This EPL DFS slate is interesting, as it has arguably the two best teams facing off along with two of the worst playing each other. In the third game, an in-form Liverpool squad faces a floundering Southampton missing its best player. I think most DFS players will mostly fade Manchester City vs. Chelsea, but that may be a mistake. That is obviously a tough matchup for both teams, but these are also the two managers who turnover their lineups more than anyone. That can create opportunities for low-priced players to have a big impact. There’s nothing wrong with fading those teams, but I would at least look at the starting lineups before I write them o ff altogether.
As always, the lineups below are examples of lineups you can make using the players in the Playbook and are not for plug and play.
Goalkeepers |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Vicente Guaita | CRY | SHU | 4900 | 5.67 | 11 | 9.09 |
Guaita has cost this much twice in his last 10 games. He had one save in each game, defeating West Brom 1-0 and losing to Burnley 0-3. Sheffield has 13 fewer goals than those other teams, but they also have forced the second-fewest saves from opponents this season. I don't trust him, but he has a good chance at a win and a clean sheet and is much cheaper than Ederson or Alisson. |
Aaron Ramsdale | SHU | CRY | 4600 | 5.52 | 9 | 8.79 |
Ramsdale is averaging 4.8 saves per game, and while I would probably take the under on that total, I still think he is pretty safe. Ramsdale would have a better shot at a win and clean sheet if Zaha is out, though he would likely face fewer shots in that scenario. |
Ederson | MCI | CHE | 5300 | 9.07 | 12 | 13.98 |
Ederson has been this cheap twice in his last 10 games, averaging 6.4 DK fantasy points in those contests. Considering how much Chelsea has struggled to finish, I may take the over on that total. that being said, I'm not expecting a clean sheet and the ein is in jeopardy as well. |
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Forwards |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Sergio Aguero | MCI | CHE | 6900 | 5.3 | 18 | 8.02 |
As Aguero's Manchester City career comes to an end, he has scored in two of his last three games. Chelsea is a tough challenge, even if they field their B team, but Aguero is a worthy GPP play. |
David McGoldrick | SHU | CRY | 6100 | 6.78 | 18 | 10.73 |
Only three teams have allowed more goals than Crystal Palace this season, and if anyone is going to score, it would be McGoldrick. He has at least three shots in three of his last four games, with goals in two of his last seven. I'm not sure I'll pay up for him on FD, but I like him as a GPP play on DK. |
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Midfielders |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Mohamed Salah | LIV | SOU | 9700 | 14.66 | 23 | 22.14 |
Salah is one goal behind Harry Kane in the race for the Golden Boot and is -165 to score a goal and +330 to score two goals. I don't usually like to play goal-dependent players in cash lineups, but I'll likely make an exception for Salah. |
Wilfried Zaha | CRY | SHU | 7800 | 12.09 | 17 | 14.18 |
Half of his goals have come against teams that are below Crystal Palace in the standings, and only West Brom have allowed more goals than Sheffield this season. That being said, Zaha is a GPP-only play for me. |
Eberechi Eze | CRY | SHU | 6600 | 8.8 | 12 | 9.91 |
Since Wilfried Zaha returned from his injury, Eze has at least 9.9 FD fantasy points in four of his last five games despite playing Manchester City, Leicester, Chelsea and Everton in that span. Only West Brom have conceded more corner kicks than Sheffield this season, which should make Eze a very nice play on DK as well. |
Oliver Norwood | SHU | CRY | 3200 | 5.15 | 12 | 8.46 |
Norwood has at least three crosses in four of his last five games, and only three teams have allowed more goals than Crystal Palace this season. If there was ever a time for Norwood to pick up a goal or an assist, it is in this game. |
James Ward-Prowse | SOU | LIV | 7200 | 13.82 | 15 | 18.36 |
The matchup scare me, but I'm not sure it should. Ward-Prowse has double-digit DK fantasy points in four straight games, including against Leicester and Tottenham. He didn't have any crosses last week but he did have five against Manchester City to go along with four shots and a goal. |
Midfielders | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Jorginho | CHE | MCI | 4300 | 7.88 | 12 | 14.08 |
Nearly a third of the goals against Manchester City have been penalties. I think Jorginho has a better chance of scoring than just about anyone at his price, especially on DraftKings. |
Sadio Mane | LIV | SOU | 8700 | 13.19 | 19 | 18.21 |
I was prepared to be all in on Diogo Jota, but I'm paying up for Mane if I can. Mane has double-digit fantasy points in four consecutive starts, and it would be somewhat shocking if that streak ends against Southampton. |
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Defenders |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Jack Stephens | SOU | LIV | 2600 | 4.43 | 7 | 13.21 |
