It is rare for one team to dominate an EPL DFS slate completely, but that is the case for Manchester City Sunday. They host Luton, who is in the relegation zone having allowed the third-most goals in the Premier League. City is coming off a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa, and this could be the type of game that pads their goal differential for the season. The top-four priced players on DraftKings all play for Manchester City. Bernardo Silva is eighth. Erling Haaland costs $1,500 more than any other player. Ederson costs $900 more than any other goalkeeper. As we were reminded on Saturday, even the worst teams are capable of surprising from time to time. I would be shocked if Luton took even a point, but if they just keep the game close, that could be enough for some of the cheaper players from Chelsea or West Ham to rise to the top. I doubt I’ll be able to fade Manchester City entirely, but I may lean a bit more heavily on some of the other favorites in this slate.
EPL DFS Soccer Picks December 9
Goalkeepers
Player
Team
Opp.
DK $
DK FPPG
FD $
FD FPPG
Ederson
MCI
LUT
6000
6.6
13
7.86
Manchester City is 1-3-1 with no clean sheets in their last five games, so I would love to pay for another top-tier goalkeeper. The problem is, there aren't any. City is by far the best bet in this slate to get a win, and that alone could be worth the price if the other games are high scoring and/or end in draws.
Jordan Pickford
EVE
CHE
4400
6.1
9
7.20
Of the teams in this slate, only Newcastle and Manchester City have allowed fewer goals or kept more clean sheets than Everton. I don't love the matchup but none of the cheap keepers have good matchups. At least Pickford is at home, which should help.
Guglielmo Vicario
TOT
NEW
11
9.50
Can I just not play a keeper in this slate? I don't really trust Tottenham defensively, but I trust Newcastle's attack even less. Once again, I'm leaning on the home team and the price for this play.
Forwards
Player
Team
Opp.
DK $
DK FPPG
FD $
FD FPPG
Andros Townsend
LUT
MCI
4000
5.77
11
8.10
Townsend played a season-high 62 minutes against Arsenal Tuesday, which is a problem. That being said, he is averaging 1.11 chances created and 5.83 crosses per 90 minutes this season. If Luton manages to give Manchester City a game like they did to Arsenal midweek, Townsend could be a very nice value play yet again.
Julian Alvarez
MCI
LUT
8600
15.13
23
22.56
Manchester City did not earn a single corner kick against Aston Villa, but that will almost certainly not be the case Sunday. Alvarez was outstanding early in the season before Jeremy Doku broke out and I like Alvarez's ceiling in this game as well as his floor.
Jarrod Bowen
WHU
FUL
7300
15.09
21
25.85
I think both Bowen and James Ward-Prowse are underpriced on DraftKings, and I would be tempted to play them both. Bowen gets the nod here because he is cheaper and forward-eligible, but I might pivot to Ward-Prowse on FanDuel.
Erling Haaland
MCI
LUT
10100
19.02
26
32.49
The only question with Haaland is if you can safe enough money elsewhere to afford him. Even while getting shut out for the second straight game, Haaland was City's best player for fantasy. It would be shocking if he doesn't score at least once Sunday.
Raul Jimenez
FUL
WHU
5000
6.18
15
11.68
This might be the riskiest play on this list, but Jimenez has three goals in his last four games and may have finally found his form from before his gruesome head injury. No one on the slate can match his upside at this price, and West Ham has allowed plenty of goals this season.
Player
Team
Opp.
DK $
DK FPPG
FD $
FD FPPG
Alexander Isak
NEW
TOT
19
18.17
Isak has been quiet his last two games but I think he is too good to be this cheap or to get shut out for much longer. Isak has 0.84 goals per 90 minutes this season. Only Erling Haaland and Callum Wilson have been better. Isak is a great play for as long as Wilson is out.
Midfielders
Player
Team
Opp.
DK $
DK FPPG
FD $
FD FPPG
Bernardo Silva
MCI
LUT
8000
11.09
20
18.72
Silva struggled against Aston Villa like most of his teammates, but at least he costed less. Silva should be playing high up the pitch again if Jeremy Doku remains out, which would make him a nice value play, especially on FanDuel.
Conor Gallagher
CHE
EVE
6500
8.68
17
17.55
Gallagher hasn't been great agianst Brighton and Newcastle his last two games, but he had three assists on 13 chances created in his four games before that. Gallagher looks safer on FanDuel but he should be a solid play on both sites.
James Garner
EVE
CHE
5500
9.27
16
18.03
Garner missed out Thursday due to an illness (more on that below), interrupting a streak of nine games with at least 12.6 FD fantasy points. Whoever starts at right mid will be playable on both sites, though I prefer Garner on FD if he plays.
Defenders
Player
Team
Opp.
DK $
DK FPPG
FD $
FD FPPG
Gabriel Osho
LUT
MCI
2700
3.68
13
18.65
I don't expect another goal again, but Osho has at least six clearances in all five starts. He looks like a safe alternative to the top-tier defenders on FanDuel.
Vladimir Coufal
WHU
FUL
4700
8.8
12
17.64
Coufal has been just as good as the the other top-tier defenders on the slate (except for Reece James), but Coufal isn't priced like the others. I'm giving him a pass for struggling at Spurs on Thursday; this should be a much better matchup.
Amari'i Bell
LUT
MCI
3000
4.08
11
13.27
Bell should move out wide after playing most of the season as part of a back three. That doesn't guarantee anything, especially in this matchup, but it only takes a couple of offensive stats to return value at this price.
Reece James
CHE
EVE
6000
7.7
13
13.00
James is averaging 10.3 DK fantasy points in four starts this season despite facing Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester City and Newcastle in those games. Should he start, this would be his best matchup by far. He isn't exactly cheap but I think we're getting good value, especially compared to the midfielders in his price range.
Tosin Adarabioyo
FUL
WHU
3000
2.16
9
6.80
Adarabioyo made his first start of the season Wednesday, finishing with 12.4 FD fantasy points. He has averaged at least 6.0 clearances per 90 minutes in both Premier League seasons and he is a must-play until his price rises.
Player
Team
Opp.
DK $
DK FPPG
FD $
FD FPPG
Tino Livramento
NEW
TOT
9
7.34
I've always been a sucker for Livramento's game, and while I like it better for DraftKings, he has at least 11.9 FD fantasy points in all three starts this season. That is plenty at this price.
Ashley Young
EVE
CHE
4600
7.08
13
12.74
Young moved up to the midfield Thursday with James Garner out and had his best fantasy game in over three months. He had at least five crosses for the third time in four games while adding two shots and two chances created. If Garner is out again, Young will be in a lot of my lineups.
