It was barely gone long enough to miss it, and now the English Premier League is back, and along with it, DFS. We had a lot of fun and success with the EPL DFS Playbook during the restart, and we will look to pick up where we left off for the 2020/21 season. If you are new to EPL DFS or just want a refresher after six weeks off, I recommend you check out our EPL DFS Strategy article from June. Some of the specific strategies for dealing with the restart obviously no longer apply, but the rest should still be helpful.

There are two big differences between the restart and the start of the new season. The first is that there are three newly-promoted teams to deal with. We can make inferences about these teams based on how they did in the Championship and who they signed in the offseason, but in my experience, we are wrong as often as we are right. I don’t think anyone had Sheffield United finishing ninth in the table with the fourth-fewest goals against at this time last season. 

The other difference, as I alluded to, is that teams have made a lot of signings, and will continue to add more. My strategy for dealing with players new to the Premier League, much as it is with newly-promoted sides, is to wait and see. Players like Bruno Fernandez who come in and are immediate difference-makers are the exception rather than the rule. For every player who hits right away, there are loads of guys like Christian Pulisic who take time to adjust. And there are even more players like Joelinton, who never do. We cannot always afford to fade new teams and new players, especially in a small slate, but I think that is a wise course of action Saturday.

I think Leeds will be stout defensively and may not get blown out like most are predicting, especially if Jordan Henderson doesn’t play for Liverpool. That being said, there is no reason to mess around with them in the first game of the season. If they look good in this game, or a couple of players look dangerous in attack, we can act on that knowledge next week.

This week is tough because there are very few obvious places to save money, especially on DraftKings. It will be important to pay attention to the starting lineups for each game, and we will be sure to update our example lineups accordingly.

 

Goalies
PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Alex McCarthySOUCRY49007.26911.09
Only Norwich scored fewer goals in the Premier League than Crystal Palace last season. Southampton was much better defensively in the restart, with eight goals conceded and three clean sheets in nine games. Southampton is +140 to win this game, and I'm really not sure why he is cheaper than Vicente Guaita on FanDuel.
AlissonLIVLEE59009.071413.57
Liverpool are hosting newly-promoted Leeds, and they are -400 to win the game. Alisson should get the win points at the very least, with a good shot at a clean sheet as well. He probably won't have to face very many shots, however, which limits his ceiling.
        
Forwards
PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Andy CarrollNEWWHU38003.63126.35
Carroll is a punt play consideration most weeks he starts, and he has a good chance of starting with Callum Wilson only signing with Newcastle on Monday. West Ham were 16th in fantasy points allowed to forwards last season, so whoever starts up front for Newcastle is playable Saturday.
Michail AntonioWHUNEW850012.762018.40
Antonio is +155 to score in this game, and I'm tempted to take that bet. He scored in five of nine games after the restart last season, including at Newcastle. Like most forwards, he is somewhat goal-dependent, but he will get you enough points with fouls drawn and chances created to be playable in cash games.
William SmallboneSOUCRY43004.2774.43
Smallbone averaged 8.97 fantasy points in three starts after the restart, and he has an excellent shot to start Saturday with Stuart Armstrong out.
Danny IngsSOUCRY900012.061919.52
Ings was great after the restart, scoring goals in six of nine games. The teams that kept him out of the net were Arsenal and the two Manchester teams; those teams are obviously much better than Crystal Palace.
Che AdamsSOUCRY64004.53146.21
Adams averaged 10.7 DK fantasy points during the restart. He is a cheaper option if Smallbone does not start.
        
Midfielders
PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Matt RitchieNEWWHU760010.45915.63
With Ryan Fraser unlikely to start, Ritchie will likely be on free kicks for Newcastle. Ritchie is "touch and go" for this game, and if he cannot go, Jonjo Shelvey would be a solid cash play. Ritchie is an especially good play on FanDuel, where he is listed as a defender.
Allan Saint-MaximinNEWWHU65009.381412.05
West Ham was not good defenisvely last season, and there is no reason to believe that has changed. Saint-Maximin is Newcastle's best attacker, and since it's the first game of the season, I like his chances to play the full 90 minutes.
Jarrod BowenWHUNEW830012.791413.36
Bowen had 5.88 crosses and 1.47 chances created per 90 minutes last season. Newcastle had the second-fewest touches in the league last season, and West Ham should have plenty of possession for Bowen to send crosses into the box. He is a better play on DraftKings, but he has GPP upside on FanDuel.
Moussa DjenepoSOUCRY56006.999.82
Djenepo averaged 1.6 crosses, 0.9 chances created and 1.4 shots per start last season. He is a solid fantasy play if he starts for Stuart Armstrong.
Mohamed SalahLIVLEE1030016.662325.53
Salah wasn't great after the restart, though that is easy to forgive considering Liverpool had clinched the title and Salah was pressing to try to win the golden boot. At home against a newly-relegated Leeds team, he is -125 to score Saturday.
PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Naby KeitaLIVLEE62006.221110.31
Keita averaged 8.84 DK fantasy points in five strats after the restart. He is the best budget option into this Liverpool side, though Jordan Henderson would be playable on DK if he starts instead of Keita.
James Ward-ProwseSOUCRY920013.311618.95
Only three forwards or midfielders going Saturday averaged more fantasy points per game last season on FanDuel than James Ward-Prowse. He is difficult to afford on DraftKings, but I love him on FanDuel.
        
