This article is part of our FanDuel Fantasy Soccer series.
MATCHES (ET)
- 10:00 am: Chelsea vs. Newcastle United
- 10:00 am: Everton vs. Wolverhampton
- 10:00 am: Leeds United vs. Norwich City
- 10:00 am: Southampton vs. Watford
- 10:00 am: West Ham United vs. Aston Villa
- 12:30 pm: Arsenal vs. Leicester City
For detailed stats and odds, check out the
FORWARDS/MIDFIELDERS
Kai Havertz, CHE v. NEW ($17): Newcastle have conceded one goal or fewer in every match of 2022 in all competitions, and if there was a team to break that streak, it would be Chelsea, who possess the third-most lethal attack in the league. While Mason Mount ($20) features the steepest salary of any Chelsea attacker, it is Havertz who is in the better form. In his last three starts in all competitions, Havertz has tallied four goals an an assist while taking 10 shots and putting seven on goal. If Christian Pulisic ($17) returns to the starting XI from illness it would give Chelsea their full front three of Pulisic, Mount and Havertz, making all three viable plays in good form. Newcastle haven't scored more than two goals in a match since Feb. 8, and there's little reason to believe the Magpies are in line for an offensive explosion, especially with Allan Saint-Maximin ($15) a doubt due to illness. Adding to that, Newcastle's scoring has been spread out of late, with the last six goals coming from different players.
Teemu Pukki, NOR at LEE ($16): To call the Leeds defense leaky would perhaps the understatement of the year. The floodgates are open and Leeds are the cure-all for any sort of goalscoring woes, having conceded 24 goals in the last seven matches. Puuki certainly isn't a world-beating striker, but against Leeds any attacker is in play. Josh Sargent ($11) may look to take the chance to grow his Premier League goal tally, while his former Werder Bremen teammate Milot Rashica ($15) looks to do the same from the opposite side of the attack. Norwich aren't much better defensively with Raphinha ($19), Rodrigo ($16), and Daniel James ($15) all looking to take part in what seems like a clash of the movable object and stoppable force. This match has the highest-implied total on the slate, and some of the most affordable prices, meaning there are plenty of viable stacks available.
Michail Antonio, WHU v. AVL ($17): Remember when Michail Antonio was alongside Mohamed Salah atop the Premier League goal tables through the first five matches? Well, the striker's season has certainly slowed down since, though he is still approaching double-digit goals for the third-straight season. This match has an implied total near three goals, even with Aston Villa playing stout defense recently, albeit against lackluster opposition in Leeds and Everton. Antonio's price is affordable and with six chances created in his last three matches, as well as eight shots in that time, he seems set for an offensive explosion once more. The only concern for Antonio is the absence of Jarrod Bowen, who misses out due to a leg injury. For Aston Villa, the offensive prospects couldn't be much brighter, as Philippe Coutinho ($18), Ollie Watkins ($16), and Danny Ings ($15) are forming a deadly front three. Coutinho in particular has been working wonders with seven goal contributions (four goals, three assists) in his first seven appearances for Aston Villa.
Raul Jimenez, WOL at EVE ($16): As the end of the Premier League season approaches some teams near the relegation zone are in absolute free fall, and there's no need to look any further than Everton. The team has been a disjointed mess of late and Jimenez could be the perfect man to pile on the misery. The striker has six goals and three assists on the season, and scored in the reverse fixture back in November. Hwang Hee-Chan ($13) plays alongside him and could be an interesting stack, while Ruben Neves ($13) has shown an ability to pile up the defensive stats and still link up with his attackers to put his name on the score-sheet. Everton haven't scored in the Premier League since Feb. 12 and that was against a non-existent Leeds defense. Dominic Calvert-Lewin ($16) and Richarlison ($15) haven't scored since August and January, respectively, and neither have looked particularly dangerous, combining for one shot on goal in the last three matches they've played together. Anthony Gordon ($11) may be on set-pieces which could give him some value, but with none of his attackers looking particularly dangerous there's little goal or assist potential to improve his ceiling.
DEFENDERS
Rayan Ait-Nouri, WOL at EVE ($11): For all the reasons the Everton defense make Raul Jimenez ($16) an attractive choice, Ait-Nouri is right there with him. The left wing-back has created a chance in each of his last four starts and has 16 crosses in that time, as well as some upside on set pieces. While he's not exactly cheap, he could be a winning stack with Jimenez, especially if Everton continue to struggle behind the ball. On the other side, Seamus Coleman ($9) has tried to drive the Everton attack recently, even against giants such as Tottenham and Manchester City, but the poor attack in front of him and a completely disorganized midfield, have completely stopped his production.
Valentino Livramento, SOU v. WAT ($11): Livramento has grown into his own as an attacking full-back and Watford's defense has been friendly to opposing full-back and wide midfielders lately, allowing 21 crosses against Wolves last time out. Livramento certainly isn't Trent Alexander-Arnold, but Watford could make Livramento seem like him for a day. For the Watford side there's not a lot to love in the back line, though Craig Cathcart ($9) may be the best of a bad bunch.
GOALKEEPERS
Fraser Forster, SOU v. WAT ($12): Forster may not be the spry keeper he once was, but Watford's poor attack and some reasonably stout performances recently make him a usable option. Tim Krul ($8) and Illan Meslier ($12) both are facing pretty dire attacks, but both have equally poor defenses in front of them, making neither overly attractive options, though they may face a plethora of shots. Edouard Mendy ($14) is playing behind the best defense on the slate and that always makes him worth a consideration, though he is the top price on the slate.
