This article is part of our DraftKings Fantasy Soccer series.
MATCHES (ET)
- 10:00 am: Morocco vs. Portugal
- 2:00 pm: England vs. France
For detailed stats and odds, check out the
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FORWARDS
Kylian Mbappe ($10,800) is by far the most expensive player on the slate. He's always a tournament option, but with anytime goalscoring odds of +170, I don't think he is a must in cash games. Goncalo Ramos ($9,000) started over Cristiano Ronaldo ($7,700) last match and scored a hat trick. He'll be a popular tournament option as well with Portugal as the biggest favorite, but I am not looking to him in cash games, either, with anytime goalscoring odds of +160.
Antoine Griezmann ($7,800, FRA vs. ENG): There are few forward-eligible players with floors to play, so I think Griezmann will be popular. He'll take almost all of France's set pieces and has goal and assist upside, as well. I expect him to play 90 minutes (and into extra time, should that occur), which is an important consideration with potential extra time in the knockout stages.
Bernardo Silva ($5,300, POR vs. MAR): Silva has been taking some corners for Portugal, but it's important to note that some of these have been short corners where he is not accruing crossing points. I still think he is favorably priced and should play 90 minutes, so the idea in cash games is to get six points from him and spend up at other positions. Even though he'll get subbed off around the 75th minute, I also think the price is right on Ousmane Dembele at $6,600 for your second forward if you can find the salary. Even as a smaller favorite, he figures to have more upside than Silva.
The forward position has plenty of affordable GPP options. Harry Kane ($7,500) and Olivier Giroud ($7,100) both have solid goalscoring odds. This might be controversial, but I think I'm more likely to stack the Portugal-Morocco matchup and want to avoid overinvesting in the England-France game in tournaments. Both England and France have played defensively in knockout rounds in the past with the same managers, so I think that game has potential to be more defensive with few opportunities for both sides. This makes Joao Felix ($8,400) one of my favorite tournament options. He is a focal point of Portugal's attack, but I think he still may come in relatively underutilized due to the presence of the options above.
MIDFIELDERS
Bruno Fernandes ($9,500, POR vs. MAR): Fernandes has had a prolific World Cup with two goals, three assists, and 10 chances created. I think he has the best floor on the slate and expect him to be the most utilized player in both tournaments and cash games. With few viable alternative midfield options, I think he is difficult to fade in GPPs, as well.
Phil Foden ($7,200, ENG vs. FRA): If you are not going to spend up for Mbappe in cash games, you're likely going to fall into spending on Foden. He's been England's primary set-piece taker in his two starts. As mentioned above, I'm not sold there will be a lot of attacking in this match, but he should have a solid floor and can score points in open play.
I'm left underwhelmed by the rest of the midfield position. I personally think that the Portugal-Morocco match has a better chance for goals than the odds suggest, so I plan on targeting Hakim Ziyech ($6,300) in tournaments. Otavio ($5,000) has been subbed off early in his appearances, but I think he has flashed a good deal of attacking upside when he has started. If you are more optimistic about the England-France matchup, Adrien Rabiot ($4,600) has scored at least seven fantasy points in his four starts and Jude Bellingham ($5,900) is a solid GPP option. Otherwise, I think it is fine to roster one of the defensive midfielders in the $3,000-$4,000 price range that correlates with your other attacking pieces. There isn't a lot of opportunity cost and you have a small chance to end up with a goal or assist from a low-rostered player.
DEFENDERS
Raphael Guerreiro ($5,700, POR vs. MAR): Guerreiro has been excellent for fantasy scoring, averaging 3.5 crosses and almost two chances created per 90 minutes, and he might take a corner or two. I don't expect Morocco to allow Portugal to possess the ball for 73 percent of the match like they did against Spain, but I do expect them to play more defensively. This should mean plenty of opportunities in attack for Guerreiro, along with Diogo Dalot ($5,500) or Joao Cancelo ($5,000), depending on who starts.
In tournaments, Theo Hernandez ($5,400) is always a threat moving forward. Achraf Hakimi ($5,100) is a good option in lineups that speculate a more open game between Portugal and Morocco. Finally, Harry Maguire ($3,800) remains one of England's target men on set pieces.
Ruben Dias ($2,900, POR vs. MAR): This price feels too cheap for a favored center-back, so I'm highlighting Dias as a salary-relief option. Raphael Varane ($3,000) has worse clean sheet odds but has taken two shots in three games. I don't mind hunting for a Romain Saiss ($2,800) set-piece goal in tournament lineups where I am rostering Ziyech.
GOALKEEPER
Diogo Costa ($5,500, POR vs. MAR): Portugal's clean-sheet odds are 43 percent and none of the other teams have clean-sheet odds greater than 30 percent. I thought Costa would be slightly more expensive and I think it will be worth paying up for him. Portugal take a lot of shots, so I am also fine rostering Yassine Bounou ($4,000) in tournaments, although he could easily end up like Yann Sommer, who scored negative six points against Portugal in the previous match.
