With games and injuries piling up in January, checking the lineups when they are announced is even more important than ever. It isn’t enough to just see who is playing; you have to look at the entire team and try to device what the formation will be and who will benefit. We should also consider how one team’s injuries will affect its opponent. The best example from Tuesday’s slate is probably Bukayo Saka, who has been largely responsible for Arsenal’s turnaround. If he plays, I’m playing Lacazette and fading Wolves’ defense. If Saka is out, Arenal could struggle to score for the second consecutive game.
Goal Keepers | |||||||
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG | |
Sam Johnstone | WBA | SHU | 4200 | 4.93 | 9 | 8.10 | |
Sheffield have the fewest goals in the league this season, and Johnstone has at least four saves in three of his last four games. I'm not expecting anything great, but I'll be happy with a few saves and only one goal against at his price. | |||||||
Rui Patricio | WOL | ARS | 4400 | 4.3 | 8 | 7.10 | |
Arsenal are dealing with a bunch of injuries, and the potential absences of Bukayo Saka and Kieran Tierney loom particularly large. If Arsenal's attack looks like it did in the first half of the season, Patricio will be a nice value. | |||||||
Bernd Leno | ARS | WOL | 5200 | 7.72 | 12 | 11.71 | |
He probably isn't as likely to get a win or even a clean sheet as David de Gea, but I think Leno is safer. Wolves opponents have 65 saves this season and Wolves have managed just 21 goals, the fewest for any team that has conceded at least 55 saves. |
Forwards | |||||||
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG | |
Callum Wilson | NEW | CRY | 8000 | 11.83 | 19 | 17.53 | |
Only West Brom have conceded more goals than Crystal Palace this season, and Callum Wilson has scored or assisted on 14 of Newcastle's 21 goals. | |||||||
Wilfried Zaha | CRY | NEW | 8500 | 13.75 | 17 | 16.43 | |
It is usually against weaker teams like Newcastle that Zaha works his magic, and I think he is too cheap on FanDuel. There are probably better options on DraftKings, but I know he'll score if I fade him. | |||||||
Pedro Neto | WOL | ARS | 9700 | 14.34 | 18 | 15.35 | |
He has double-digit crosses in three of his last four games, with 13 chances created in that span. He is as safe as they come on DraftKings, and I think the addition of Willian Jose makes him more likely to pick up some attacking returns as well. |
Midfielders | |||||||
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG | |
Allan Saint-Maximin | NEW | CRY | 4600 | 6.88 | 13 | 7.42 | |
His price has plummeted thanks to a covid absence and three straight games coming off the bench. He doesn't hit enough crosses to be safe on DraftKings, but he is the driving force of this offense along with Callum Wilson. | |||||||
Bruno Fernandes | MUN | SOU | 10900 | 20.87 | 22 | 29.70 | |
I missed out on the inevitable Mo Salah bounceback, and I do not want to do the same with Bruno Fernandes. He is coming off his worst game of the season Saturday, and he has managed just one assist and no goals in his last five games. Even so, he is first in the league in shots and second in shots on target in that span, with a league-leading 1.75 xA. Southampton have not been the same team of late with all the injuries they've dealt with, and while he is no longer a no-brainer for cash games, I still think we have to try to find a way to fit Fernandes in our lineups. | |||||||
Martin Odegaard | ARS | WOL | 12 | 0.00 | |||
He is too expensive on DraftKings, but I like his price on FanDuel. I don't trust him, especially with all of the moving parts in Arsenal’s attack, but he has a lot of upside at his price in a nice matchup. | |||||||
Jonjo Shelvey | NEW | CRY | 6700 | 8.33 | 11 | 11.06 | |
Matt Ritchie has started four straight games on the bench, and Jonjo Shelvy has 26 crosses, eight chances created and seven shots in those games. Ryan Frazer is dealing with an illness, and Shelvey is a great cash play if one or both of Ritchie and Fraser are out. | |||||||
Stuart Armstrong | SOU | MUN | 6200 | 8.41 | 13 | 12.44 | |
Armstrong has at least 7.3 DK fantasy points in each of his last four starts. He hasn't been nearly as consistent on FanDuel despite eight chances created in that span, but he looks like a nice value on both sites | |||||||
Midfielders | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG | |
Oliver Norwood | SHU | WBA | 4100 | 4.72 | 11 | 6.87 | |
I think we can forgive Norwood for struggling against the two Manchester sides, but I think we can forgive him considering he averaged 4.7 crosses per game in the seven games before that. West Brom have allowed the third-most crosses in the league, and Norwood looks like a safe enabler on DraftKings. | |||||||
Eberechi Eze | CRY | NEW | 7700 | 9.74 | 13 | 11.06 | |
