This article is part of our DraftKings Fantasy Soccer series.
MATCHES (EDT)10:00 a.m: Watford v. Arsenal
10:00 a.m: Chelsea v. Burnley
10:00 a.m: Crystal Palace v. Bournemouth
10:00 a.m: Leicester City v. Swansea City
10:00 a.m: Everton v. Stoke City
10:00 a.m: Southampton v. Sunderland
12:30 p.m: Hull City v. Manchester United
ODDS REPORT
Watford: Etienne Capoue, Jose Holebas
Arsenal: Santi Cazorla, Mesut Ozil, Theo Walcott
Southampton: Dusan Tadic, Steven Davis
Sunderland: Adnan Januzaj, Lynden Gooch, Patrick van Aanholt
Leicester: Marc Albrighton, Riyad Mahrez
Swansea: Gylfi Sigurdsson, Wayne Routledge
Everton: Kevin Mirallas, Gerard Deulofeu, Leighton Baines
Stoke: Joe Allen, Xherdan Shaqiri, Bojan
Crystal Palace: Yohan Cabaye, Jason Puncheon, Andros Townsend
Bournemouth: Max Gradel, Jordan Ibe, Charlie Daniels
Chelsea: Willian, Eden Hazard
Burnley: Johann Berg Gudmundsson, George Boyd
Hull City: Robert Snodgrass
Manchester United: Juan Mata, Wayne Rooney
PLAYER RECOMMENDATIONS
GOALKEEPER
Kasper Schmeichel, LEI vs. SWA ($5,200): After making four saves on the way to a clean sheet against Arsenal last weekend, Schmeichel and the Leicester defense now welcome Swansea. Last weekend featured Swansea getting shut out while conceding two goals at home against newly promoted Hull. After a poor display against that very same Hull side in the first week, Leicester looked much better with Robert Huth back from his suspension. The attack has yet to get going, but the Leicester defense has found its form.
Steve Mandanda, CRY vs. BOU ($5,000): Has Mandanda finally earned the starting place after keeping a clean sheet at midweek in the League Cup? Presumably, but the side will also look to bring on the likes of James Tomkins and Yohan Cabaye, who'll help stabilize the defense from their respective positions. Crystal Palace is still without a goal on the season, but with Christian Benteke primed to make his debut for the club, they now have the clinical piece they'd been so dearly missing.
DEFENDER
Kyle Naughton, SWA at LEI ($3,700): Back to the well we go. Naughton eclipsed his 12 fantasy points from the first weekend with 14 in the loss to Hull. Leicester, away from home, is far from a prime offensive matchup, but this Leicester squad did allow the most crosses of any team in the entire Premier League last season. Naughton has 11 crosses through the first two games, and while his five shots (zero on target) are an odd stat for a fullback, it just goes to show how involved he is in the Swans' attack.
Antonio Valencia, MUN at HUL ($4,600): Valencia only has four crosses and 12 fantasy points through the first two games, but he's been more threatening on the attack than the stats show. He was a mistimed Zlatan Ibrahimovic jump and header away from an assist last weekend against Southampton.
Hector Bellerin, ARS at WAT ($4,700): Not unlike Valencia, Bellerin's 12 fantasy points don't encapsulate his actual value. He's not as prevalent a crosser as other fullbacks, which makes him a shaky cash game play, but his blitzing speed makes him a common outlet for the Arsenal attack, as showcased by his five assists last season.
MIDFIELDER
Andros Townsend, CRY vs. BOU ($7,100): Townsend tops all midfielders on the slate with 40 fantasy points through the first two weeks. Better yet, he did it without contributing to any goals thanks to 18 crosses, eight shots, nine tackles and six interceptions. Going away to Tottenham and walking away with 17 fantasy points in an accomplishment. This time around, Townsend and Palace host a Bournemouth side that's lost it's first two matches while conceding four goals. They also finally bring in a legitimate goal-scoring threat in Christian Benteke.
Joe Allen, STK at EVE ($3,900): After just 12 minutes on the pitch in his Stoke debut, Allen took corners last weekend against Manchester City. All seven of his crosses were from corners, which can be a little bit tricky to predict week-to-week, but considering Stoke is averaging 6.5 of them per game, it figures to give Allen a desirable floor considering his bargain bin price.
Willian, CHE vs. BUR ($8,300) / Eden Hazard, CHE vs. BUR ($8,600): I'm grouping them together only due to corner and free-kick duties. Regardless of Willian's status, Hazard – who is also forward eligible – is an excellent play. However, if Willian is forced to the sideline again that leaves Hazard – at least partially – on corners and free kicks, which only enhances his usability. Willian will take the majority of corners and free kicks when he is on the field, but Hazard takes penalties and is a more elite threat in the open field. Chelsea are backed as the heaviest favorites on Saturday's slate and should be readily slotted into fantasy lineups to reflect that.
Santi Cazorla, ARS at WAT ($7,200): With Mesut Ozil likely to slot back into the starting lineup, Cazorla will be in a deeper role and probably cedes some corners and free kicks to the German. However, though Arsenal hasn't earned a penalty with Cazorla on the field this season, he is expected to take it if the opportunity comes. There's a slight risk in rostering Cazorla, but Watford ranked second in the league last season by conceding eight penalties.
FORWARD
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, MUN at HUL ($9,600): Under the new format of creating dual-eligibly M/F, the conventional goal scorers may start to be overlooked. That won't be the case with Ibrahimovic, who is among the very best goal scorers in the world, as shown by his three goals in two league matches. In addition to superb talent in converting penalties and free kicks, he represents possibly the most aerially gifted player to every walk the pitch. He can head a deadened cross at goal with more velocity than most of us average Joes could kick it with our foot.
Nordin Amrabat, WAT vs. ARS ($4,000): Considering the position he's playing, recommending him as a forward makes me twinge. Yet, here we are. As a wingback listed as a dually eligible midfielder-forward, Amrabat has scored 21 fantasy points through the first two weeks despite relatively difficult matchups at Southampton and home against Chelsea. He contributed five crosses while winning seven tackles against a possession-dominating Chelsea side last time out.
Yannick Bolasie, EVE vs. STK ($7,400): More of an FYI than a recommendation, Bolasie stands a strong chance to make his first Premier League start for his new team this weekend. Maybe even more importantly, it could come at the sacrifice of fantasy darling Kevin Mirallas. Bolasie hasn't been known as an elite goal-scoring threat, but who could forget his 11-minute hat-trick against Sunderland last season?
Max Gradel, BOU at CRY ($7,300): Given the lack of potency in the attack, Gradel could start after scoring a goal Wednesday in the EFL Cup. Before coming to Bournemouth last season, Gradel had 17 goals and three assists for Saint-Etienne in 23 appearances during the 2014/15 season. He'd also likely find himself on corners in addition to being a prevalent open-play crosser.
