FantasyLabs now has soccer projections for the Premier League!
While there’s no fantasy football this week as teams get ready for the Super Bowl, there is a chance to get in on some fantasy futbol (or soccer if you prefer —come at me Beckham and Peyton) from England this Saturday morning.
This week’s soccer slate on DraftKings includes five Premier League matches that kick off at 10:00 a.m. ET as part of Matchday 22. The five kickoffs set up a fast-paced style with lots happening simultaneously. If you’re a fan of “Turbo” slates in other sports, this setup should be perfect for you!
The five games feature teams from all across the table, led by Manchester United, who are up to fourth place and host Crystal Palace in the match loaded with the most star power. Both teams have struggled recently in Premier League play, though, and will be eager to grab critical points in this contest.
On the other end of the table, the battle to escape the relegation zone continues. For those new to the EPL, the bottom three teams at the end of each season are demoted to a lower league. Aston Villa has surged out of that section of the standings and all the way up to 11th as they host a struggling Leicester City squad. Leicester is just one point clear of the bottom three spots and just one point ahead of Wolverhampton, who are tied with Bournemouth just on the edge of the dreaded drop zone.
Wolverhampton and Bournemouth are both in action on this slate as they face Liverpool and Brighton, respectively. Even the team at the very bottom of the table, Southampton, still has plenty of time to move up in this crowded table. This week, Southampton faces a tall task as it visits Brentford. The Bees have not lost in their last eight EPL matches, earning four wins and four ties.
Inside our soccer Player Models, you’ll find median and value projections, along with our Lineup Builder and Lineup Optimizer. The Lineup Builder is great for those of you that like to hand-build your teams — or you can utilize the Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups.
Now, let’s get into the slate!
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Premier League Forward DFS Picks
Top Play: Marcus Rashford vs. Crystal Palace, $9,100
Rashford has been on a great run since play resumed for Manchester United following the World Cup and has been one of the best fantasy options in the entire EPL. In his 12 games across all competitions, Rashford has found the back of the net 10 times while tacking on four assists.
He has over 16 DraftKings points in three of his four most recent EPL matches. He failed to score against Crystal Palace earlier this month on the road. However, his form at home at Old Trafford has been exceptional, and seven of his nine goals in EPL play this season have come in home matchups.
The 25-year-old, originally from Manchester, has the highest ceiling projection of all forwards on the slate and is worth considering paying up for in all formats since he’ll be a popular option who can break the slate if he goes off.
Top Value: Samuel Edozie at Brentford, $5,000
While Southampton still has lots of work to do to avoid relegation, they have looked much better lately under new manager Nathan Jones. Samuel Edozie has been vital to their recent offensive turnaround and brings the best points-per-dollar projection of any forward on this slate at an affordable $5K.
Edozie is still just 19 years old but has played in all eight of the Saints’ games since Jones took over, starting four of the last five contests in the EPL. He has over 6.0 DraftKings points in four of those five games despite not breaking through for a goal or an assist.
Two weeks ago, in their last EPL match, the Saints had two goals disallowed against Aston Villa, and Edozie looked very dangerous throughout his time on the pitch before being subbed out. He came on as a substitute and played 55 minutes for Southampton in their most recent contest, which was an EFL Cup semifinals loss to Newcastle United.
While Jones has said he’s not ready to roll with the teenager for all 90 minutes, he clearly sees him as a crucial part of the team’s attack when on the pitch. The youngster is still so affordable that he is a great way to help balance out your forward spending if you pair him with Rashford.
If you’re looking for alternative bargains at forward, Wolverhampton’s Matheus Cunha and Hwang Hee-chan are also projected to be good value plays in their game against Liverpool.
Premier League Midfielder DFS Picks
Top Play: Bruno Fernandes vs. Crystal Palace, $8,300
Fernandes has either a goal or an assist in his five most recent EPL matches, averaging a robust 18.2 DraftKings points per game over that stretch. He has the highest projection of all the players on the slate, edging out James Maddison of Leicester City.
In addition to his success in the EPL, Fernandes also helped Man U to three wins in cup competitions in the past two weeks, with one goal, one assist, and eight shots in those three contests. After their strong showing in cup play, Man U will be hoping to claim the full three points against Crystal Palace, and Fernandes should be at the center offensively.
