As I mention below in my writeup of Oliver Norwood, I have a running list I keep of players who don’t typically start but who I think could be very good DFS values when they do enter the starting XI. These players don’t always pan out, as evidenced by my recommendation of Veltman on Tuesday, but they can often be the difference between affording one more stud or having to settle at another position.
Goal Keepers |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Sam Johnstone | WBA | ARS | 4000 | 5.34 | 7 | 8.59 |
Playing him against Leeds did not work out, but at home against an Arsenal side that may be missing Bukayo Saka, I'm still willing to take a shot. I think Sam Allardyce will improve West Brom's defense sooner than later. |
Robert Sanchez | BHA | WOL | 4800 | 4.02 | 11 | 6.20 |
Wolves are the only team on the slate in the top half of the league in shots on target per game, and they are 10th. They are 16th in the league in goals. Sanchez may be the safest keeper on the slate, though you will have to pay a decent amount for him. |
Bernd Leno | ARS | WBA | 5600 | 6.33 | 14 | 9.28 |
For all of their problems, Arsenal have defended reasonably well this season, and only two teams have scored fewer goals than West Brom. Leno probably has the best shot at any keeper of getting awin and a clean sheet, and it could be worth it to chase that upside in a GPP. |
Forwards |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Rhian Brewster | SHU | CRY | 4400 | 2.34 | 12 | 4.14 |
His price remains unchanged despite coming off his best game of the season. Both of his shots were on goal and he had three crosses. Barring a surprise start from someone like Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Brewster is my favorite cheap forward on the slate. |
Callum Robinson | WBA | ARS | 4000 | 4.52 | 16 | 5.45 |
It is surprising that he is so much cheaper on DraftKings, considering he is averaging 3.5 crosses in his last four starts. He isn't guaranteed to start, however, which makes it difficult to wait for him in the last game. |
Pedro Neto | WOL | BHA | 9500 | 14.86 | 19 | 16.27 |
He has at least 8.0 DK fantasy points in 10 consecutive games. He hasn't been quite as consistent on FanDuel, but I like him in cash lineups on that site as well. |
Alexandre Lacazette | ARS | WBA | 8500 | 8.53 | 21 | 14.79 |
Lacazette has been Arsenal's best striker this season, and it isn't particularly close. His goal against Brighton Tuesday was put on a silver platter, but against West Brom, no one would be shocked if that happens again. |
Midfielders |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Emile Smith Rowe | ARS | WBA | 5800 | 8.01 | 9 | 11.45 |
Smith Rowe has two chances created in both starts this season. He has been great in both games, and I thought he looked even better filling in for Bukayo Saka after he went down late in the game. I think Smith Rowe is playable no matter what, but I'll like him better if Saka is out. |
Eberechi Eze | CRY | SHU | 9300 | 9.65 | 12 | 10.24 |
Sheffield have allowed the third most shots from set pieces. Eze is averaging 5.25 crosses per game in his last five games. |
Oliver Norwood | SHU | CRY | 4100 | 4.16 | 9 | 5.60 |
I keep a running list of cheap players who I want to use whenever they get a start. Oliver Norwood is at the top of the list. He has 10.91 crosses per 90 minutes in his last four games. |
Ethan Ampadu | SHU | CRY | 3000 | 4.58 | 9 | 10.30 |
He is even cheaper than Norwood, and while his ceiling isn't has high, he does have 11 crosses in his last four games. |
Ruben Neves | WOL | BHA | 5400 | 5.61 | 15 | 12.02 |
He has at least one shot on goal, one chance created and one cross in four consecutive games. If he does that again, he will outscore his price on both sites. |
Midfielders | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Solly March | BHA | WOL | 8800 | 11.35 | 12 | 13.23 |
Wolves have allowed the most crosses in the league this season, and March is averaging 9.7 crosses in his last three starts. |
Defenders |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Hector Bellerin | ARS | WBA | 4000 | 5.9 | 11 | 11.45 |
He hasn't been crossing the ball quite as much of late, though I think that could change if Bukayo Saka is out. Even if Saka plays, we don't need a ton from Bellerin at this price. |
