In DFS Hero, Min Uniques refers to the minimum number of unique players between any two lineups in your portfolio. For example, if you set Min Uniques to 3, any two lineups will have at least three players that differ from each other. This feature is key to diversifying your lineups and reducing the chances of a total loss on a slate if certain assumptions or plays don’t go as expected.
Here’s why Min Uniques are important in DFS Hero:
1. Diversification: GPP tournaments are heavily top-weighted, meaning most of the prize money goes to the top spots. If your lineups are too similar, and the game script you’re banking on fails, your entire portfolio can crash. Min Uniques ensures that your lineups are spread out across different game strategies, increasing the chances that at least some of your lineups will succeed even if others don’t.
2. Reducing Lineup Fragility: Every projection or simulation in DFS Hero is built on assumptions (e.g., how much time a player will be on the field or their expected usage). When all of your lineups are too similar, they rely on the same assumptions. If those assumptions are wrong, you risk “bricking” your entire set of lineups. Increasing Min Uniques spreads your portfolio across different outcomes, making it more resilient to mistakes or unexpected events.
3. Avoid Over-Correlation: In the past, DFS players often used to build lineups around core players and make small variations. But with DFS Hero’s advanced tools, you can now generate a wide range of competitive lineups. Using Min Uniques ensures you don’t overly rely on just a few players, improving your overall chances of success.
The Cost of Min Uniques
While increasing Min Uniques improves diversification, it comes with a trade-off. As you diversify, you might see a slight decrease in the overall quality of your lineups because you’re spreading your exposures thinner, which could lower their projected scores or win probabilities.
How to Use Min Uniques Effectively on DFS Hero
• Gradual Adjustment: Start by slowly increasing your Min Uniques setting and monitor how it affects your lineup quality metrics, such as your projected points. Incrementing by one at a time is a good approach.
• Look for Drop-Offs: As you increase Min Uniques, there will eventually be a point where the quality of your lineups drops significantly. This is the point where your diversification starts to harm lineup strength. Once you reach this point, scale back by one or two increments to find the perfect balance between diversification and lineup quality.
In short, Min Uniques on DFS Hero helps you mitigate risk, improve lineup diversification, and avoid over-reliance on key assumptions. It’s a powerful feature for avoiding bricking slates and ensuring that your lineups have exposure to a variety of possible game outcomes. Balancing it correctly will help you maximize your chances of success across all your lineups.