DraftKings Fantasy Soccer: Tuesday Bundesliga Picks

MATCHES (EDT)

• 2:30 pm: SC Freiburg vs. Hertha BSC Berlin
• 2:30 pm: Union Berlin vs. SC Paderborn
• 2:30 pm: Werder Bremen vs. Bayern Munich

For detailed stats and odds, check out the

DraftKings Fantasy Soccer: Tuesday Bundesliga Cheat Sheet

The Chalk

Joshua Kimmich, BAY at SVW ($7,800): For all the times we saw Kimmich as a $6,000 defender and said "I'd play him if he was an $8,000 midfielder," well, it's time to put our money where our mouths were. Kimmich has finally been moved to midfield because he's consistently playing as a defensive midfielder, but it's done little to affect his extremely high floor, especially because he takes almost all of Bayern Munich's set pieces. That position makes him extremely valuable for cash games, with Bayern the biggest favorite on the slate with the highest implied goal total, and they can win the Bundesliga title with three points. As if set pieces for Bayern wasn't enough, Kimmich is facing a Werder Bremen side that's allowed the most crosses and second-most chances created in the Bundesliga this season, which will easily make him the highest-owned player in cash games and very highly owned in GPPs.

Christian Gunter, SCF v. BSC ($6,200): Occupying Kimmich's old spot as the most expensive defender on the slate, Gunter is still likely to be highly owned in cash games because of his excellent crossing floor, one that should maintain its level against a Hertha Berlin side that's allowed the third-most crosses in the league this season. He's coming off a very poor game against Wolfsburg when he scored only 4.4 fantasy points in 77 minutes thanks to only five crosses and one chance created, but with Freiburg favored at home and some questionable floor plays on the slate, Gunter will certainly be popular, even as he continues to share set pieces with Vincenzo Grifo ($8,700, midfielder/forward).

Christopher Antwi-Adjei, SCP at FCU ($5,900): Antwi-Adjei lost out on some set pieces last weekend despite Kai Proger ($7,100, midfielder/forward) being on the bench, as Antony Evans ($4,400) took four of the 11 opportunities while Marlon Ritter ($3,800, forward) took four in 45 minutes off the bench. The Paderborn lineup could be heavily rotated since they continue to sit 18th in the table, eight points adrift of 17th, but Antwi-Adjei will be popular if the set pieces appear to be in his favor. Then again, Ritter will absolutely be owned if he gets a start, as you almost never get a potential set-piece taker in a forward spot for less than $4,000. It's certainly possible that Proger makes his way back in, but Ritter's ownership will be high for all contest types if he starts because of a presumed decent floor and the excellent salary savings.

FORWARDS

Robert Lewandowski, BAY at SVW ($11,200): Lewandowski is the most expensive player on the slate, but he also leads the line for the biggest favorite with the highest implied goal total, which has given him -315 odds to score on DraftKings Sportsbook (he's +175 to score at least two). There's certainly a justification for jamming in as much Bayern as possible, though Lewandowski makes that a bit tough given his high salary. In fact, it's high enough that some people will surely turn to Thomas Muller ($10,500), who has one goal and four assists in the last four games (Borussia Dortmund kept him off the score-sheet), or Kingsley Coman ($8,400), though the latter always gets subbed relatively early and doesn't score goals or get assists nearly enough. If anything, people will use a midfield spot on Serge Gnabry ($9,700), which presumably lowers Coman's ownership, which is really the best reason to consider him in Bayern stacks.

Sebastian Andersson, FCU v. SCP ($8,000): Bayern Munich may be overwhelming favorites with a high implied goal total, but Union Berlin are facing the worst team in the league, with Andersson leading the line. He has the highest anytime goal scorer odds on the slate among players not from Bayern Munich, and he's actually slightly ahead of Muller (+105 to +110). He obviously shouldn't sniff a cash lineup, especially at the price, but Andersson makes for a solid pivot away from Bayern in tournaments, which could really pay off if he can match Lewandowski or Muller, who are considerably more expensive. I also wouldn't shy away from Matheus Cunha ($9,000), who faces a Freiburg defense that's allowed the most shots and second-most shots on goal in the Bundesliga this season.

MIDFIELDERS

Christopher Trimmel, FCU v. SCP ($9,000): Trimmel is quite expensive, but it's also pretty much the going rate for a player basically guaranteed for 10 fantasy points while playing against the last-place team in the league. His price is probably the only thing that will make people hesitate in rostering him, especially because there are some Bayern Munich pieces you can have instead, but none of them have the floor of Trimmel, who faces a Paderborn defense that has allowed the most goals, most assists, fifth-most shots, fifth-most chances created and seventh-most crosses in the league.

Leon Goretzka, BAY at SVW ($7,500): Yes, another Bayern guy. Goretzka has been in excellent form of late, with two goals and one assist in his last two games, and he's dipped below 8.2 fantasy points just once in his last eight Bundesliga appearances. Gnabry will get more attention because he has the second-highest anytime goal scorer odds on the slate, but Goretzka can at least match him with one goal, and he's considerably cheaper. The floor play in the range is probably Vladimir Darida ($6,800), who continues to take set pieces for Hertha Berlin and faces a Freiburg side that's allowed the most chances and fourth-most crosses in the Bundesliga this season. And if you need more value, Paderborn's Evans will surely be popular if he starts, while Union Berlin's Yunus Malli ($4,200) continues to make value thanks to a smattering of fouls drawn, crosses and shots. He also seems much safer as a home favorite as opposed to someone like Milot Rashica ($5,700, midfielder/forward) or Leonardo Bittencourt ($5,200), who are facing Bayern.

DEFENDERS

David Alaba, BAY at SVW ($4,400): Oh yeah, another Bayern guy. Alaba's price feels a bit high for a center-back, especially one that isn't a target on set pieces and has taken just 18 shots all season, but we're really more interested in his decent floor of around four or five points plus the clean sheet bonus. There's not much excitement in rostering a guy because of his 80+ accurate passes and hopefully a tackle or two won, but the Bayern clean sheet shouldn't be ignored, as not only are they heavily favored, they're facing a Werder Bremen side that has just nine goals in 15 home matches this season, getting shut out there nine times. Consideration for Alaba at his price theoretically puts Jerome Boateng ($3,200) in play too, especially after scoring 4.9 and 3.2 fantasy points in each of the past two games without a clean sheet.

Ken Reichel, FCU v. SCP ($3,000): Reichel didn't exactly pay off last weekend against FC Koln, scoring just 1.6 fantasy points at a $2,500 salary thanks to three fouls committed, but he's worth another try if he starts at left-back Tuesday, mostly because of the price. Trimmel is likely to cross a ton from the other side, but Union Berlin are playing the worst team in the league, and Reichel's low price and potential for moving up will be helpful for those really looking to pay up elsewhere.

GOALKEEPER

Manuel Neuer, BAY at SVW ($5,900): Paying up at goalkeeper is always a risky proposition, but I think there's a case for Neuer as a hedge against Lewandowski, or really any of the Bayern goal scorers. The win and clean sheet will give Neuer 10 fantasy points, and even though Werder Bremen are the third-lowest scoring team in the league, including those nine home goals, they've actually forced the 10th-most saves, presumably giving Neuer a few extra points in addition to his bonuses. In fact, Neuer even averages almost 35 completed passes per game, which only helps his floor (though only slightly, I admit). The only thing Neuer can't do is concede, and if he's able to hold onto the clean sheet, he should be competitive in terms of scores with the Bayern attackers unless one specifically goes off, and it probably only hurts the most, in terms of ownership, if it's Lewandowski.