Last time Liverpool played, we had a long discussion of what would motivate them and other teams at a time of year when much of the table is pretty well settled. We won’t rehash that conversation, but after watching Liverpool’s 2-0 defeat of Aston Villa, I think I’ve identified a more important factor than motivation: Jordan Henderson. Liverpool looked lifeless in the first half but were more or less themselves in the second half, and I think almost all of the credit for that goes to Henderson. He isn’t often directly involved in the scoring, but he is crucial in linking up the defenders with the attackers. If he’s not starting, I’m not sure I want to pay for any Liverpool assets outside of Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The problem for Wednesday is that Liverpool play the late game, which is only available on FD. I still might play one of the defenders or Roberto Firmino (in a GPP), but mostly I think I am okay fading that game entirely. After all, as much as Liverpool struggled in the first half of that game, Villa never really threatened, and I’m not expecting a ton from a Brighton offense that has scored the fifth-fewest home goals in the Premier League.
Playbook
Goalies |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Nick Pope | BRN | WHU | 4300 | 7.77 | 7 | 12.30 |
West Ham rank 18th in fantasy points allowed to goal keepers; the next closest team in the slate is Newcastle, who rank 10th. That being said, only five of Pope's 13 clean sheets have come on the road, and he will miss Ben Mee organizing the defense in front of him. West Ham have scored five goals in their last two games, which makes me a little nervous as well. |
Ederson | MCI | NEW | 5900 | 7.69 | 13 | 12.28 |
I don't often pay up for my keeper, especially in a slate that features Nick Pope and Martin Dubravka, but I might make an exception for Ederson. At home against a Newcastle squad that has four injured attackers and has scored the sixth-fewest goals in the league, I'm awfully tempted. |
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Forwards |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Jarrod Bowen | WHU | BRN | 9500 | 13.06 | 17 | 17.36 |
Bowen has three assists in his last two games, and he is averaging 19.7 FD fantasy points during the restart. Burnley have the third-fewest touchest in the league, so Bowen should be able to hit even more crosses than usual. |
Jay Rodriguez | BRN | WHU | 7100 | 5.62 | 17 | 9.07 |
West Ham have allowed the fourth-most goals in the league, and Rodriguez is the most likely Burnley striker to go the full 90 minutes, regardless of who starts next to him. That being said, it will be awfully difficult to pass on Chris Wood on FD if he starts. |
Raheem Sterling | MCI | NEW | 8900 | 13.18 | 19 | 18.44 |
He's probably not quite as safe as Riyad Mahrez, but I'm not sure he should be cheaper than Mahrez either. That being said, all the City attackers are in play for this game. |
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Midfielders |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Phil Foden | MCI | NEW | 8100 | 6.9 | 16 | 10.93 |
Foden has started twice during the restart and has three goals and an assist in those games. This may be your last chance to get him at a reasonable price. |
Kevin De Bruyne | MCI | NEW | 11700 | 22.16 | 22 | 27.40 |
He played just 31 minutes off the bench Sunday, so he should be pretty safe at home against Newcastle. De Bruyne has a goal in every start since the restart, and even if he doesn't score in this game, he should have a ton of crosses against a Newcastle team that rarely has much possession. |
Joao Moutinho | WOL | SHU | 6900 | 11.52 | 14 | 15.16 |
He's remarkably consistent, and crazy cheap considering he began the restart at $9,000 on DK. Wolves haven't scored much this summer, but that cant continue for too much longer. |
Ashley Westwood | BRN | WHU | 6400 | 8.72 | 12 | 11.73 |
He's on set pieces along with Dwight McNeil, but he is much, much cheaper than McNeil. He's a safe play that will allow you to pay up elsewhere. |
Sander Berge | SHU | WOL | 4500 | 4.95 | 11 | 8.08 |
Berge has four shots (two on target) and six crosses in two games with John Fleck out. He's been more consistent on DK but I like him on both sites. |
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Defenders |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Kevin Long | BRN | WHU | 2700 | 1.69 | 7 | 6.93 |
Long had two blocks and eight clearances in relief of Ben Mee Sunday, and we can probably expect more of the same going forward. Like Mee and teammate James Tarkowski, Long is much more valuable on FD. |
Erik Pieters | BRN | WHU | 4000 | 6.72 | 11 | 11.85 |
Pieters has started the last two games at left outside mid, averaging 7.6 DK fantasy points and 16.7 DK fantasy points in those games. This is a better matchup than those games were, but my only concern is that Pieters may get subbed off. With both Johann Gudmundsson and Robbie Brady on the bench, manager Sean Dyche has options. Both Gudmundsson and Brady would be great values if they start, even if they are unlikely to play 90 minutes themselves. |
Aaron Cresswell | WHU | BRN | 4900 | 7.99 | 13 | 12.18 |
Cresswell is averaging 3.5 crosses per game since the restart, and Burnley are happy to sit back on defense and allow crosses in. |
Jonny | WOL | SHU | 5000 | 7.55 | 9 | 12.71 |
He's one of the rare defenders I like just as much on DK as FD. Matt Doherty gets all the attention for Wolves, but Jonny is averaging nearly the exact same number of fantasy points, and he is cheaper on both sites. |
Example Lineups
Players shown in bold in the pivot lineups are the pivot from the player in that spot in the lineup above.
