SOCCER

4 FanDuel Premier League Players to Avoid in Matchweek 27

Jamie Vardy has scored in three straight matches, but two of those goals have come from the penalty spot. Who else should you avoid for Matchweek 27?

The main slate for Matchweek 27 features five Saturday matches with only one of the top-five clubs in action. The marquee match on the slate sees Leicester City travel to Etihad Stadium to face Manchester City.

Matchweek 27
Saturday, February 10th
Watford at West Ham
Crystal Palace at Everton
Brighton at Stoke
Burnley at Swansea
Leicester at Manchester City


As with any DFS sport, it is imperative to have your players, especially the high-priced studs, live up to their price tag. When investing in any player, it is important to determine who will likely contribute in FanDuel's emphasized areas (goals, assists, and shots on target). It's also just as crucial not to overspend on players in bad matchups.

We should try to take advantage of the teams -- and players -- who play especially well either home or away, while also looking at oddsmakers' favorites and over/under totals. DFS players, as always, should check out injury reports and confirmed starting XI's when they become available since some players may be rested.

Let's take a look at four players across the entire pitch who should be avoided.

Forward

Jamie Vardy, Leicester City

FanDuel Price: $9,000

Vardy has scored in three straight matches while taking five total shots and averaging 26.83 FanDuel points over that span, which is well above his season average of 16.43 FanDuel points. Two of Vardy’s three goals over that stretch have come from the penalty spot and if we remove those penalty shots from the equation, the England forward has placed only two shots on target in those three matches.

Vardy has recorded more than one shot on target in just 4 of his 25 appearances while placing zero shots on target in 11 matches, including in his previous bout against the Citizens.

Manchester City have not performed up to their top form in recent matches, especially against forwards, but they have been the top club against that position for most of the season. City have allowed the fewest shots (48) and fewest goals (6), but they have allowed 4 goals and 16 shots to that position since Matchweek 22.

With only one true top-forward on the slate -- Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero -- Vardy’s recent form and name recognition may intrigue DFS players. However, penalty kicks cannot be routinely counted on to provide fantasy value for any player, and without those two scores, Vardy would have averaged 13.5 FanDuel points over that span and would likely not be listed as the third-highest priced forward on the slate.

Midfielder

Theo Walcott, Everton

FanDuel Price: $9,500

Since joining Everton, Walcott has scored twice -- both against Leicester City -- and has averaged 32.08 FanDuel points in those three matches. Depending on the formation the Toffees deploy against the Eagles, Walcott will line up as a forward or an attacking midfielder.

Walcott should have fresh legs compared to other players at this time of the year as he only appeared in six matches for Arsenal before making the move to Everton. Both squads struggle to maintain possession. The Toffees have out-possessed only one of their three opponents since Walcott joined the club, and the Eagles dominated that category in the reverse fixture between these sides.

Despite currently sitting in 14th in the Premier League table -- only three points shy of the drop zone -- the Eagles have performed well in recent matches, picking up the seventh-most points in the last six matchweeks. Over that span, the Eagles have fared well against forwards/attacking-midfielders, allowing the fifth-fewest shots (29), fifth-fewest chances created (17), second-fewest goals (2) and second fewest-assists (2) to the positon.

Both Manchester City midfielders -- Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne -- may be worth spending up for as they should offer a higher ceiling and a high floor, while some of the midfielders listed just below Walcott -- $8,500 to $9,000 -- likely offer a more consistent floor in better matchups

Defender

Ben Mee, Burnley

FanDuel Price: $7,000

Tied as the top-priced defender for Matchweek 27, Mee has not scored 20 or more FanDuel points since Matchweek 14 against Bournemouth, and he has only reached that mark in seven matches this season.

The match is listed as a pick 'em, with the Clarets being the slight favorite on the moneyline, while the over/under is set at 2.0 goals. Both clubs are in the bottom-five in overall possession, but the Swans maintained 61% of the possession in the reverse fixture at Turf Moor.

In that previous match against Swansea, Mee totaled 11 FanDuel points. The Swans do concede the most tackles (196) to defenders, but they limit the other defensive categories. They allow the 10th-fewest interceptions (138), 5th-fewest blocked shots (43) and fewest clearances (368) to opposing back lines this season. Mee has recorded more then two tackles in only four matches this season and is well outside the top-30 in that category among defenders.

If DFS players are looking to spend up at the position, the other three top-priced options may offer higher upside while still offering roughly the same floor.

Goalkeeper

Nick Pope, Burnley

FanDuel Price: $5,000

Pope is tied with five other keepers as the second-highest priced player at his position, and he is averaging 15.25 FanDuel points this season -- the highest average among keepers on the slate. He is fifth in the Premier League with nine clean sheets and has made three or more saves in 13 matches while totaling 75 saves on the season.

The Swans are coming off an eight-score match against Notts County in the FA Cup and have not been held without a goal in their previous seven matches across all competitions. Despite their currently ability to find the back of the net, the Swans have forced the fewest saves (39) and scored the fewest goals (19) this season, making a clean sheet the most likely route for Pope to pay off at his price.

However, if Pope is unable to maintain a clean sheet -- something he has accomplished in only one of his previous five away matches -- he could turn in a clunker as the Swans are unlikely to force him to make a large number of saves. There are other goalies available who have good clean-sheet odds while also possessing a decent floor.