In his matchup against Crystal Palace earlier this month, Fernandes had an impressive 27.2 DraftKings points with his club’s only goal in the 1-1 draw.
He and Rashford make a powerful duo to build around for the Red Devils’ home match against Crystal Palace. It’s a little surprising that there are four midfielders priced ahead of him but don’t shy away from stacking Fernandes and Rashford in what Man U hopes can be a statement win this week.
Top Value: Jordan Henderson at Wolverhampton, $3,000
Henderson is the only midfielder on the slate who matches Fernades’ points-per-dollar projection and offers a lot of salary relief at only $3K for Liverpool. The only reason the team’s captain is so affordable is that he is just returning to the starting XI after missing time with a concussion. He is expected to move into the lineup in place of Ibrahima Konate, who injured his hamstring against Brighton on Sunday.
While there are many questions about how much Henderson has left in the tank, the projections like this matchup for him to post a vintage performance, and at this price point, he wouldn’t have to do much to offer a great return on investment.
Other value options to consider in the midfield include Southampton’s Mohamed Elyounoussi and Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister.
Premier League Defender DFS Picks
Top Play: Trent Alexander-Arnold at Wolverhampton, $5,900
Alexander-Arnold is the third-most expensive defender on this 10-team slate. However, he has the highest projection of the Liverpool defenders, who claim the top three spots in the salary structure in their favorable matchup against Wolverhampton. He also brings the most best points-per-dollar projection of any player at any position on this slate.
The Wanderers have been shut out in their two most recent matchups and have only scored four goals in their seven matches across all competitions dating back to New Year’s Eve. Their lack of firepower gives Liverpool a good shot at the clean sheet bonus, making their defenders strong plays across the board.
Despite Liverpool’s struggles, Alexander-Arnold has been one of the few bright spots. He regularly gets involved in the offense and usually contributes good crosses when pressing forward. He has averaged over 10 DraftKings points per game on the season and posted two games with over 16 DraftKings points earlier this month.
A minor muscular injury limited him in Liverpool’s most recent EPL match, but as long as he’s back in the starting XI, he’ll be an excellent play in this matchup with a high ceiling, especially for a defender.
Top Value: Pervis Estupiñán vs. Bournemouth, $5,100
While he isn’t as ultra-cheap as the alternative values listed below, Estupiñán has the third-highest points-per-dollar projection among the defenders and the highest of all non-Liverpool options. According to oddsmakers, he and Brighton have a good shot at a clean sheet, with the second-best odds at a shutout.
The Ecuadorian defender is having an excellent debut season with Brighton at only 24 years old. He has started and played every minute of the team’s five games since returning from the World Cup and posted a pair of assists and 19.3 DraftKings points as part of this article two weeks ago.
I’m ready to go back to the well in this favorable matchup since he gets so involved in the Seagulls’ attack.
If you are looking for bargain defenders, Liverpool’s Stefan Bajcetic, Ashley Young, and Lyanco all make sense.
Premier League Goalie DFS Picks
Top Play: David de Gea vs. Crystal Palace, $5,700
According to oddsmakers, the team most likely to be shut out on this slate is actually Crystal Palace (by a very narrow margin). That makes de Gea a good play for a bounce-back performance after giving up three goals to table-leading Arsenal in his most recent EPL match.
He looked much better in Man U’s two cup games, allowing one goal in 180 minutes against Reading and Nottingham Forest while making five saves.
Before that rough outing against the Gunners, de Gea had 6.4 DraftKings points in the draw against Crystal Palace. He also had a great run of three straight EPL games with at least 16 DraftKings points in his first three games coming out of the World Cup break. He has 57 saves and three clean sheets on the season for an average of 6.0 DraftKings points per game.
Top Value: Gavin Bazunu at Brentford, $4,000
The highest points-per-dollar projection of all the goalkeepers on the slate belongs to Bazunu as he tries to help Southampton climb from the bottom of the table by getting a strong result against the Bees. The 20-year-old Irish international has started every single Premier League game this season for the Saints but only has managed one clean sheet.
However, many of his goals allowed are more the fault of shaky defense in front of him. He has also been trending in a positive direction with 9.3 and 6.3 DraftKings points in his two most recent EPL starts. His team badly needs points from this match, and Bazunu offers a strong potential return on investment.
He barely earns the top value spot over José Sá of Wolverhampton.
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