This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Soccer series.
MATCHES (EST)
- 10:00 am: Manchester City vs. Fulham
- 12:30 pm: West Ham United vs. Manchester United
- 3:00 pm: Chelsea vs. Leeds United
FORWARDS
Marcus Rashford, MUN at WHU (£25): Rashford has been a model of consistency, scoring at least nine points in each of his past five matches, where he scored two goals and provided two assists. Anthony Martial (£21) is the next most expensive United defender, but I would roll the dice with Edinson Cavani (£16) after he scored two goals and provided an assist off the bench in last weekend's 3-2 win over Southampton.
Gabriel Jesus, MCI v. FUL (£23): Jesus has the best goal-scoring odds and City are massive favorites projected to score close to three goals. From one perspective, Raheem Sterling (£28) has to break out of his fantasy slump at some point (he hasn't scored double-digit fantasy points in six matches), but from the other side, his price will require at least a goal to break even. Ferran Torres (£22) has scored in three of City's five Champions League matches and opened his Premier League account last weekend against Burnley, giving him momentum heading into a favorable Fulham matchup.
Raphinha, LEE at CHE (£13): Raphinha joined Leeds from Rennes in October and hadn't made a start until Nov. 22. Over the past two matches, he's taken eight shots (two on target) and scored a goal. Chelsea have been solid defensively, though Leeds have scored against everyone. At this price, Raphinha is a difference maker and leaves room for other players like Timo Werner (£29) or Hakim Ziyech (£24).
MIDFIELDERS
Bruno Fernandes, MUN at WHU (£29): It'll be tough to fit both Kevin De Bruyne (£28) and Fernandes in your lineup without sacrificing majorly in other areas. It's tough to argue against Fernandes' eight goals and three assists over 10 matches. De Bruyne has the better matchup against Fulham, while Fernandes has been a fantasy juggernaut. A cheaper option to the two is Riyad Mahrez (£25), who has the benefit of the Fulham matchup and is coming off three goals against Burnley.
Kalvin Phillips, LEE at CHE (£17): Phillips and Mateusz Klich (£17) have shared set pieces recently and both have been able to finish with at least five points on a consistent basis. Klich has taken five shots over his past two matches, while Phillips is a more consistent defensive contributor. Jack Harrison offers a better attacking option, albeit more expensive.
Bobby Decordova-Reid, FUL v. MCI (£13): A matchup against Manchester City isn't ideal and it will be worth checking if Tom Cairney (£18) comes back into the lineup, but Decordova-Reid is a decent pay-down option. Donny van de Beek (£10) is minimum priced and finished last weekend's matchup against Southampton with 4.9 points, good enough to justify his selection and open up space for pricier players.
DEFENDERS
Reece James, CHE v. LEE (£19): While Ben Chilwell (£19) is another quality option at defense, James has been super reliable when he makes the starting XI, scoring at least 8.75 points in five of his past seven starts. It will be tough to keep a clean sheet against Leeds, though both are a good source of accurate crosses and Chilwell has taken five shots (four on goal) over his past three matches.
Joao Cancelo, MCI v. FUL (£16): City are in a great position for a clean sheet and Cancelo has been a good source of tackles won, while also being involved in attack. His ability to contribute in different ways on top of City's favorable odds makes him a worthy selection. Benjamin Mendy (£16) is another option after scoring against Burnley.
Alex Telles, MUN at WHU (£15): Telles and Bruno Fernandes have seen about a 50/50 split on free-kicks since Telles started making the first XI consistently. After a slow start to his United career, he's regaining the form that made him such a coveted fantasy defender for FC Porto. He's supplied eight accurate crosses over his past three matches, while West Ham concede nearly four accurate crosses per 90 minutes.
GOALKEEPERS
Edouard Mendy, CHE v. LEE (£19): Rarely do you see as consistent production from a goalkeeper as we've seen from Mendy. He's scored eight or more points in 10 of his past 11 matches and has genuinely made Chelsea title contenders. Leeds offer plenty in attack and should keep Mendy busy. Ederson (£18) has the best clean sheet odds, while Illan Meslier finished with eight saves (and 22 points) last week against Everton. Alphonse Areola (£12) is the cheapest goalkeeper on the slate and David de Gea (£14) and United are favored against West Ham.
