We have three games on Thursday’s EPL DFS slate, but only two on DraftKings. The third game features a bunch of useful fantasy players on Liverpool and Chelsea, but good luck being able to afford many of them. It’s even more difficult to fit many of those players in your lineup because Everton and Tottenham have great-looking matchups against teams in the relegation zone. It is difficult to justify playing Mohamed Salah or Sadio Mane against Chelsea when you can play Harry Kane or Son Heung-Min against Fulham for the same price.

 

Goalkeepers
PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Alphonse AreolaFULTOT45007.21811.50
Fulham are on the verge of climbing out of relegation zone, thanks in large part to their defense. Fulham have conceded just one goal in their last four games, and I think he has a better shot at some saves and a clean sheet than Sam Johnstone. So long as Fulham don't fall behind in the first 10 minutes the way Burnley did on Sunday, I think Fulham can sit back and defend, and I still don't trust Lucas Moura or Gareth Bale to provide consistent scoring.
Hugo LlorisTOTFUL52008.211212.70
I don't understand why Jordan Pickford is more expensive. Spurs have kept two more clean sheets and conceded six fewer goals than Everton, and Fulham have scored just one fewer goal than West Brom. Spurs are slightly bigger favorites than Everton and both teams are +160 to keep a clean sheet.
Forwards
PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Dominic Calvert-LewinEVEWBA760011.681820.16
Richarlison is on fire and isn't that much more expensive, so I think we might get reasonably low ownership on Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Only two teams have allowed more headed shots per game than West Brom, and Calvert-Lewin is seventh in the league in headed shots and leads the league in headed goals. Calvert-Lewin has scored more than a third of Everton's goals this season, and he is +120 to score in this game, compared to +160 for Richarlison.
Ademola LookmanFULTOT870012.161616.27
Lookman created three chances, had two crosses and recorded Fulham's lone assist in 24 minutes against Tottenham in January. He has started every game since, and he is averaging 6.9 crosses in his last seven games.
Midfielders
PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
RicharlisonEVEWBA860010.551914.17
Richarlison has scored a goal in three consecutive games, against Manchester City, Liverpool and Southampton. It would be just like him to lay an egg against the team that has allowed 11 more goals than anybody else, but he is still pretty reasonably priced considering his form and his matchup.
Gylfi SigurdssonEVEWBA83008.341511.76
Sigurdsson has at least 15 DK fantasy points in each of his last two games without James Rodriguez. If Rodriguez plays, I'll try to pay up for him, but if he misses another game, Sigurdsson will be a nice play on both sites.
Ivan CavaleiroFULTOT66007.681510.11
Cavaleiro had three crosses, a chance created and a goal against Tottenham in January and he has 13 crosses and five chances created in his last three games despite only starting one of them. At this point, I'm playing him whenever he starts, especially on DraftKings.
Conor GallagherWBAEVE55007.871412.24
Fulham have scored twice in their last four games, and Gallagher assisted on both goals, with eight crosses and three chances created in that span. We need a cheap midfielder on DraftKings, and barring a surprise start from someone like Robert Snodgrass, I think Gallagher is our best bet.
Matheus PereiraWBAEVE790011.441515.45
Pereira has at least four crosses in six consecutive starts, with at least two chances created in each of his last three. West Brom have a few interesting attackers right now, but Pereira is the safest by far.
MidfieldersTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Son Heung-MinTOTFUL980017.32023.06
He pretty much gets all the Tottenham set pieces, especially when Gareth Bale isn't on the pitch. He has 11 crosses and 11 chances created in his last two games, not to mention 13 goals and eight assists on the season. I think he's the safest play on both sites.
Defenders
PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Sergio ReguilonTOTFUL47007.59912.83
Reguilon had five crosses, two chances created, two shots and an assist against Fulham in January, and he is averaging 3.25 crosses in his last four games. He is the cheapest of the safe defenders on DraftKings, especially if Seamus Coleman doesn't start.
Kenny TeteFULTOT46006.9811.56
This matchup may not be as scary as it looks, as Tottenham have allowed the seventh-most crosses in the league this season. Tete had two crosses, two chances created and one shot against Tottenham in January, and I will gladly take that production in this slate.
Lucas DigneEVEWBA670011.831315.31
Only Burnley have allowed more crosses than West Brom this season. We are paying a premium for Digne, but it should be well worth it, especially considering there is only one other game on the DK slate. Digne created five chances against West Brom back in September, and he is a GPP play on FanDuel.
Michael KeaneEVEWBA38004.971414.55
Keane has at least five clearances in five consecutive starts, and West Brom have allowed the eighth-most clearances this season. Perhaps just as importantly, Keane is tied for third on the team in headed shots and tied for second in headed goals. I like the idea of taking a shot on him to get his third headed goal.
Nathaniel PhillipsLIVCHE  910.56
Phillips leads Liverpool in clearances per start, with double-digit FD fantasy points in five of his six starts. If for some reason he doesn't start, we can always sub in Fabinho. Neither is likely to play much more than an hour, but that's all we really need at their price.
PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Tosin AdarabioyoFULTOT37004.241214.13
Adarabioyo is the quintessential FD cash play, with double-digit fantasy points in six straight games and 16 of his last 17.

