It’s been a while since we discussed the importance of watching the games for EPL DFS, and now seems like a good time to discuss it again. I like to make notes of things that catch my attention while I’m watching the games, and while that’s not really necessary, it helps to ensure that I don’t forget things when it comes time to set my DFS lineups the next week.

Perhaps the most important thing to note is who is on set pieces and penalties, though it is also important to keep track of who isn’t on the field at those times. Youri Tielemans scored on a penalty last week, but only because Jamie Vardy was already out of the game. That fact would be really easy to miss if you didn’t watch the game.

I also note who looks threatening in attack and who has disappeared. If we’re 40 minutes in and I can’t remember the last time the announcer said Raheem Sterling’s name, I’m going to file that away for next time.

Finally, not all goals are created equally, so I think it is good to note when a goal was rather fluky, as in Rayan Ait-Nouri’s goal last week, and when it was the well-deserved result of consistent offensive pressure. Next week, we’ll likely have to pay extra for the players who scored those goals, so it is important to note which goals are worth paying for.

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.

Goal Keepers
PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Kasper SchmeichelLEIWOL50008.571113.21
Leicester have only conceded seven goals this season, and Wolves have only scored five goals. I don't trust Liverpool to play a low-scoring game, ever, so I think you pretty much need to pick a keeper from this game. Schmeichel is at home, and he isn't that much more expensive than Rui Patricio.
Emiliano MartinezAVLARS  715.92
Only Burnley have scored fewer goals than Arsenal this season, and while I don't necessarily expect that to continue, it is worth a shot. Martinez is facing his former club as well, which adds to the intrigue.
        
Forwards
PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Sadio ManeLIVMCI760019.671929.18
Much like Tammy Abraham was on Saturday, Sadio Mane is extremely underpriced, especially on DraftKings. This isn't a great matchup, so maybe we shouldn't use him for cash, but I'll have a hard time staying away.
Raheem SterlingMCILIV740010.921916.28
I usually have a hard time distinguishing from the City attackers outside of Kevin De Bruyne. They usually cost roughly the same and score around the same number of fantasy points. Sunday is different, because I think Sterling will have a significant advantage attacking on the lefthand side. Trent Alexander-Arnold has been getting beaten consistently all season, including last week against West Ham. If Sterling doesn't get a goal, I think he'll have an excellent chance at an assist.
        
Midfielders
PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Youri TielemansLEIWOL660013.521418.04
I'm surprised Tielemans doesn't cost more after he scored two goals against Leeds last week. Tielemans doesn't have a single cross the last two weeks, which makes him difficult to trust on DraftKings, but he has at least 10 FD fantasy points in five of his seven games this season.
Kevin De BruyneMCILIV940018.452225.46
De Bruyne is the only cash game stud on Saturday's slate, with the possible exception of Salah and Mane. We haven't really gotten the attacking returns we expect so far this season, though getting Gabriel Jesus back would certainly help in that regard. 
Daniel PodenceWOLLEI680010.241613.73
He has at least 7.2 DK fantasy points in five of his six games. That, combined with his forward eligibility, makes him a very nice cash play.
Marc AlbrightonLEIWOL61003.3284.43
I hesitate to name him here because he isn't guaranteed to start, but he looked great for Leicester last week, and he is too cheap on both sites if he does start.
Diogo JotaLIVMCI510010.961817.24
He is a bit too goal-dependent for my liking, but I don't get why he is so cheap. 
PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Ferran TorresMCILIV62006.62168.25
He is miscast as a number nine, but he has had all kind of chances in front of goal the last two weeks. If Jesus is out again, Torres is too cheap. If Torres plays but is out wide, I think I would want to see how he does before I would take a chance on him for fantasy.
        
