This article is part of our DraftKings Fantasy Soccer series.
MATCHES (ET)
- 10:00 am: AFC Bournemouth vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
- 10:00 am: Arsenal vs. Nottingham Forest
- 10:00 am: Aston Villa vs. Crystal Palace
- 10:00 am: Everton vs. Brentford
- 10:00 am: Fulham vs. Wolverhampton
For detailed stats and odds, check out the
FORWARDS
Bukayo Saka (ARS vs. NFO, $10,600): Since the midfield and defender position are loaded with good mid-range and value options, I'm looking to spend up at least once at forward. Saka didn't quite look like himself and left early in his most recent club match against Chelsea, but he's had the entire international break to regain his fitness. Arsenal are logging more than 20 shots and eight corners per home match this season, and the Gunners have an implied total above two goals and an implied win probability of 71 percent. Saka has the best floor on the slate, and he's shooting and creating over three chances per 90 minutes played this season.
Reiss Nelson (FUL vs. WOL, $6,700): I don't think there is a clear-cut second option at forward for cash games, but Fulham have a great home matchup against a passive Wolves side. The matchup is good for floor points for Fulham, and they're scoring the third most floor points per game in the league while Wolves are giving up the fifth most floor points. Nelson has cracked Fulham's starting XI and has played over 80 minutes in his two starts before the international break. In those two starts, he's logged seven shots, five shots assisted and eight crosses. He's chipped in with some set pieces after Andreas Pereira has been subbed, as well.
I think Ismaila Sarr ($4,800) and Morgan Rogers ($4,300) are good options if you want to spend down at second forward or even use one as a utility. Sarr is one of Palace's limited options in attack due to injuries and suspensions, so I think his minutes are secure. He has a good-open play floor, but there is risk that Crystal Palace are falling apart this season. Rogers has a slightly worse floor and Villa are not the most fantasy-friendly side, though they are favorites.
Expanding your mind a bit, Matheus Cunha ($9,000) is expensive and not in a great spot on the road to Fulham, but he has great goal equity and at least half of Wolves' set pieces. In GPPs, I like targeting his profile of a great player with a strong role in a bad spot at low rostership.
Gabriel Martinelli is cheap at $7,300, though he is an early-substitute risk, especially as Arsenal's attackers regain fitness. Frequent readers and discord members (https://www.rotowire.com/chat) will be happy to hear that, once again, my projections think Alex Iwobi ($7,400) is a solid tournament play. It's a favorable spot for Fulham and forward don't have as much opportunity cost this weekend.
Finally, before being booed off stage, I'd like to point out that Dominic Calvert-Lewin is only $5,400. Everton are in a good matchup at home to Brentford and Calvert-Lewin's goalscoring odds are +200.
MIDFIELDERS
Midfield is the deepest position and it's crowded with strong, mid-priced options. I don't think there is much separating the players below and all are good options in cash games and GPPs.
Jesper Lindstrom (EVE vs. BRE, $5,600): I'm not sure what Lindstrom has to do for DraftKings to increase his price. He's splitting corners with Dwight McNeil and seems to have preference on direct free kicks, as well. Lindstrom has gone 88 and 90 minutes in his past two starts, logging 19 crosses, six shots and four shots assisted.
Andreas Pereira (FUL vs. WOL, $7,500): I've been sour on Pereira the last few weeks and for good reason. His open-play floor is mediocre and he's been subbed before the 70-minute mark in five of his last seven starts. On the other hand, Pereira played 83 minutes in his most recent start, and his set-piece monopoly is extremely valuable. Wolves are conceding 8.6 set pieces crosses/shots per match this season, so it looks like a favorable spot for Pereira to hit a big set-piece floor.
Marcus Tavernier (BOU vs. BHA, $6,600): Tavernier is a bit of a risky option overall. It's concerning he hasn't started in two of the past three matchups for Bournemouth, and he has two early subs in his past four starts. Brighton are tough opposition, and Bournemouth are only slight favorites at home. However, Bournemouth are top five in the Premier League in shots and crosses attempted, and Tavernier splits set pieces with Lewis Cook ($5,900).
Declan Rice (ARS vs. NFO, $6,000): This is a bargain price for Rice, who will split set pieces with Saka. I'm concerned that Rice's open-play floor gets a downgrade with the return of Martin Odegaard to Arsenal's starting XI. Rice rested during the international break due to a broken toe he played through two weeks ago when he went 71 minutes. Assuming he's more fit than the match at Chelsea, it's reasonable to expect more than 80 minutes in this game.
Youri Tielemans (AVL vs. CRY, $6,200): Tielemans profiles as a similar play to Rice. He won't have an elite open-play floor, but he's moderately active and has a share of set pieces. Aston Villa also have a good home matchup against a struggling Crystal Palace. Tielemans is a good option, but Villa are a clear level below Arsenal this season, so I think Rice is the slightly better option.
If you need a punt at midfield, you could do worse than Jack Hinshelwood ($3,200) if he starts. He should at least have a share of set pieces for Brighton. John McGinn ($3,800) and Leon Bailey ($4,800) profile as solid tournament spend-down options. Emile Smith Rowe ($6,800) and Kaoru Mitoma ($5,800) have brace upside and might go overlooked given the strong options in his price range.
DEFENDERS
Pervis Estupinan (BHA at BOU, $4,800): Estupinan has been taking a share of corners in his appearances this season, and he's coming off of a nine-point floor performance against Manchester City. I'm surprised Estupinan is this cheap. I'm not intimidated by the matchup against Bournemouth and he'd project as a solid value even without set pieces.
Lucas Digne (AVL vs. CRY, $3,900): Normally, I'm an advocate for fading Digne. He is a liability for a substitution at the 70-minute mark, and his open-play floor isn't impressive for a full-back. Now that he's under $4,000, I think he's one of the best values at the defender position. He's too cheap for a split set-piece role against a struggling Crystal Palace side.
Kenny Tete ($4,600) and Antonee Robinson ($5,500) are good options given their strong matchup against Wolves. Tete is shooting 1.5 times per game this season, a strong tally for a full-back. Joel Veltman ($2,700) is a boring option and he accrues his points on fouls drawn and defensive stats. He's viable as a punt, though I don't think you need to do that on this slate. Ashley Young ($4,700) is coming off of an eight-cross performance before the international break. Young has put up good attacking numbers on more passive teams this season, and I think he has potential to do well again against Brentford.
GOALKEEPER
David Raya (ARS vs. NFO, $6,000): I don't think you have to make any major sacrifices to your team to afford Raya. I'm always attempting to spend down at goalkeeper in DraftKings cash games, but I'll happily play the best goalkeeper option when I feel like I have good floor and upside in all of my outfield positions. Dean Henderson ($3,900) looks like a solid spend-down option if your lineup doesn't include any Aston Villa attacking players. Mark Flekken ($4,4000) seems like a good deal, as well. He's playing at home, and the Everton-Brentford matchup is basically a pick'em.
