Premier League: 4 FanDuel Value Plays for Matchweek 23

The festive season is over and Premier League clubs have began play in the FA Cup, so the league schedule returns to more normalcy in Matchweek 23. With no early game on Saturday, FanDuel will feature all seven games on the schedule in the main slate.

Harry Kane is the most expensive player on the slate at $12,000. Only 17 forwards or midfielders are priced at or above $9,000, with the heavy scheduling over the festive season taking its toll on many teams as well as many of the top clubs playing on Sunday or Monday.

As usual, Marcus Alonso leads the defenders with 28 other players priced at or above $6,000. The keepers are again separated by $1,000.

Injuries, transfers, and roster shuffling after the busy schedule of the past month create great value plays this week with none of the following options priced above $5,000.

Forward

Cenk Tosun ($5,000): Tosun was one of the first signings announced during the January transfer window as Everton finally got an out-and-out striker to attempt replacing Romelu Lukaku. He came over from Besiktas after scoring 14 goals in 24 matches across all competitions.

Everton's struggles in the beginning of the season were often linked to their inability to secure a striker in the summer. While that probably wasn't the sole reason they struggled out of the gate, they did lack creativity in front of the goal. If his goal totals over the last season and a half are any indication, Tosun will immediately improve Everton's ability to convert.

Although Tottenham's form over the festive period was good, they are coming off a poor performance where they had to rely on an 83rd minute goal to salvage a point. Tottenham have also struggled more defensively this season allowing 21 goals and will be without the services of Danny Rose and Toby Alderweireld.

Everton have scored three of the last four times these teams have met in the Premier League. They were shut out in the fall when they lacked a striker and an identity. Tosun can help erase the memory of the fall fixture.

Midfielder

Solly March ($5,000): March became a mainstay in the Brighton lineup over the festive period. He has played the full match in the majority of games since the middle of December. Brighton will face a struggling West Brom team with March deployed as one of the outside attacking midfielders.

He received Man of the Match honors from WhoScored.com in Brighton's 1-0 victory over Watford on December 23rd. That was his second consecutive match recording four tackles and drawing one foul. He is also currently in a stretch of four consecutive matches creating at least one goal-scoring chance.

March will put in the defensive effort, but he should be able to get forward on Saturday. West Brom have gone 20 Premier League matches without a win, which includes a loss to Brighton earlier this season.

The 3-1 win by Brighton earlier this season included an assist from March on a Pascal Gross goal. Brighton finished with less possession in that match, but that is an anomaly for West Brom. Their 42.5% average possession is the lowest in the league. They should continue to sit back and absorb the attack from Brighton this week, which increases the value of March in his advanced role.

March is just $500 more expensive than the cheapest of the expected starters on Saturday's slate.

Defender

Patrick van Aanholt ($4,500): Not only did Crystal Palace lose the FA Cup match to Brighton on Monday, but they were also dealt more injury blows. The loss of Jeffrey Schlupp clears the way for van Aanholt to start at left back with defense in mind. Palace typically play Burnley tough -- who have failed to score in four of the last six trips to Selhurst Park -- and now van Aanholt will have to buy into the defensive game plan.

The festive season allowed van Aanholt to see some playing time. His last run out in the Premier League was a half against Southampton on January 2nd. He was credited for two interceptions and one clearance in that match. He also played in the match that ended Manchester City's winning streak on New Year's Eve, but he picked up a yellow card in that one.

Over the past two seasons in the Premier League, van Aanholt has scored nine goals. He has yet to register one for Crystal Palace this season in limited minutes.

Keeper

Alex McCarthy ($4,500): Southampton have been struggling as they sit out of the relegation zone only on goal differential. One move that was made to try to change the team's fortune was giving McCarthy the nod in net and benching Fraser Forster.

Southampton will face another team in poor form. Watford have lost six of their last seven Premier League matches, getting shut out by Brighton and Burnley in that time frame. Watford is in the middle of the league in shots per match and now average less than 50% possession.

This is also a match that Southampton must find good form as their relegation chances will grow if they cannot beat teams in the middle and lower half of the table. Tottenham is next, so the Saints need a good return.

Douglas Smith is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Douglas Smith also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username aquemini03. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his/her personal views, he/she may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his/her personal account. The views expressed in his/her articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.