This article is part of our DraftKings Fantasy Soccer series.
MATCHES (ET)
- 10:00 am: Aston Villa vs. Crystal Palace
- 10:00 am: Fulham vs. Luton Town
- 10:00 am: Manchester United vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
- 10:00 am: Tottenham Hotspur vs. Sheffield United
- 10:00 am: West Ham United vs. Manchester City
For detailed stats and odds, check out the
FORWARDS
Son Heung-Min, TOT vs. SHU ($9,300): Manchester City are favorites on the road to West Ham, so Erling Haaland ($10,000) is certain to be a factor in both cash games and tournaments. His goalscoring odds of -165 are good, but this is not a matchup where he has close to a 50-percent chance to score a brace like last gameweek. He's had a solid floor this season, as well, logging at least four shots in each of his matches. Still, Haaland has some low floor games in his range of outcomes, so while he is a good play, I don't think he is a must in cash games. Son has shown a solid floor in his last three matchups and has great goalscoring odds (-120) himself. Call me a delusional Tottenham fan, but I think Spurs' matchup against Sheffield United at home is better than City's against West Ham.
Eberechi Eze ($9,600) always deserves a shout if Michael Olise doesn't start. Eze continues to take a monopoly of Crystal Palace's set pieces and he's registered at least 11 floor points in all four of his starts. I wouldn't blame you if you preferred Eze to both Haaland and Son in cash games, though Palace's matchup away to Aston Villa is certainly projected to be a much worse game environment. Finally, Phil Foden ($8,200) is favorably priced and should take some set pieces and be a focal point of Mancester City's attack.
Raul Jimenez, FUL vs. LUT ($4,400): There are ways to afford any two of the forwards mentioned above in cash games, but there are also a few viable spend-down options at the forward position. This makes it possible to spend up twice at midfield if you want. Rasmus Hojlund ($4,600) might make his first start for Manchester United against Brighton on Saturday. If he plays, he is underpriced for his goalscoring odds and that match has an eye-popping implied goal total near 3.50. If he doesn't start, I think Raul Jimenez is a strong option.
Jimenez has played at least 80 minutes in his last three league starts for Fulham and a home match against Luton will be one of the best matchups he'll play in all season. Odsonne Edouard ($4,900) is a tournament-only option that pairs well with Eze, and I'm willing to take a shot at Oliver McBurnie ($4,000) in tournament lineups that feature several Tottenham players.
I think popular constructions in GPPs will feature two expensive forwards or one expensive forward along with a cheap option under $5,000. I think these are good lineups, but it presents an opportunity to play some talented forward-eligible players at low rostership in the mid-priced range. I don't think many people are going to play Ollie Watkins ($8,100) or Moussa Diaby ($7,800), but both can hit over 20 fantasy points if they score a goal. Joao Pedro ($6,900) will likely be on penalties for Brighton when he is on the pitch and the Brighton-Manchester United matchup has potential to turn into a shootout.
MIDFIELDERS
James Maddison, TOT vs. SHU ($9,800): Maddison has been taking all of Tottenham's set pieces and has anytime goalscoring odds of +115. He's achieved at least 15 floor points in each of his starts. He's the first name in my cash lineup and he'll probably be in most of my GPP teams.
Bruno Fernandes, MUN vs. BHA ($8,800): Bruno has served as the primary set-piece taker for Manchester United this season, even with teammate Christian Eriksen ($6,000) on the pitch. He also took a penalty while Marcus Rashford was on the pitch. That's a strong role at home in a strong game environment against Brighton. If you are paying down at a forward spot, it's to get up to Bruno.
On the other side of that matchup, Solomon March ($8,300) is a bit expensive for his role. He has ceded most of the set pieces to Pascal Gross ($9,500) to start the season. I'd prefer to save $1,700 in salary and play Kaoru Mitoma ($6,600) instead. I think Mitoma has a similar range of outcomes as March and like the savings if I want to play a Brighton midfielder.
Andreas Pereira, FUL vs. LUT ($5,100): It's been an awkward start to the season for Pereira. He's been dealing with an ankle injury since the preseason, it seems like he's playing a bit deeper in Fulham's 4-3-3 formation and they've had a difficult opening set of fixtures. On the other hand, in limited minutes, he's still taken most of Fulham's set pieces and it's a positive sign he played a full 90 minutes against Manchester City before the international break. There is some risk with Pereira being subbed off early or not being a primary set-piece taker if Willian starts, but I think that risk has already been reflected in the price. The upside case is rostering a majority set-piece taker against likely the worst team in the Premier League. In that case, Pereira is simply too cheap.
For GPPs, Dejan Kulusevski ($6,100) looks like a great play on the wing for Spurs, as he's played at least 85 minutes in each of his starts this season. I remain a sucker for playing John McGinn ($4,200), as well. He has been operating in a more attacking role for Aston Villa and he has also been taking a few set pieces. It's difficult to find someone with McGinn's goalscoring upside in this price range that is normally populated by defensive midfielders.
DEFENDERS
Lucas Digne, AVL vs. CRY ($5,300): Digne has had a great start to the season, logging at least 12 fantasy points in each of his starts. He's been taking half of Villa's corners and crosses plenty from open play. He's gotten at least eight crosses in three of his four starts. I think Digne is underpriced and a priority in cash games. Pedro Porro ($6,400) recorded an assist last gameweek, but without set pieces, he is still a bit too expensive. I'm not sure how many lineups will pay up twice at defender, so I am interested in rostering Porro in GPPs. Even if the floor is unreliable, he is a shot-happy attacking full-back capable of putting up big fantasy performances.
Antonee Robinson, FUL vs. LUT ($3,900): I thought Fulham's full-backs would be more expensive given the matchup against Luton Town, but both Kenny Tete ($4,800) and Robinson are plenty affordable. Both averaged just under four crosses per 90 minutes last season in Premier League matches and given Fulham's difficult schedule to open the season, I don't think their 2023 game logs are indicative of their floors in this matchup. Robinson is certainly the priority ahead of Tete due to price and the fact that Tete has been subbed early twice this season. Joel Veltman ($3,000) is a good value if he starts at right-back for Brighton. He's not the most attacking player but has put in good performances as a full-back in the past and he doesn't have to do much to pay off this price.
GOALKEEPER
Bernd Leno, FUL vs. LUT ($5,500): Fulham have an implied probability of 40-percent to keep a clean sheet and Luton Town have struggled to score this season, so Leno seems like a solid option at goalkeeper. I'm willing to spend down at goalkeeper to improve other lineup spots. Opposing goalkeepers against Spurs are averaging just under five saves per game, so Wes Foderingham ($3,600) could get to a respectable fantasy total even if Sheffield United concede a couple goals. Finally, Sam Johnstone ($4,200) seems fine even as an away underdog. I think he'll have opportunities for saves and he's a safer option since the Aston Villa-Crystal Palace matchup has one of the lower implied goal totals of the slate.
