This article is part of our FanDuel Fantasy Soccer series.
Saturday at FanDuel provides a massive seven-game slate with lots of options to choose from. There are two big favorites in Chelsea and Manchester City, which is the starting point for cash games, but there are plenty of pivots for GPP contests that have upside.
MATCHES (ET)
- 10:00 am: Brentford vs. Crystal Palace
- 10:00 am: Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Fulham
- 10:00 am: Chelsea vs. Southampton
- 10:00 am: Everton vs. Leeds United
- 10:00 am: Nottingham Forest vs. Manchester City
- 10:00 am: Wolverhampton vs. AFC Bournemouth
- 12:30 pm: Newcastle United vs. Liverpool
For detailed stats and odds, check out the
FORWARDS/MIDFIELDERS
Erling Haaland, MCI vs. NFO ($24): I have to start with the biggest decision on the slate. Haaland is rightly priced at $24 so it may be tough to get him into lineups. If there's more value that opens up when lineups are released, then I will be more willing to slot him in. He is -220 to score, but at the price you likely need two goals for GPP contests. The other pieces for City are where I would like to be a little heavier based on pricing. Riyad Mahrez ($18) is fairly priced, while Kevin De Bruyne ($22) would only be a GPP pivot to Haaland and he just doesn't have the same upside. Joao Felix ($21) would be another GPP pivot for Chelsea as the second-biggest favorite on the slate, but he's still a tough price compared to the Manchester City players.
Evan Ferguson, BHA vs. FUL ($18): Brighton are a solid favorite at home against Fulham and Ferguson is projected to start with the third-highest goalscoring odds on the slate. I have liked this Brighton team recently and can see pairing Ferguson with Kaoru Mitoma ($17), Pascal Gross ($17) or Solomon March ($19), all of whom have been solid. This game has one of the biggest implied totals on the slate, similar with Liverpool/Newcastle, giving Brighton the third-highest implied goal total only behind Chelsea and Manchester City.
Alexander Isak, NEW vs. LIV ($17): The late game on the slate features Newcastle hosting Liverpool. I have talked a lot in recent articles about the Liverpool defensive struggles and I am fine going right back to targeting them as they travel to Newcastle. Isak is projected to start and I have always liked his upside. I don't really want to full stack this side but picking a piece or two to nab the goals is more than capable of working.
Value options include Noni Madueke ($15), Bernardo Silva ($13), James Ward-Prowse ($15), Marcus Tavernier ($14), Matheus Cunha ($15) and Demarai Gray ($16). Madueke has solid goalscoring odds and even though Chelsea can be frustrating from a DFS perspective, you have to consider them as this strong of a favorite. Bernardo Silva can have quiet games, but at this price attached to Manchester City, I'm willing to take a chance in GPPs. Tavernier is expected to start and he has had a major role for Bournemouth in the past and they have a decent matchup with Wolves.
DEFENDERS
Kieran Trippier, NEW vs. LIV ($16): This price looks to have broken new ground for a defender on FanDuel, but it is so hard not to just take the floor and upside combo of Trippier, who seems to do it all for Newcastle. It is to the point that I am willing to take a cheaper play at either my second defender or even the midfield/forward spot to fit Trippier in. On the other side of the game, Trent Alexander-Arnold ($12) and Andrew Robertson ($12) are also in play, but they haven't had the same floor as seen in recent years.
Rayan Ait-Nouri, WOL vs. BOU ($9): It's a fairly cheap price on Ait-Nouri and while he has been eased back into the lineup recently, I like the price and matchup combination even if he doesn't go the complete 90 minutes. Felipe ($10) and Joe Worrall ($9) are strong defensive options if you want to play the angle that they will be under attack a lot of the game against Manchester City.
GOALKEEPERS
Ederson, MCI vs. NFO ($14): When you compare Ederson with Kepa Arrizabalaga ($14), I will gladly take the Manchester City side as you never truly know what you're going to get with Chelsea. Robert Sanchez ($12) comes in at a bit of a discount and I like Brighton's spot at home against Fulham. If you want to pay down you could take a shot on either Jordan Pickford ($10) or Illan Meslier ($10) at value prices in the same game, but I expect both teams to score in that one. Gavin Bazunu ($7) would be the ultimate GPP option as he does have save upside and Chelsea can have games in which they struggle to score.
