This article is part of our DraftKings Fantasy Soccer series.
MATCHES (ET)
- 10:00 am: Bournemouth vs. Fulham
- 10:00 am: Sheffield United vs. Luton Town
- 12:30 pm: Burnley vs. Liverpool
For detailed stats and odds, check out the
DraftKings Fantasy Soccer: Boxing Day Premier League Cheat Sheet
FORWARDS
Mohamed Salah (LIV at BUR, $10,500): You don't need me to tell you to play Salah, but this slate will mostly likely boil down to a Liverpool onslaught build as they're massive favorites with the highest implied goal total and by far the best team on this slate. Their implied total is .7 more than any other team and they have better than a 25-percent chance of winning than any other team, according to the odds.
Salah has the best odds to score at -120, but he's mostly goal dependent with just four crosses through his last three Premier League starts. That said, if he goes off for a hat trick, it'll be hard to cash without him as he'll surely be the highest-rostered player on the slate. Trent Alexander-Arnold ($8,000) and Dominik Szoboszlai ($7,500) are also strong cash-game options, but it will be difficult to fit multiple Liverpool top-end plays in your lineup.
Andros Townsend (LUT at SHU, $5,600): Townsend has impressed for a guy who was sitting at home waiting for an opportunity before signing on a free for Luton Town in October. Over his last three matches he's been cooking with double-digit point efforts and a goal involvement in each. He's not just a goal or assist dependent player, as well, as he's a capable crosser from open play. The price is more than fair to fill a forward role in one of the best matchups possible for Luton Town.
Rodrigo Munoz ($3,700) could be in play if he starts for Raul Jimenez again simply due to his discounted price. He's not the safest option for cash, however, but he scored 8.1 points in Saturday's 2-0 loss without a goal involvement which would be more than enough to pay off this salary. Dominic Solanke ($7,800) is also a strong tournament option coming off a hat trick at the weekend with five goals in his last four starts.
MIDFIELDERS
Andreas Pereira (FUL at BOU, $7,200): If Willian ($8,600) misses out on his second-straight match, Pereira becomes an elite option, as he'd have an almost set-piece monopoly against Bournemouth. Coming off of a 10-cross effort against Burnley, Pereira has scored at least nine points in three of his last four matches with three assists in that period. The only real question in using Pereira is if you'd rather spend slightly more to get up to Szoboszlai, whose role isn't as assured on set pieces, but who's fixture is more favorable. Pereira is far from a lock given a penchant for him to be subbed off early every game and if he doesn't start, that would open up more sets for someone like Harry Wilson ($6,700) if he remains in the XI.
Alfie Doughty (LUT at SHU, $6,900): A crossing machine, Doughty hasn't had a match with less than five crosses since the middle of September. Combine that with this being one of the better fixtures on the slate, even away from home, and it's hard to look past Doughty in this matchup. The wing-back should have a monopoly on corner kicks in addition to being relevant in open play. He's proved his worth time and time again this season, even providing two assists against Arsenal earlier in the year.
Cheaper options in the middle midfield who could see some corner-kick opportunities include Bournemouth's Lewis Cook ($4,900) and Sheffield United duo Gustavo Hamer ($5,100) and Oliver Norwood ($5,400). Two of the three could be used to pay up for more Liverpool options if you're comfortable in fading guys like Pereira and Doughty. Paying up for Marcus Tavernier (8,300) is also a way to get different and he would likely take almost all set pieces for Bournemouth if Cook is out.
DEFENDERS
Trent Alexander-Arnold (LIV at BUR, $8,000): Alexander-Arnold is expensive but for good reason, as he keeps delivering and is in the best matchup on the slate. Think of him more as an $8,000 midfielder than a defender and the choice seems pretty simple that you'll want him in your lineup for cash games. He should continue to be the primary set-piece taker and with Kostas Tsimikas out for this match, his main competition for sets is Szoboszlai. Even if he doesn't take every set, he's a threat to cross from open play and has scored double-digit DraftKings points in his last six league starts. I would rather play him than Pereira, Doughty or Szoboszlai even if that means putting him into the utility spot to make me feel better about paying this lofty price at defender.
Max Lowe (SHU vs. LUT, $3,300): Lowe is projected to start and provides much-needed salary relief at defender while also having the bonus of being a wing-back priced like a center-back. Of course, his role as a wing-back isn't guaranteed so checking pre-match lineups will be important. Lowe recently returned from injury at the start of the month and has crossed five times over parts of the last four fixtures while receiving only one start, meaning he's not a total dud going forward. The Blades also have the second highest clean sheet odds on the slate giving him another boost for further point totals.
Other cheap defenders include Bournemouth's Adam Smith ($4,200) or Milos Kerkez ($3,800), if either starts following injury, and Luton's Issa Kabore ($3,400), who all offer some crossing value from open play for their teams.
GOALKEEPER
Bernd Leno (FUL at BOU, $4,300): Leno is the cheapest non-Burnley keeper on the slate and though on the road, he's my preferred optio. The match has an implied goal total of under three goals and outside of the weekend loss to Burnley, Leno has been in good form with two clean sheets in his last four starts. If you have salary left over either Wes Foderingham ($4,900) or Thomas Kaminski ($4,500) are probably better plays with the lowest implied total matchup on the slate.
