2022 Valspar Championship golf odds, Fantasy rankings: Player predictions for your PGA Tour picks from golf expert

Sam Burns will attempt to defend his first PGA Tour title starting Thursday, when the 2022 Valspar Championship tees off on Innisbrook Resort's Copperhead Course. The track in Palm Harbor, Fla., is a favorite of PGA Tour players, and five of the top 10 players in the world are scheduled to compete. No. 2 Collin Morikawa is set to make his Valspar Chamionship debut, while No. 3 Viktor Hovland tied for third last year.

Justin Thomas is the 10-1 favorite in the latest 2022 Valspar Championship odds from Caesars Sportsbook, followed closely by Hovland and Morikawa at 11-1. Among the other big-name players in the Vaspar Championship field expected to compete are Dustin Johnson (16-1), Xander Schauffele (22-1) and Louis Oosthuizen (22-1). Before you bet this PGA Tour event or lock in any Fantasy golf rankings for the 2022 Valspar Championship, you HAVE TO see what fantasy expert Riley Gates has to say.

Gates is a writer for 247Sports and has covered a range of sports for nearly five years. He has followed golf closely for much longer and has a profound knowledge of the sport. He also knows what it takes to win, on the course and in fantasy sports.  

Gates has been on fire all season, and nine of his top 10 picks finished in the top 20 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. They included winner Scottie Scheffler and runners-up Viktor Hovland and Tyrrell Hatton. At the Honda Classic, eight of his picks finished in the top 16. 

Gates also was on the money at Phoenix, where his five top selections all ended up in the top 10. He also NAILED his picks at the Sentry, with four of his top seven picks posting top-five finishes, and he duplicated that at the Hero World Challenge. Anyone who has followed Gates is WAY UP! 

Now, the expert has ranked his top 20 golfers for the 2022 Valspar Championship, and you'll really want to see who he is backing. 

We can tell you that Gates is strongly backing Hovland, saying the Norwegian star "finally gets it done this weekend." Hovland made a run at Sawgrass before finishing in a tie for ninth for his fourth top-10 in eight events this season. He also has two top-fives in Europe, including a win in Dubai, over the past two months. Gates is firmly behind him and is recommending you lock him in for your Fantasy golf picks.    

SHOCKINGLY, the expert is fading Schauffele, who is among the favorites but barely cracks the expert's top 10! The world's seventh-ranked player has just one top 10 in seven events this season and missed the cut at the Players. He seems to be in a funk, and Gates has numerous players you should consider instead for your Fantasy golf picks this week!

Among those options is a long-shot player who comes in at more than 30-1! Gates says this international player hasn't been shooting too many low rounds, but he seems to be improving. "I believe he can get there this weekend," the expert says, and he sees this golfer as a must-play for your Fantasy golf picks! You ABSOLUTELY need to see who it is and check out Gates' top picks before you bet the 2022 Valspar Championship or enter any Fantasy golf picks.

Who wins the 2022 Valspar Championship this week at Innisbrook Resort? Which overlooked golfer should you be all over in your Fantasy golf rankings? ... Join SportsLine now to get Riley Gates' Fantasy golf power rankings for the 2022 Valspar Championship, all from the fantasy expert who has been rolling on his Fantasy golf picks!