This article is part of our FanDuel Fantasy Soccer series.
MATCHES (ET)
- 2:30 pm: Fulham vs. Aston Villa
- 3:15 pm: Leicester City vs. Leeds United
For detailed stats and odds, check out the
FORWARDS/MIDFIELDERS
Harvey Barnes, LEI vs. LEE ($17): If you're looking for goals, Thursday isn't the prettiest slate. Leicester City are at home in a match with an implied-goal total near three, but the lack of James Maddison in the side is definitely a detriment for possible output. Barnes may be my first look in tournaments because no matter who starts up front, they'll be more popular than Barnes, meaning Patson Daka ($19), Jamie Vardy ($18) or Kelechi Iheanacho ($16). I don't think any of those players truly stands out from the other and if Barnes is less popular, that's an easy call for me.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall ($13) is an easy cash play, as he'll be on the majority of set pieces without Maddison in the team. He's relatively cheap and makes it easy to fit whoever else you want at forward. Youri Tielemans ($15) may take a couple set pieces, but he usually plays deeper and is a couple bucks more expensive.
Patrick Bamford, LEE at LEI ($16): If Bamford starts, I'd rather bet on him to score than any of the Leicester forwards. The Foxes have looked better defensively in recent matches, which is why I think this will be lower scoring than the general public thinks, but you need to roster someone. If you don't care about goals, any of the Leeds guys are in play, though all of them are possible sub risks, especially Bamford. Brenden Aaronson ($15) has shown he can run for days and is a reasonable cash or tourney play.
Ollie Watkins, AVL at FUL ($19): Aleksandar Mitrovic ($22) may be the most popular player on the slate and I'm willing to fade him. Unless Aston Villa change their style of play, they're not allowing a ton of opportunities no matter the opponent and while more defensive mistakes from Tyrone Mings are possible, that's not something to bet on every match. Throw in a nagging foot issue for Mitrovic and 90 minutes aren't guaranteed on a short week.
That being the case, no one is a certainty for Villa. Watkins is most likely to score for them which is why I'm highlighting him. However, if you want a better chance in cash games, John McGinn ($12) and Douglas Luiz ($10) have pretty safe floors around 10 fantasy points. Philippe Coutinho ($14) is cheap and will probably be more popular than McGinn or Luiz in tournaments, for good reason.
DEFENDERS
Wout Faes, LEI vs. LEE ($13): Leicester have been defending a bunch even at home and a stack of their defenders is in play. Newcomer Faes has hit at least 9.5 fantasy points in all four of his starts and may be the safest defender on the slate, while Daniel Amartey ($7) is a perfect cheap pairing if he starts over the injured Jonny Evans again.
There isn't really one defender who stands above the rest, but I'd probably focus on a center-back stack rather than aiming for a score-sheet appearance from a full-back. You can often win small slates if two center-backs hit a floor of 15-20 points and you have both of them. If not Leicester, I'd look at Fulham next even at home. Again, this is almost a guessing game, but I think Leeds will be the team who pressures the most out of these four.
GOALKEEPER
Emiliano Martinez, AVL at FUL ($11): I don't think correlating your goalkeeper with a defender or two is a must, but it won't hurt. Danny Ward ($12) has back-to-back home clean sheets and lines up with the two center-back strategy of Faes and Amartey. However, I think I believe the most in Martinez, mainly because Villa play the best defense of the four teams. Of course, that's not saying much and any of these goalkeepers are options. Just correlate with the rest of your squad and you'll be golden.
