I think the key to Saturday’s EPL DFS Playbook is which of the lower level teams is going to score against its Top-Six counterpart. I am really tempted by a bunch of Leeds players, but Chelsea has been one of the best defensive teams in the league this season. West Ham have played very well at times this season, and Manchester United do not look like a scary matchup, but those players are mostly priced accordingly. Barring some surprise starters, it’s going to be awfully difficult to pay up for the safe stud midfielders, which makes for an interesting DFS slate overall.
Forwards |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Edinson Cavani | MUN | WHU | 7400 | 10.4 | 17 | 16.08 |
His 16.08 FD FPPG is a lot more impressive when you realize he has played 128 minutes total over his three appearances. He won't keep scoring 2.11 goals per 90 minutes, but if he finally starts, I think I would rather take a chance on him than any United attacker outside of Bruno Fernandes. |
Sebastien Haller | WHU | MUN | 6700 | 4.74 | 15 | 8.93 |
I was all set to play Michail Antonio until he was ruled out. That should mean another start for Haller, who is more expensive than Antonio on DK but cheaper on FD. Haller has seven shots, three on target, with one goal and four chances created in three starts this season. He is a GPP play on both sites. |
Midfielders |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Bruno Fernandes | MUN | WHU | 10500 | 25.12 | 22 | 35.54 |
Fernandes is averaging 10 FD points per game more than any other player on the slate, and he isn't even the most expensive player. You should do whatever you can to fit him in your lineup. |
Hakim Ziyech | CHE | LEE | 8500 | 12.51 | 17 | 15.18 |
Ziyech is averaging 4.75 crosses, 2.75 chances created and 17.2 DK fantasy points in his four starts this season. He is a strong play in all formats. |
N'Golo Kante | CHE | LEE | 3500 | 5.09 | 11 | 11.21 |
He has five chances created and four clearances in his last three games, scoring at least 15.5 FD fantasy points in each. This might be a better matchup than any of those games, and Kante looks like a solid cash play on both sites. |
Christian Pulisic | CHE | LEE | 7300 | 3.29 | 14 | 6.22 |
He hasn't played in over a month, and we still don't know how he fits in with all of Chelsea's new talented attackers. That being said, he is too good to be so cheap on FanDuel, and I would be willing to take a shot in a GPP. |
Tomas Soucek | WHU | MUN | 4100 | 5.87 | 13 | 13.43 |
He has double-digit FD fantasy points in seven of his 10 games this season. He has at least two clearances in five straight games, and I think he'll have some opportunities to join in the attack in this game as well. |
Defenders |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Joachim Andersen | FUL | MCI | 2500 | 2.9 | 7 | 11.00 |
Andersen has at least four clearances in three of his four games this season, including a season-high 10 last week against Leicester. Fulham figure to be defending quite a bit in this game, which should lead to a lot of clearances yet again. |
Joao Cancelo | MCI | FUL | 5500 | 10.66 | 15 | 21.24 |
Only Kevin De Bruyne has more chances created per game than Cancelo this season, and he has at least two clearances in three consecutive games as well. Cancelo has been consistent on both sites, but he is not cheap. |
Alex Telles | MUN | WHU | 6000 | 13.41 | 13 | 15.90 |
Telles has 16 crosses, two chances created and five clearances through two Premier League games. This should be another solid matchup, and I think it's only a matter of time before we see more attacking returns. |
Reece James | CHE | LEE | 5700 | 13.08 | 12 | 16.13 |
Only Fulham and West Brom have conceded more goals than Leeds this season, and Reece James had six chances created against West Brom back in September. He should have every opportunity to get forward in this game, making him a cash play on DraftKings and a GPP play on FanDuel. |
Fabian Balbuena | WHU | MUN | 3200 | 5.52 | 13 | 17.35 |
He is third in the league in clearances per start, and he has double-digit fantasy points on FanDuel in every game this season. He is as safe as they come for cash games, without breaking the bank. |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Tosin Adarabioyo | FUL | MCI | 2800 | 2.57 | 11 | 10.58 |
He has at least six clearances in three straight games, and he had 23.4 FD fantasy points against Leicester last week. In another game in which Fulham figure to be defending a ton, Adarabioyo is a GPP play. |
