4 FanDuel Premier League Studs to Target for Matchweek 26

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 FanDuel's main slate, which begins at 10 a.m. EST Saturday and features six matches.

Manchester United and Arsenal are the slate's two big favorites. United are installed as a 2.0-goal home favorite over Huddersfield, and Arsenal are a 1.5-goal home favorite versus Everton. The Red Devils' 2.5-goal implied total is a slate-best mark, with Arsenal (2.25 goals) right behind them.

Those two clubs should be popular this weekend, and it's a tricky slate due to the recent transfer window as well as midweek matches. Because of those two things, we could see a good amount of squad rotation, so it's imperative to check starting lineups Saturday morning.

Let's get to it.

Forward

Alexis Sanchez, Manchester United

FanDuel Price: $12,000

Sanchez is set to make his Old Trafford EPL debut, and he's in a prime spot against Huddersfield. The Terriers have allowed 44 goals in 25 games, the third-most in the league, and they've conceded 25 goals in 12 away matches. United should control this one.

After playing the full 90 minutes Wednesday at Spurs and on the heels of his move to United, Sanchez could be rested. If not, he'll have a great chance to put up a big fantasy day. The former Arsenal and Barcelona star has been out of form lately, but prior to this poor run, Sanchez had scored at least 25 FanDuel points in eight of nine games from November 18th to December 28th. Huddersfield present a great chance for him to right the ship.

If Sanchez sits, teammates Romelu Lukaku ($11,000) and Anthony Martial ($9,500) make a lot of sense, as does Marcus Rashford ($8,000) if he's in the lineup. Or you could target Arsenal here, although it's hard telling how manager Arsene Wenger will deploy Alexandre Lacazette ($11,500) and new signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ($10,000), but either would be appealing at home against Everton if one of them starts alone atop the formation.

Midfield

Mesut Ozil, Arsenal

FanDuel Price: $10,500

Ozil is at his best when he's on the ball with dangerous options at his disposal. After a busy January transfer window, Ozil now has Lacazette, Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan in his side, so if Arsenal can get all of those guys in starting XI (defense be damned), Ozil could be set up for success.

With assists in two straight matches, Ozil has four goals and seven assists in 18 league starts (20 total appearances). He's been at his best against weaker sides, averaging a robust 32.0 FanDuel points per game in his last four outings against clubs outside of England's big six, although two of those matches came against the same foe and that average is heavily influenced by one huge output.

Everton sit 14th in possession (46.4%), so Arsenal should see a lot of the ball, giving Ozil a nice floor. The upside is there, too, if the German international can get in on the creation of a goal.

If you opt for one of Arsenal's high-priced forwards, then United's Paul Pogba ($9,500) or Jesse Lingard ($9,000) offer a nice way to get exposure to the Red Devils in midfield.

Defender

Zanka, Huddersfield

FanDuel Price: $6,500

Zanka has a safe floor thanks to his matchup at Manchester United. In his last three outings against top-six clubs (Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool), Zanka has put up days of 20.25, 19.25 and 21.5 fantasy points. He also had a 22.75-FanDuel-point day against Tottenham back in September.

United hold the possession edge (52.8% to 47.1%) and are a massive 2.0-goal favorite. Plus, after a dismal performance Wednesday versus Spurs, Jose Mourinho's side will likely be anxious to get back into the win column against Huddersfield.

In this same game but on the other side, United full-backs Ashley Young ($7,500) and Antonio Valencia ($7,000) are high-ceiling, low-floor plays in a game in which their likely lack of defensive responsibilities makes them risky but also gives them upside since they'll spend most of the game in the attacking half.

Goalie

Kasper Schmeichel, Leicester

FanDuel Price: $5,000

Schmeichel gets a home date against Swansea. The Swans have picked up their play under new manager Carlos Carvalhal, but they're still one of the league's worst attacks for the year, ranking last in both shots per game (8.4) and goals (18 in 25 EPL matches). That gives Schmeichel decent clean-sheet odds.

The floor isn't too scary, either. Schmeichel has had to make at least three saves in four of his last seven league games, and Leicester barely hold a possession edge on Swansea (46.7% to 46.2%) for the season. So if the Swans do score a goal, the Foxes' keeper shouldn't turn in a total clunker.

Austan Kas is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Austan Kas also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username akas247. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in his articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.