DK Cash | | DK GPP |
Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | | Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
F | Jarrod Bowen | WHU | BUR | 13.06 | $9,500 | | F | Jay Rodriguez | BUR | WHU | 5.62 | $7,100 |
F | Gabriel Jesus | MCI | NEW | 10.6 | $8,500 | | F | Raheem Sterling | MCI | NEW | 13.18 | $8,900 |
M | Joao Moutinho | WOL | SHU | 11.52 | $6,900 | | M | Sander Berge | SHU | WOL | 4.95 | $4,500 |
M | Sander Berge | SHU | WOL | 4.95 | $4,500 | | M | Riyad Mahrez | MCI | NEW | 14.05 | $10,000 |
D | Erik Pieters | BUR | WHU | 6.72 | $4,000 | | D | Erik Pieters | BUR | WHU | 6.72 | $4,000 |
D | Jonny | WOL | SHU | 7.55 | $5,000 | | D | Kevin Long | BUR | WHU | 1.69 | $2,700 |
GK | Nick Pope | BUR | WHU | 7.77 | $4,300 | | GK | Nick Pope | BUR | WHU | 7.77 | $4,300 |
Util | Ashley Westwood | BUR | WHU | 8.72 | $6,400 | | Util | Phil Foden | MCI | NEW | 6.9 | $8,100 |
| | | | Total | $49,100 | | | | | | Total | $49,600 |
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DK Pivot Cash | | DK Pivot GPP |
Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | | Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
F | Jarrod Bowen | WHU | BUR | 13.06 | $9,500 | | F | Jay Rodriguez | BUR | WHU | 5.62 | $7,100 |
F | Gabriel Jesus | MCI | NEW | 10.6 | $8,500 | | F | Raheem Sterling | MCI | NEW | 13.18 | $8,900 |
M | Joao Moutinho | WOL | SHU | 11.52 | $6,900 | | M | Sander Berge | SHU | WOL | 4.95 | $4,500 |
M | Sander Berge | SHU | WOL | 4.95 | $4,500 | | M | Riyad Mahrez | MCI | NEW | 14.05 | $10,000 |
D | Phil Bardsley | BUR | WHU | 5.94 | $4,200 | | D | Erik Pieters | BUR | WHU | 6.72 | $4,000 |
D | Joao Cancelo | MCI | NEW | 7.29 | $5,600 | | D | John Egan | SHU | WOL | 4.32 | $3,400 |
GK | Nick Pope | BUR | WHU | 7.77 | $4,300 | | GK | Nick Pope | BUR | WHU | 7.77 | $4,300 |
Util | Ashley Westwood | BUR | WHU | 8.72 | $6,400 | | Util | David Silva | MCI | NEW | 10.45 | $7,500 |
| | | | Total | $49,900 | | | | | | Total | $49,700 |
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FD Cash | | FD GPP |
Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | | Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
F/M | Kevin De Bruyne | MCI | NEW | 27.40 | $22 | | F/M | Sander Berge | SHU | WOL | 8.08 | $11 |
F/M | Jarrod Bowen | WHU | BRN | 17.36 | $17 | | F/M | Kevin De Bruyne | MCI | NEW | 27.40 | $22 |
F/M | Chris Wood | BRN | WHU | 14.49 | $13 | | F/M | Jarrod Bowen | WHU | BRN | 17.36 | $17 |
F/M | Gabriel Jesus | MCI | NEW | 16.79 | $18 | | F/M | Raheem Sterling | MCI | NEW | 18.44 | $19 |
D | Kevin Long | BRN | WHU | 6.93 | $7 | | D | Erik Pieters | BRN | WHU | 11.85 | $11 |
D | Jonny | WOL | SHU | 12.71 | $9 | | D | Joao Cancelo | MCI | NEW | 11.34 | $13 |
GK | Ederson | MCI | NEW | 12.28 | $13 | | GK | Nick Pope | BRN | WHU | 12.30 | $7 |
| | | | Total | $99 | | | | | | 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 | Kevin De Bruyne | MCI | NEW | 27.40 | $22 | | F/M | Sander Berge | SHU | WOL | 8.08 | $11 |
F/M | Jarrod Bowen | WHU | BRN | 17.36 | $17 | | F/M | Kevin De Bruyne | MCI | NEW | 27.40 | $22 |
F/M | Dwight McNeil | BRN | WHU | 12.02 | $16 | | F/M | Jarrod Bowen | WHU | BRN | 17.36 | $17 |
F/M | Phil Foden | MCI | NEW | 10.93 | $16 | | F/M | Riyad Mahrez | MCI | NEW | 19.55 | $20 |
D | Kevin Long | BRN | WHU | 6.93 | $7 | | D | Erik Pieters | BRN | WHU | 11.85 | $11 |
D | Jonny | WOL | SHU | 12.71 | $9 | | D | Jonny | WOL | SHU | 12.71 | $9 |
GK | Ederson | MCI | NEW | 12.28 | $13 | | GK | Nick Pope | BRN | WHU | 12.30 | $7 |
| | | | Total | $100 | | | | | | Total | $97 |