There will be plenty of storylines for fans to follow when the 2021 U.S. Open tees off Thursday at Torrey Pines. San Diego native Phil Mickelson is going for the final piece of his career grand slam, while Spanish star Jon Rahm will try to break through for his first major title. Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy will try to break lengthy slumps, but how high should they be in your Fantasy golf rankings? Rahm is the 10-1 favorite in the latest 2021 U.S. Open odds from William Hill Sportsbook, while Johnson is the 16-1 second choice, but should they be among your Fantasy golf picks?

Can big-hitting Bryson DeChambeau (18-1) conquer Torrey Pines and defend his US Open title? Will Johnson, Thomas or McIlroy prove their worth and give you the best chance to dominate your 2021 U.S. Open Fantasy golf picks? Before you make any 2021 US Open Fantasy golf picks, you really need to see the latest Fantasy golf rankings from data scientist Rick Gehman. 

With his expansive database of golf statistics, course data, and betting odds, Gehman creates advanced models and back-tests them constantly. These models have produced 12 outright winners in the past 18 months and three this season, including Viktor Hovland at 25-1 at the Mayakoba Golf Classic and Daniel Berger at 20-1 at Pebble Beach. 

At last week's Palmetto Championship, despite a weak field leading into this major championship, three of Gehman's top four golfers made the top 10. At the Memorial Tournament the previous week, eight of his picks finished among the top 20 and four were inside the top 10. 

Those picks at the Memorial included Patrick Cantlay and Collin Morikawa, who wound up in a playoff, with Cantlay prevailing on the first hole. The golf expert pegged Jon Rahm for a top-three finish and he held a six-shot lead through 54 holes, only to be forced to withdraw from the tournament after learning of a positive test for COVID-19.

Gehman has been on fire all season. At the AT&T Byron Nelson, three of his top seven golfers finished in the top 10, including runner-up Sam Burns. At the Masters, three of his top eight made the top five, and at Pebble Beach earlier in the season, three of his top four had top-five finishes. Anyone who has followed his advice has cashed in huge.

Now, Gehman, co-host of "The First Cut" podcast on CBS Sports, has revealed his top 30 players for the U.S. Open 2021. Be sure to head over to SportsLine so you can cash in big with your Fantasy golf picks. 

2021 U.S. Open Fantasy golf picks

This week, Gehman is going all-in on Rahm, who dominated while trying to defend his Memorial title two weeks ago. The Spaniard was the top-ranked player in the world less than a year ago, and the current No. 3 could make another push to get there soon. He has clearly been among the best on tour this year, leading in scoring average (69.768) and ranking fifth in greens in regulation (71.25 percent). He has been in the top 25 in 13 of his 17 starts, with 10 finishes in the top 10. He tied for eighth at the PGA Championship and has fired four straight rounds in the 60s, including a 64.

The golf expert isn't as high on Brooks Koepka and is fading him this week. A missed cut at Congaree doesn't bode well, though the two-time Open champion did gain strokes on approach and off the tee. He was having a roller-coaster season even before having major knee surgery before the Masters in April and has missed the cut in six of his 13 events. He was a surprise runner-up at the PGA Championship last month, and the 31-year-old's determination in major championships is legendary, but Gehman sees several other options with more value in the US Open 2021 field.

How to set your 2021 U.S. Open Fantasy golf rankings

This week, the golf analyst is backing a massive long-shot who comes in at well over 60-1. This veteran has been tackling the toughest courses with relative ease for more than a year and comes off a strong finish in his last outing. He could pull off a shocking result in San Diego. You should see who it is, and what else Gehman is saying, before you make any 2021 US Open bets or finalize your 2021 U.S. Open fantasy golf strategy.

Who wins the 2021 U.S. Open? Who are the top players to target in your Fantasy golf rankings? And which overlooked players can help you win your league this week? Visit SportsLine now to get Rick Gehman's Fantasy golf rankings for the 2021 U.S. Open, all from the data scientist who's called 12 outright winners in the past 18 months.