When I create my EPL DFS lineups, I usually construct my cash lineups first. I like to find the players with high ceilings and good matchups who I think I can trust and put them in a lineup first, and then I can take the players from that lineup who I can’t live without and add them to some riskier picks for my GPP lineups.
That process didn’t work out for this slate, because there just aren’t enough safe players. It’s hard to trust Liverpool’s attackers given their recent form. Tottenham and Leicester are largely mysteries with the two best English forwards dealing with injuries. Brighton is never consistent from one week to the next and Leeds has a tough matchup.
As I did my research, I flagged a number of guys who I like a lot but don’t completely trust, and then I repeatedly found myself adding them to my cash lineups because they were still safer than the other options at their positions. My default in this situation is to play fewer cash lineups, but at the same time, if I can’t find players I think are safe, odds are other DFS players are having the same struggle. Perhaps the best strategy is to simply play the same contests I always do.
Goal Keepers | |||||||
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG | |
Robert Sanchez | BHA | TOT | 4600 | 5.54 | 7 | 9.00 | |
This may be an overreaction to Harry Kane's injury. That being said, this is no longer a scary matchup, and I'm not sure I see anyone I am in a hurry to pay up for. | |||||||
Lukasz Fabianski | WHU | LIV | 4000 | 7.64 | 8 | 12.00 | |
On the surface, it looks like Liverpool righted the ship at Spurs on Thursday. Having watched that game, Liverpool's three goals had far more to do with Hugo Lloris and a makeshift defense playing terribly than with Liverpool's offense getting back on track. Liverpool have struggled on the road all season, and no team has allowed more saves than Liverpool. | |||||||
Hugo Lloris | TOT | BHA | 5000 | 9.12 | 13 | 13.95 | |
Brighton has scored the fewest goals of any team in the slate by far, and Lloris is averaging 4.6 saves per game in his last eight games. If you are looking to pay up, he's your best bet. |
Forwards | |||||||
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG | |
Steven Bergwijn | TOT | BHA | 4500 | 4.36 | 15 | 6.51 | |
Bergwijn has created six chances in his last three games, and I think he is the most likely attacker to pick up some of the slack with Harry Kane out. |
Midfielders | |||||||
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG | |
Son Heung-Min | TOT | BHA | 9000 | 17.95 | 21 | 24.03 | |
On the one hand, he's going to be on penalties and probably the lion's share of set pieces, and only five teams have conceded more goals per game than Brighton this season. On the other hand, I don't trust anyone on the team to set Son up or finish when he sets them up. I think he is riskier than normal, but his ceiling is as high as anyone's. | |||||||
James Maddison | LEI | LEE | 9900 | 14.74 | 17 | 16.37 | |
He had eight crosses and five shots against Everton, and while I would like him better if he created more than one chance or had more than one shot on goal, I was still encouraged by his first game with Jamie Vardy out. Maddison is a save play on both sites. | |||||||
Harvey Barnes | LEI | LEE | 7400 | 10.85 | 16 | 15.84 | |
I was worried that Barnes might struggle without Jamie Vardy there to draw the attention of the defense, but he created five chances including an assist on Leicester's only goal against Everton Wednesday. Barnes has three goals and two assists in his last six games, and he has nine chances created in his last three. | |||||||
Cengiz Under | LEI | LEE | 7100 | 6.03 | 8 | 6.40 | |
His FPPG is a lote more impressive when you realize he is averaging 32.1 minutes per game this season. He had three crosses and three shots in 22 minutes against Everton Wednesday. He's riskier on FanDuel but he is also super cheap, and Leeds have allowed the third-most goals in the league. | |||||||
Michail Antonio | WHU | LIV | 8300 | 11.78 | 18 | 16.72 | |
I feel like I've got an unusually high number of players in my cash lineups who rely on scoring goals. Of course, when Antonio has two goals and an assist in his three starts since returning from injury, it is hard not to trust him. Liverpool's struggles with makeshift center backs this season is well-documented, and if anyone can take advantage, it is Antonio. |
Defenders | |||||||
