DraftKings Fantasy Soccer: Tuesday EPL Picks

For detailed stats and odds, check out the Fantasy Premier League: Tuesday Cheat Sheet.

MATCHES (EST)

2:45 pm: Arsenal vs. Cardiff City
2:45 pm: Fulham vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
2:45 pm: Huddersfield Town vs. Everton
2:45 pm: Wolverhampton vs. West Ham United
3:00 pm: Manchester United vs. Burnley
3:00 pm: Newcastle United vs. Manchester City

FORWARDS

Alexandre Lacazette, ARS v. CAR ($9,300): Lacazette isn't a realistic cash-game option, but he has a number of things going for him in GPPs. Manchester City, who are away to Newcastle, and Manchester United, who are home to Burnley, figure to get plenty of attention for those looking to grab goals, whether it's from Sergio Aguero ($10,400), Leroy Sane ($10,000), Raheem Sterling ($9,800), Riyad Mahrez ($9,400), Gabriel Jesus ($8,900), Marcus Rashford ($10,800), Anthony Martial ($9,000), Romelu Lukaku ($8,800) or Alexis Sanchez ($8,600), all of whom have plenty of upside and even some decent floors. Man City have the highest implied goal total on the slate, but Arsenal actually have a higher one than Manchester United, even if they haven't been as successful in that category lately. For those who want Arsenal exposure, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ($9,600) is probably the first target since he leads the Gunners in goals, shots and shots on goal. All of the attention on the Manchester attackers and Aubameyang only takes people away from rostering Lacazette, who has two goals on 10 shots (five on target) in his last three games and faces a Cardiff side that's allowed at least three goals in five of their last nine games, not to mention three at home against Arsenal earlier this season when Lacazette had one goal on five shots (three on target) and one assist on three chances created. If you're looking for a reliable cash-game forward among the group of elites, Sane probably makes the most sense because of his role on set pieces, but with Kevin De Bruyne ($9,100, midfielder) back, Sane will have far from a monopoly, making him just another goal-dependent player in a match likely to have goals.

Ryan Babel, FUL v. BHA ($4,600): Babel seems to be the likeliest pay-down forward if he starts, as Fulham continue to look for an answer to the attacking woes that have seen them fail to score multiple goals in 10 consecutive Premier League matches. After averaging 2.2 shots, including 0.9 on target, 1.3 fouls drawn and 1.9 crosses per 90 for Besiktas this season, Babel fired three shots in and created two chances in his 55-minute debut last week against Tottenham, and he'll now face a Brighton side that's conceded the second-most shots and chances this season.

MIDFIELDERS

Paul Pogba, MUN v. BUR ($9,600): Since Jose Mourinho's sacking, no player in the Premier League has scored more goals, taken more shots, put more shots on goal or had more assists than Pogba, who ranks third in chances created and fouls drawn over that span. His salary is the highest of any midfield-only player, but that will happen with Manchester United having the second-highest win odds and third-highest implied goal total against a Burnley side that's conceded the third-most goals, third-most assists, most shots, most shots on goal and most chances this season. Paying up for Pogba obviously ties up enough salary where you can't get multiple Man United pieces and others from Man City and/or Arsenal, but it's tough to argue there's been a better player in the Premier League lately.

Jean Michael Seri, FUL v. BHA ($4,200): I'm not usually a big proponent of Seri since so many of his crosses rely on set pieces, but the matchup against Brighton, who have allowed the eighth-most corners and the second-most chances, is good enough to consider. Seri has reclaimed his majority of set pieces, helping him to 16 crosses in the past two games, though he still doesn't shoot much, he doesn't draw many fouls and isn't winning nearly as many tackles as he did earlier this season. Thankfully his salary helps alleviate that and helps pay up in other spots. If you have the extra salary, you can pretty much get similar returns from Joao Moutinho ($5,200), who showed last week why set pieces are important by grabbing one of his two assists from a corner.

Josh Murphy ($3,700): Murphy's lack of playing time recently has been really annoying because he's by far Cardiff's best open-play attacker. The matchup against Arsenal is far from ideal, but the Gunners aren't a side that needs to be avoided for a sub-$4,000 player. He's averaging more than 9.00 fantasy points per 90 minutes over the past six games thanks to his crosses, shots and fouls drawn, though he's only managed three starts in that span. If he doesn't start, I wouldn't just turn to another Cardiff player, with Victor Camarasa potentially getting attention from fantasy players. However, he's extremely dependent on set pieces (one of last 25 crosses over his last six starts were in open play, plus one of his last seven shots), and there's little reason to believe he'll get a ton of dead-ball opportunities at the Emirates.

DEFENDERS

Lucas Digne, EVE at HUD ($7,400): I know this is a lot to pay for a defender, but a simple comparison of Digne to any midfielder in his price range makes this an easier pill to swallow, especially because he's also eligible for a clean sheet bonus against a Huddersfield attack that scored three goals in their last eight Premier League games, including one in their last four. Not only is he the league-leader in crosses, but only nine players have created more chances this season than Digne, who also leads the league with 13 double-digit floor-point games:

If you ever wonder why I never hesitate on the podcast to say I'll roster Lucas Digne in cash games on DraftKings, here's why: pic.twitter.com/7cxAwyUVFi

— Andrew M. Laird (@RotoWireAndrew) January 21, 2019

Ashley Young, MUN v. BUR ($6,200): With a number of viable cheap(ish) midfielders, paying up at both defender spots is definitely in play. Manchester United haven't been crossing nearly as much under Ole Gunnar Solskjær, but Young apparently hasn't gotten that memo, sending in 18 in his last two games, mostly from corners. His upside is almost wholly dependent on grabbing an assist, as he's taken just seven shots all season, but that possibility is in play against a Burnley side that's conceded the fourth-most crosses, most chances and second-most corners this season.

Calum Chambers, FUL v. BHA ($4,200): If you've gotten this far and are thinking "this seems like way too much talk about Fulham," well, you're probably right. However, Chambers continues to be a decent option, especially since he's been starting in the midfield but is still classified as a defender. He's coming off an 8.50-point outing, and he's now reached at least 4.00 floor points in seven of his last nine starts. The lower-salary fullbacks haven't been all that productive, and while you could convince yourself that maybe Wolves wingback Jonny ($4,100) might be worth a look because of their home match against West Ham, I'd really only be interested in Ruben Vinagre ($3,800) if he gets the start.

GOALKEEPER

Jonas Lossl, HUD v. EVE ($4,200): Everton come in with three goals in their last four Premier League matches, while Lossl made 17 saves and conceded six goals in his four starts prior to last week's loss to Man City. The Huddersfield defense is hardly one that should be counted on, but Lossl's low salary could make him popular since he's the cheapest home keeper who's not facing Man City.