DraftKings Fantasy Soccer: Boxing Day EPL Picks

MATCHES (EST)

• 10:00 am: AFC Bournemouth vs. Arsenal
• 10:00 am: Aston Villa vs. Norwich City
• 10:00 am: Chelsea vs. Southampton
• 10:00 am: Crystal Palace vs. West Ham United
• 10:00 am: Everton vs. Burnley
• 10:00 am: Sheffield United vs. Watford

For additional odds and stats, check out the 

DraftKings Fantasy Soccer: Boxing Day EPL Cheat Sheet

FORWARDS

Willian, CHE v. SOU ($10,200): Chelsea are the biggest favorite on the slate and Willian continues to take a majority of their set pieces. He showed his solid upside just last weekend when he scored two goals, including one from the penalty spot, on two shots while adding five shots assisted, five crosses and one foul drawn, helping him reach a season-high 35.0 fantasy points. He's always more of a cash play despite the huge game last weekend, with GPP players likely better off focusing on Tammy Abraham ($9,000), who has the highest anytime goal scorer odds on the slate. Christian Pulisic ($8,600) is also a possibility, though his floor isn't as high as Willian's and his upside isn't as likely to be reached as Abraham. We also can't forget about the possibility of Callum Hudson-Odoi ($8,200) starting if manager Frank Lampard rotates during the busy holiday period, and given he usually takes some set pieces when he's on the pitch, he would surely be a cash-game consideration.

Christian Benteke, CRY v. WHU ($5,200): Yes, I'm back with Benteke, who scored 7.3 fantasy points at a $5,100 salary this past weekend and now faces a West Ham side that's conceded the third-most shots on goal among teams on the slate. They pay-down forward options for cash-games is pretty light, though we do have guys like Michail Antonio ($6,200) and Dwight McNeil ($6,400) if you want to pay at least $1,000 more than Benteke, who has the same anytime goal scorer odds as teammate Wilfried Zaha ($7,900) and only slightly below players like Pulisic and Willian. Benteke's floor is pretty dependent on shots, but the matchup isn't hard enough where that should be a big concern, especially at his price.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, ARS at BOU ($8,700): Aubameyang has just one goal and one assist in his last four Premier League starts, and while Arsenal have been struggling, new manager Mikel Arteta figures to open things up offensively. That should only help Aubameyang, who is hardly a cash-game consideration but shouldn't be overlooked in GPPs against a Bournemouth back line that has been decimated by injuries and suspensions. Abraham is the only player on the slate with better anytime goal scorer odds than Aubameyang, who could be joined in the attack by Alexandre Lacazette ($8,400) and Nicolas Pepe ($8,000), who also make solid GPP plays, though Pepe could get some consideration if there is a path to set pieces.

MIDFIELDERS

Jack Grealish, AVL v. NOR ($9,500): Grealish is the second-most expensive player and most expensive midfielder on the slate, a deserved price because of his high floor and ceiling. We saw his upside just last weekend, similar to Willian, as he scored one goal on three shots (all on target) while adding seven shots assisted, four crosses and four fouls drawn. The injury absence of John McGinn (ankle) could give Grealish even more set pieces than he's had recently, and really the only consideration about him is whether his salary fits into an optimal construction because we obviously know his floor and ceiling are high. Rostering Willian and Grealish is a bit tough on the rest of a fantasy lineup salary-wise, and given that there are other solid floor midfielders, Grealish's ownership in cash games may not be as high as his floor would indicate it should be.

Emiliano Buendia, NOR at AVL ($7,400): Buendia is back to his monopoly of set pieces, and he continues to be a great open-play creator. He was excellent last weekend against Wolverhampton, finishing with 21.4 fantasy points without a goal or assist, using nine chances created, seven crosses and five fouls drawn to help get there. A matchup against Aston Villa should be easier, as the fellow promoted side has allowed the most shots, most shots assisted and second-most crosses among teams on the slate. Given the price difference, it won't be surprising when many cash lineups save money by rolling with Buendia instead of Grealish. There are also paths to rostering multiple midfielders in this price range, with West Ham's Robert Snodgrass ($6,100) sticking out because of his role on set pieces in a relatively even matchup away to Crystal Palace.

Will Hughes, WAT at SHU ($4,300): Watford are an absolute mess, but that doesn't mean we can't consider Hughes at his price given that he took nearly all of their free kicks last weekend, helping him to 7.3 fantasy points off a $3,400 salary against Manchester United. We have to pay more this week because Sheffield United are...three spots ahead of Manchester United in the table...hmm. Either way, Hughes will win some tackles to set the foundation for his floor, and if he can continue the set pieces, we should expect some crosses, along with a smattering of shots assisted and maybe shots, any of which would be helpful in cash games at his price.

DEFENDERS

Lucas Digne, EVE v. BUR ($6,500): Digne has gone through a bit of a rough patch, scoring fewer than 5.0 fantasy points in two of his last three games, though his matchup against Burnley on Thursday will be easier than facing Chelsea and Manchester United (away). He is expected to continue splitting set pieces with Gylfi Sigurdsson ($6,800), who doesn't have clean-sheet equity like Digne, the most expensive defender on the slate. Despite the recent struggles, Grealish is the only player on the slate who has scored more floor points than Digne this season, and he figures to be extremely popular in cash games because of his role on corners for the second-biggest favorite on the slate.

Patrick van Aanholt, CRY v. WHU ($4,900): Trap alert! Few things are more predictably infuriating than when chalk van Aanholt completely busts, but we're heading to that this weekend after he took nearly all of Crystal Palace's corners last weekend. Getting a defender who takes set pieces is always a plus in cash games (that's why Digne is always so popular), and getting one below $5,000 for a home favorite is an easy one to target. The Chelsea fullbacks, who are likely to be Reece James ($5,500) and Emerson Palmieri ($5,700), offer more in open play but no set pieces, and while they have more upside as big favorites, many cash-game players are likely to take the salary savings with van Aanholt, who sent in seven crosses and created five chances thanks to his six free kicks (Luka Milivojevic had one) last weekend.

Charlie Taylor, BUR at EVE ($3,700): Taylor got a rare start last weekend, and he managed to score 6.8 floor points in a clean sheet away to Bournemouth. He sent in three crosses and won three fouls, and while his floor isn't overly high, we don't need a whole lot at his salary. Whoever the Burnley fullbacks are will be cheap on Thursday's slate, and while they could be the popular pay-down options, that doesn't necessarily mean they fit into the optimal build for cash games.

GOALKEEPER

Ben Foster, WAT at SHU ($4,200): Foster is coming off a monster performance, scoring 26.1 fantasy points against Manchester United thanks to eight saves in a clean-sheet win. That isn't likely to be repeated Thursday, but we shouldn't ignore that he has clean sheets in two of his last three starts (he allowed two goals to Liverpool at Anfield in between the shutouts), and he now faces a Sheffield United side that's score one or zero goals in three of their last five games.