One of the things I like most about EPL DFS is how drastically different the slates are from one day to the next. Saturday’s slate has the best collection of defenders we’ve seen for some time. Some slates may have had better defensive talent overall, but this slate has a great blend of studs worth paying up for and budget options that should provide value and allow you to pay up elsewhere. Coincidentally, there are a lot of attackers I want to pay up for, especially in the Everton/Leeds game. This slate should be a lot of fun, so let’s break it down.
| Goal Keepers |
| Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
| Bailey Peacock-Farrell | BRN | MCI | 3500 | 0 | 5 | 0.00 |
| City have just five goals on 29 shots on target in their last six games. They are certainly more dangerous with Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus back healthy, but Burnley's defense is much more stout with Ben Mee back in the lineup. Burnley have kept clean sheets in eight of the last 11 games Ben Mee and James Tarkowski have started together, including last week against Crystal Palace. I would like it better if Nick Pope was starting, but Peacock-Farrell has played well for Northern Ireland, and we're getting him at a decent discount on FD. |
| Aaron Ramsdale | SHU | WBA | 4600 | 5.11 | 9 | 7.83 |
| Only Burnley and Sheffield United have scored fewer goals than West Brom, and no team has conceded more goals than West Brom. I think Ramsdale has an excellent shot at a win and a clean sheet at a discount, though he probably won't have very many saves. |
| Ederson | MCI | BRN | 5900 | 4.67 | 13 | 7.31 |
| Burnley only have four goals in eight games this season, and City are -575 to win this game. He could easily be the only keeper on the slate to score significant fantasy points, in which case it would be totally worth it to pay up for him. |
| | | | | | | | |
| Forwards |
| Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
| Patrick Bamford | LEE | EVE | 8100 | 14.71 | 18 | 24.69 |
| Like most forwards, Bamford is pretty goal-dependent for fantasy, though his 31 shots in his last seven games have me tempted to use him for cash games. Only Harry Kane has more shots than Bamford over the time frame, and no one has more shots on target or shots inside the box. |
| Dominic Calvert-Lewin | EVE | LEE | 10000 | 18.66 | 20 | 29.94 |
| He has at least one goal in every game Richarlison has played this season. That streak cannot last forever, but Leeds have conceded a ton of goals this season, so I suspect it will last at least one more game. |
| Rodrigo | LEE | EVE | 4100 | 5.05 | 16 | 10.81 |
| He has created two chances in four consecutive games despite only starting two of them. He looked great as a sub against Arsenal, though it helps that Nicolas Pepe had gone off with a red card at that point. He is a value on both sites if he starts, though he is probably a better GPP play. |
| Rhian Brewster | SHU | WBA | 4100 | 1.34 | 11 | 3.58 |
| I've been waiting for Brewster to have a good matchup since he joined Sheffield, and this is it. If anyone is going to score for them, my bet is on Brewster, and he is awfully cheap. |
| | | | | | | | |
| Midfielders |
| Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
| James Rodriguez | EVE | LEE | 9300 | 18.16 | 16 | 22.30 |
| He is ridiculously cheap on FanDuel, but I like his value on both sites. Rodriguez has at least 13.2 FD fantasy points in all six games he has playec with Richarlison this season. Leeds has conceded the third-most goals this season. |
| Jack Harrison | LEE | EVE | 7900 | 13.42 | 15 | 17.44 |
| Harrison has hit 7.2 crosses and created 3.5 chances per game in his last six games. Only three teams have conceded more goals than Everton this season, making Harrison a great cash play on both sites. |
| Phil Foden | MCI | BRN | 7500 | 7.92 | 15 | 10.81 |
| Foden was great in the Champions League this week, and he's been solid for fantasy when he's gotten a chance to play. Foden is averaging 18.3 FD fantasy points in the four games he's played at least 45 minutes. I'll like him on both sites if he starts. |
| John Fleck | SHU | WBA | 5500 | 5.94 | 10 | 6.85 |
| Fleck is averaging six crosses per game in his two starts this season, and West Brom is one of the few teams that keeps as little possession as Sheffield. He is a solid cash play, especially on DraftKings. |
| Sander Berge | SHU | WBA | 3800 | 5.93 | 13 | 10.74 |
| I don't know why he's so cheap, especially on DraftKings. He is averaging 8.66 DK fantasy points in his last five games, and this looks like a great matchup. Berge has a chance to be on penalties as well, if Sharp and Norwood are out of the lineup. |
| | | | | | | | |
| Defenders |
| Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
| Joao Cancelo | MCI | BRN | 6200 | 10.66 | 15 | 21.24 |
| Burnley rarely keep possession, especially against the top sides, which means Cancelo should have plenty of chances to get forward. Cancelo has 15 chances created through five games this season, and he has at least two clearances in each of his last three games. He is a cash play on both sites. |