James Tomkins | CRY | SHU | 2500 | 0.34 | 8 | 7.80 |
Tomkins had 10 clearances in his lone start of the season Monday. Sheffield have allowed the second most clearances to opponents this season. If Tomkins doesn't start, Cheikhou Kouyate would be playable on FanDuel. |
Enda Stevens | SHU | CRY | 3900 | 4.19 | 10 | 10.39 |
He has eight crosses and two chances created in his last two games, but his price has gone down after each game. Palace have allowed the most crosses into the penalty area this season. |
Romain Saiss | WOL | BHA | 3400 | 6.58 | 10 | 17.14 |
I don't understand why he is so cheap, especially on FanDuel. In the three games Willy Boly has missed, Saiss is averaging 2.7 shots and 6.0 clearances. Brighton have allowed the sixth-most crosses to opponents this season. Saiss is strictly a GPP play on DraftKings, since he doesn't really cross the ball. |
Darnell Furlong | WBA | ARS | 5500 | 8.81 | 14 | 13.14 |
Furlong is a GPP play on DK, because his crosses are inconsistent from game to game. On FD, Furlong is a much stronger play thanks to his defending. He has 14 clearances and 10 interceptions in his last three games. |
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 | Pedro Neto | WOL | BHA | 14.86 | $9,500 | | F | | | | | |
F | Eberechi Eze | CRY | SHU | 9.65 | $9,300 | | F | | | | | |
M | Oliver Norwood | SHU | CRY | 4.16 | $4,100 | To | M | Ethan Ampadu | SHU | CRY | 4.58 | $3,000 |
M | Solly March | BHA | WOL | 11.35 | $8,800 | | M | | | | | |
D | Enda Stevens | SHU | CRY | 4.19 | $3,900 | | D | | | | | |
D | Hector Bellerin | ARS | WBA | 5.9 | $4,000 | | D | | | | | |
GK | Sam Johnstone | WBA | ARS | 5.34 | $4,000 | | GK | | | | | |
Util | Emile Smith Rowe | ARS | WBA | 8.01 | $5,800 | To | Util | Daniel Podence | WOL | BHA | 8.81 | $7,100 |
| | | | Total | $49,400 | | | | | | Total | $10,100 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
DK GPP | Pivot | DK Pivot GPP |
Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | | Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
F | Pedro Neto | WOL | BHA | 14.86 | $9,500 | | F | | | | | |
F | Alexandre Lacazette | ARS | WBA | 8.53 | $8,500 | | F | | | | | |
M | Emile Smith Rowe | ARS | WBA | 8.01 | $5,800 | | M | | | | | |
M | Solly March | BHA | WOL | 11.35 | $8,800 | | M | | | | | |
D | Enda Stevens | SHU | CRY | 4.19 | $3,900 | | D | | | | | |
D | Romain Saiss | WOL | BHA | 6.58 | $3,400 | | D | | | | | |
GK | Bernd Leno | ARS | WBA | 6.33 | $5,600 | To | GK | Sam Johnstone | WBA | ARS | 5.34 | $4,000 |
Util | Rhian Brewster | SHU | CRY | 2.34 | $4,400 | To | Util | Kieran Tierney | ARS | WBA | 7.24 | $6,000 |
| | | | Total | $49,900 | | | | | | Total | $10,000 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
FD Cash | Pivot | FD Pivot Cash |
Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | | Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
F/M | Daniel Podence | WOL | BHA | 12.60 | $17 | | F/M | | | | | |
F/M | Pedro Neto | WOL | BHA | 16.27 | $19 | To | F/M | Ruben Neves | WOL | BHA | 12.02 | $15 |
F/M | Alexandre Lacazette | ARS | WBA | 14.79 | $21 | | F/M | | | | | |
F/M | Matheus Pereira | WBA | ARS | 13.79 | $17 | | F/M | | | | | |
D | James Tomkins | CRY | SHU | 7.80 | $8 | | D | | | | | |
D | Romain Saiss | WOL | BHA | 17.14 | $10 | To | D | Darnell Furlong | WBA | ARS | 13.14 | $14 |
GK | Sam Johnstone | WBA | ARS | 8.59 | $7 | | GK | | | | | |
| | | | Total | $99 | | | | | | Total | $29 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
FD GPP | Pivot | FD Pivot GPP |
Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | | Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
F/M | Emile Smith Rowe | ARS | WBA | 11.45 | $9 | To | F/M | Bukayo Saka | ARS | WBA | 12.04 | $13 |
F/M | Alexandre Lacazette | ARS | WBA | 14.79 | $21 | | F/M | | | | | |
F/M | Pedro Neto | WOL | BHA | 16.27 | $19 | | F/M | | | | | |
F/M | Ruben Neves | WOL | BHA | 12.02 | $15 | | F/M | | | | | |
D | Romain Saiss | WOL | BHA | 17.14 | $10 | | D | | | | | |
D | Darnell Furlong | WBA | ARS | 13.14 | $14 | | D | | | | | |
GK | Vicente Guaita | CRY | SHU | 7.09 | $12 | To | GK | Sam Johnstone | WBA | ARS | 8.59 | $7 |
| | | | Total | $100 | | | | | | Total | $20 |