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An elite field featuring the top 11 players in the Official World Golf Ranking will battle for a first place prize of $2.1 million when play begins in the 2022 Genesis Invitational on Thursday at famed Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif. World No. 1 Jon Rahm headlines the 2022 Genesis Invitational field. He has been installed as the 12-1 betting favorite in the latest Genesis Invitational odds from Caesars Sportsbook. Reigning FedEx Cup champion and 2021 Player of the Year Patrick Cantlay is the 12-1 second choice. He is coming off a runner-up finish in the WM Phoenix Open on Sunday. Two-time major champion Dustin Johnson and world No. 8 Justin Thomas are the co-third choices. 

Play begins at 9:40 a.m. ET Thursday. Before setting your fantasy golf rankings or locking in any 2022 Genesis Invitational picks or bets, you need to check out the fantasy golf projections and lineup advice from SportsLine fantasy expert Riley Gates.

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. In last week's picks for the WM Phoenix Open, nine of Gates' selections finished in the top 14, with his top five all posting top 10 finishes. The previous week, in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, eight of Gates' selections finished in the top 16, with his top three all posting top 10 finishes.

At The American Express, four of his top five selections finished in the top 15, and he nailed his picks at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, with four of his top seven picks posting top five finishes. And at the Hero World Challenge, four of his top seven again finished in the top five. Anyone who has followed Gates is way up.

Now, Gates has ranked his top 20 golfers for the Genesis Invitational 2022. You can only see his fantasy golf rankings and Genesis Invitational picks at SportsLine.

2022 Genesis Invitational fantasy golf expert picks

After studying the 120-player field, Gates is bearish on two-time major champion Dustin Johnson, who is the co-third choice in the Genesis odds, at 16-1. He won the tournament in 2017 and finished second in '14 and '15. Last year he tied for eighth.

But Johnson has waited to get his 2022 season going. He has played just three 72-hole stroke play events since the Tour Championship in September. His best finish is eighth in Saudi Arabia. "I know Johnson is one of the most talented players on Tour, but it is tough to endorse him right now," Gates says.

However, Gates is bullish on Will Zalatoris, who is listed at 25-1 in the odds by Caesars. The 25-year-old from Wake Forest is coming off a solid season in which he earned Rookie of the Year honors. Three weeks ago he narrowly missed earning his first career victory, at the Farmers Insurance Open, where he missed a birdie putt on the 72nd hole and ended up losing in a playoff.

After withdrawing from the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am because of a positive COVID-19 test, Zalatoris enters the Genesis well rested. "After a red-hot January and a brief break in action, everyone's favorite young golfer is back and ready for a win," Gates says. He has Zalatoris ranked in the top 10 of his leaderboard.

How to set your 2022 Genesis Invitational fantasy golf rankings

This week at Riviera, Gates is backing an even bigger long shot than Zalatoris. Gates says this player will be "motivated to another level this weekend" and is a great play for your fantasy golf picks for the 2022 Genesis Invitational. You can find out who it is, and check out all of Gates' top Genesis Invitational fantasy golf picks at SportsLine.

Who wins the Genesis Invitational 2022? Who are the top PGA Tour players to target for your fantasy picks? And which overlooked players can help you win your league this week? Visit SportsLine now to get Riley Gates' fantasy golf rankings for the 2022 Genesis Invitational, all from the fantasy expert with his finger on the pulse of the game, and find out.