3 FanDuel Premier League Under-the-Radar Plays for Matchweek 12

If you have played daily fantasy sports for a while, you know the importance of being contrarian in large-field tournaments. Recognizing which players are going to be owned by the masses and finding others who you think have a similar point projection but will come at much lower ownership can really separate yourself from your opponents.

The same goes for DFS Premier League. Even though the large-field tournaments aren't quite as large as they are for other sports, there is still value in identifying quality under-the-radar plays.

This article will discuss FanDuel's main Saturday slate, which starts at 10:00 a.m. EST and features seven matches.

Welcome back! After a dramatic international break that saw the final World Cup spots decided, Matchweek 12 keeps the good times rolling with an expanded seven-game slate that includes Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United. Chelsea are the least favored elite side, as 1.0-goal favorites on the road against West Brom. Liverpool and both Manchester clubs are 1.5-goal favorites -- with Manchester City on the road against Leicester City, and Liverpool and Manchester United at home against Southampton and Newcastle, respectively.

All four of the elite sides are in good spots, but Manchester United may go slightly under-owned coming off their loss to Chelsea in Matchweek 11. Over the last month, Manchester City have been the highest-owned team on every slate they’ve been on, and they have always delivered. Manchester United are coming off a brutal run of games that included a draw to Liverpool, loss to Huddersfield Town, win over Tottenham and a loss to Chelsea. After a month without an offensive explosion, they may command slightly lower ownership in a pretty nice spot as the public opts for other elite sides this weekend.

With that in mind, here are three under-the-radar players to consider for Matchweek 12.

Wayne Rooney, Everton

FanDuel Salary: $8,000

Everton have been horrible this season. However, after coming back from a two-goal deficit in the final 27 minutes against Watford in Matchweek 11, they may finally be showing signs of life.

Despite Everton’s struggles this season, Rooney has still been a solid fantasy producer. He has three performances of at least 30 FanDuel points this season, and two more with at least 20 FanDuel points. Over his last four matches, he is averaging 24.62 FanDuel points, and in those matches, Everton were hardly the better side as they tied Brighton, and lost to both Arsenal and Leicester City before finally picking up a win over Watford last weekend. Crystal Palace, their foe this weekend, represent a better matchup than all four of those sides.

It wasn’t that long ago that Everton would've been a very popular option in a matchup against the side sitting dead last in the table. However, with the season they’ve had so far, they are likely to go overlooked against a Crystal Palace side that has allowed 22 goals this season, the second-most in the Premier League. If Everton finally play up to their talent level, Rooney could be in for a big day at low ownership.

Gylfi Sigurdsson, Everton

FanDuel Salary: $7,000

After what he did last season at Swansea City, Sigurdsson's $7,000 price tag still doesn’t feel right. He was among the highest-scoring and most-consistent fantasy producers in the Premier League last year, but his production has dipped since his transfer to Everton during the summer. His skills are still there, though, and as a key piece in Everton’s attack, he can also take advantage of the matchup against Crystal Palace.

In his one start since former manager Ronald Koeman was sacked, Sigurdsson played at right forward in a 4-3-3. This was a departure from his usual role as a central attacking midfielder in a 4-2-3-1, but it's a shift that opens up the potential for increased scoring opportunities if it continues.

As part of a low-owned stack with Rooney, Sigurdsson also offers salary relief in a week with multiple high-priced options available. Early in the season, before his price had come down, the risk on Sigurdsson was difficult to take. However, at only $7,000, he is now in the same range as the likes of Jack Cork as the 26th-highest priced midfielder on the slate. For a player with a history of elite upside, his salary has finally reached a point where the risk -- especially in a matchup with Palace -- is well worth it.

Ashley Young, Manchester United

FanDuel Salary $7,000

With José Mourinho favoring three at the back in Manchester United’s last two Premier League matches, Young has been free to roam the left side of the pitch. Against elite sides like Tottenham and Chelsea, he saw to his defensive duties first, but at home against Newcastle, he should be much more involved in the final third.

Young is among the best crossers of the ball in the world. It is his elite talent, and one that happens to sync well with United striker Romelu Lukaku’s abilities. Pairing Young with Lukaku and one other Manchester United player is a great way to create a unique lineup while gaining exposure to an elite side that's a home favorite.