DKNetwork Logo DKNetwork Logo
UFC Picks: Top DraftKings DFS Fantasy MMA Targets, Values for Allen vs. Costa

UFC Picks: Top DraftKings DFS Fantasy MMA Targets, Values for Allen vs. Costa

Published:

By: Ryan Wohl

After a successful UFC 328 event in Newark, New Jersey, the promotion returns to its home base, the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. This week’s UFC Fight Night is headlined by a top-15 Featherweight matchup between No. 7 Arnold Allen vs. No. 12 Melquizael Costa.

Set your DraftKings fantasy MMA lineups here: UFC $300K Throwdown [$100K to 1st]

Check out my favorite fighters to add to your daily fantasy lineup for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night event below.


Studs

Malcolm Wellmaker ($9,200)

At UFC 322 in November 2025, Malcolm Wellmaker’s undefeated record came to an end when he suffered his first career loss to Ethyn Ewing. Before that, Wellmaker was 10-0 with eight finishes. Wellmaker is facing Juan Diaz, who is making his UFC debut after earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in October 2025.

In his first two fights, Wellmaker scored 102 and 110 fantasy points. In this contest, Wellmaker has the height (5’10” vs. 5’8″) and reach (71″ vs. 69″) advantage over Diaz. Wellmaker last fought Ewing on less than a week’s notice, giving him little time to prepare.

With a full training camp and coming off a loss, Wellmaker should be fired up for this contest. Since Wellmaker has the size advantage in this fight, he should be able to enter as the aggressor, pushing Diaz backward. Although Wellmaker is the most expensive fighter on this card ($9,200), he is well worth it because, at his best, he is hard to beat. 

Daniel Santos ($8,400)

Daniel Santos has won four straight fights and looks to add veteran Dooho Choi to his resume. Choi is on a two-fight winning streak, but hasn’t fought since December 2024. Choi has the height (5’10” vs. 5’7″) and reach (70″ vs. 67″) advantage in this contest. Since he is coming off a significant layoff, Santos should be able to capitalize.

Over his last four fights, Santos has been producing at an elite level. He has scored 106-plus fantasy points and is coming off a 98-point performance against JooSang Yoo at UFC 320. A big part of his success in that span has been displaying his power, as two of his last four wins have come by knockout.

On the feet, Santos averages 0.9 more significant strikes per minute, but Choi is more accurate (56% vs. 40%). Santos is also more active on the ground, totaling 3.01 takedowns per 15 minutes, compared to Choi’s 1.43. Since Choi has only a 47 percent takedown defensive rate, it should be an area for Santos to exploit. At $8,400, Santos has tremendous upside, and if he continues to show his versatile arsenal, he could be a contest-winning fighter.

Value Play

Melquizael Costa ($7,600)

Melquizael Costa has won six consecutive fights, with four of them coming by finish. In his previous bout, Costa beat Dan Ige by first-round knockout. Now, Costa will look to increase his winning streak against Arnold Allen. 11-year UFC veteran Allen is 1-3 in his previous four contests, with his last win coming against Giga Chikadze in July 2024.

In this fight, Costa is two inches taller (5’10” vs. 5’8″) and has a slightly longer standing reach (71″ vs. 70″). Costa is the better all-around fighter, averaging more significant strikes per minute (4.38 vs. 3.47) and more takedowns per 15 minutes (2.00 vs. 0.86).

Costa has been an elite fantasy contributor recently, scoring at least 100 points in four of his previous five fights. When Costa enters a fight confident and aggressive, he is dangerous for any opponent in front of him. He has a more complete skillset than Allen and should be able to break him down on the feet and on the ground.

Set your DraftKings fantasy MMA lineups here: UFC $300K Throwdown [$100K to 1st]

I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skills and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.