This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Soccer series.
MATCHES (ET)
- 10:00 am: Burnley vs. AFC Bournemouth
- 10:00 am: Crystal Palace vs. Newcastle United
- 10:00 am: Sheffield United vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
- 10:00 am: Southampton vs. Aston Villa
- 12:30 pm: Leicester City vs. Manchester City
FORWARDS
Sergio Aguero, MCI at LEI (£29): Raheem Sterling has already been ruled out and Gabriel Jesus (£24) has been superbly mediocre over his past four appearances, two of which were substitute appearances. Jamie Vardy (£25) is the second-most expensive option after Aguero, as the two strikers are first and second in goals this season. Both have been impressive, but Aguero has one more goal (17) than Vardy in nine fewer starts. Additionally, Leicester have won just two of their past six matches, while Manchester City find themselves in better form. Aguero is the most expensive play, so you'll need at least a goal out of him. If his price scares you off, Jesus is City's next best option. Vardy has a habit of scoring against top sides, though I don't feel all that confident with Manchester City visiting.
Danny Ings, SOU v. AVL (£24): I've been driving the Ings hype train for a half decade and now is not the time to get off of it; a captain goes down with his ship. For most of the season, Ings has been a value play given he's rarely peaked over £20 but has returned 15 goals in 21 starts. He doesn't offer much value at his current price, but he has the best matchup of any striker on the slate and the best goal-scoring odds. Aston Villa have conceded the most goals (50) of any Premier League side and concede the most shots, as well as second-most shots on goal, accurate crosses, and corners among teams on the slate. Neal Maupay (£22) came off the bench in his last match and will face a stingy Sheffield United side on the road, while Callum Wilson (£22) has been feast or famine and will travel to Burnley.
Jay Rodriguez, BUR v. BOU (£15): Bournemouth concede the third-most shots and shots on target and have been in the bottom-third in terms of goals allowed. Both Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood have been ruled out, which will keep Rodriguez in the starting XI for the fifth straight match. He's faired well in his past four starts, scoring one goal while taking nine shots (six on goal). Rodriguez is worth the play at his price and will open up options higher up the salary scale. Oliver McBurnie (£15) is another cheap option who has a favorable clash against Brighton.
MIDFIELDERS
Kevin De Bruyne, MCI at LEI (£26): De Bruyne is the first player on my team sheet. It's impossible to ignore his production and I feel safer about playing De Bruyne than Aguero. He'll be highly owned, but he isn't a player I'm willing to overlook. Put De Bruyne in your side and build around him. Riyad Mahrez (£24) is the next most expensive midfielder and isn't someone I'd consider playing over De Bruyne, though a City midfield stack isn't out of the realm of possibilities. Meanwhile, Harvey Barnes (£22) has scored in three of his past four matches, but scored only one other time in his 24 appearances. He's more expensive than James Maddison (£21), who has a higher floor due to his role on set-pieces.
Jack Grealish, AVL at SOU (£22): This is one of the first slates with De Bruyne, Maddison, and Grealish all available for selection. They all operate in a similar capacity with set pieces and accurate crosses playing a huge part in their value, on top of goals and assists. Grealish has a better matchup against Southampton than Maddison does against Man City. Southampton commit the most fouls and Grealish leads all Premier League players in fouls suffered. Then again, Ryan Fraser (£17) is the "lite" version of De Bruyne, Maddison, and Grealish and comes in much cheaper.
Luka Milivojevic, CRY v. NEW (£14): This isn't that enthusing of a pick all things considered, but in a slate with expensive options that you'll more than likely want to roster, Milivojevic's cost effectiveness will help you get there. He's had at least 4.25 fantasy points in seven of his past eight matches and will be playing for the third-biggest favorite. Sean Longstaff (£12) and Sander Berge (£12) are other cheap midfielders worth consideration.
DEFENDERS
Matt Targett, AVL at SOU (£16): As mentioned, Villa have been the worst defensive side in the league, but that hasn't stopped Targett from being productive despite rarely benefitting from the clean sheet bonus. He's scored at least five points in six of his past seven matches, finishing with more than seven three times. He fills the stat sheet with interceptions and is heavily involved in the attack with accurate crosses and corners won, making him a viable play against Southampton.
Ricardo Pereira, LEI v. MCI (£15): Manchester City had 63 percent possession in the first clash against Leicester and are expected to see most of the ball again, which will allow Ricardo to add to his league-leading 64 tackles won. He averages a modest 1.76 interceptions per 90 minutes and could be in for a big defensive day against Man City. Benjamin Mendy (£19) is the most expensive defender, but I'd rather save on defense and spend up on the City attack. Jonny Evans (£14) is a cheap option who will fill a similar role as Pereira.
Scott Dann, CRY v. NEW (£10): Crystal Palace and Newcastle have the lowest implied goal total, so it may be worth targeting a defensive option from either side. Palace actually have the best clean sheet odds, putting Patrick van Aanholt (£15) in play, along with Gary Cahill (£14) and even Dann if you're feeling frugal, especially with James Tomkins expected to miss out. Fabian Schar (£16) is the most expensive Newcastle defender, while Danny Rose (£15) will make his third start following his move from Tottenham.
GOALKEEPERS
Dean Henderson, SHU v. BRI (£15): Vicente Guaita (£17) and Crystal Palace have the best clean sheet odds, followed by Sheffield United and Burnley. All three of those matches unsurprisingly have the lowest implied goal totals, though I would steer clear of the Burnley and Bournemouth match. Ederson (£19) is priced like a quality midfielder without any of the upside and facing a tough Leicester City team. Kasper Schmeichel (£17) should see plenty of work against the Cityzens and his price reflects that. Sheffield United have been one of the best defensive sides this season, which is a main reason for their place in the table. Henderson has played a huge role in that and will benefit from playing against Brighton, who are in the midst of a relegation scrap.
