SOCCER

DraftKings Soccer: EPL DFS Helper for 10/23/21

We’ve got a four-game slate in the Premier League with none of the big-six sides playing. Here are the matches, and the odds are from EPL odds.

HomeDrawAway
Crystal Palace (-115)+270Newcastle (+290)
Southampton (-105)+250Burnley (+290)
Leeds (+160)+230Wolves (+180)
Everton (-145)+260Watford (+440)


Forwards to Target

Raphinha ($9,700): Raphinha missed last week's game due to international travel but will be back on the pitch for Leeds in this match. He's developed into one of the most reliable assets for DraftKings scoring, as he's had at least 10 points in every match this season. He's Leeds' main corner-kick taker, but that's not all he does. He has three goals on the season and is averaging 3.69 shots per 90 minutes.

The only knock against Raphinha would be that his salary is high for someone who does not have great goal-scoring odds. However, this slate lacks players who have great scoring odds, so it's less of a concern than usual. It's perfectly acceptable to play Raphinha at this salary given the context of the slate.

Dwight McNeil ($7,000): In the same vein of the Raphinha play is McNeil, a reliable forward who we like because of how often he crosses. It can sometimes be tough to get behind playing him because he plays for Burnley, the worst possession team in the Premier League. However, McNeil has found ways to overcome that in tough matches -- producing 12.3 points away to Liverpool and 9.8 points away to Manchester City.

Despite Burnley being so poor in possession, they still average the fourth-most crosses per game. That has long been their style under manager Sean Dyche, and it doesn't seem like they will change it any time soon. In this more evenly-matched clash against Southampton, McNeil should have no problem getting his crosses into the box. He doesn't score many goals, but getting a goals worth of points in other avenues is a likely outcome.

Armando Broja ($5,700): Broja made his first start in the league for Southampton last weekend and scored a goal. He gave Southampton a dynamic threat up front, which they have really been lacking, as he had five shots and several chances to score. Now he gets a matchup against a Burnley team that has allowed the fourth-most shots per game and the third-most goals from open play. For just $5,700, Broja is a player to take a chance on in tournaments.

Others to Consider: Odsonne Édouard ($7,600), Raúl Jiménez ($7,300), Salomón Rondón ($5,300)

Midfielders to Target

Nathan Redmond ($8,000): There is a dearth of midfield-only options at the top of the salary ranks, and it's likely that you'll be rostering a player with dual eligibility in the midfield spot. Redmond is one of the options, even if his $8,000 salary might cause a bit of sticker shock. Redmond has typically been a punt option at forward who you couldn't really rely on for many points but the hope was that he would pay off a low salary.

That all changed last week when he became Southampton's main set-piece taker. With James Ward-Prowse suspended, Redmond got all the corner kicks for the Saints and finished with 10 crosses. He also doubled his season totals in shots and shot assists. That shot volume probably won't continue, but Redmond is still a solid play with JWP once again banned.

Luka Milivojević ($4,800): Milivojević is always appealing because he offers a lot more than the average midfield player. When his salary is this low, he deserves serious consideration. He's rejoined the Crystal Palace lineup after missing time with a personal issue, so he shouldn't be much of a fitness concern. He has usurped Conor Gallagher as the main set-piece taker for Palace, taking 11 to Gallagher's one over the past three matches.

Milivojević also has a history of being a penalty taker for Palace, and there's a chance that continues. It's a good matchup for Palace against Newcastle, who have conceded three more goals than any other team in the division. Milivojević's salary is too low for his role even if he doesn't take penalties, but if he does, he can greatly exceed his implied value.

Alex Iwobi ($4,400): Iwobi is a good value as a wide player on a favored team playing at home. Playing him involves a bit of a leap of faith because he has yet to produce much in fantasy this season. In this game against Watford, Everton should be able to play well. Watford have the third-lowest possession rate and allow the seventh-most crosses in the league. They've also conceded 15 goals, the third-most. Iwobi could get involved in a goal, so for just $4,400, he can be used in a midfield spot.

Others to Consider: Ashley Westwood ($5,600), João Moutinho ($4,900), Tom Cleverley ($3,500)

Defenders to Target

Lucas Digne ($6,200): Digne hasn't been quite the fantasy asset we've come to know, but he's still one of the better options at full-back in EPL DFS. His 51 crosses are seventh in the Premier League this season after he was sixth last year and third in 2019-20. He also is dangerous from free kicks with his left foot and could have a chance to score from a dead ball against Watford. Everton are the slate's biggest favorite, and Digne might be their best play once you factor in salary.

Matt Ritchie ($6,000): Newcastle have struggled, but it hasn't hurt Ritchie's fantasy value. He leads the league in crosses with 64. Newcastle are underdogs in this game, but they shouldn't be overwhelmed by Crystal Palace. With Callum Wilson fit, Ritchie now has a good target for his crosses, so he has a better chance of recording an assist. Ritchie is a better play than the midfield options around the same salary, so if you have $6,000 for a utility player, don't hesitate to put Ritchie in that spot.

Marçal ($4,300): If you are looking for defenders who cross, Marçal might be the best value at the position. Only Ritchie and Digne have more crosses than him this season, but he comes at a huge discount from them. We've seen Leeds' games produce a lot of fantasy points for both teams, including last week's match against Southampton. If that happens again, it's likely that Marçal would get a few extra crosses. For this salary, he's perfectly viable in all formats.

Others to Consider: Nelson Semedo ($4,700), Tyrick Mitchell ($4,400), Danny Rose ($4,200)

Goalkeepers to Target

Alex McCarthy ($5,400): McCarthy has three clean sheets in eight league matches this season and gets to face a Burnley side that has scored only five league goals this season. They also take just 11.8 shots per game, ranking 15th in the league in that category. There isn't much risk with McCarthy, making him a fine keeper to play this week.

José($4,700):faces a Leeds team -- one sans Patrick Bamford -- that generates shots but hasn't been scoring many goals. They have the sixth-most shots but the fourth-fewest goals. Whenever that gap is there, you can take a chance on the goalkeeper against that club. There's a chance he gets peppered with low-danger shots and racks up saves, which could allow him to produce a tournament-winning score.



Nicholas Vazquez is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Nicholas Vazquez also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username hbyanksman. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his/her personal views, he/she may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his/her personal account. The views expressed in his/her articles are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.