.
McIlroy remains the ultimate swing pick. Even if the setup doesn’t scream Rory, his U.S. Open track record and elite ceiling make him impossible to ignore. In a tournament where talent usually rises by Sunday, McIlroy is a tempting captain choice for anyone willing to be aggressive.
The bench decisions are just as juicy.
Scottie Scheffler, Patrick Reed, Russell Henley, Cameron Young, Tommy Fleetwood and Sam Burns all appear in various expert builds, which shows how deep this field really is.
On the betting side, Justin Rose over Si Woo Kim at plus money stands out as a savvy veteran play. Jackson Koivun and Ben James are intriguing make-the-cut options, while a Rory McIlroy-Jon Rahm top-10 parlay brings big-name upside.
Cameron Smith at top 30 also has value after a T7 at Aronimink.
In other words, this U.S. Open isn’t just about stars. It’s about timing, nerve and not burning the wrong fantasy start too soon.
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