This article is part of our FanDuel Fantasy Soccer series.
For detailed odds and stats, please check out our Fantasy Premier League Sunday Cheat Sheet.
MATCHES (EST)
11:00 a.m: Tottenham v. Burnley
11:00 a.m: Manchester City v. Arsenal
PLAYER RECOMMENDATIONS
GOALKEEPER
Tom Heaton, BUR at TOT ($7,200): Heaton is the most expensive option, as he's likely to see the most shots heading toward his net. He's had some huge fantasy performances against big teams, including an 11-save clean sheet against Manchester United at Old Trafford that netted him 42.75 fantasy points. He is only $700 more than the cheapest expected starting goalkeeper, Petr Cech, making it a bit of a no-brainer to just pay up.
DEFENDER
Ben Mee or Michael Keane, BUR at TOT ($5,700): Following in the footsteps of Heaton, Mee and Keane are likely to get plenty of clearance and interception opportunities, though admittedly it's a bit of a coin toss who to select, as one game Keane will rack up the clearances and the next it'll be Mee. If fantasy managers want to get bold, they could select both and hope for a repeat performance from when they played Crystal Palace a few weeks back when Mee had 15 clearances and Keane 16. Unfortunately, paying up for both will limit salary space for the midfield and forwards, which are filled with high-priced options.
Kieran Trippier, TOT v. BUR ($4,200): Trippier is no guarantee to start, as he hasn't done so in a Premier League game since...last season. However, he's gotten some run in the Champions League and EFL Cup, and with the congested schedule giving Spurs their third game in a week, it's time to let the former Burnley man get a run against his old squad. Trippier is an attack-minded fullback who will need to earn his points by creating chances, something that shouldn't be too difficult against the side that has allowed the most in the Premier League this season.
The Manchester City v. Arsenal match could feature lots of defensive stats, as the sides are two of the four highest-scoring ones in the league. However, with Pep Guardiola changing his lineup every game, plus the expected rotation given the condensed schedule, it's tough to put a mark on who is worth targeting. Aleksandar Kolarov ($5,500) offers the most upside from the City perspective, though his prospects change slightly depending on whether he lines up at left-back, center-back or defensive midfielder. Meanwhile, Laurent Koscielny ($5,700) offers the safest floor because of his clearances, but it's not out of the question to save money and use Gabriel ($4,700) because of the salary savings.
MIDFIELDER
Christian Eriksen, TOT v. BUR ($10,800): Eriksen is arguably the best option on the entire slate, as his 13 shots on goal over the last four matches are nearly double the next highest players (Alexis Sanchez, Harry Kane and Sergio Aguero each have seven.) Additional, only Alexis has scored more than Eriksen's five goals over that span and created more than Eriksen's 13 chances. What puts Eriksen ahead of Alexis on Sunday is his opponent, as Burnley have allowed the most shots, shots on goal, corners and chances created this season.
Moussa Sissoko, TOT v. BUR ($5,800): There's no reason to shy away from a Spurs stack, and Sissoko provides some decent salary savings over other midfielders such as Dele Alli ($8,800), Son Heung-Min ($7,500) and Victor Wanyama ($7,300), all of whom are fairly goal dependent to really make value. Sissoko's salary is lower because he's only started once in his last four league matches, but he's also created more chances over the last three games than any Spurs midfielder not named Eriksen.
Yaya Toure, MCI v. ARS ($6,800):Kevin De Bruyne ($10,400) is obviously the top play from the Man City-Arsenal match, but Toure provides the most potential value because of his ability to win tackles while also occasionally finding the back of the net. His floor is definitely low, but thankfully his salary isn't crushing a lineup if he fails to deliver.
FORWARDS
Harry Kane, TOT v. BUR ($13,200): The reasons for selecting Eriksen apply to Kane, as they'll face one of the worst defensive teams in the league at White Hard Lane. Kane hasn't been shooting nearly as much as Eriksen of late, but he's always a threat and is on penalty duty.
Alexis Sanchez, ARS at MCI ($12,700): It seems a bit crazy to pay this much for a forward visiting the Etihad, but Alexis has been absolutely fantastic this season, particularly of late, scoring over 30 fantasy points in four consecutive games, including a high of 88.5 at West Ham on Dec. 3. The opponent is a bit tougher this time around, though City have hardly been an elite defensive team, with only two clean sheets in their last 11 games. If Lucas Perez ($6,500) can make his way into the starting lineup, he'd be an attractive option too.
Nolito, MCI v. ARS ($9,700): Plenty of fantasy managers were left disappointed last week when Kelechi Iheanacho ($10,200) failed to find the back of the net, but it's worth recognizing that the youngster hasn't had more than two shots on target in a game all season. Meanwhile, Nolito has five in his last three games. Arsenal have been solid defensively this season, but City are surely capable to breaking through at home, with Nolito a strong possibility to be the man to do it.
