4 FanDuel Premier League Studs to Target for Matchweek 28
As is the case when playing any sport on FanDuel, it’s imperative to hit on high-priced studs, the players in which you’ve made the biggest investment. This is especially true with strikers in soccer as goals are often the difference between winning and losing in DFS.
Let’s take a look at some high-priced players -- all across the pitch -- who, despite costing a good chunk of change, are worth the investment.
This article is geared toward Saturday's main slate, which starts 10:00 a.m. EST and features three matches.
| Matchweek 28 |
|---|
| Saturday, March 11th |
| Swansea City at Hull City |
| West Brom at Everton |
| West Ham at Bournemouth |
The short slate, which is half the size of the typical EPL main slate, is going to make things tough this week. Let's get to it.
Forward
Joshua King, Bournemouth
FanDuel Salary: $7,800
Let's not kid ourselves -- Romelu Lukaku is going to be the chalk here. In the only match that's not a pick 'em, Everton is a one-goal favorite over West Brom. He always possesses a monster ceiling, and he is second in the Premier League with 18 goals. But Lukaku has failed to score at least eight FanDuel points in three of his last six matches, so he's not the safest option.
Joshua King, on the other hand, isn't quite as goal-reliant, totaling at least 13 FanDuel points in five of his past six outings. He's has big-time upside, too, racking up at least 25 fantasy points in three of his last four matches, including a 51.25-point explosion. He's also quite a bit cheaper than Lukaku, who is the slate's most expensive player at $12,500 -- $3,400 more than any other forward.
Bournemouth is at home against West Ham in what could be an up-and-down affair as the two sides rank seventh (Bournemouth) and eighth in the EPL, respectively, in goals. West Ham have allowed 11 goals in their past six matches while Bournemouth have conceded a league-worst 15 times in that span.
I can't blame you if you want to pay up for Lukaku, but pivoting off him is an enticing option, especially in tournaments. If you're willing to do that, King makes for a pretty nice play.
Midfielder
Gylfi Sigurdsson, Swansea City
FanDuel Salary: $11,100
It's difficult to find reasons to pivot off Sigurdsson. The Swans' engine is nearly $2,000 more expensive than any other midfielder, but his production lately warrants this salary.
Over his last 13 matches, Sigurdsson has totaled at least 15 fantasy points in each fixture, twice going over the 50-point mark. He's recorded an assist or a goal in five of Swansea's last six league games, creating 2.5 chances per match in that stretch.
The matchup against Hull City is a superb one. The Tigers have allowed 53 goals in 27 matches, and they rank 15th in possession (46.3%) and 18th in shots allowed per match (17.8). It's a sweet spot for Sigurdsson, one of the Premier League's in-form players.
Defender
Harry Maguire, Hull City
FanDuel Salary: $6,800
Because Hull City is so bad, Maguire is an elite defensive option in DFS. The Tigers soak up a ton of pressure, which makes Maguire a busy man. He's scored less than 21 FanDuel points just once in his last six games, and that lone exception was a respectable 14.75-point outing.
Maguire doesn't do much in terms of getting forward -- failing to score this year while recording a meager two assists -- but he's averaging 9.5 clearances per game over his last four matches. He's also racked up at least 50 passes -- and you get 1 point per every 5 passes -- in each of his last three contests.
His floor is unrivaled on this slate, and Swansea's recent resurgence -- 12 goals in their last six games -- only helps ensure that he'll be active even though Hull is taking on a fellow relegation-tested side.
Goalie
Lukasz Fabianski, Swansea City
FanDuel Salary: $6,200
We just can't get away from this match. Fabianski is actually the cheapest projected starter among goalies, but keeper pricing is fairly bunched together, with the most expensive option (Artur Boruc) at $7,000. Plus, there's not really a clear go-to option between the pipes on this slate.
The matchup with Hull is a dandy for Fabianski. The Tigers are scoring less than a goal per game in the EPL, netting 24 times in 27 league matches. Over their last six games, Hull have managed a mere four goals. Overall, Hull are getting off 10.3 shots per match, the third-worst mark in the league, and they're tied with Sunderland for the fewest shots per home match at 10.4.
Fabianski isn't for those with a weak stomach. He hasn't been a good DFS option lately, cracking into double digits just once since the calendar flipped to 2017. But the meeting with Hull, a side that has been blanked more than any other Premier League team, gives him a decent chance at a clean sheet.
