3 FanDuel Premier League Players to Avoid for Matchweek 28

Most of the matches for Matchweek 28 have been postponed due to scheduling issues, meaning Saturday’s FanDuel slate includes only three matches, with Everton being the top club in action.

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

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

Due to the short matchweek, this week’s article will focus on three players who should be avoided in the upcoming matches. Let’s get after it.

Salomon Rondon, West Brom

FanDuel Price: $7,500

Rondon is the sixth-highest priced forward for Matchweek 28, and he has averaged 13.94 FanDuel points this season. Rondon has struggled in his last three matches, producing zero shots on target and averaging 5.95 FanDuel points in that span.

Rondon and West Brom travel to Goodison Park to face Everton. The Baggies are the league’s worst squad at maintaining possession and third-worst squad at producing shots on target in road matches. The Baggies enter Saturday’s match as the largest underdog on the slate and the over/under is set at 2.5 goals.

The Toffees maintain 48.8% of the possession on their home pitch while allowing 12 shots per match. They have conceded the Premier League’s third-fewest goals on their home pitch and have allowed five goals -- tied for seventh-best -- and zero assists to forwards over the last 10 matchweeks.

Everton is the best squad competing on Saturday’s slate and although they are facing another squad in the top 10 of the table, the Toffees enter the match as a large favorite. Rondon is in bad form and has not scored a league goal since mid-December, and DFS players can find better options in that salary range.

Ademola Lookman, Everton

FanDuel Price: $7,800

Lookman is tied for the third-highest priced forward for Matchweek 28, along with two other players, and he has averaged 11.21 FanDuel points through six matches. Lookman has started three matches this season for the Toffees and has averaged 11 FanDuel Points in those three matches.

Lookman has played on the left side of the Toffee’s attack in all three of his starts and has averaged one shot on target in those matches. The Toffees average 13.8 shots per match at Goodison Park and excel down the right side of their formation (opposite of Lookman).

The Baggies have conceded the league’s sixth-fewest away goals this season (17) and despite struggling to maintain possession, they have allowed the ninth-fewest shots in road matches this season. The Baggies have allowed 16 goals to forwards this season but have been stingy down the left side, allowing one goal and one assist to forwards on that side this season.

DFS players will want exposure to the best squad on Saturday’s slate but Lookman is not the best option. The Forward has yet to play a full match, limiting his upside, and has not scored over 15 FanDuel points since scoring a goal in his first match this season. DFS players should look at the other players within Lookman’s salary range or pay up for Lookman’s teammate, Romelu Lukaku.

Steve Cook, Bournemouth

FanDuel Price: $6,500

Cook is the third-highest priced defender for Matchweek 28, and he has averaged 20.66 FanDuel points this season. The Cherries enter Saturday’s match as the slight favorite, and the over/under is set at 2.5 goals. Cook has played a full 90 minutes in all 27 matches and has reached his average in three of his last four matches, all coming against clubs in the top-half of the table.

Cook and Bournemouth host West Ham at Dean Court. On their home pitch, the Cherries maintain 51.8% of the possession and allow 12.3 shots per match. The Irons possess the ball 46.7% of the match away from London Stadium and average 14.3 shots per match.

The Irons have earned 15 points in 13 road matches this season while conceding 22 goals. The Irons are not a good matchup for central defenders, allowing the 6th-fewest clearances (324), 2nd-fewest interceptions (80), and 10th-fewest blocked shots (43) to central defenders this season.

With limited options on Saturday’s slate, DFS players need to be very selective using their salary and Cook’s matchup is not ideal for his position. Cook can be involved in the Cherries’ attack but the statistics are extremely inconsistent making that part of his game hard to trust. As one of the top-priced defenders, Cook is facing an opponent that limits central defenders in Cook's three main scoring categories, making the defender an excellent player to avoid.