| Ruben Dias | MCI | BRN | 3300 | 4.17 | 10 | 10.05 |
| Defenders can often rack up clearances against Burnley because Burnley play so many long balls and crosses into the box. Dias leads all City defenders with 3.17 clearances per game, and he is worth a shot on FD at his price. |
| James Tarkowski | BRN | MCI | 2900 | 5.15 | 13 | 15.85 |
| Tarkowski and Ben Mee are fifth and second respectively in FPPG on FanDuel among defenders expected to start in Saturday's slate. I'm not sure why they're both so cheap; they could concede goals in a tough matchup, but they could rack up clearances as well. Tarkowski makes this list because I think he's more likely to score a goal from a header, but I would happily play Mee if I need to save a buck. |
| Niels Nkounkou | EVE | LEE | 2500 | 5.22 | 5 | 10.40 |
| In his only start of the season, Niels Nkounkou had four crosses and four clearances in 69 minutes against Newcastle. Nkounkou is a great budget defender on both sites, assuming he starts with Lucas Digne and Seamus Coleman out. If Nkounkou is out, JonJoe Kenny would be viable as well, albeit a bit more expensive. |
| Yerry Mina | EVE | LEE | 3200 | 4.56 | 11 | 13.18 |
| Mina bounced back with a solid fantasy effort against Fulham, leading Everton with five clearances. If Everton stick with a back three, Mina should be a solid play on FanDuel once again. |
| Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
| Conor Townsend | WBA | SHU | 4500 | 6.96 | 13 | 11.47 |
| Townsend had six crosses in consecutive games against Fulham and Brighton, but only four total against Tottenham and Manchester United. Only Crystal Palace and Newcastle have fewer touches per game than Sheffield, so Townsend should have plenty of opportunities to send in crosses in this game. |
| Max Lowe | SHU | WBA | 3800 | 4.9 | 13 | 9.38 |
| Lowe was finally able to get forward last week against West Ham, and he finished with six crosses. His price has barely gone up, and I expect a bunch of crosses again Saturday. |
Example Lineups:
| DK Cash |
| Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
| F | Patrick Bamford | LEE | EVE | 14.71 | $8,100 |
| F | James Rodriguez | EVE | LEE | 18.16 | $9,300 |
| M | Jack Harrison | LEE | EVE | 13.42 | $7,900 |
| M | Kevin De Bruyne | MCI | BUR | 18.96 | $10,200 |
| D | Niels Nkounkou | EVE | LEE | 5.22 | $2,500 |
| D | Conor Townsend | WBA | SHU | 6.96 | $4,500 |
| GK | Bailey Peacock-Farrell | BUR | MCI | 0 | $3,500 |
| Util | Sander Berge | SHU | WBA | 5.93 | $3,800 |
| | | | | Total | $49,800 |
| | | | | | |
| DK Pivot Cash |
| Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
| F | | | | | |
| F | | | | | |
| M | | | | | |
| M | John Fleck | SHU | WBA | 5.94 | $5,500 |
| D | | | | | |
| D | | | | | |
| GK | | | | | |
| Util | Gabriel Jesus | MCI | BUR | 14.39 | $8,600 |
| | | | | Total | $14,100 |
| DK GPP |
| Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
| F | Gabriel Jesus | MCI | BUR | 14.39 | $8,600 |
| F | Patrick Bamford | LEE | EVE | 14.71 | $8,100 |
| M | Sander Berge | SHU | WBA | 5.93 | $3,800 |
| M | Kevin De Bruyne | MCI | BUR | 18.96 | $10,200 |
| D | Niels Nkounkou | EVE | LEE | 5.22 | $2,500 |
| D | Max Lowe | SHU | WBA | 4.9 | $3,800 |
| GK | Aaron Ramsdale | SHU | WBA | 5.11 | $4,600 |
| Util | Richarlison | EVE | LEE | 12.78 | $8,400 |
| | | | | Total | $50,000 |
| | | | | | |
| DK Pivot GPP |
| Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
| F | | | | | |
| F | | | | | |
| M | | | | | |
| M | | | | | |
| D | Conor Townsend | WBA | SHU | 6.96 | $4,500 |
| D | | | | | |
| GK | | | | | |
| Util | Kalvin Phillips | LEE | EVE | 10.86 | $6,400 |
| | | | | Total | $10,900 |
| FD Cash |
| Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
| F/M | James Rodriguez | EVE | LEE | 22.30 | $16 |
| F/M | Kevin De Bruyne | MCI | BRN | 21.89 | $23 |
| F/M | Dominic Calvert-Lewin | EVE | LEE | 29.94 | $20 |
| F/M | Jack Harrison | LEE | EVE | 17.44 | $15 |
| D | Joao Cancelo | MCI | BRN | 21.24 | $15 |
| D | Niels Nkounkou | EVE | LEE | 10.40 | $5 |
| GK | Bailey Peacock-Farrell | BRN | MCI | 0.00 | $5 |
| | | | | Total | $99 |
| | | | | | |
| FD Pivot Cash |
| Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
| F/M | | | | | |
| F/M | | | | | |
| F/M | Phil Foden | MCI | BRN | 10.81 | $15 |
| F/M | | | | | |
| D | | | | | |
| D | Ruben Dias | MCI | BRN | 10.05 | $10 |
| GK | | | | | |
| | | | | Total | $25 |
| FD GPP |
| Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
| F/M | James Rodriguez | | | 22.30 | $16 |
| F/M | Jack Harrison | LEE | EVE | 17.44 | $15 |
| F/M | Dominic Calvert-Lewin | EVE | LEE | 29.94 | $20 |
| F/M | Gabriel Jesus | MCI | BRN | 21.83 | $21 |
| D | Niels Nkounkou | EVE | LEE | 10.40 | $5 |
| D | James Tarkowski | BRN | MCI | 15.85 | $13 |
| GK | Aaron Ramsdale | SHU | WBA | 7.83 | $9 |
| | | | | Total | $99 |
| | | | | | |
| FD Pivot GPP |
| Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
| F/M | | | | | |
| F/M | | | | | |
| F/M | | | | | |
| F/M | | | | | |
| D | Ruben Dias | MCI | BRN | 10.05 | $10 |
| D | | | | | |
| GK | Bailey Peacock-Farrell | BRN | MCI | 0.00 | $5 |
| | | | | Total | $15 |