I wish he was a bit more consistent, especially when it comes to crosses, but it is clear Eze is Crystal Palace's most dangerous attacking player outside of Zaha. Eze has two goals in his last five games and has double-digit fantasy points on DK in five of his last 10. | |||||||
Emile Smith Rowe | ARS | WOL | 6000 | 8.39 | 13 | 13.44 | |
He has been pretty good when Saka has had to go to the bench, though he didn't do a whole lot against Manchester United Saturday. If Arsenal do score, I think there is a strong chance Smith Rowe is involved. |
Defenders | |||||||
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG | |
Harry Maguire | MUN | SOU | 4600 | 6.15 | 14 | 14.65 | |
If you can afford to pay up on FanDuel, Maguire gives you a nice floor along with a reasonable chance at a goal. He is second in the league in shots and shots on target among defenders, and he leads Manchester United in clearances. | |||||||
Jamal Lewis | NEW | CRY | 4400 | 4.51 | 11 | 7.96 | |
Manager Steve Bruce is finally letting Lewis get forward consistently, with at least four crosses in three straight games including an assist against Everton Saturday. Javier Manquillo has 11 crosses in that same span, and he is a fine alternative if you cannot afford Lewis. | |||||||
Joel Ward | CRY | NEW | 3600 | 3.86 | 10 | 11.75 | |
We liked Ward against Wolves on Saturday but he came off the bench. Newcastle are fifth in the league in opponents' crosses, and Ward remains affordable on DraftKings. | |||||||
Kean Bryan | SHU | WBA | 3200 | 5.37 | 7 | 9.65 | |
Only Burnley and Wolves have allowed more crosses than West Brom this season. Bryan has three crosses in each of his last two starts despite coming off in the 53rd minute Wednesday. If Bryan cannot go, George Baldock, who had four crosses against the aforementioned Burnley in December, would be playable instead. | |||||||
Cedric Soares | ARS | WOL | 5200 | 8.28 | 12 | 10.50 | |
In three starts this season, Cedric has 14 crosses four chances created, two shots and one assist. Wolves' defense had been poor all season, and Cedric could play an even greater role in attack if Bukayo Saka is out. Hector Bellerin is a solid replacement if you need to save some money. |
Example Lineups
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 | DK GPP | ||||||||||||
Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | ||
F | Pedro Neto | WOL | ARS | 14.34 | $9,700 | F | Callum Wilson | NEW | CRY | 11.83 | $8,000 | ||
F | Eberechi Eze | CRY | NEW | 9.74 | $7,700 | F | Eberechi Eze | CRY | NEW | 9.74 | $7,700 | ||
M | Oliver Norwood | SHU | WBA | 4.72 | $4,100 | M | Allan Saint-Maximin | NEW | CRY | 6.88 | $4,600 | ||
M | Bruno Fernandes | MU | MU | 20.87 | $10,900 | M | Emile Smith Rowe | ARS | WOL | 8.39 | $6,000 | ||
D | Jamal Lewis | NEW | CRY | 4.51 | $4,400 | D | Jamal Lewis | NEW | CRY | 4.51 | $4,400 | ||
D | Kean Bryan | SHU | WBA | 5.37 | $3,200 | D | Cedric Soares | ARS | WOL | 8.28 | $5,200 | ||
GK | Rui Patricio | WOL | ARS | 4.3 | $4,400 | GK | Rui Patricio | WOL | ARS | 4.3 | $4,400 | ||
Util | Cedric Soares | ARS | WOL | 8.28 | $5,200 | Util | Pedro Neto | WOL | ARS | 14.34 | $9,700 | ||
Total | $49,600 | Total | $50,000 | ||||||||||
DK Pivot Cash | DK Pivot GPP | ||||||||||||
Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | ||
F | 1 | F | |||||||||||
F | 1 | F | |||||||||||
M | 1 | M | |||||||||||
M | James Ward-Prowse | SOU | MU | 13.77 | $8,300 | 1 | M | Matheus Pereira | WBA | SHU | 12.23 | $8,600 | |
D | 1 | D | |||||||||||
D | Hector Bellerin | ARS | WOL | 6.18 | $4,500 | 1 | D | ||||||
GK | 1 | GK | |||||||||||
Util | Jonjo Shelvey | NEW | CRY | 8.33 | $6,700 | 1 | Util | John Fleck | SHU | WBA | 6.76 | $6,800 | |
Total | $19,500 | Total | $15,400 | ||||||||||
FD Cash | FD GPP | ||||||||||||
Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | ||
F/M | Bruno Fernandes | MUN | SOU | 29.70 | $22 | F/M | Martin Odegaard | ARS | WOL | 0.00 | $12 | ||
F/M | Matheus Pereira | WBA | SHU | 16.92 | $18 | F/M | Allan Saint-Maximin | NEW | CRY | 7.42 | $13 | ||
F/M | Emile Smith Rowe | ARS | WOL | 13.44 | $13 | F/M | Callum Wilson | NEW | CRY | 17.53 | $19 | ||
F/M | Jonjo Shelvey | NEW | CRY | 11.06 | $11 | F/M | Wilfried Zaha | CRY | NEW | 16.43 | $17 | ||
D | Harry Maguire | MUN | SOU | 14.65 | $14 | D | Harry Maguire | MUN | SOU | 14.65 | $14 | ||
D | Rob Holding | ARS | WOL | 12.91 | $13 | D | Ciaran Clark | NEW | CRY | 12.67 | $10 | ||
GK | Rui Patricio | WOL | ARS | 7.10 | $8 | GK | David de Gea | MUN | SOU | 10.32 | $14 | ||
Total | $99 | Total | $99 | ||||||||||
FD Pivot Cash | FD Pivot GPP | ||||||||||||
Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | ||
F/M | 1 | F/M | |||||||||||
F/M | 1 | F/M | Edinson Cavani | MUN | SOU | 10.70 | $18 | ||||||
F/M | 1 | F/M | |||||||||||
F/M | #REF! | F/M | |||||||||||
D | Aaron Wan-Bissaka | MUN | SOU | 14.97 | $13 | 1 | D | ||||||
D | 1 | D | |||||||||||
GK | Sam Johnstone | WBA | SHU | 8.10 | $9 | 1 | GK | Rui Patricio | WOL | ARS | 7.10 | $8 | |
Total | $22 | Total | $26 |