SOCCER

4 FanDuel Premier League Players to Avoid in Matchweek 28

Roberto Firmino has scored in back-to-back matches and comes in as the top-priced forward, but the makeup of this slate makes the Brazilian a player to consider fading. Who else should you avoid for Matchweek 28?

The main slate for Matchweek 28 features six Saturday matches with only one of the top-five clubs in action while four of the bottom-five clubs will feature on the slate.

Matchweek 28
Saturday, February 24th
West Ham at Liverpool
Southampton at Burnley
Swansea at Brighton
Huddersfield at West Brom
Newcastle at Bournemouth
Everton at Watford


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

Roberto Firmino, Liverpool

FanDuel Price: $12,500

As the largest favorite on the slate, Liverpool’s implied team total is set at 2.75 goals. According to the odds, it is extremely likely that the Reds will score at least one goal -- if not more -- and most likely one of those goals will come from their frontline, as those three players -- Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Firmino -- have been responsible for 65% of the goals the Reds have scored in the Premier League this season.

Firmino is the highest-priced forward on the slate and is $3,000 more expensive than the next closest forward, Brighton’s Glenn Murray. Along with Salah ($13,000), they are the two highest-priced players. It is possible to fit both Salah and Firmino into one lineup, but you may want to avoid one of those two in order to have a more balanced lineup.

Stat Firmino Salah
Minutes 1,954 2,036
Goals 12 22
Assists 6 7
Shots 58 103
Shots on target 25 49
Chances created 43 44


While their assists and chances created are relatively equal, Salah has a noticeable advantage in shots, shots on target and goals over Firmino, and according to oddsmakers, Salah is more likely to find the back of the net against the Hammers (-175 for Salah, compared to -135 for Firmino). Both forwards have been in good form -- Salah has scored in four straight matches while scoring in 8 of his previous 11 Premier League outings and Firmino has scored in two straight matches while scoring in 6 of the last 10 Premier League matches that he has started.

In the reverse fixture against the Hammers, Salah out-performed Firmino, scoring two goals on three shots, while Firmino produced only one shot on target. Both forwards have the talent to produce tournament-winning performances against West Ham, but Salah seems to be the better option to invest in.

Midfielder

Gylfi Sigurdsson, Everton

FanDuel Price: $9,000

Sigurdsson has contributed on the Toffees’ scoresheet in back-to-back starts, producing his third-highest FanDuel point total of the year in his previous match. He is averaging 22.12 FanDuel points over that span.

The Toffees enter Saturday’s late match as a 0.5-goal underdog, and they have an implied team total of 1.0 goal as they travel to Vicarage Road. The Hornets should have a slight advantage in possession as they maintain 50.2% of the possession on their home pitch while the Toffees see 44.5% of the possession in road matches.

The Hornets have played well against forwards/midfielders/attacking-midfielders as they have allowed the ninth-fewest shots on target (86), sixth-fewest shots (214) and sixth-fewest chances created (154) combined to those positions this season.

Sigurdsson has produced more than one shot on target in just two matches this season and has created more than two chances in just two matches while creating zero chances in five starts. The Icelander has averaged the fewest FanDuel points out of all the eligible midfielders priced at $9,000 or above and seems to have the toughest matchup out of the high-priced players at his position.

Defender

Federico Fernandez, Swansea City

FanDuel Price: $6,500

Fernandez is tied as the eighth-highest-priced defender on the slate, and he has averaged 16.42 FanDuel points this season. Fernandez has scored more than 20 FanDuel points five times on the season while scoring under 12 FanDuel points in six matches.

The Seagulls are a 0.5-goal favorite over the Swans and have an implied team total of 1.25 goals. Both squads struggle to maintain possession as both are in the bottom-six of overall possession.

Brighton have not been a great matchup for defenders as they have allowed the 10th-fewest interceptions (144), 8th-fewest blocked shots (51), 3rd-fewest tackles (131) and 2nd-fewest clearances (392) to defenders this campaign.

Fernandez has made more than eight clearances in just three matches this season -- making five in the reverse fixture while producing 10 FanDuel points. West Ham’s James Collins is only $500 more expensive and should see more defensive opportunities against a Liverpool squad that has conceded a high number of defensive actions to defenders.

Goalkeeper

Mat Ryan, Brighton & Hove Albion

FanDuel Price: $5,000

Ryan is tied with four other keepers as the second-highest-priced player at his position, and he is averaging 12.34 FanDuel points this season. Ryan has been unable to reach his season-long average in four of his last five matches.

Ryan is sixth in the Premier League with 82 saves so far this campaign, but he has made fewer than three saves in 14 matches, including the reverse fixture against the Swans -- although he did maintain a clean sheet in that match.

The Swans have scored at least one goal in five of their previous six road matches, conceding their lone clean sheet in that span to Liverpool. The over/under in the match is set at 2.0 goals, and the Swans have an implied team total of 0.75 goals. However, Swansea's recent form on the road suggests they may sneak one into the net, which would severely diminish Ryan’s chances of reaching value as the Swans have forced the fewest saves (42) from opposing keepers this season. Ryan is a clean-sheet-or-bust option this week.