Aaron Cresswell | WHU | MUN | 5300 | 11.7 | 14 | 17.67 |
There are five defenders averaging double-digit fantasy points on DraftKings. Cresswell is the cheapest of them all despite averaging a full fantasy point more per game than Joao Cancelo. |
Arthur Masuaku | WHU | MUN | 4100 | 8.22 | 11 | 11.69 |
Masuaku may not start, but at least he plays in the early game. He has scored at least 7.0 DK fantasy points in three straight games in which he's played more than 45 minutes. He could be a much-needed cheap defender if he starts. |
Luke Ayling | LEE | CHE | 4600 | 8.34 | 12 | 13.47 |
Ayling has been consistent for fantasy on both sites, with 29 crosses and 17 clearances in 10 games this season. This isn't a great matchup, but he is averaging more fantasy points than plenty of defenders who cost more. |
Kurt Zouma | CHE | LEE | 3700 | 8.16 | 14 | 19.84 |
Zouma is always a threat to score from set pieces, and his price has dropped a bit since he hasn't scored in over a month. He is worth a GPP play on both sites. |
Goal Keepers |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Ederson | MCI | FUL | 5900 | 5.66 | 14 | 8.72 |
Fulham are the only team on the slate not in the top half of the league in goals and only Spurs and Chelsea have conceded fewer goals than City this season. None of the other keepers have what looks like a favorable matchup, which makes this the perfect time to pay up for Ederson. |
Lukasz Fabianski | WHU | MUN | 4400 | 8.9 | 9 | 13.75 |
West Ham have conceded the same number of goals as City in one more game. United's attack has looked disfunctional for most of the season, and Fabianski should get a decent number of saves. |
Example Lineups
Please note these lineups are not meant for plug and play but examples of lineups that can be made from playbook above
DK Cash | DK Pivot Cash |
Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
F | Gabriel Jesus | MCI | FUL | 13.12 | $9,200 | F | | | | | |
F | Timo Werner | CHE | LEE | 11.06 | $7,800 | F | | | | | |
M | Hakim Ziyech | CHE | LEE | 12.51 | $8,500 | M | | | | | |
M | N'Golo Kante | CHE | LEE | 5.09 | $3,500 | M | | | | | |
D | Stuart Dallas | LEE | CHE | 8.62 | $4,500 | D | | | | | |
D | Aaron Cresswell | WHU | MU | 11.7 | $5,300 | D | Reece James | CHE | LEE | 13.08 | 5700 |
GK | Lukasz Fabianski | WHU | MU | 8.9 | $4,400 | GK | | | | | |
Util | Ben Chilwell | CHE | LEE | 17.32 | $6,400 | Util | Alex Telles | MU | WHU | 13.41 | 6000 |
| | | | Total | $49,600 | | Total | 11700 |
DK GPP | DK Pivot GPP |
Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
F | Sebastien Haller | WHU | MU | 4.74 | 6700 | F | | | | | |
F | Timo Werner | CHE | LEE | 11.06 | 7800 | F | | | | | |
M | N'Golo Kante | CHE | LEE | 5.09 | 3500 | M | | | | | |
M | Bruno Fernandes | MU | WHU | 25.12 | 10500 | M | | | | | |
D | Kurt Zouma | CHE | LEE | 8.16 | 3700 | D | | | | | |
D | Joao Cancelo | MCI | FUL | 10.66 | 5500 | D | Aaron Cresswell | WHU | MU | 11.7 | 5300 |
GK | Ederson | MCI | FUL | 5.66 | 5900 | GK | | | | | |
Util | Anthony Martial | MU | WHU | 2.98 | 6300 | Util | Jack Harrison | LEE | CHE | 13.84 | 6500 |
| | | | Total | 49900 | | | | | Total | 11800 |
FD Cash | FD Pivot Cash |
Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
F/M | Bruno Fernandes | MUN | WHU | 35.54 | $22 | F/M | | | | | |
F/M | Kevin De Bruyne | MCI | FUL | 23.30 | $23 | F/M | Gabriel Jesus | MCI | FUL | 19.63 | $19 |
F/M | N'Golo Kante | CHE | LEE | 11.21 | $11 | F/M | | | | | |
F/M | Tomas Soucek | WHU | MUN | 13.43 | $13 | F/M | Marcus Rashford | MUN | WHU | 18.90 | $19 |
D | Joachim Andersen | FUL | MCI | 11.00 | $7 | D | | | | | |
D | Fabian Balbuena | WHU | MUN | 17.35 | $13 | D | | | | | |
GK | Lukasz Fabianski | WHU | MUN | 13.75 | $9 | GK | | | | | |
| | | | Total | $98 | | | | | Total | $38 |
FD GPP | FD Pivot GPP |
Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
F/M | Sebastien Haller | WHU | MUN | 8.93 | $15 | F/M | | | | | |
F/M | Edinson Cavani | MUN | WHU | 16.08 | $17 | F/M | | | | | |
F/M | Christian Pulisic | CHE | LEE | 6.22 | $14 | F/M | Kai Havertz | CHE | LEE | 11.01 | $15 |
F/M | Riyad Mahrez | MCI | FUL | 25.54 | $20 | F/M | Gabriel Jesus | MCI | FUL | 19.63 | $19 |
D | Reece James | CHE | LEE | 16.13 | $12 | D | | | | | |
D | Tosin Adarabioyo | FUL | MCI | 10.58 | $11 | D | | | | | |
GK | Lukasz Fabianski | WHU | MUN | 13.75 | $9 | GK | | | | | |
| | | | Total | $98 | | | | | Total | $34 |