Stephens has been inconsistent for fantasy this season even when playing center back, and playing outoside backs on FanDuel makes me nervous. That being said, if you take out the Manchester City game when he played in the midfield, Stephens has double-digit FD fantasy points in seven of his nine games. That includes last week when he played left back against Leicester. Liverpool have allowed nearly 200 more clearances than the next closest team and at his price, I think Stephens is a worthy cash play. He is pretty clearly worth a shot in GPPs. |
Gary Cahill | CRY | SHU | 2700 | 2.63 | 7 | 11.28 |
Among the teams on the slate, only Liverpool have allowed more clearances than Sheffield. Cahill has at least 12 FD fantasy points in five of his last seven games, with the exceptions coming against Spurs and Everton. Like Stephens, I think Cahill is playable for cash but better for GPPs. |
Aymeric Laporte | MCI | CHE | 4000 | 4.44 | 8 | 8.06 |
Laporte has double-digit FD fantasy points in three consecutive starts, and he should be pretty safe with John Stones out. Laporte's ceiling is lower than Stephens or Cahill, but he may be safer. |
Kean Bryan | SHU | CRY | 3100 | 4.33 | 6 | 11.30 |
I don't understand why Bryan is so cheap, with 90 minutes and 9.5+ fantasy points in six consecutive starts. |
George Baldock | SHU | CRY | 3500 | 4.49 | 8 | 8.34 |
Baldock did not have a single cross against Tottenham but he had seven crosses and two chances created in the two games before that. Only Newcastle and West Brom have had less posssession than Crystal Palace this season, so Baldock should have plenty of chances to get forward and send in crosses. |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Nathaniel Clyne | CRY | SHU | 3000 | 4.37 | 5 | 7.65 |
He should be fit after playing 62 minutes with the U23s on Monday, though that doesn't necessarily mean he will start. Even so, he had seven crosses in his last game before the injury, and at the very least he is a GPP play if he starts. |
Trent Alexander-Arnold | LIV | SOU | 7000 | 14.22 | 15 | 15.74 |
He has double-digit DK fantasy points in nine consecutive starts and unlike most weeks, it is pretty easy to afford him in this slate. I think Alexander-Arnold is basically a must-play for cash games, especially on DraftKings. |
Example Lineups:
DK Cash | | | DK GPP |
Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | | | Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
F | Eberechi Eze | CRY | SHU | 8.8 | $6,600 | | | F | Eberechi Eze | CRY | SHU | 8.8 | $6,600 |
F | Sadio Mane | LIV | SOU | 13.19 | $8,700 | | | F | Wilfried Zaha | CRY | SHU | 12.09 | $7,800 |
M | Oliver Norwood | SHU | CRY | 5.15 | $3,200 | | | M | Mohamed Salah | LIV | SOU | 14.66 | $9,700 |
M | James Ward-Prowse | SOU | LIV | 13.82 | $7,200 | | | M | Jorginho | CHE | MCI | 7.88 | $4,300 |
D | George Baldock | SHU | CRY | 4.49 | $3,500 | | | D | Trent Alexander-Arnold | LIV | SOU | 14.22 | $7,000 |
D | Trent Alexander-Arnold | LIV | SOU | 14.22 | $7,000 | | | D | George Baldock | SHU | CRY | 4.49 | $3,500 |
GK | Aaron Ramsdale | SHU | CRY | 5.52 | $4,600 | | | GK | Vicente Guaita | CRY | SHU | 5.67 | $4,900 |
Util | Riyad Mahrez | MCI | CHE | 13.1 | $9,200 | | | Util | David McGoldrick | SHU | CRY | 6.78 | $6,100 |
| | | | Total | $50,000 | | | | | | | Total | $49,900 |
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DK Pivot Cash | | | DK Pivot GPP |
Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | | | Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
F | | | | | | 1 | | F | | | | | |
F | Mohamed Salah | LIV | SOU | 14.66 | $9,700 | 1 | | F | | | | | |
M | | | | | | 1 | | M | | | | | |
M | | | | | | 1 | | M | | | | | |
D | | | | | | 1 | | D | Andrew Robertson | LIV | SOU | 12 | $6,000 |
D | Andrew Robertson | LIV | SOU | 12 | $6,000 | 1 | | D | | | | | |
GK | | | | | | 1 | | GK | | | | | |
Util | | | | | | 1 | | Util | Sergio Aguero | MCI | CHE | 5.3 | $6,900 |
| | | | Total | $15,700 | | | | | | | Total | $12,900 |
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FD Cash | | | FD GPP |
Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | | | Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
F/M | Mohamed Salah | LIV | SOU | 22.14 | $23 | | | F/M | Wilfried Zaha | CRY | SHU | 14.18 | $17 |
F/M | Kevin De Bruyne | MCI | CHE | 23.27 | $22 | | | F/M | Diogo Jota | LIV | SOU | 17.37 | $17 |
F/M | Eberechi Eze | CRY | SHU | 9.91 | $12 | | | F/M | Mohamed Salah | LIV | SOU | 22.14 | $23 |
F/M | Sadio Mane | LIV | SOU | 18.21 | $19 | | | F/M | Sergio Aguero | MCI | CHE | 8.02 | $18 |
D | Kean Bryan | SHU | CRY | 11.30 | $6 | | | D | Jack Stephens | SOU | LIV | 13.21 | $7 |
D | Jack Stephens | SOU | LIV | 13.21 | $7 | | | D | Gary Cahill | CRY | SHU | 11.28 | $7 |
GK | Aaron Ramsdale | SHU | CRY | 8.79 | $9 | | | GK | Vicente Guaita | CRY | SHU | 9.09 | $11 |
| | | | Total | $98 | | | | | | | Total | $100 |
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FD Pivot Cash | | | FD Pivot GPP |
Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | | | Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
F/M | | | | | | 1 | | F/M | | | | | |
F/M | | | | | | 1 | | F/M | | | | | |
F/M | | | | | | 1 | | F/M | | | | | |
F/M | Diogo Jota | LIV | SOU | 17.37 | $17 | #REF! | | F/M | | | | | |
D | | | | | | 1 | | D | Kean Bryan | SHU | CRY | 11.30 | $6 |
D | | | | | | 1 | | D | Aymeric Laporte | MCI | CHE | 8.06 | $8 |
GK | Ederson | MCI | CHE | 13.98 | $12 | 1 | | GK | | | | | |
| | | | Total | $29 | | | | | | | Total | $14 |