For better or for worse, the Premier League returns (somewhat) to normalcy next week. Throughout most of the play restart and the first three weeks of this season the games have been spread out with no games at the same time and usually 3-4 per day on the weekends. That is the case again this week, but next week we go back to having the lion’s share of the games at 10:00 a.m. ET on Saturday.
This current schedule is nice for being able to watch all of the games, but it isn’t ideal for fantasy to have to adjust your lineups an hour before kickoff of each game. The 9:00 a.m. ET hour may be chaotic next week, but at least when it’s over we can take a nap or go for a run or pay attention to our families.
For this slate, it feels like the most important question is where can we save money to spend up on Chelsea and Everton attackers? I think some people have more faith in Crystal Palace than I do following their 3-1 win against Manchester United last week, but I need to see it again before I forget how terrible they were last season, especially in attack.
Southampton is quickly making people forget how good they were last season, and while they certainly could bounce back against a depleted Burnley side, I think it is less likely than the oddsmakers appear to.
I may be more anxious to see Chelsea’s lineup than any other team Saturday. They have so many quality options that it is sometimes difficult to trust them, but you have to think they’ll get at least a few goals against West Brom.
Goal Keepers |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Willy Caballero | CHE | WBA | 5700 | 4.63 | 11 | 7.30 |
Caballero has a chance to start for Chelsea after Kepa Arrizabalaga struggled against Liverpool next week. Whoever starts will be a solid play against West Brom, though Caballero is cheaper. |
Nick Pope | BRN | SOU | 4500 | 8.13 | 10 | -1.00 |
At first blush, this is a better matchup for Burnley's attackers than for Pope, but that may not be the case. Southampton are second in the league with 12 shots on target this season, but only four teams have scored fewer goals. Pope was fourth in the league in saves last season and second in clean sheets. His ceiling is as high as anyones', possible higher, and he is a solid cash game play as well. |
Jordan Pickford | EVE | CRY | 5200 | 5.41 | 11 | 20.00 |
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Alex McCarthy | SOU | BRN | 5000 | 7.26 | 12 | -3.00 |
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Forwards |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Chris Wood | BRN | SOU | 6400 | 9.09 | 15 | 27.60 |
I'm not sure if I'm more surprised at Chris Wood being listed at midfield on FanDuel, or if I'm more surprised that he is cheaper than Jay Rodriguez. Wood has scored double-digit goals in every Premier League season with Burnley, and only the newly-promoted sides have conceded more goals than Southampton through two weeks. |
Timo Werner | CHE | WBA | 9200 | 0 | 22 | 9.40 |
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Matej Vydra | BRN | SOU | 4500 | 4.27 | 11 | 3.00 |
Jay Rodriguez left Wednesday's Carabao Cup game with an apparent ankle injury, and Vydra has been great in the last year filling in for Burnley's various injured strikers. |
Dominic Calvert-Lewin | EVE | CRY | 7400 | 8.46 | 20 | 44.65 |
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Midfielders |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Dwight McNeil | BRN | SOU | 7200 | 11.43 | 14 | 13.00 |
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James Rodriguez | EVE | CRY | 8400 | 0 | 16 | 27.90 |
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Stuart Armstrong | SOU | BRN | 6600 | 6.77 | 14 | 5.60 |
Armstrong played 68 minutes against Tottenham Sunday, and I think he has a good chance to top that as he continues to gain fitness after a quad injury. Armstrong averaged 13.65 DK fantasy points in six starts during the restart, and I think he is even better on FanDuel. |
James Ward-Prowse | SOU | BRN | 8500 | 13.31 | 16 | 14.60 |
Ward-Prowse has 12 crosses through two weeks, and he could reach that total Saturday against a Burnley team that is usually content to cede possession and allow crosses into the box. |
Richarlison | EVE | CRY | 8800 | 12.37 | 19 | 23.00 |
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Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Jorginho | CHE | WBA | 4900 | 6.82 | 14 | 26.15 |
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Josh Brownhill | BRN | SOU | 3200 | 3.39 | 9 | 13.80 |
Brownhill was a nice budget option during the restart, and that would be the case again Saturday if he starts out wide. If Brownhill plays central midfield again, Erik Pieters would be playable, especially on FD. |