Defenders
PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Ryan FredericksWHUNEW46006.781012.89
Newcastle were 16th out of 20 Premier League teams in fantasy points allowed to defenders last season. Fredericks averaged 10 fppg over his last four games last seaosn, including 7.5 fantasy points in a 2-2 game at Newcastle.
Aaron CresswellWHUNEW50007.821311.75
Cresswell was seond on the team in crosses last season, and he was fourth in chances created after the restart.
Jan BednarekSOUCRY29004.051415.78
Bednarek was second in the league in clearances last season. He is a strong cash play on FD, and he is worth stacking with Alex McCarthy on DK.
Andrew RobertsonLIVLEE710012.741415.92
Robertson averaged more fantasy points than Trent Alexander-Arnold after the restart, and while I don't necessarily expect that to continue this season, I am willing take a chance while Robertson is cheaper.

 

Example Lineups

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. 

 

DK CashDK Pivot Cash
Pos.PlayerTeamOppFPPGSalaryPos.PlayerTeamOppFPPGSalary
FJarrod BowenWHUNEW12.79$8,300F     
FDanny IngsSOUCRY12.06$9,000FRoberto FirminoLIVLEE9.927800
MNaby KeitaLIVLEE6.22$6,200M     
MJames Ward-ProwseSOUCRY13.31$9,200M     
DAaron CresswellWHUNEW7.82$5,000D     
DJan BednarekSOUCRY4.05$2,900D     
GKAlex McCarthySOUCRY7.26$4,900GK     
UtilWilliam SmallboneSOUCRY4.27$4,300UtilMoussa DjenepoSOUCRY6.95600
    Total$49,800    Total13400
DK GPPDK Pivot GPP
Pos.PlayerTeamOppFPPGSalaryPos.PlayerTeamOppFPPGSalary
FMichail AntonioWHUNEW12.76$8,500F     
FRoberto FirminoLIVLEE9.92$7,800FRoberto FirminoLIVLEE9.927800
MAllan Saint-MaximinNEWWHU9.38$6,500M     
MWilliam SmallboneSOUCRY4.27$4,300MMoussa DjenepoSOUCRY6.95600
DAndrew RobertsonLIVLEE12.74$7,100D     
DRyan FredericksWHUNEW6.78$4,600D     
GKAlex McCarthySOUCRY7.26$4,900GK     
UtilAaron CresswellWHUNEW7.82$5,000Util     
    Total$48,700    Total13400
FD CashFD Pivot Cash
PosPlayerTeamOppFPPGSalaryPosPlayerTeamOppFPPGSalary
F/MNaby KeitaLIVLEE10.3$11F/M     
F/MJames Ward-ProwseSOUCRY18.9$16F/M     
F/MAllan Saint-MaximinNEWWHU12.1$14F/M     
F/MMichail AntonioWHUNEW18.4$20F/MDanny IngsSOUCRY19.519
DTrent Alexander-ArnoldLIVLEE20.3$16D     
DMatt RitchieNEWWHU15.6$9DRyan FredericksWHUNEW12.910
GKAlissonLIVLEE13.6$14GK     
    Total$100    Total29
    Total$48,700    Total13400
FD GPPFD Pivot GPP
PosPlayerTeamOppFPPGSalaryPosPlayerTeamOppFPPGSalary
F/MJarrod BowenWHUNEW13.4$14F/M     
F/MAllan Saint-MaximinNEWWHU12.1$14F/MWilliam SmallboneSOUCRY4.47
F/MDanny IngsSOUCRY19.5$19F/M     
F/MMichail AntonioWHUNEW18.4$20F/M     
DRyan FredericksWHUNEW12.9$10DTrent Alexander-ArnoldLIVLEE20.316
DAndrew RobertsonLIVLEE15.9$14D     
GKAlex McCarthySOUCRY11.1$9GK     
    Total$100    Total23
    Total$48,700    Total13400