This article is part of our DraftKings Fantasy Soccer series.
The second set of games in the Round of 16 is Sunday with two of the better teams in the competition set up as solid favorites in France and England. We will see if Poland or Senegal can pull off a stunner, but I fully expect both favorites to advance to the quarter-finals based on what we've seen to this point.
MATCHES (ET)
- 10:00 am: France vs. Poland
- 2:00 pm: England vs. Senegal
For detailed stats and odds, check out the
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FORWARDS
Harry Kane, ENG vs. SEN ($8,000): I will preface this with the fact that Kane probably isn't one of my first looks for cash games, but at this price you have to be interested in tournaments. He hasn't been at his best going scoreless in the group stage, but he did add in three assists. He has the second-highest goalscoring odds on the slate, only behind Mbappe. The only other forward eligible projected starter for England is Raheem Sterling ($7,000) who makes a strong pivot.
Kylian Mbappe, FRA vs. POL ($10,700): With the pricing on this slate I don't see much way around Mbappe. All of the top-priced guys are cheaper than usual with the limited teams and low-priced options to choose from. France are in a match they should dominate possession and Mbappe has a strong floor to go with his massive upside. Antoine Griezmann ($9,200), Ousmane Dembele ($7,600) and Olivier Giroud ($8,800) all make strong stacking options for France. Giroud is the most likely goal scorer, while Griezmann has most sets in a sometimes split with Mbappe. Mbappe took five sets in the opening match and then none in the next two.
GPP options for the underdogs include Robert Lewandowski ($6,600) at a fair price against a France defense that has conceded in every game of the tournament. For Senegal you could take a shot on a likely unpopular Boulaye Dia ($6,000).
MIDFIELDERS
Mason Mount, ENG vs. SEN ($4,600): If Mount is in with our projected XI, we could potentially see him jump on a split of set pieces. We haven't seen him take any to this point in the tournament, but Luke Shaw is the only guy in the projected lineup who has taken in the tournament and Mount could take if Kieran Trippier doesn't start. Either way, $4,600 is too cheap for the amount of floor points he can provide. Bukayo Saka ($7,200) is also too cheap for the upside he can provide for England. Jude Bellingham ($5,600) is one of my favorite young players and he is a fantastic GPP play with upside as we've already seen in the World Cup.
Adrien Rabiot, FRA vs. POL ($5,400): This is a great price for Rabiot who has major upside which we saw against Australia. He has a solid floor and helps us fit some of the higher priced guys for France and England that we like. Pape Gueye ($3,600) should jump on a share of set pieces for Senegal with Idrissa Gueye suspended and he makes for another solid value midfielder.
There are quite a few mid-range to value options in the midfield on this slate which can allow you to pay up at forward and possibly defender. I also don't have to pay up at goalie which will really let us stack up any of our favorite goalscoring options. It is even more important in the knockout rounds to script out these games in your head as you are building lineups. Teams are desperate, so if they fall behind they may even be quicker to sub in the second half to shake things up.
DEFENDERS
Luke Shaw, ENG vs. SEN ($6,100): Shaw should have at least a share of set pieces, as no one else on the team has taken left-sided corners. If he and Trippier ($6,400) start I really like them in a strong matchup with their set-piece responsibility. Theo Hernandez ($5,700) is another strong defender option for France if you're able to pay up for two, which is viable with the value in the midfield.
Ismail Jakobs, SEN vs ENG ($4,300): With Idrissa Gueye suspended for this game, Jakobs should have a share of sets with Pape Gueye ($3,600). Jakobs has shown a strong floor in every game of this tournament and I don't think we see England dominate possession so much that it takes the viability of some Senegal pieces completely out of consideration.
GOALKEEPER
Wojciech Szczesny, POL vs. FRA ($3,600): I think all four teams can score here and I really don't want to play one of the higher priced goalies. Szczesny has high save upside and the hope is that he has five-to-six saves even if he concedes two or three. Hugo Lloris would be my favorite high priced goalie, but I just don't have that much confidence in him keeping a clean sheet.
