This article is part of our DraftKings Fantasy Soccer series.
MATCHES (ET)
- 3:00 pm: Benfica vs. Inter Milan
- 3:00 pm: Manchester City vs. Bayern Munich
For detailed stats and odds, check out the
FORWARDS
Erling Haaland (MCI vs. BAY, $10,000): Assuming Riyad Mahrez ($8,700) doesn't start, none of the forwards on this slate would be expected to take any set pieces. Haaland is -165 to score. and no one else is better than +185. Even if you don't want to roster Haaland in cash, and normally I wouldn't in this spot, the pricing is too soft and there's almost no opportunity cost at forward. He's too easy to afford and he's going to be very popular. If Mahrez starts, you can't expect him to play 90 minutes, but even so, he'd have the highest expected floor at the position. That's enough for me to roster him in cash games over Haaland.
Goncalo Ramos ($7,500) and Lautaro Martinez ($7,000) stand out as GPP options. I prefer Ramos because I'd rather target Benfica at home than Inter away and the difference in popularity between the two isn't likely to be significant. If David Neres ($7,200) starts, he'd be a decent option in any format as it's possible he'd split corners.
Leroy Sane (BAY at MCI, $6,000): Continuing with the assumption that no forwards will have a role on set pieces, Sane would arguably have the best floor at the position from a point-per-dollar standpoint. Keep in mind, that isn't saying much on this slate.
MATCHES (ET)
- 3:00 pm: Benfica vs. Inter Milan
- 3:00 pm: Manchester City vs. Bayern Munich
For detailed stats and odds, check out the
FORWARDS
Erling Haaland (MCI vs. BAY, $10,000): Assuming Riyad Mahrez ($8,700) doesn't start, none of the forwards on this slate would be expected to take any set pieces. Haaland is -165 to score. and no one else is better than +185. Even if you don't want to roster Haaland in cash, and normally I wouldn't in this spot, the pricing is too soft and there's almost no opportunity cost at forward. He's too easy to afford and he's going to be very popular. If Mahrez starts, you can't expect him to play 90 minutes, but even so, he'd have the highest expected floor at the position. That's enough for me to roster him in cash games over Haaland.
Goncalo Ramos ($7,500) and Lautaro Martinez ($7,000) stand out as GPP options. I prefer Ramos because I'd rather target Benfica at home than Inter away and the difference in popularity between the two isn't likely to be significant. If David Neres ($7,200) starts, he'd be a decent option in any format as it's possible he'd split corners.
Leroy Sane (BAY at MCI, $6,000): Continuing with the assumption that no forwards will have a role on set pieces, Sane would arguably have the best floor at the position from a point-per-dollar standpoint. Keep in mind, that isn't saying much on this slate. Bayern obviously have a tough matchup away to Man City, but Sane is cheap and he's been playing 90 minutes for the most part.
If you believe in revenge narratives, you'd have to imagine he'll be up for this one against his former club and manager, who deemed him surplus before selling him to Bayern. Any of the Munich forwards would make for fine tournament options. I have most interest in Kingsley Coman ($7,100) based on his talent and ability to come up with something special. Sadio Mane ($6,500) and Thomas Muller ($5,700) make sense because they're cheap and won't be overly popular as few can stomach rostering goal-dependent players away to Man City.
If you think Inter have a better chance at scoring than Bayern, Romelu Lukaku ($5,500) is the cheapest of the expected starters. Though not quite the dominating presence of past years, he's still a handful and it wouldn't surprise anyone if he comes up with another important Champions League goal.
MIDFIELDERS
Kevin De Bruyne (MCI vs. BAY, $8,200): De Bruyne is the only player on the slate who you can confidently say has a double-digit floor. He's underpriced and there's little opportunity cost at forward and defender. He's a lock for cash games and a great tournament option, as well. Unless there's a bunch of goals, he's likely to make the optimal lineup.
I wouldn't consider Joao Mario ($7,900) for cash games, but it can't be ignored that he's scored in five consecutive UCL games. Most of his goals come from the penalty spot and his peripheral floor and open-play upside outside of those PKs doesn't justify his salary, especially when compared to the likes of De Bruyne and Kimmich.
Joshua Kimmich (BAY at MCI, $6,200): Kimmich is also a bit underpriced. The matchup away to Man City is far from ideal, but Bayern are an elite team and Kimmich takes a monopoly of their set pieces. The reason he might not be a must, however, is that Jack Grealish ($6,600) is priced in the same range. Grealish has been in top form of late, with five goal contributions in his last three games. He usually plays 90 minutes while drawing fouls and creating chances. City will almost certainly have the lion's share of possession and I wouldn't fault anyone for ranking Grealish above Kimmich in this particular spot.
There are a couple of cheap midfielders also worth considering. Marcelo Brozovic ($4,400) might take all of Inter's corner kicks, assuming Federico Dimarco doesn't start. Keep in mind that set-piece value is pretty much his only appeal and the same goes for Chiquinho ($4,200) on the Benfica side. He's been sharing corners but doesn't do much else from a defensive-midfield role. Nonetheless, both are cheap and should have decent floors, assuming they take at least a couple of set pieces.
Regardless of who you choose, rostering three midfielders is the optimal construction for cash games considering how weak the other positions are and the soft salaries on De Bruyne, Kimmich and Grealish. If you decide to fade Haaland, punting Brozovic or Chiquinho isn't necessary.
DEFENDERS
Alejandro Grimaldo (BEN vs. INT, $5,800): While this may not be the greatest spot for either Benfica or Grimaldo, he still projects for the most raw points at the position and that's all I'm looking for. The pricing is soft across the slate and you can spend up at defender without being penalized by opportunity elsewhere. Gilberto ($5,200) looks like a decent leverage option for tournaments. He won't be very popular and has a good chance to play 90 minutes filling in for the injured Alexander Bah.
Denzel Dumfries (INT at BEN, $4,800): Again, this isn't a particularly good spot for Inter and Dumfries, but he at least offers some upside to go with one of the better point-per-dollar floors at the position. He's not a priority but you have the luxury of spending up twice at defender if fading Haaland.
If not, then second defender is the spot to punt. Each of the home favorites have a center-back priced under $3,000. Either Manuel Akanji ($2,800) for Manchester City or Morato ($2,500) for Benfica would be fine if you really need the money.
GOALKEEPER
Odisseas Vlachodimos (BEN vs. INT, $5,100): Benfica have better clean sheet odds than Manchester City, yet Vlachodimos is cheaper than Ederson ($5,500). I have no interest in rostering an expensive goalkeeper against Bayern Munich anyway, which makes the decision easier. Andre Onana ($4,600) is also a fine option if you prefer the Inter side in that matchup.
