SOCCER

Premier League: 4 FanDuel Value Plays for Matchweek 36

Maarten Stekelenburg should be the cheapest starting keeper, and he's in a nice spot against Swansea City. Which other players can provide the best value during Matchweek 36?

The last month of the Premier League season has arrived, and races at the top and bottom of the table are still alive. Matchweek 36 will surely be full of drama as will the competition on the five-game main FanDuel slate.

Only eight players on the slate are priced over $8,000, and they are mainly Everton players. One of the Toffees finds his way onto this list, but the value plays are once again dominated by players on teams in the lower half of the table. Honorable mention goes to Fernando Llorente, Sebastian Larsson, Martin Olsson, and Lukasz Fabianski, but let's get to the top values.

Forward

Islam Slimani, Leicester City

FanDuel Price: $6,800

Leicester have a great matchup and will be heavily targeted for this slate. Jamie Vardy will likely get the bulk of the ownership after scoring again last week. Slimani was on the bench last weekend and should be fully healthy to return to the starting lineup opposite Vardy.

In his last two games prior to injury, Slimani scored over 20 FanDuel points in each. He has tallied 7 goals and created 15 chances in 19 Premier League appearances this season. Squawka has given him the fifth-highest performance score on the team for the year despite the injury issues. His play has supposedly attracted other Premier League teams to make a run for the striker this summer.


Leicester have lost only one of their last five against Watford. Two of Watford's last three clean sheets have come against teams in the bottom three. Leicester have scored at least one goal in each of the last five Premier League matches between these sides.

Slimani provides a great pivot off of Vardy in a favorable matchup for the Foxes.

Midfielder

Lazar Markovic, Hull City

FanDuel Price: $5,700

Markovic scored twice in the month of April and had three double-digit fantasy performances. Now he gets to play against Sunderland, a team that has already been relegated. Sunderland are also one of four teams to give up at least 60 goals this season. Pride can only take the Black Cats so far as Hull look to move one step closer to safety.


Markovic should start on the right side in an advanced midfield role in front of the home crowd. Hull have won six of their last seven home games and have scored at least two goals in seven of the last eight home games.

Markovic has been credited for eight fouls drawn over his last five matches. He also has defensive-action points through tackling in all but one Premier League match this season. If he keeps that up, he will easily outplay his price tag in one of the few matches Hull have been favored this season.

Defender

Adrian Mariappa, Watford

FanDuel Price: $5,400

Mariappa will be charged with stopping Slimani and Vardy as Watford are expected to go to a three-man back line. That could shift to a back five if Leicester controls the play as they are expected. Regardless, Mariappa likely starts in place of Jose Holebas and pulls the duty of trying to slow the quick counter of Leicester.

Mariappa has averaged nine defensive actions in limited playing time. He averages over 20 points per match on FanDuel.

Watford's Monday match against Liverpool was a personal best for Mariappa as he finished with 27.75 FanDuel points. He collected eight clearances and four interceptions. Liverpool had 60% of possession in that match, and it is possible that Leicester could duplicate that number, even though that's not the Foxes' typical style. That may not be good for Watford, but it is good for Mariappa's stat line.

Keeper

Maarten Stekelenburg, Everton

FanDuel Price: $6,200

Stekelenburg has been back in net for Everton over the last two weeks, but he gave up three goals against Chelsea last weekend. The performance has some calling for a new keeper to be Everton's top priority during the summer transfer window.


However, Everton have a better matchup this week against a Swansea City team trying to stave off relegation. Stekelenburg will likely be the least-expensive starting keeper on the slate, as well. He is still cheaper than the man he replaced in the Everton net, Joel Robles.

With Swansea is desperation mode, Stekelenburg should be fairly busy, giving him a nice floor.

As always, make sure to check those starting lineups on Saturday morning.