With the British Open just over the horizon, the 2021 John Deere Classic will offer some lesser-known players a great chance to break through when it tees off Thursday at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill.

William Hill Sportsbook lists Daniel Berger as the 9-1 favorite in its latest 2021 John Deere Classic odds, followed by Brian Harman at 14-1 and Sungjae Im at 16-1. Before you lock in any of your Fantasy golf rankings or bet the 2021 John Deere Classic, you MUST see data scientist Rick Gehman's power rankings.

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 13 outright winners in the past 18 months and four 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 Rocket Mortgage Classic, eight of Gehman's selections finished in the top 15, including Cam Davis and Joaquin Niemann. Both went 18 under along with Troy Merritt to make a three-way playoff!

"Detroit Golf Club should benefit Davis, who can bomb it without regard for accuracy," Gehman said before last week's event. "This should be one of the better set-ups on tour for him."

The result? The 26-year-old chipped in for eagle on 17 and birdied 18 to seize a spot in the sudden-death playoff. Then, Davis outlasted Merritt through five playoff holes to win his first PGA Tour title. 

Gehman has been on fire all season. At the Travelers Championship, six of Gehman's top 15 selections finished in the top 20, including three in the top five. And at the U.S. Open, 10 of his top 11 selections finishing in the top 20, with only Bryson DeChambeau failing to do so despite leaning at the turn on Sunday. Anyone who has followed his advice has cashed in HUGE!

Now, Gehman has ranked his top 30 golfers for the 2021 John Deere Classic. We can tell you he's backing Berger, who is clearly the class of this field and has the all-around game to get his fifth career victory. Berger was fifth at Deere Run in 2017 and has shot 69 or better, including a 63, in seven of his eight rounds there.

On the other hand, Gehman is fading Russell Henley, who is among the favorites but has struggled on Sunday in his past two outings. He was a runner-up in Silvis in 2019, but his game has been erratic this season and there are several other players who merit a spot in your Fantasy golf picks. Henley doesn't crack Gehman's top five. 

The golf analyst is backing a HUGE long-shot who come in at around 50-1! This player has quietly posted a pair of top-10 finishes recently, and he should surge up the leaderboard against the weaker pre-major field. You ABSOLUTELY need to see who it is and see Gehman's expert analysis before you bet the 2021 John Deere Classic or enter any Fantasy golf picks.

Who wins the 2021 John Deere Classic? Which long shots should you be all over in your Fantasy golf rankings? ... Join SportsLine now to get Rick Gehman's Fantasy golf power rankings for the 2021 John Deere Classic, all from the data scientist whose models have produced four outright winners this season!