This article is part of our DraftKings Fantasy Soccer series.
MATCHES (ET)
- 2:30 pm: Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Wolverhampton
- 2:30 pm: Burnley vs. Watford
- 2:30 pm: Crystal Palace vs. Southampton
- 3:00 pm: Arsenal vs. West Ham United
For detailed stats and odds, check out the
FORWARDS
Dwight McNeil, BUR vs. WAT ($8,500): McNeil is probably the safest option at forward. There are no big favorites on this slate and no team with an implied goal total above 1.6. McNeil continues to split set pieces and he's played at least 87 minutes in 15 consecutive games. He's averaging 11 floor points per game this season and Burnley have a favorable matchup at home against Watford. Jarrod Bowen ($9,600) is the most expensive forward. His floor is on par with McNeil's, but West Ham's matchup away to Arsenal might not be the greatest spot. Nevertheless, he can be considered on a slate that lacks an abundance of appealing options.
Bukayo Saka, ARS vs. WHU ($8,000) or Gabriel Martinelli, ARS vs. WHU ($6,800): Saka and Martinelli split set-piece duty over the weekend. Martinelli has actually led Arsenal in corner kicks over the past two matches, but it's possible that he drops back to the bench. Saka has a decent floor even without set pieces, but I'd expect him to split them with either Martinelli, Emile Smith Rowe or Martin Odegaard. Arsenal are in a decent spot at home against West Ham. I'd feel more confident with Saka or Martinelli than I would with Pascal Gross ($8,100). Gross still takes the majority of Brighton's set pieces when he's on the pitch, but he only played 55 minutes last time out and has been subbed early in three of his last four starts. He also has less open-play upside than the Arsenal forwards. Looking cheaper, Chris Wood ($5,000) and Alexandre Lacazette ($5,800) have the best goalscoring odds at +120 and +140, respectively. Neither has a floor but both make for decent tournament options. I can't remember another slate where the two players most likely to score were under $6,000. Nathan Tella ($4,800) would probably be a better cash-game option if you're planning on paying up for two midfielders. So would Joao Pedro ($3,800), who could return to the starting lineup. He played 90 minutes in his last two starts and Watford are actually in a decent spot away to Burnley.
MIDFIELDERS
James Ward-Prowse, SOU at CRY ($7,800): Ward-Prowse has put up 11-plus floor points in back-to-back matches against Arsenal and Brighton. Wednesday's matchup away to Crystal Palace is a better spot on paper. On the Palace side, Conor Gallagher ($9,800) is the most-expensive player on the slate after taking seven shots and scoring two goals over the weekend against Everton. It's likely that he won't take more than half the set pieces and it's possible he doesn't take any. If salaries were equal, I still might choose him over Ward-Prowse based on the open-play value. That isn't the case though and saving $2,000 for the safer Ward-Prowse seems like an easy decision. It could also make sense to roster both, depending on what the Crystal Palace lineup looks like. Elsewhere in the top range, Emile Smith Rowe ($8,600) is expected to return to the starting lineup. He's been in great goalscoring form, with four in his last six games and has been splitting corner kicks, as well. Martin Odegaard ($8,000) has scored in three consecutive games but can't be counted for set-piece duty after taking zero over the weekend. Both Arsenal midfielders make for good GPP options but neither seems necessary for cash games.
Joao Moutinho, WOL at BHA ($4,300): It pains me a bit to recommend Moutinho, but he's actually been pretty good from a floor perspective this season, averaging north of six points in 15 starts. He's also considerably cheaper than Ashley Westwood (5,700), who has a better matchup but only played 70 minutes last time out. Both players are viable in cash games, but I'd avoid them in GPPs as they lack upside playing in defensive roles. Will Hughes ($4,000) would also be an option in this range. He played 73 minutes over the weekend in his first Crystal Palace start and took more set pieces than Conor Gallagher. Manuel Lanzini ($5,300) has played at least 80 minutes in consecutive games while splitting set pieces for West Ham. The matchup against Arsenal isn't ideal, but he offers more from open play than Westwood and Moutinho. Looking even cheaper for tournament options, the salaries of Francisco Trincao ($3,400) and Ruben Neves ($3,300) have reached season lows. All of the Wolves players are priced down and likely for good reason as they haven't been scoring goals, and the matchup away to Brighton has a paltry 2.3-implied goal total, the lowest on the slate.
DEFENDERS
Rayan Ait-Nouri, WOL at BHA ($5,700): We've been spoiled for good options at defender on recent slates, but that isn't the case Wednesday. Ait-Nouri clearly stands out as the player with the highest floor at the position. Prior to scoring eight points against Manchester City last time out, he'd put up at least nine floor points in six consecutive starts. He continues to split set pieces and get forward down the left wing whenever possible.
Nelson Semedo, WOL at BHA ($4,200): Semedo has been inconsistent this season, but he's still averaging 6-plus floor points and his salary is considerably cheaper than most of the other full-backs. Takehiro Tomiyasu ($4,600) is a similar option in that range. Vladimir Coufal ($5,600) and Nuno Tavares ($5,500) are worthy tournament targets if you have the salary. Same goes for the Burnley full-backs in a favorable spot at home to Watford. There's really no reason to roster a center-back in cash games on this slate, but they're more viable in GPPs than usual based on the lack of opportunity cost at the position.
GOALKEEPERS
Robert Sanchez, BHA vs. WOL ($4,900): There is little reason to prioritize goalkeeper on this slate as no team has better than 36-percent odds of keeping a clean sheet. Brighton's matchup with Wolves has a considerably low 2.3-implied goal total and they're slight favorites to win.
Jose Sa, WOL at BHA ($4,600): If you prefer the Wolves side of that game, Sa actually has better clean sheet odds than Aaron Ramsdale ($5,100) and equivalent odds to those of Nick Pope ($5,200). It might be a stretch to call it value but the salary savings could come in handy.