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.PlayerTeamOppFPPGSalary  Pos.PlayerTeamOppFPPGSalary
FAdemola LookmanFULTOT12.16$8,700  FDominic Calvert-LewinEVEWBA11.68$7,600
FJames RodriguezEVEWBA13.88$9,200  FLucas MouraTOTFUL4.92$6,900
MMatheus PereiraWBAEVE11.44$7,900  MConor GallagherWBAEVE7.87$5,500
MConor GallagherWBAEVE7.87$5,500  MJames RodriguezEVEWBA13.88$9,200
DSergio ReguilonTOTFUL7.59$4,700  DSergio ReguilonTOTFUL7.59$4,700
DKenny TeteFULTOT6.9$4,600  DMichael KeaneEVEWBA4.97$3,800
GKAlphonse AreolaFULTOT7.21$4,500  GKHugo LlorisTOTFUL8.21$5,200
UtilSeamus ColemanEVEWBA4.6$4,900  UtilLucas DigneEVEWBA11.83$6,700
    Total$50,000      Total$49,600
              
DK Pivot Cash  DK Pivot GPP
Pos.PlayerTeamOppFPPGSalary  Pos.PlayerTeamOppFPPGSalary
F     1 FRicharlisonEVEWBA10.55$8,600
FSon Heung-MinTOTFUL17.3$9,8001 F     
M     1 M     
M     1 MGylfi SigurdssonEVEWBA8.34$8,300
D     1 D     
D     1 D     
GK     1 GK     
UtilAlex IwobiEVEWBA5.2$4,0001 Util     
    Total$13,800      Total$16,900
              
FD Cash  FD GPP
PosPlayerTeamOppFPPGSalary  PosPlayerTeamOppFPPGSalary
F/MSon Heung-MinTOTFUL23.06$20  F/MDominic Calvert-LewinEVEWBA20.16$18
F/MMason MountCHELIV17.92$16  F/MJorginhoCHELIV14.63$11
F/MJames RodriguezEVEWBA17.31$17  F/MMason MountCHELIV17.92$16
F/MGareth BaleTOTFUL14.39$16  F/MLucas MouraTOTFUL6.73$17
DNathaniel PhillipsLIVCHE10.56$9  DTosin AdarabioyoFULTOT14.13$12
DMichael KeaneEVEWBA14.55$14  DMichael KeaneEVEWBA14.55$14
GKAlphonse AreolaFULTOT11.50$8  GKHugo LlorisTOTFUL12.70$12
    Total$100      Total$100
              
FD Pivot Cash  FD Pivot GPP
PosPlayerTeamOppFPPGSalary  PosPlayerTeamOppFPPGSalary
F/M     1 F/M     
F/M     1 F/M     
F/M     1 F/M     
F/MRoberto FirminoLIVCHE14.90$17#REF! F/MHarry KaneTOTFUL27.39$23
D     1 DNathaniel PhillipsLIVCHE10.56$9
DTosin AdarabioyoFULTOT14.13$121 D     
GK     1 GKAlphonse AreolaFULTOT11.50$8
    Total$29      Total$40