Defenders
PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Wesley FofanaLEIWOL35005.611115.53
Fofana has at least 13 FD fantasy points in all three games this season. He doesn't get forward much, but he was very active against Leeds, and there is no reason to believe this game will be any different.
Rayan Ait-NouriWOLLEI390019.281330.20
On the one hand, Rayan Ait-Nouri's goal last week was a bit fluky. He was in the right place at the right time following a failed clearance. On the other hand, he got forward a ton in that game, sneaking into the box when the ball was played in from the right. He is way too cheap, though I'm hesitant to play him for cash because he only had two crosses against Crystal Palace.
Nelson SemedoWOLLEI43008.121011.82
He is also too cheap, and his 10 crosses over his last two games make him safer than Ait-Nouri, even if he is less likely to score a goal. 
Rob HoldingARSAVL  814.20
I don't get why he is so cheap on FanDuel. He has at least 15.4 FD fantasy points in three of his four games, with at least six clearances in each of his last two. I think Holding is playable in all formats at his price.
Trent Alexander-ArnoldLIVMCI540012.531412.99
He has double-digit DK fantasy points in six consecutive games, and it is weird he isn't the most expensive defender. Andrew Robertson has come back down the earth the last two weeks, and Alexander-Arnold is clearly the safer play of the two.
PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Joel MatipLIVMCI28001.6873.80
Nathaniel Phillips had nine clearances against West Ham last week, and now Matip will likely take that spot in the lineup. Matip averaged 4.62 clearances, 1.62 tackles and 1.62 interceptions per start last season, and if he can reach those numbers Sunday, he is too cheap.

Example Lineups

DK Cash DK GPP
Pos.PlayerTeamOppFPPGSalary Pos.PlayerTeamOppFPPGSalary
FSadio ManeLIVMCI19.67$7,600 FSadio ManeLIVMCI19.67$7,600
FRiyad MahrezMCILIV13.29$7,200 FRaheem SterlingMCILIV10.92$7,400
MPedro NetoWOLLEI13.81$8,000 MDiogo JotaLIVMCI10.96$5,100
MDaniel PodenceWOLLEI10.24$6,800 MYouri TielemansLEIWOL13.52$6,600
DNelson SemedoWOLLEI8.12$4,300 DRayan Ait-NouriWOLLEI19.28$3,900
DTrent Alexander-ArnoldLIVMCI12.53$5,400 DAndrew RobertsonLIVMCI14.03$5,300
GKKasper SchmeichelLEIWOL8.57$5,000 GKRui PatricioWOLLEI8.75$4,600
UtilAndrew RobertsonLIVMCI14.03$5,300 UtilKevin De BruyneMCILIV18.45$9,400
    Total$49,600     Total$49,900
             
DK Pivot Cash DK Pivot GPP
Pos.PlayerTeamOppFPPGSalary Pos.PlayerTeamOppFPPGSalary
F      F     
FGabriel JesusMCILIV18.98$7,800 FRiyad MahrezMCILIV13.29$7,200
M      M     
M      M     
D      D     
D      DTrent Alexander-Arnold    
GK      GK     
UtilDiogo JotaLIVMCI10.96$5,100 Util     
    Total$12,900     Total$7,200
             
FD Cash FD GPP
PosPlayerTeamOppFPPGSalary PosPlayerTeamOppFPPGSalary
F/MRaheem SterlingMCILIV16.28$19 F/MRaheem SterlingMCILIV16.28$19
F/MSadio ManeLIVMCI29.18$19 F/MSadio ManeLIVMCI29.18$19
F/MKevin De BruyneMCILIV25.46$22 F/MJohn McGinnAVLARS17.80$14
F/MYouri TielemansLEIWOL18.04$14 F/MKevin De BruyneMCILIV25.46$22
DWesley FofanaLEIWOL15.53$11 DRob HoldingARSAVL14.20$8
DRob HoldingARSAVL14.20$8 DJoel MatipLIVMCI3.80$7
GKEmiliano MartinezAVLARS15.92$7 GKKasper SchmeichelLEIWOL13.21$11
    Total$100     Total$100
             
FD Pivot Cash FD Pivot GPP
PosPlayerTeamOppFPPGSalary PosPlayerTeamOppFPPGSalary
F/M      F/M     
F/MMohamed SalahLIVMCI34.20$20 F/M     
F/M      F/MDiogo JotaLIVMCI17.24$18
F/M      F/M     
D      D     
DJoel MatipLIVMCI3.80$7 D     
GK      GKEmiliano MartinezAVLARS15.92$7
    Total$27     Total$25