This article is part of our DraftKings Fantasy Soccer series.
Saturday's slate is fairly unique since it features matchups between six of the bottom eight teams in the Premier League table, including all three teams in the relegation zone. The fourth matchup features a difficult trip for Liverpool to Brighton. Liverpool are slight favorites, but without Virgil van Dijk I think they might struggle defensively. The bookmakers agree and the implied goal total for that matchup is around 3.2, while the other matches have implied goal totals around 2.5.
MATCHES (ET)
- 10:00 am: Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Liverpool
- 10:00 am: Everton vs. Southampton
- 10:00 am: Nottingham Forest vs. Leicester City
- 10:00 am: Wolverhampton vs. West Ham United
For detailed stats and odds, check out the
FORWARDS
Morgan Gibbs-White ($8,200, NFO vs. LEI): In their midweek FA cup match, I expected new signing Gustavo Scarpa ($7,900) to take at least half of the set pieces for Nottingham Forest. However, Gibbs-White took corners on both sides of the pitch. I expect a monopoly of set pieces from him playing at home, though as with any team's set pieces, nothing is guaranteed. The other cash-game option is Jarrod Bowen ($8,300), who has a solid floor based on open play, but I prefer Gibbs-White since Bowen no longer takes penalties for West Ham, is away from home and does not have a monopoly of set pieces. I prefer both to Pascal Gross ($8,500), who has been playing in a defensive midfield role for Brighton and may return to right-back with Alexis Mac Allister available again.
Ayoze Perez ($6,600, LEI at NFI): If Marc Albrighton doesn't start, Perez should take corners for Leicester. If Albrighton starts, Perez is still a decent option, though I'd prefer to look to cheaper options. Dwight McNeil ($6,000) is a reasonable option priced nearby, but he is almost always subbed off early. If you want to pay all the way down at your second forward spot, Sekou Mara ($4,300) seems like the best option. He'll probably be subbed off after 60 minutes, but he's averaging four shots per 90 minutes and you are playing him so you can afford better options at other positions.
Given the prices, I expect both Mohamed Salah ($8,800) and Darwin Nunez ($8,700) to be popular in tournaments and even in cash games. New signing Cody Gakpo ($9,500) will probably be less popular since he is more expensive and just settling into the Liverpool XI. Dominic Calvert-Lewin ($4,700) and Hwang Hee-Chan ($3,900) are decent options for a cheap goal.
If common cash-game lineups feature one expensive and one cheap forward, maybe a good tournament tactic is to play two options in the mid-range. There are certainly plenty of options, including Brennan Johnson ($6,300) and Che Adams ($5,800). I mention those two in particular since I think they pair well with their full-back and set-piece taking teammates in GPPs.
MIDFIELDERS
Demarai Gray ($8,400, EVE vs. SOU): Even if McNeil starts, I think I prefer Gray to James Ward-Prowse ($8,900). Ward-Prowse has a monopoly of set pieces, but Gray is slightly cheaper and has more open-play value since Everton are favored at home. You can fit both if you are willing to spend down at your second forward position and that might be the popular cash-game strategy.
The midfield position is full of enticing tournament options priced $6,000 and above and I don't consider Gray or Ward-Prowse as essential in GPPs. Nottingham Forest have one of the worst defensive records in the Premier League, so if Harvey Barnes ($6,200) starts, I think he is a great option. The Liverpool-Brighton matchup has the highest total on the slate, so I think Solomon March ($6,900) and Kaoru Mitoma ($7,300) are worth consideration and will probably be low-rostered, too.
Marc Albrighton ($4,400, LEI at NFO): In Leicester's past two Cup matches, Albrighton has taken all of the corners, even with Youri Tielemans and Perez on the pitch. He doesn't even need set pieces to make value since he seemingly always crosses the ball when it gets to him in open play. If you need to save a bit more at your utility or second midfield spot, Jordan Henderson ($3,200) and Amadou Onana ($3,300) seem fine. They fit the archetype of defensive midfielders who take shots from distance.
DEFENDERS
Trent Alexander-Arnold ($7,000, LIV at BHA): I think you should definitely play at least one Liverpool full-back in cash games and Alexander-Arnold is $200 cheaper than Andrew Robertson ($7,200). Robertson was recently dealing with a hip injury but played 90 minutes against Wolves last weekend. He may be fit, but he is always at risk of being subbed early for Kostas Tsimikas. I wouldn't call them values, but both Renan Lodi ($5,100) and Serge Aurier ($5,700) like to get forward and cross for Forest, so I think they make sense in GPPs.
Kyle Walker-Peters ($4,300, SOU at EVE): Everton have conceded 21 crosses per match this season and Walker-Peters looks like a good value if he starts as a right wing-back. Romain Perraud ($5,000) is more expensive, but he has more upside and averages 1.8 shots per 90 minutes. Continuing with the theme of wing-backs, Nelson Semedo ($3,600) started at right wing-back against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday and logged four crosses and one shot. He seems like a fine play if you can't afford Walker-Peters.
GOALKEEPER
Jordan Pickford ($5,100, EVE vs. SOU): I'm highlighting Pickford since Everton have the highest clean-sheet odds on the slate. That said, every goalkeeper is within $900 of each other and Everton's defense isn't exactly a strength. In a four-game slate with no clear favorite and mostly bottom-of-the-table sides, just play whatever goalkeeper fits and doesn't negatively correlate with the rest of your lineup.
