Saturday’s EPL DFS slate features teams on drastically opposite ends of the table, though perhaps not as much as in recent seasons. Liverpool currently sit sixth, which would be their lowest finish in at least five seasons. Their opponents, Everton, have a chance to match them with 40 points if they can pull out a win. Liverpool are heavy favorites at home despite coming in on three straight losses.
The other games feature four of the six worst teams in the league, in two games that could be important for the relegation battle. Fulham and Sheffield is probably a must-win for both teams, though Sheffield are probably getting relegated regardless of the result. The same is probably also true of West Brom, though they would pull to within nine points of safety if they can beat Burnley, who are currently eight points above relegation. The desperation of those teams may lead to higher-than-usual scoring, though Burnley would probably be content with a draw like they were against Fulham Wednesday.
Goalkeepers |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Nick Pope | BRN | WBA | 5200 | 9.25 | 12 | 14.63 |
Pope usually appears in the playbook because he is cheap, and I would be lying if I said I was entirely comfortable playing him when he is so expensive. That being said, Pope has eight clean sheets on the season, and West Brom have allowed 11 clean sheets to opponents. |
Sam Johnstone | WBA | BRN | 4200 | 5.01 | 8 | 8.20 |
Burnley's recent scoring resurgence coincided with Johnann Gudmundsson and Robbie Brady returning to health and presenting a scoring threat down the right side. Both of those players were injured against Fulham Wednesday, and it wouldn't be shocking if Burnley struggle to score yet again. |
Forwards |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Mbaye Diagne | WBA | BRN | 5600 | 8.18 | 16 | 13.63 |
Diagne looked very dangerous against Manchester United, finishing with four shots (two on target) and one goal. He is rather goal-dependent, but if anyone is going to score for West Brom, I think it will be him. |
Joshua King | EVE | LIV | 3800 | 0.72 | 14 | 0.65 |
I thought King looked good off the bench against Manchester City, and if he gets a start, I think he could break through against Liverpool's makeshift center backs. King would be a cheap GPP play if he starts. |
Josh Maja | FUL | SHU | 6900 | 10.73 | 16 | 17.73 |
Maja was great in scoring two goals against Everton, and he was solid against Burnley as well, with a shot on goal and a chance created. I would say that is probably his floor if he starts against Sheffield, though I prefer him for GPPs. |
Midfielders |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Dwight McNeil | BRN | WBA | 9600 | 9.78 | 15 | 9.00 |
McNeil had a rough game against Fulham and still finished with six crosses and a chance created. That gives him 21 crosses and six chances created in his last three games. McNeil is forward-eligible and has a great matchup at home against the team that has allowed the most goals in the league. |
Matheus Pereira | WBA | BRN | 7800 | 11.34 | 14 | 15.11 |
Pereira leads West Brom in crosses and is also on penalties. He has at least eight DK fantasy points in six consecutive starts, with at least 17.3 DK fantasy points in three of those. |
Josh Brownhill | BRN | WBA | 3700 | 4.67 | 7 | 9.68 |
Brownhill hasn't been great playing on the outside, but he is a willing shooter from distance, including on set pieces near the box. West Brom have allowed 13 more goals than the next closest team, and Brownhill is by far the cheapest Burnley attacker. |
Mohamed Salah | LIV | EVE | 10500 | 16.3 | 23 | 24.90 |
He isn't getting quite as many assists as in recent seasons, but he is still the best goalscorer in the league. Everton have conceded the seventh-most goals in the league this season, and while I think I like Salah better in a GPP, he is playable in cash. |
Oliver Norwood | SHU | FUL | 4000 | 4.95 | 10 | 6.95 |
Norwood had seven crosses and two chances created against West Ham, and he could easily repeat those numbers in a nice matchup against the worst team in the league. Norwood is a safe play on DraftKings but I like his potential on FanDuel as well. |
Defenders |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
James Tarkowski | BRN | WBA | 3500 | 4.56 | 14 | 15.07 |
Tarkowski leads Burnley in clearances and is second in headed shots. Only Crystal Palace have allowed more shots from headers than West Brom this season. Ben Mee is a fine alternative if you need to save $1 on FanDuel, but I think this is the game Tarkowski finally gets on the end of a free kick and scores. |
Enda Stevens | SHU | FUL | 4200 | 4.38 | 6 | 9.71 |
