DraftKings Fantasy Soccer: Tuesday UCL Picks

DraftKings Fantasy Soccer: Tuesday UCL Picks

This article is part of our DraftKings Fantasy Soccer series.

MATCHES (EST)

For detailed stats and odds, check out the

DraftKings Fantasy Soccer: Tuesday UCL Cheat Sheet

FORWARDS

Robert Lewandowski, BAY at LAZ ($10,500): Bayern Munich are the biggest favorite on the slate with the highest implied goal total, and no player has higher anytime goal scorer odds than Lewandowski, who comes in having scored in 11 of his last 12 Bundesliga games, accounting for 14 on 49 shots (22 on target) in that span. He is the most expensive player on the slate but will still be popular in cash games and GPPs because of his ceiling and his somewhat solid floor from shots, averaging 4.36, including 2.08 on target, per 90 minutes in Bundesliga play this season. He may be a little goal dependent for some in cash games, but most will quickly overlook that and move on.

Luis Alberto, LAZ v. BAY ($7,000): On the other side of Lewandowski's match is Alberto, who takes a majority of set pieces for Lazio. Granted, he's an underdog, but the Bayern defense has been far from rock solid lately and Lazio are at least at home. However, getting access to Lazio may not be that necessary, and it actually seems like targeting Bayern's Leroy Sane ($7,600) would be the better path, particularly if they can get a few into the back of the net. Sane could be really popular because Kingsley Coman ($9,600) is significantly more

MATCHES (EST)

For detailed stats and odds, check out the

DraftKings Fantasy Soccer: Tuesday UCL Cheat Sheet

FORWARDS

Robert Lewandowski, BAY at LAZ ($10,500): Bayern Munich are the biggest favorite on the slate with the highest implied goal total, and no player has higher anytime goal scorer odds than Lewandowski, who comes in having scored in 11 of his last 12 Bundesliga games, accounting for 14 on 49 shots (22 on target) in that span. He is the most expensive player on the slate but will still be popular in cash games and GPPs because of his ceiling and his somewhat solid floor from shots, averaging 4.36, including 2.08 on target, per 90 minutes in Bundesliga play this season. He may be a little goal dependent for some in cash games, but most will quickly overlook that and move on.

Luis Alberto, LAZ v. BAY ($7,000): On the other side of Lewandowski's match is Alberto, who takes a majority of set pieces for Lazio. Granted, he's an underdog, but the Bayern defense has been far from rock solid lately and Lazio are at least at home. However, getting access to Lazio may not be that necessary, and it actually seems like targeting Bayern's Leroy Sane ($7,600) would be the better path, particularly if they can get a few into the back of the net. Sane could be really popular because Kingsley Coman ($9,600) is significantly more expensive but also close enough to Lewandowski that he could go ignored, making him a very viable differential GPP play.

MIDFIELDERS

Joshua Kimmich, BAY at LAZ ($8,400): The days of Kimmich being a $6,500 defender are over, but that doesn't take away from the fact that he's still one of the best floor scorers in the world. A dominant role on Bayern's set pieces gives him that floor, helping him to a high number of crosses and chances created. He should be the most popular player in cash games, but he could be a decent fade in GPPs if only because he'll be popular there too but probably needs at least an assist to pay off. Then again, he has 10 in 16 Bundesliga appearances (14 starts) this season. There is some cheaper Bayern exposure with someone like Leon Goretzka ($5,600), though he's more likely to be helpful in tournaments than cash games with an occasional goal (he had one off the bench this past weekend) as opposed to any kind of reliable floor.

Koke, ATL v. CHE ($4,000): It's usually tough to get excited about Atletico Madrid players, especially when trying to chase their set pieces, but Koke at least gives us some salary flexibility that we don't get on the other side of this match with Mason Mount ($7,500), who has a solid floor but may not fit in builds that include Lewandowski. Plenty of players have been taking set pieces for Atletico Madrid, but Koke's have been pretty consistent recently, giving him a solid floor from chances created and crosses to go with his usual scattered defensive stats. It's worth noting he's more likely to make the score-sheet with an assist than a goal given that he's taken just six shots in 22 La Liga appearances this season (20 starts), so he may not be the best GPP option if you're looking for high ceiling scores. If anything, pivoting to Saul Niguez ($3,200) may be the better for a random goal, though unfortunately both don't hold a candle to Marcos Llorente ($6,200), who is too pricey for cash games but might be the best Atletico Madrid option for tournaments.

DEFENDERS

Renan Lodi, ATL v. CHE ($4,500): Lodi is likely to be very popular if he starts because he took set pieces this past weekend and is fairly cheap for a defender with that role. He certainly won't have a monopoly, but even a share of set pieces with his defensive work at less than $5,000 is enough for many people to jump on him, especially considering Reece James ($5,400) seems to have taken a step back since Thomas Tuchel took over at Chelsea.

Alphonso Davies, BAY at LAZ ($4,400): Davies is significantly under-priced for the upside he brings, especially in a matchup Bayern are favored in. He has no role on set pieces, but he still has a solid floor from his defensive work and fouls drawn to partner with his upside, making him an extremely viable play.

Marcos Alonso, CHE at ATL ($4,800): I've mostly ignored Chelsea on this slate, partly because I generally don't like players lining up against Atletico Madrid. Mason Mount ($7,500, midfielder) has been their primary set-piece taker recently, but that salary seems a bit high given that it's in line with some of the Bayern attackers. Meanwhile, Alonso has been reborn under Tuchel, providing solid attacking upside with even a couple set pieces. It's a tough matchup, but Alonso could be a solid path to some of the Chelsea attack at a relatively low price.

GOALKEEPER

Manuel Neuer, BAY at LAZ ($5,600): Pepe Reina ($4,000) is the cheapest goalkeeper on the slate, but with the Bayern attackers not being overly expensive, they could be popular, which makes Reina a tough inclusion. Additionally, pricing isn't all that tight, and Neuer is the biggest favorite, so prioritizing him may be a popular strategy in cash games. The Bayern defense hasn't been great lately, so we may have to depend more on saves than a clean sheet, but there's a pretty reasonable path to double-digit fantasy points for Neuer.

Want to Read More?
Subscribe to RotoWire to see the full article.

We reserve some of our best content for our paid subscribers. Plus, if you choose to subscribe you can discuss this article with the author and the rest of the RotoWire community.

Get Instant Access To This Article Get Access To This Article
RotoWire Community
Join Our Subscriber-Only Soccer Chat
Chat with our writers and other RotoWire Soccer fans for all the pre-game info and in-game banter.
Join The Discussion
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andrew M. Laird
Andrew is a former RotoWire contributor. He was the 2017 and 2018 FSWA Soccer Writer of the Year. He is a nine-time FSWA award finalist, including twice for Football Writer of the Year.
DraftKings EPL DFS Preview for Boxing Day: Stocking Full of Tickets
DraftKings EPL DFS Preview for Boxing Day: Stocking Full of Tickets
Premier League Preview: Chelsea vs. Fulham Predictions, Odds, & Notes
Premier League Preview: Chelsea vs. Fulham Predictions, Odds, & Notes
Fantrax Premier League Player Rankings: Gameweek 18
Fantrax Premier League Player Rankings: Gameweek 18
Fantasy Premier League Player Rankings: Gameweek 18
Fantasy Premier League Player Rankings: Gameweek 18