SOCCER

4 FanDuel Premier League Players to Avoid in Matchweek 31

Wayne Rooney has failed to show he has an appealing ceiling in recent matches. Who else should we avoid in Matchweek 31?

The main slate for Matchweek 31 features four Saturday matches -- as two of the slate’s matches were postponed due to the FA Cup quarterfinal. -- with just one of the top-eight clubs in action while all three of the clubs currently in the drop zone will feature on the slate.

Matchweek 31
Saturday, March 17th
Everton at Stoke City
West Brom at Bournemouth
Crystal Palace at Huddersfield
Watford at Liverpool


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

Callum Wilson, Bournemouth

FanDuel Price: $8,500

Wilson is tied with Liverpool’s Dominic Solanke as the third-highest priced forward on the slate, and he has averaged 14.79 FanDuel points in 20 appearances this season. Wilson has taken just three shots on target over his last five matches while averaging 7.35 FanDuel points over that span.

The Cherries are a 0.5-goal favorite over the Baggies and have an implied team total of 1.5 goals -- both are the second-best marks on the slate behind Liverpool. Bournemouth should be able to dominate the possession battle as the Cherries are in the top 10 of overall possession (48.1%) while the Baggies maintain the 3rd-lowest possession percentage in road matches (43.1%), and the Cherries dominated the possession in the reverse fixture -- despite losing the match -- maintaining 71% of the possession.

The Baggies are well on their way to being relegated, and despite conceding a goal to a forward in three straight matches, they have played surprisingly well against that position this season. They have allowed the eighth-fewest shots (2.28), eighth-fewest goals (0.35) and third-fewest shots on target (0.74) per 90 minutes to forwards this season.

Wilson is priced $500 more than Huddersfield’s Steve Mounie, who has taken 14 shots, scoring two goals and recording one assist over his previous four matches and now has what seems to be a better matchup as the Terriers host Crystal Palace. Wilson may be a sneaky large-field tournament play -- although cheaper options may offer more upside -- but he should be avoided in cash games.

Midfielder

Wayne Rooney, Everton

FanDuel Price: $9,000

Rooney is tied with two other players as the fourth-highest priced player at his position, and he has averaged 17.03 FanDuel points in 25 appearances this season. Rooney has failed to reach his season-long average in five of his last six starts while playing as a defensive-midfielder in two of his last three starts.

Saturday’s match is listed as a pick'em. The Potters are the slight favorite on the money line with both squads having an implied team total of 1.25 goals.

Stoke has been stingy with defensive actions to midfielders -- attacking-midfielders/midfielders/defensive-midfielders -- this season, allowing the seventh-fewest tackles (1.84) and third-fewest interceptions (.92) per 90 minutes, but they have allowed the seventh-most shots to the position (1.63) this campaign. Rooney has just one shot on target -- 10 total shots -- in his last nine matches (six starts) while averaging 7.38 FanDuel points over that span.

The Liverpool attackers are clearly the best option on the slate, and Rooney’s price seems high with each of Aaron Mooy ($9,000), Wilfried Zaha ($8,500) and Abdoulaye Doucoure ($8,000) at or below Rooney’s salary.

Defender

Michael Keane, Everton

FanDuel Price: $7,000

Keane is tied with three other defenders as the top-priced player at his position, and he has averaged 15.94 FanDuel points this season -- the lowest average among the top-priced defenders. Keane has failed to reach his season-long average in four of his last five matches, scoring less than 10 FanDuel points twice over that span.

Both clubs are in the bottom 10 of overall possession -- with the Toffees holding a slight edge, 46.9 % compared to 44.5% -- and Everton controlled 62% of the possession in the reverse fixture in Matchweek 1.

Keane is 17th in the Premier League with 147 clearances but has totaled more than two in at least one of the other defensive categories -- tackles, blocked shots and interceptions -- in just 10 matches, reaching that number in interceptions six times, and now faces a Potters squad that does not relinquish a large number of defensive actions to defenders. They have allowed the 6th-fewest clearances (4.45), 4th-fewest blocked shots (0.45) and fewest interceptions (1.21) while allowing the 10th-most tackles (1.7) per 90 minutes to defenders this season.

Keane has taken seven shots this season but has failed to place any of those shots on target. As the top-priced defender on the slate, Keane may have a hard time reaching value with just defensive statistics.

Goalkeeper

Jonas Lossl, Huddersfield

FanDuel Price: $5,000

Lossl is tied with three other keepers as the third-highest priced player at his position, and he is averaging 12.05 FanDuel points per match this season. Lossl has been unable to reach his season-long average in seven of his last nine matches, including scoring less than 10 FanDuel points in four matches over that span.

Lossl is ninth in the Premier League with 80 saves and has recorded more than 2 saves in 14 matches so far this campaign.

Saturday’s match is listed as a pick'em, with the Eagles holding the slight edge on the money line, and both squads have an implied team total of 1.0 goal. The Eagles have scored at least one goal in eight of their last nine matches, including seven straight league matches away from Selhurst Park. Palace have allowed the ninth-most saves (78) to opposing keepers this season, but they are separated from Watford -- who have allowed the third-fewest saves to opposing keepers -- by only 17 saves.

The Eagles are still fighting for a spot in the Premier League next season -- one point shy of safety -- but have flipped their early-season struggle of finding the back of the net. Unless Lossl holds the Eagles scoreless for the first time in seven road matches, the other keepers in his price range should offer more value.