Stevens may not have the upside of the expensive defenders, but his floor is just as high. Stevens has 23 crosses in his last five games, and Fullhem have allowed the sixth-most crosses this season. |
George Baldock | SHU | FUL | 2700 | 4.49 | 6 | 7.99 |
Enda Stevens gets forward much more consistently, but Baldock has sent in a fair amount of crosses against weaker opponents like Burnley and West Brom. If he starts, he would be a nice GPP punt play on DraftKings. |
Kenny Tete | FUL | SHU | 5500 | 7.26 | 8 | 12.23 |
Tete had five crosses against Burnley and I think he can repeat that in another nice matchup with Sheffield. Fulham should have plenty of possession and I expect Tete to take advantage. |
Tosun Adarbioyo | #N/A | #N/A | | | #N/A | #N/A |
I'm not really sure why he remains so cheap on FanDuel, having scored at least 11.5 fantasy poitns in 14 of his last 15 games. He is about as safe as it gets. |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Michael Keane | EVE | LIV | 2800 | 4.93 | 14 | 14.00 |
Keane's game log looks bad only because he's come off the bench in two of his last four games. He has at least 11.7 FD fantasy points in four of his last five starts, averaging 19.26 fantasy points in that span. |
Phil Jagielka | SHU | FUL | 2700 | 0.96 | 7 | 6.76 |
Jagielka replaced John Egan on Monday and will likely start for him Saturday. Jagielka has double-digit FD fantasy points in two of his three starts this season, and we would gladly take that Saturday at his price. |
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 | Ademola Lookman | FUL | SHU | 11.45 | $10,000 | | | F | Mohamed Salah | LIV | EVE | 16.3 | $10,500 |
F | Dwight McNeil | BUR | WBA | 9.78 | $9,600 | | | F | Mbaye Diagne | WBA | BUR | 8.18 | $5,600 |
M | Matheus Pereira | WBA | BUR | 11.34 | $7,800 | | | M | John Lundstram | SHU | FUL | 6.04 | $4,700 |
M | Josh Brownhill | BUR | WBA | 4.67 | $3,700 | | | M | Matheus Pereira | WBA | BUR | 11.34 | $7,800 |
D | Enda Stevens | SHU | FUL | 4.38 | $4,200 | | | D | James Tarkowski | BUR | WBA | 4.56 | $3,500 |
D | Kenny Tete | FUL | SHU | 7.26 | $5,500 | | | D | Kenny Tete | FUL | SHU | 7.26 | $5,500 |
GK | Nick Pope | BUR | WBA | 9.25 | $5,200 | | | GK | Nick Pope | BUR | WBA | 9.25 | $5,200 |
Util | Oliver Norwood | SHU | FUL | 4.95 | $4,000 | | | Util | Josh Maja | FUL | SHU | 10.73 | $6,900 |
| | | | Total | $50,000 | | | | | | | Total | $49,700 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
DK Pivot Cash | | | DK Pivot GPP |
Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | | | Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
F | | | | | | 1 | | F | | | | | |
F | | | | | | 1 | | F | Bobby De Cordova-Reid | | | | |
M | | | | | | 1 | | M | | | | | |
M | | | | | | 1 | | M | | | | | |
D | | | | | | 1 | | D | | | | | |
D | | | | | | 1 | | D | | | | | |
GK | Sam Johnstone | WBA | BUR | 5.01 | $4,200 | 1 | | GK | | | | | |
Util | John Lundstram | SHU | FUL | 6.04 | $4,700 | 1 | | Util | Richarlison | EVE | LIV | 9.93 | $7,200 |
| | | | Total | $8,900 | | | | | | | Total | $7,200 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
FD Cash | | | FD GPP |
Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | | | Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
F/M | James Rodriguez | EVE | LIV | 17.06 | $16 | | | F/M | Matheus Pereira | WBA | BRN | 15.11 | $14 |
F/M | Dwight McNeil | BRN | WBA | 9.00 | $15 | | | F/M | Mohamed Salah | LIV | EVE | 24.90 | $23 |
F/M | Oliver Norwood | SHU | FUL | 6.95 | $10 | | | F/M | Bobby De Cordova-Reid | FUL | SHU | 10.35 | $14 |
F/M | Ademola Lookman | FUL | SHU | 15.50 | $19 | | | F/M | Josh Maja | FUL | SHU | 17.73 | $16 |
D | James Tarkowski | BRN | WBA | 15.07 | $14 | | | D | James Tarkowski | BRN | WBA | 15.07 | $14 |
D | Michael Keane | EVE | LIV | 14.00 | $14 | | | D | Phil Jagielka | SHU | FUL | 6.76 | $7 |
GK | Nick Pope | BRN | WBA | 14.63 | $12 | | | GK | Nick Pope | BRN | WBA | 14.63 | $12 |
| | | | Total | $100 | | | | | | | Total | $100 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
FD Pivot Cash | | | FD Pivot GPP |
Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | | | Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
F/M | Matheus Pereira | WBA | BRN | 15.11 | $14 | 1 | | F/M | | | | | |
F/M | | | | | | 1 | | F/M | | | | | |
F/M | | | | | | 1 | | F/M | Joshua King | EVE | LIV | 0.65 | $14 |
F/M | Mohamed Salah | LIV | EVE | 24.90 | $23 | #REF! | | F/M | | | | | |
D | | | | | | 1 | | D | Ben Mee | BRN | WBA | 17.46 | $13 |
D | Tosin Adarabioyo | FUL | SHU | 14.12 | $12 | 1 | | D | | | | | |
GK | | | | | | 1 | | GK | | | | | |
| | | | Total | $49 | | | | | | | Total | $27 |