This article is part of our DraftKings Fantasy Soccer series.
MATCHES (ET)
- 3:00 pm: Atlético Madrid vs. FC Porto
- 3:00 pm: Barcelona vs. FC Viktoria Plzen
- 3:00 pm: Club Brugge vs. Bayer Leverkusen
- 3:00 pm: Inter Milan vs. Bayern Munich
- 3:00 pm: Napoli vs. Liverpool
- 3:00 pm: Tottenham Hotspur vs. Marseille
For detailed stats and odds, check out the
FORWARDS
Robert Lewandowski, BAR vs. VPL ($11,200): Lewandowski has nearly -400 anytime goalscorer odds and Barcelona's 2.8 implied team goal total is almost one goal more than any other team on the slate. He will be popular in cash games and I plan on plugging him in and building the rest from there. In tournaments, your primary decision will be whether or not you use Lewandowski. Harry Kane ($12,600) is somehow more expensive than Lewandowski this slate and will certainly be contrarian in tournaments. I'm not sure that is worth it, though, as it's more expensive he's been on recent more favorable Premier League slates.
Ousmane Dembele, BAR vs. VPL ($8,500): There are very few viable spend down options at forward in cash games, so I think it will be a common cash game and tournament strategy to spend up twice. If Dembeke starts, he should have a role on set pieces, as would teammate Raphinha ($9,700), depending on the starting XI. I think Dembele and Raphinha are the best options at forward with a floor this slate, but it is more difficult to make a lineup with Raphinha's higher salary. In this slate, GPP options abound if you are willing to fade Barcelona. Sadio Mane ($8,300) is cheap relative to similar options this slate and Bayern's implied goal total of 1.95 also makes Kingsley Coman ($9,100) and Leroy Sane ($8,900) viable tournament options. I think Heung-Min Son ($10,000) will be unpopular in tournaments due to his price and current form. That said, he still takes set pieces for Tottenham and the home matchup against Marseille is good enough to turn his form around. The matches between Bayer Leverkusen-Club Brugge and Liverpool-Napoli both have implied goal totals over three, making each of their attacking options viable in tournaments. If I had to highlight one, Luis Diaz ($7,400) takes plenty of shots and is one of the lower-priced forwards playing for a favorite.
Ferran Jutgla ($4,200) for Club Brugge has +210 anytime goalscorer odds and seems mispriced. He's off to a good start in the Belgian league, scoring five goals and logging three assists in his first seven matches, and Brugge have an implied goal total of 1.49 home against Bayer Leverkusen. Opportunity cost is high at forward this week, but if you want to spend down, he is one of the best options this slate. I am highlighting Pedri ($5,900) as well due to his salary and forward eligibility. In his first four league matches, he has averaged one shot and two chances created per game.
MIDFIELDERS
Joshua Kimmich, FCB at INT ($7,500): In my opinion, there are few higher priced, midfield-only eligible players worth considering on this slate. Kimmich has a monopoly of set pieces and has been active in open play for Bayern with two goals and assists to open the season, making him a great play in cash games. That said, if Bayern's formation suggests a more defensive role for Kimmich, I am likely to look to other options in tournaments. Indeed, many of the forwards above are also midfield eligible. There are some other cash-type plays worth considering, but I think it's worth getting up to Kimmich if you can. Hakan Calhanoglu ($6,700) will take set pieces for Inter Milan at home, albeit in a tough matchup against Bayern Munich, and Kerem Demirbay ($7,100) has taken half of Bayer Leverkusen's set pieces this season. It's worth noting Demirbay has been subbed off early in each of the league games he has played. If Yannick Carrasco ($6,200) starts, he should have some of the set pieces for Atletico Madrid in a home match, but their game against Porto sports the lowest implied goal total and their attack rotates quite a bit. For tournaments, Ivan Perisic ($6,700) and Dejan Kulusevski ($7,600) are the most affordable ways to access the favorable Tottenham matchup home against Marseille. Perisic and Kulusevski were rotated this weekend, so I expect them both to play plenty of minutes, as well.
Andreas Skov Olsen, CB vs LEV ($3,100): Skov Olsen plays right wing-back for Brugge and he has scored four goals this season and takes right-sided corners. He is the best punt on the slate if you are looking to save salary, which is necessary if you spend up twice at forward. Frenkie de Jong ($3,400) and Gavi ($3,300) are perfectly reasonable punts at midfielder in a favorable spot at home, depending on who starts. Harvey Elliott ($4,000) is a similar option for Liverpool, though they have a less favorable matchup away at Napoli.
DEFENDERS
Trent Alexander-Arnold, LIV at NAP ($6,600): In a Premier League slate, Alexander-Arnold would normally be one of the first players on my roster at this price. His set-piece role is valuable and Liverpool are favored against Napoli. That said, the Liverpool full-backs have historically played more defensively away from home in the Champions League, so I do not consider him a must. Emerson ($5,700) will have opportunity for plenty of crosses for Tottenham at home against Marseille and Jeremie Frimpong ($5,100) for Bayer Leverkusen is another good option above $5,000.
Normally, Jordi Alba ($5,600) would be a great play in tournaments and although he is projected to start, teammate Alex Balde ($3,400) has been starting ahead of him in league play. If Balde starts, he is too cheap for his role and matchup, so that is a situation worth monitoring. None of the high-end defenders are must plays, so if Balde doesn't start and you need to punt once at defender, I think that's viable. Pay attention to lineups and formations when they are released to see if there is anyone who might be underpriced for a full-back or wing-back role. For example, Ryan Sessegnon ($5,000) may start ahead of Perisic and would be a solid value and for a cheaper option, Mitchell Bakker ($2,900) may start as a wing-back for Bayer Leverkusen.
GOALKEEPER
Marc-Andre ter Stegen, BAR vs. VPL ($6,000): If you are going to pay up for goalkeeper, I think it is worth finding the salary to go all the way up to ter Stegen. Barcelona's odds to win and keep a clean sheet are significantly higher than any other team on the slate. If you are paying down for goalkeeper, a conservative option is Porto's Diogo Costa ($4,100). Porto's matchup against Atletico Madrid has the lowest implied goal total on the slate. I'm also fine rostering Marseille's Pau Lopez ($3,800), as their matchup against Tottenham has the second lowest implied total and he should get opportunities to rack up saves.
