This article is part of our DraftKings Fantasy Soccer series.
MATCHES (ET)
- 10:00 am: Aston Villa vs. Tottenham Hotspur
- 10:00 am: Chelsea vs. Nottingham Forest
- 10:00 am: Crystal Palace vs. AFC Bournemouth
- 10:00 am: Manchester United vs. Wolverhampton
- 10:00 am: Southampton vs. Fulham
For detailed stats and odds, check out the
FORWARDS
Eberechi Eze (CRY vs. BOU, $8,700): Crystal Palace have a strong home matchup hosting Bournemouth. The Cherries have improved later in the season, but they allowed three goals to a listless Chelsea side at home last weekend and this should be a good spot to use attacking players on Palace. Eze has been taking a few corners and direct free kicks for Palace since Roy Hodgson took over and he also took a penalty while Wilfried Zaha ($8,000) was on the pitch two matches ago. You don't have to spend up at forward in cash games, but if you do, I think Eze is the best choice.
Aleksandar Mitrovic (FUL at SOU, $6,500): Fulham are coming off a midweek five-goal performance against Leicester City and they will receive a boost this weekend with the return of the suspended Mitrovic. He was productive for fantasy early in the season due to his goalscoring form and floor points based on a large volume of shots, but he tailed off as he struggled with injury after the World Cup break. He is underpriced for his goalscoring odds of +120 and I think he should have opportunities against a desperate Southampton side that are almost certain to be relegated.
In his Friday press conference, manager Erik ten Hag said that Marcus Rashford ($9,400) was a doubt to start over the weekend. This may open an opportunity for Anthony Martial ($6,300), who is $3,000 cheaper at the cost of slightly worse goalscoring odds. I prefer Mitrovic to Martial, who is often subbed early and has a worse floor, but you could possibly play both in cash games. There's also a chance Wout Weghorst ($4,200) starts if Rashford is out. He has solid goalscoring odds since United are favorites, but he feels like a trap and will likely be subbed at the 60-minute mark.
Noni Madueke (CHE vs. NFO, $6,900): Chelsea have been a disaster under Frank Lampard, but a home match against Nottingham Forest is one of the best spots of the season. Madueke doesn't take set pieces, but he is an attacking winger that should play 75 minutes. The angle here is hoping that Madueke hits an eight-point floor from open-play statistics and a solid percentage of the time he should contribute a goal or assist in this spot.
For tournaments, I haven't mentioned Willian ($9,600), who is expensive but has been splitting set pieces for Fulham. He is in a pay-up-to-be-contrarian spot and I think he is capable of 20-plus fantasy points with just one goal. I've been taking shots on Bournemouth for the past month in GPPs and I think I will continue to do so this week. I don't think many people are going to get to a $7,000 Dominic Solanke, and Dango Ouattara ($6,400) is good value for his open-play floor and upside. Finally, we should get lower than usual rostership on Harry Kane ($9,200). Spurs' matchup against Villa is tricky, but he is positively correlated with a certain-to-be chalky Pedro Porro and Kane is capable of a brace against any team in the Premier League.
MIDFIELDERS
Bruno Fernandes (MUN vs. WOL, $9,700): Bruno remains the primary set-piece taker for United, even with the return of Christian Eriksen ($5,400) to the starting lineup. While the set piece situation could randomly change, I think he easily projects for a 12-to-14 point floor against Wolves, and if Rashford is out, Bruno will most likely take penalties. Maybe he has a slightly inconsistent floor, but I still think he is one of the best options on the slate.
Michael Olise (CRY vs. BOU, $9,300): There are two other expensive set-piece takers available in Olise and James Ward-Prowse ($9,000). I think Olise and Bruno are much better than Ward-Prowse and I certainly understand if you prefer Olise to Bruno. He takes most of Palace's corners and he has averaged an impressive 7.7 crosses and 2.2 shots assisted per 90 minutes this season. It will be a difficult decision to weigh Olise's steadier floor against Bruno's slightly better goal equity in cash games, and I think you can only afford to play one of them.
Tom Cairney (SOU vs. FUL, $4,500): Cairney has found his way into the Fulham squad due to injuries, and he has been taking a few set pieces, as well. I think he is fine as a second midfielder in cash games, but I wouldn't count on a brace like he had recently against Leicester. I'm not sure if John McGinn ($5,300) starts as a right-sided midfielder, but I prefer him to Cairney if he is in an attacking position. It's an additional boost that he takes a few corners when he is in an attacking role.
Mykhailo Mudryk ($5,700) might take most of Chelsea's set pieces given their current injury injuries. There is too much uncertainty to bank on this for cash games, but if we knew he was taking set pieces, he would be underpriced in this matchup. For this reason, I think he makes an excellent GPP target.
DEFENDERS
Pedro Porro (TOT at AVL, $6,600): Porro has been operating as a set-piece monopolist under caretaker manager Ryan Mason. He crosses plenty as a wing-back and shoots once or twice per match, as well. I think he is underpriced at $6,600 and I will probably play him in cash and every one of my GPP lineups.
Luke Shaw (MUN vs. WOL, $5,500): Raphael Varane ($2,700) is fit to play after a spell on the sidelines due to injury and this could potentially move Shaw to left-back. His recent fantasy performances have been muted while he has played as a center-back, but I think he'll have the opportunity to take more corners, cross and shoot in a great home matchup against Wolves if he starts on the left flank.
Cesar Azpilicueta/Trevoh Chalobah (CHE vs. NFO, $3,400/$3,800): Chelsea have an implied probability of around 43-percent to keep a clean sheet against Nottingham Forest. They should also have most of the possession, so these prices are a bit too cheap for expected starting full-backs Azpilicueta and Chalobah. If Chelsea keep a clean sheet, each could score six fantasy points and it's difficult for me to imagine anyone else in this price range offering that type of range of outcomes.
GOALKEEPER
David de Gea (MUN vs. WOL, $5,800): Given the clean sheet odds of United and Chelsea, it would feel great to be able to afford de Gea or Kepa Arrizabalaga ($5,700). I don't feel like it is a must, though. Both goalkeepers are prone to gaffes and I wouldn't be surprised to see either United or Chelsea allow a goal. I am fine spending all the way down to Jose Sa ($3,700) to improve my other lineup spots. Cheap goalkeepers are always capable of ruining your day, but something like four saves and two goals allowed feels like a reasonable outcome for Sa.