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Defenders |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Lucas Digne | EVE | CRY | 7300 | 12.91 | 14 | 24.75 |
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Cesar Azpilicueta | CHE | WBA | 5200 | 10.19 | 14 | 0.00 |
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Charlie Taylor | BRN | SOU | 4300 | 7.25 | 9 | 16.40 |
Taylor had five crosses and two chances created last week against Leicester, and he has a chance to top those totals in what should be a more favorable matchup against Southampton. |
Reece James | CHE | WBA | 6300 | 8.59 | 15 | 28.85 |
You are paying full price for Reece James, but it's hard to argue he isn't worth it. He has looked great getting forward this season, and this looks like a great matchup. |
Jimmy Dunne | BRN | SOU | 2700 | 0 | 9 | 38.60 |
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Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Ryan Bertrand | SOU | BRN | 5100 | 7.86 | 10 | 8.00 |
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Seamus Coleman | EVE | CRY | 4600 | 4.81 | 9 | 14.30 |
Coleman is a cheaper way into Everton's defense than Lucas Digne and while he won't get forward as much as Digne, he did have five crosses against West Brom last week. |
Mamadou Sakho | CRY | EVE | 2700 | 1.53 | 10 | 14.30 |
Sakho is likely to start at center back with Scott Dann expected to miss out. Sakho had seven clearances against Manchester United last week, and could have a similar game Saturday against Everton. |
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 Cash | | Pivot | DK Pivot Cash |
Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | | | Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
F | Matej Vydra | BUR | SOU | 4.27 | $4,500 | | | F | | | | | |
F | Dwight McNeil | BUR | SOU | 11.43 | $7,200 | | | F | | | | | |
M | James Ward-Prowse | SOU | BUR | 13.31 | $8,500 | | To | M | Stuart Armstrong | SOU | BUR | 6.77 | $6,600 |
M | James Rodriguez | EVE | CRY | 0 | $8,400 | | | M | | | | | |
D | Lucas Digne | EVE | CRY | 12.91 | $7,300 | | | D | | | | | |
D | Charlie Taylor | BUR | SOU | 7.25 | $4,300 | | | D | | | | | |
GK | Nick Pope | BUR | SOU | 8.13 | $4,500 | | | GK | | | | | |
Util | Ryan Bertrand | SOU | BUR | 7.86 | $5,100 | | To | Util | Reece James | CHE | WBA | 8.59 | $6,300 |
| | | | Total | $49,800 | | | | | | | Total | $12,900 |
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DK GPP | | Pivot | DK Pivot GPP |
Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | | | Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
F | Matej Vydra | BUR | SOU | 4.27 | $4,500 | | | F | | | | | |
F | Timo Werner | CHE | WBA | 0 | $9,200 | | | F | | | | | |
M | Jorginho | CHE | WBA | 6.82 | $4,900 | | | M | | | | | |
M | Dwight McNeil | BUR | SOU | 11.43 | $7,200 | | To | M | Richarlison | EVE | CRY | 12.37 | $8,800 |
D | Charlie Taylor | BUR | SOU | 7.25 | $4,300 | | | D | | | | | |
D | Lucas Digne | EVE | CRY | 12.91 | $7,300 | | | D | | | | | |
GK | Nick Pope | BUR | SOU | 8.13 | $4,500 | | | GK | | | | | |
Util | Tammy Abraham | CHE | WBA | 10.28 | $7,900 | | To | Util | Reece James | CHE | WBA | 8.59 | $6,300 |
| | | | Total | $49,800 | | | | | | | Total | $15,100 |
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FD Cash | | Pivot | FD Pivot Cash |
Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | | | Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
F/M | Matej Vydra | BRN | SOU | 3.00 | $11 | | | F/M | | | | | |
F/M | James Rodriguez | EVE | CRY | 27.90 | $16 | | | F/M | | | | | |
F/M | James Ward-Prowse | SOU | BRN | 14.60 | $16 | | | F/M | | | | | |
F/M | Timo Werner | CHE | WBA | 9.40 | $22 | | | F/M | | | | | |
D | Jimmy Dunne | BRN | SOU | 38.6 | $9 | | To | D | Jimmy Dunne | BRN | SOU | 38.6 | $9 |
D | Joel Ward | CRY | EVE | 17.65 | $13 | | | D | | | | | |
GK | Willy Caballero | CHE | WBA | 7.30 | $11 | | To | GK | Kepa Arrizabalaga | CHE | WBA | 7.25 | $13 |
| | | | Total | $98 | | | | | | | Total | $22 |
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FD GPP | | Pivot | FD Pivot GPP |
Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | | | Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
F/M | Timo Werner | CHE | WBA | 9.40 | $22 | | To | F/M | Kai Havertz | CHE | WBA | 4.10 | $18 |
F/M | Richarlison | EVE | CRY | 23.00 | $19 | | | F/M | | | | | |
F/M | James Rodriguez | EVE | CRY | 27.90 | $16 | | | F/M | | | | | |
F/M | Dwight McNeil | BRN | SOU | 13.00 | $14 | | | F/M | | | | | |
D | Mamadou Sakho | CRY | EVE | 14.30 | $10 | | To | D | Joel Ward | CRY | EVE | 17.65 | $13 |
D | Jimmy Dunne | BRN | SOU | 38.60 | $9 | | | D | | | | | |
GK | Nick Pope | BRN | SOU | -1.00 | $10 | | | GK | | | | | |
| | | | Total | $100 | | | | | | | Total | $31 |