For the first time this season, we have a huge midweek EPL DFS slate. The top four teams on the table are all in action Wednesday, with the top three going off as huge favorites on the road. In that type of slate, I think the natural inclination would be to play a stars-and-scrubs lineup, but I will try to resist that urge, especially for cash games. Much of the top talent has been inconsistent so far this season, but their presence in the slate has lowered the price of many of the safe mid-priced players we know and love.
Goalkeepers | |||||||
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG | |
Kasper Schmeichel | LEI | SOU | 4600 | 6.22 | 10 | 9.65 | |
Only Norwich has scored fewer goals than Southampton, who is 10th in opponent's saves. I'm not expecting a clean sheet, but Leicester leads the league in saves and they are +185 to win. Schmeichel looks like the safest keeper on the slate. | |||||||
Lukasz Fabianski | WHU | BHA | 5200 | 7.79 | 11 | 12.23 | |
West Ham is -105 to win and they are sixth in saves this season. Brighton has allowed 34 saves this season and has scored just 12 goals. | |||||||
Edouard Mendy | CHE | WAT | 5800 | 11 | 14 | 17.46 | |
Chelsea is by far the biggest favorite on the slate, and they are -125 to win and keep a clean sheet. I don't like paying up for a keeper in cash lineups who I don't expect to make many saves, but he is absolutely worth a shot in GPPs. | |||||||
Nick Pope | BRN | WOL | 4100 | 4.15 | 8 | 6.75 | |
Wolverhampton has been nearly as good a matchup for opposing keepers as Southampton and slightly better than Brighton. Burnley's defense has been disappointing all season, and Pope is risky with James Tarkowski out, but this isn't a bad slate to simply pay as little as possible at keeper. |
Forwards | |||||||
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG | |
Mohamed Salah | LIV | EVE | 10500 | 22.75 | 22 | 34.92 | |
Its seems absurd, but Salah was actually disappointing last week to only get one assist. His floor is higher than anyone's, and while you could easily look elsewhere for a GPP, I think you have to find a way to afford Salah in cash games. | |||||||
Gabriel Jesus | MCI | AVL | 7800 | 11.81 | 20 | 18.34 | |
I don't usually have so many City players in my Playbook, but it is difficult to ignore how consistent Jesus has been the last couple of months. He is averaging 20.0 FD fantasy points in his last six games, with at least 16.6 fantasy points in five of those. He is a great play, especially if Jack Grealish and/or Phil Foden are starting. |
Midfielders | |||||||
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG | |
Ilkay Gundogan | MCI | AVL | 8300 | 14.03 | 16 | 18.62 | |
Playing Gundogan with Kevin De Bruyne out is such an easy decision it belongs in a Capital One commercial. Gundogan had a goal, an assist and four chances created against West Ham Sunday, and while his price has increased, he is still a nice value. | |||||||
Bernardo Silva | MCI | AVL | 7400 | 11.28 | 18 | 17.13 | |
Silva is a bit frustrating for fantasy because he is dependent on positioning. If he starts in attacking midfield, he is extremely valuable. If Jack Grealish and/or Phil Foden push Silva into a defensive position, he is unusable. Be sure to check City's lineup before kickoff. | |||||||
Pablo Fornals | WHU | BHA | 5900 | 10.44 | 16 | 16.65 | |
Fornals has been on more set pieces of late, and that trend will only continue if Aaron Cresswell is out. Fornals is a GPP play on FD but a cash play on DK if Cresswell misses out. | |||||||
Christian Pulisic | CHE | WAT | 7100 | 9.65 | 18 | 13.07 | |
Pulisic's numbers are eye-popping when you realize he has only started one of his four games this season. Watford has allowed the third-most goals this season, which only raises Pulisic's floor. | |||||||
Johann Gudmundsson | BRN | WOL | 5100 | 4.73 | 9 | 6.88 | |
Gudmundsson has at least 6.5 DK fantasy points in two of his last three games, and I think we can forgive him for struggling against Chelsea. If he is on corners with Ashley Westwood out, Gudmundsson would be a fantastic value. It also helps that he is forward-eligible on DK and will be attacking at Sergio Reguilon. If you need to save money, Josh Brownhill is worth a shot as well. | |||||||
Midfielders | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG | |
Pascal Gross | BHA | WHU | 7900 | 12.8 | 14 | 14.50 | |
Gross fell out of favor for real life and fantasy in October, but he appears to be entrenched in the starting lineup and he is producing for both sites. Gross has 18 crosses and six chances created in his last two starts. Only two teams have allowed more crosses than West Ham this season, making Gross a great cash play. | |||||||
James Ward-Prowse | SOU | LEI | 7000 | 13.18 | 18 | 16.46 | |
His price plummeted after a down week at Liverpool, but even in a stacked slate, he is one of the safest players for DraftKings. |
Defenders | |||||||
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG | |
Nathan Collins | BRN | WOL | 2600 | 4.64 | 11 | 15.80 | |
Collins has been very good for FD when he starts, and he will get the chance again with James Tarkowski out. I like him in DK GPPs for his chances at a header from a set piece, but he looks like a safe cash play on FD. | |||||||
Cesar Azpilicueta | CHE | WAT | 4600 | 8.03 | 11 | 14.02 | |
With a crowded run of fixtures the next month, Azpilicueta seems likely to start even if Reece James is fit. Chelsea should have plenty of possession, making Azpliicueta a nice play on both sites. | |||||||
Marcos Alonso | CHE | WAT | 6900 | 17.51 | 14 | 21.76 | |
Alonso is $1 cheaper than the aforementioned James but Alonso has averaged more FD fantasy points this season. I would try to pay up for Alonso if I could, especially in a GPP, but he isn't a must-play. | |||||||
Ben Johnson | WHU | BHA | 4200 | 6.95 | 13 | 15.66 | |
Johnson's FPPG are down due to a tough schedule that included Manchester City and Liverpool in the last three games, but I fully expect him to bounce back at home against Brighton. Vladimir Coufal is probably safer, but Johnson is just fine if you need to save some money. | |||||||
Ben Godfrey | EVE | LIV | 2700 | 4.93 | 12 | 14.14 | |
He has at least 11.7 FD fantasy points in eight consecutive games. Liverpool is third in clearances allowed, tackles + interceptions allowed and first in blocks allowed. Godfrey may not be the best value among defenders Wednesday but he does appear to be the safest. |
Draftkings Core Plays | ||
Top Tier | Mohamed Salah | $10,500 |
Ilkay Gundogan | $8,300 | |
Mid Tier | Christian Pulisic | $7,100 |
Pablo Fornals | $5,900 | |
Value Tier | Cesar Azpilicueta | $4,600 |
Ben Johnson | $4,200 | |
Fanduel Core Plays | ||
Top Tier | Mohamed Salah | $22 |
Gabriel Jesus | $20 | |
Mid Tier | Ilkay Gundogan | $16 |
Christian Pulisic | $18 | |
Value Tier | Ben Godfrey | $12 |
Johann Gudmundsson | $9 |