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG | |
Craig Dawson | WHU | LIV | 3300 | 6.6 | 9 | 15.92 | |
No team has had more clearances by opponents than Liverpool, and Dawson has 23 clearances in five games this season. He is pretty cheap for someone who has at least 12.8 FD fantasy points in four of those five games. | |||||||
Toby Alderweireld | TOT | BHA | 3600 | 5.18 | 11 | 16.56 | |
Only four teams have allowed more clearances than Brighton this season. Alderweireld has at least 16.5 FD fantasy points in six of his last seven games, and I would gladly take that kind of production at his price. | |||||||
Nathaniel Phillips | LIV | WHU | 2500 | 2.38 | 9 | 12.07 | |
Phillips is averaging 13.9 FD fantasy points in three starts this season, and he is a nice value if he starts in place of Fabinho Sunday. Rhy Williams would be worth considering if he starts instead. | |||||||
Timothy Castagne | LEI | LEE | 4200 | 7.64 | 9 | 14.78 | |
He may not be the most exciting defender, but he has at least 6.1 DK fantasy points in four straight games. Leeds's back-and-forth style could allow Castagne to get forward a little bit more than we're used to. | |||||||
Trent Alexander-Arnold | LIV | WHU | 7200 | 13.51 | 13 | 13.66 | |
Alexander-Arnold sent in 22 crosses against Burnley and followed that up with a goal and an assist against Tottenham. He is safer on DK than most of the forwards and midfielders at his price, and he has a nice ceiling on FanDuel if he can find another attacking return. | |||||||
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG | |
Joel Veltman | BHA | TOT | 4600 | 6.15 | 9 | 10.55 | |
Veltman struggled against Manchester City a couple of weeks ago but otherwise has 23 crosses and seven chances created in four games. He doesn't have the attacking flair of Tariq Lamptey but he is cheaper and more consistent. Veltman figures to be a solid cash play for as long as Lamptey is out. |
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 | Steven Bergwijn | TOT | BHA | 4.36 | $4,500 | F | Steven Bergwijn | TOT | BHA | 4.36 | $4,500 | ||
F | Son Heung-Min | TOT | BHA | 17.95 | $9,000 | F | Ayoze Perez | LEI | LEE | 5.83 | $6,500 | ||
M | James Maddison | LEI | LEE | 14.74 | $9,900 | M | Solly March | BHA | TOT | 10.65 | $5,900 | ||
M | Marc Albrighton | LEI | LEE | 7.85 | $5,700 | M | Son Heung-Min | TOT | BHA | 17.95 | $9,000 | ||
D | Vladimir Coufal | WHU | LIV | 9.8 | $5,500 | D | Joel Veltman | BHA | TOT | 6.15 | $4,600 | ||
D | Timothy Castagne | LEI | LEE | 7.64 | $4,200 | D | Trent Alexander-Arnold | LIV | WHU | 13.51 | $7,200 | ||
GK | Lukasz Fabianski | WHU | LIV | 7.64 | $4,000 | GK | Lukasz Fabianski | WHU | LIV | 7.64 | $4,000 | ||
Util | Trent Alexander-Arnold | LIV | WHU | 13.51 | $7,200 | Util | Michail Antonio | WHU | LIV | 11.78 | $8,300 | ||
Total | $50,000 | 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 | 1 | M | |||||||||||
D | Joel Veltman | BHA | TOT | 6.15 | $4,600 | 1 | D | ||||||
D | 1 | D | |||||||||||
GK | 1 | GK | Robert Sanchez | BHA | TOT | 5.54 | $4,600 | ||||||
Util | Harvey Barnes | LEI | LEE | 10.85 | $7,400 | 1 | Util | Harvey Barnes | LEI | LEE | 10.85 | $7,400 | |
Total | $12,000 | Total | $12,000 | ||||||||||
FD Cash | FD GPP | ||||||||||||
Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | ||
F/M | James Maddison | LEI | LEE | 16.37 | $17 | F/M | Michail Antonio | WHU | LIV | 16.72 | $18 | ||
F/M | Steven Bergwijn | TOT | BHA | 6.51 | $15 | F/M | Youri Tielemans | LEI | LEE | 13.91 | $13 | ||
F/M | Son Heung-Min | TOT | BHA | 24.03 | $21 | F/M | James Maddison | LEI | LEE | 16.37 | $17 | ||
F/M | Harvey Barnes | LEI | LEE | 15.84 | $16 | F/M | Son Heung-Min | TOT | BHA | 24.03 | $21 | ||
D | Craig Dawson | WHU | LIV | 15.92 | $9 | D | Trent Alexander-Arnold | LIV | WHU | 13.66 | $13 | ||
D | Toby Alderweireld | TOT | BHA | 16.56 | $11 | D | Toby Alderweireld | TOT | BHA | 16.56 | $11 | ||
GK | Lukasz Fabianski | WHU | LIV | 12.00 | $8 | GK | Robert Sanchez | BHA | TOT | 9.00 | $7 | ||
Total | $97 | Total | $100 | ||||||||||
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 | |||||||||||
F/M | 1 | F/M | |||||||||||
F/M | #REF! | F/M | |||||||||||
D | Nathaniel Phillips | LIV | WHU | 12.07 | $9 | 1 | D | Liam Cooper | LEE | LEI | 15.76 | $13 | |
D | 1 | D | Craig Dawson | WHU | LIV | 15.92 | $9 | ||||||
GK | Kasper Schmeichel | LEI | LEE | 13.50 | $11 | 1 | GK | ||||||
Total | $20 | Total | $22 |