Debating the Mickelson dilemma

— -- Phil Mickelson isn't just a World Golf Hall of Famer. He's a DFS Hall of Famer, too.

Granted, DFS hasn't been around for much of the 25 years since Mickelson burst onto the scene with his first PGA Tour victory as an amateur. And yes, most great golfers will -- by the nature of the game -- also be great DFS performers.

As anyone who plays DFS keenly understands, a golfer's value isn't based solely on his final result on the leaderboard. We all realize that an even-par round of nine birdies and nine bogeys far outweighs a more consistent round of 18 pars.

All of which perfectly suits Mickelson's style.

Call him a riverboat gambler on the course or just supremely confident in his own abilities, but the unsinkable lefthander has never seen a birdie he didn't think he could make. Even during a down season, he averaged 3.97 birdies per round during the 2014-15 campaign, ranking 14th on the PGA Tour. The season before that, he was 26th. Just before that, he finished first, part of a long line of top-30 finishes in the birdie average category that dates back to 1999.

In DFS terms, we can compare him to Emmitt Smith or LaDainian Tomlinson or Adrian Peterson -- legendary players in their sport whose fantasy value was even greater because of their ability to score.

This is all relevant as Mickelson makes his 2015-16 season debut at this week's CareerBuilder Challenge.

My guess is that most DFS players who see his name at $10,400 in DraftKings this week -- seventh most expensive in the field -- will find themselves in one of two camps. There's the faction that points to Mickelson's winless drought since 2013 and the fact that he's twice the age of some of today's superstars, insisting he's not worth the roster space needed to put him into the lineup. Then there's the faction that will claim he's still the same guy who's made birdies in bunches for years, his average is better than most players' good days and he's well worth taking this week.

Consider me part of that latter group.

His performance at this tournament a year ago is a perfect example of his value.

For the week, Mickelson posted scores of 71-66-68-68 to finish in a share of 24th place. Not awful, obviously, but maybe a bit underwhelming for a guy who should expect to seriously contend here.

Those numbers didn't tell the entire story, though. He opened with four birdies in the first round, then compiled eight, eight and six, respectively, in the next three rounds. His four-day total of 26 birdies ranked tied for first in the field.

That's Mickelson in a microcosm: He won't always contend, but he will have some value, even when he isn't playing his best golf.

Big Draws (Over $8,500)

Phil Mickelson ($10,400). For those of you who skipped the entire intro and came right to the picks, here's a clue: I like Lefty this week.

Jason Dufner ($9,800). The Duf is back. After an uncharacteristic season, he owns ninth-place finishes in his past two starts, sandwiched around a Shark Shootout team victory.

Charles Howell III ($9,100). Some players are just getting started. Chucky Threesticks already has results of 17th, 70th, 10th, 17th, ninth and 13th this season.

Big Fades (Over $8,500)

Ryan Palmer ($11,000). It's not that I dislike Palmer this week -- in fact, fresh off last week's T-13 finish, I sort of like him. But as the fifth-priciest guy in the field, it's hard to justify picking him amongst so many cheaper options.

Billy Horschel ($8,600). Over the past two weeks, I've cautioned about using players who have recently switched equipment companies. New PXG-er Horschel is primed for a nice season, but tread carefully to start.

Medium Draws ($7,000-$8,500)

Graham DeLaet ($8,500). Generous pricing fits him nicely into the "medium" category. Following a T-7 result last week, he's healthy, hitting it well and -- let's face it -- everyone likes rooting for a dude with a beard hanging down to his chest.

Tony Finau ($7,800). Restricted by the tight confines of Waialae last week, Finau should have more room to bomb it in the desert -- and that should result in bunches of birdies.

Jamie Lovemark ($7,200). West Coast kid has always played his best golf in the Pacific time zone. At this price, he's a nice bottom of the roster player this week and should continue in that role for the next few weeks, too.

Medium Fades ($7,000-$8,500)

Zac Blair ($8,200). Everything I wrote about his Utah buddy Finau, but the opposite. I love Blair's moxie, but he'll struggle on some longer courses. The reason for fading him, though, is more about how many others will pick him after last week's title contention. Gotta go against the grain.

Nick Watney ($7,600). Solid name recognition at this price and he's a West Coast guy, but until the result turn around for Watney, I'm steering clear.

Slight Draws (Under $7,000)

Pat Perez ($6,600). Man, it's been seven years since Double-P posted 33-under to win this event. He hasn't won another since, but every year at this tourney, I get a little sentimental and think he'll get the magic back.

Greg Owen ($6,500). Very quietly pulled a top-five finish at the Sony Open, which should make him worth a punt at this price.

Jason Gore ($6,200). He hasn't finished better than 37th, but Gore is 5-for-5 making cuts this season. At this price, that's as much value as you could want.

Slight Fades (Under $7,000)

Geoff Ogilvy ($6,800). His game tends to ebb and flow with the tide. Never quite know which Ogilvy will show up, but based on his three MCs in three starts to begin this season, I'd keep away until he starts, uh, making waves.

Ben Crane ($6,200). Another "name" player who looks like a bargain at this price -- until you check his results over the past year and realize that it takes more than a big name to put some points on the board.