It was nice to get a break from the Premier League after a chaotic December schedule, but it is equally nice to get back into the swing of things with Saturday’s EPL DFS slate. The slate is not as robust as it could have been following the postponement of Leicester vs. Burnley, but there are still several intriguing matchups. What the slate lacks in top sides, it makes up for with teams who allow a lot of goals and have made some intriguing January signings. Those signings figure to be some of the best values on the slate, assuming they start right away for their new clubs. As always, we will have to be vigilant in the hour leading up to kickoff.
Goalkeepers
Player
Team
Opp.
DK $
DK FPPG
FD $
FD FPPG
Jordan Pickford
EVE
NOR
5300
5.63
12
8.91
With the Burnley game off, Pickford becomes the best bet for a win and a clean sheet. I think I prefer Sa, especially for cash games, but I'll pay up for Pickford in tournaments if I cannot find anyplace else to spend the money.
Fraser Forster
SOU
WOL
4400
11.67
8
16.33
Forster's fantasy production has been absurd through three starts, especially considering he doesn't have a clean sheet. That being said, this call is more about his price and his opponent. Only Norwich has scored fewer goals than Wolverhampton this season, but eight teams have allowed fewer saves. Forster is a fine play if you need to save some money, especially for cash games.
Jose Sa
WOL
SOU
4900
9.82
11
14.63
Among the regular starters on the slate, Sa has been the best for fantasy. Southampton has allowed seven more saves than any team on the slate, and they only have 24 goals to show for it. Wolves are +215 to win and keep a clean sheet. Only Everton has better odds, and Sa is far safer, not to mention cheaper, than Jordan Pickford.
Forwards
Player
Team
Opp.
DK $
DK FPPG
FD $
FD FPPG
Chris Wood
NEW
WAT
4800
5.39
16
8.84
I think Newcastle's signing of Wood is overrated, but only two teams have allowed more goals against per 90 minutes than Watford. Newcastle has plenty of players who can send a ball into the box and Wood is as good a bet as anyone to let one of those balls bounce off him into the net. He is a GPP play on both sites, but I prefer his price on DK.
Joshua King
WAT
NEW
7200
9.44
17
16.71
King has at least 12.8 FD fantasy points in three straight games and five straight that weren't against Manchester City or Chelsea. He is safer on FanDuel thanks to the chances created but he is certainly playble on DK thanks to the good matchup.
Emmanuel Dennis
WAT
NEW
8600
12.64
19
20.86
Dennis only played 45 minutes his last time out but he was averaging 28.65 FD fantasy points in his last six games before that. He is safer thatn King on DK, even if the bar isn't very high, and I'm awfully tempted to play them together on FD.
Cristiano Ronaldo
MUN
AVL
22
19.25
Ronaldo is awfully expensive for someone who basically needs to score a goal to be useful for fantasy. That being said, there are very few safe attackers in the FD slate, and Ronaldo is a great bet to score a goal. I prefer him in tournaments but with so many cheap defenders available, I will consider him in cash games.If he begins on the bench or if I need to save some money, I will pivot to Bruno.
Midfielders
Player
Team
Opp.
DK $
DK FPPG
FD $
FD FPPG
Demarai Gray
EVE
NOR
9900
12.36
16
15.72
Gray is coming off a 12-cross game, and that is almost certainly off the table if Andros Townsend starts. That being said, Gray was great even before that game, with goals against Arsenal and Liverpool last month. I like him in all formats, and he would approach must-play status if Townsend is on the bench.
Andros Townsend
EVE
NOR
9700
13.37
17
16.17
Townsend's finishing is laughable, but he is by far the safest forward-eligible player on the slate. If he starts, it will be awfully difficult to get away from him in DK cash games.
Nathan Tella
SOU
WOL
5300
4.07
12
5.62
I think Tella is a safe, cheap forward on DraftKings, so long as he doesn't start at forward. He has at least two crosses in three straight starts in the midfield or at wing back. If he starts there again, he will be in all of my DK cash lineups.
Daniel Podence
WOL
SOU
8000
5.48
15
7.62
I thought this was going to be an ugly slate for DK cash games, but forward-eligible players like Podence changed my mind. He is averaging 11.6 DK fantasy points in his last four starts despite scoring zero goals and recording just one assist in that span. He was a much better value in those games, but I'm willing to pay up for his consistency.
Ibrahima Diallo
SOU
WOL
4800
4.05
9
6.58
He is safer on FD thanks to three chances created in each of his last three games. Those two games earned him a price hike, but it isn't enough. If h e starts again, he is a value play on both sites.
Midfielders
Team
Opp.
DK $
DK FPPG
FD $
FD FPPG
Milot Rashica
NOR
EVE
6700
8.67
15
9.13
I assume the matchup is what is keeping his price down, but I think that is a mistake. Everton is tied for 10th in goals against per 90 minutes, so I won't be scared away. Rashica has been consistent on both sites, with 30 crosses and eight chances created in his last five games.
James Ward-Prowse
SOU
WOL
9500
14.73
18
19.18
Ward-Prowse isn't quite as good as guys like Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne, but he is just as consistent. Like those others, it is becoming nearly impossible to find new ways to talk up Ward-Prowse. I don't necessarily expect a goal in this matchup, but we don't need one, especially in cash games.
Defenders
Player
Team
Opp.
DK $
DK FPPG
FD $
FD FPPG
Ryan Fraser
NEW
WAT
5200
4.15
13
4.39
It is still ridiculous that Fraser is a defender on DraftKings. That being said, he has 10 crosses and three chances created in his last three games, which were against Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool. With a much better matchup and a decent target up front in Chris Wood, Fraser looks like a decent value.
Vitalii Mykolenko
EVE
NOR
4900
0
5
I would be lying if I said I know what to expect from Mykolenko's first game with Everton, but I love the matchup and the price on FanDuel. Lucas Digne was surprisingly consistent on FanDuel despite relying on offense and Mykolenko's potential is tantalizing at a bargain price. Mykolenko had three shots and nine crosses in five Champions League starts, but he faces much easier competition Saturday than he did in those five games.
Hassane Kamara
WAT
NEW
4500
0
5
Much of what I wrote about Mykolenko applies to Kamara. Kamara's matchup may not be quite as favorable as Mykolenko's, but Kamara had 122 crosses in 34 matches for Nice last season. I think I would pay up for Mykolenko if I could, but Kamara is a fine alternative, especially for cash games.
Romain Perraud
SOU
WOL
5000
6.26
9
8.88
Perraud is averaging 3.88 crosses per start, and you could make an argument he is the safest defender on the DK slate. There could be better values, especially for tournaments, but if you can afford to pay a bit more for safety, Perraud looks the part.
Lucas Digne
AVL
MUN
6500
9.22
12
14.32
I was prepared to recommend Digne as a GPP play, but I think I am talking myself into playing him for cash games. Digne has at least 14.5 fantasy points in six of his last eight games, including against Manchester United in October. The two exceptions were against Liverpool and Manchester United. I think Digne is a perfect fit for Steven Gerrard's system, and he is replacing a left back in Matt Targett who had at least 15.1 fantasy points in three straight games.
Player
Team
Opp.
DK $
DK FPPG
FD $
FD FPPG
Conor Coady
WOL
SOU
2500
3.66
11
11.44
He may not be as good a value as Maximilian Kilman or Marcal, but Coady is undoubtedly safer. He has at least 11.5 FD fantasy points in nine consecutive games. I'm fine with his teammates in a GPP or if you need to save a buck, but I will gladly pencil Coady in for double-digit fantasy points and move on with my life.
