This article is part of our FanDuel Fantasy Soccer series.
The Premier League finally returns after what feels like a long layoff and there's an even bigger slate to dissect Saturday. Where it's usually five games on the FanDuel slate, it's six for this one. For me, it looks like a slate with a lot of options and one we can get a bit different from the field with so many teams in good spots.
- 10:00 am: Aston Villa vs. Leicester City
- 10:00 am: Brentford vs. Southampton
- 10:00 am: Brighton & Hove Albion vs. AFC Bournemouth
- 10:00 am: Manchester United vs. Crystal Palace
- 10:00 am: Wolverhampton vs. Liverpool
- 12:30 pm: Newcastle United vs. West Ham United
For detailed stats and odds, check out the
FORWARDS/MIDFIELDERS
Marcus Rashford, MU vs. CRY ($20): At the top of pricing I want to start with the Manchester United duo of Rashford and Bruno Fernandes ($21). They are the second-biggest favorite on the slate against Crystal Palace and both have been in great form. Rashford has the second-highest goalscoring odds behind only Ivan Toney ($22). Toney is more of a GPP pivot with his low floor but undeniable upside. The pairing I like if you are stacking Manchester United is actually not one of the other attackers in Antony ($17) or Anthony Martial ($17), but rather Casemiro ($16) who has been over 22 fantasy points in five of his last six appearances and can get there in a multitude of ways.
Pascal Gross, BHA vs. BOU ($19): My next favorite spot is the biggest favorite on the slate in Brighton. They take on Bournemouth at home and this is a team riding a wave of momentum. They knocked off Liverpool in the FA Cup over the weekend after beating them 3-0 a couple weeks prior in league play. A top five spot in the table is definitely not out of reach for them and it all starts with Gross. He creates a lot for this team and can easily be paired in stacks with other guys such as Solomon March ($19), Danny Welbeck ($16) and Kaoru Mitoma ($15). Mitoma is my second favorite piece in the mid-range, as he has been spectacular.
Cody Gakpo, LIV vs. WOL ($17): This is a GPP play as we haven't really seen Gakpo pop off since joining Liverpool. We know the talent is there and this attack will click sometime soon. Even though they are away from home, it isn't a bad matchup against Wolves. Another pivot to the above mentioned plays in this range is Newcastle's Callum Wilson ($18) as a solid home favorite against West Ham in the late game of the slate.
Value at the position is a bit hard to come by and it may make you be a bit more speculative and take a chance on Matheus Cunha ($13) or Pablo Sarabia ($12) for Wolves. Sarabia came in and took all five sets for them in his first appearance and even though they are an underdog, Liverpool's defense has been a bit leaky. Bryan Mbeumo ($14) is another option in the mid-range that you could pair with Toney or play alone as he will also have a share of set pieces. Lastly, the game between Leicester and Aston Villa could pop off as I'm not impressed with either defense and you have guys from each side in Leon Bailey ($14), Emiliano Buendia ($11) and Patson Daka, ($14) who are all affordable.
DEFENDERS
Kieran Trippier, NEW vs. WHU ($15): I know it seems repetitive, but Trippier is the most fantasy friendly defender in the league. He is always the most expensive, but I like to compare his price to the forward/midfield position because if he was at that position for the same price, everyone would lock him in instantly. We can find value at our second defender or some of the ones mentioned above at other positions to fit him in. This is a strong matchup at home and not one that I even want to think about fading Trippier.
Tariq Lamptey, BHA vs. BOU ($7): Speaking of value, Lamptey is projected to start for the biggest favorite on the slate at only seven bucks. He can be a frustrating play as an early-sub candidate, but it's hard not to take the savings to fit in other pieces to your lineup, especially in Brighton stacks, which I mentioned above. You can certainly look to the underdog center-backs on FanDuel due to more defensive stats being given. My favorites there would be Chris Richards ($10), Marc Guehi ($10) and Jack Stephens ($8).
GOALKEEPER
Robert Sanchez, BHA vs. BOU ($12): Goalkeeper is pretty simple for me on this slate. Brighton are the biggest favorite and have the second highest clean sheet odds, but Sanchez is priced below David de Gea ($13) and Nick Pope ($13), and the same as Alisson ($12) who has kept just one clean sheet in league play since October. If you need the salary, you have save upside plays such as Jose Sa ($8), who is at home against a Liverpool attack who may still be trying to figure things out.
