This article is part of our DraftKings Fantasy Soccer series.
MATCHES (ET)
- 2:45 pm: Wolverhampton vs. AFC Bournemouth
- 3:00 pm: Crystal Palace vs. Newcastle United
- 3:00 pm: Everton vs. Liverpool
- 3:00 pm: Manchester United vs. Sheffield United
For detailed stats and odds, check out the
FORWARDS
Mohamed Salah (LIV at EVE, $9,000): When I first learned how to play soccer cash games, I always tried to prioritize set-piece takers over more stereotypical goal-dependent forwards. This made me underestimate Salah for an embarrassingly long time. He's been averaging 11.5 floor points per start in his last 10 matches and has the best goalscoring odds of the slate. He has a great floor despite not having set pieces to combine with an elite ceiling, and he's in a great matchup against Everton. The same goes for Darwin Nunez ($8,000) and Luis Diaz ($7,300), and I think all the Liverpool forwards are at least $1,000 too cheap. Diaz, in particular, is an option in cash games for your second forward spot.
Manchester United forwards are in their best matchup of the season at home against Sheffield United. Alejandro Garnacho ($8,500) is a bit expensive for cash games but seems like a great GPP option. Rasmus Hojlund ($7,600) is too cheap, as is the much-maligned Antony ($6,800). I'm not exactly an Antony fan, but he's a direct player who likes to shoot and he should see increased minutes with Marcus Rashford doubtful to play. I'd be fine playing Antony as a second forward in cash games at
MATCHES (ET)
- 2:45 pm: Wolverhampton vs. AFC Bournemouth
- 3:00 pm: Crystal Palace vs. Newcastle United
- 3:00 pm: Everton vs. Liverpool
- 3:00 pm: Manchester United vs. Sheffield United
For detailed stats and odds, check out the
FORWARDS
Mohamed Salah (LIV at EVE, $9,000): When I first learned how to play soccer cash games, I always tried to prioritize set-piece takers over more stereotypical goal-dependent forwards. This made me underestimate Salah for an embarrassingly long time. He's been averaging 11.5 floor points per start in his last 10 matches and has the best goalscoring odds of the slate. He has a great floor despite not having set pieces to combine with an elite ceiling, and he's in a great matchup against Everton. The same goes for Darwin Nunez ($8,000) and Luis Diaz ($7,300), and I think all the Liverpool forwards are at least $1,000 too cheap. Diaz, in particular, is an option in cash games for your second forward spot.
Manchester United forwards are in their best matchup of the season at home against Sheffield United. Alejandro Garnacho ($8,500) is a bit expensive for cash games but seems like a great GPP option. Rasmus Hojlund ($7,600) is too cheap, as is the much-maligned Antony ($6,800). I'm not exactly an Antony fan, but he's a direct player who likes to shoot and he should see increased minutes with Marcus Rashford doubtful to play. I'd be fine playing Antony as a second forward in cash games at his price.
Liverpool and Manchester United are the priority teams to target, but I think Dominic Solanke ($7,800) has a big ceiling and a chance to get overlooked. I like him as a contrarian option in GPPs.
I've seen some sources project that Wolves start a cheap forward-eligible option such as Noha Lemina ($3,500), while Tawanda Chirewa is midfield-only if he starts again. While forward is stacked with options for GPPs, there isn't anyone with a clear-cut floor at a good price. For example, I think Eberechi Eze is too expensive at $9,800 to put in your second forward spot and I think it would be fine to use a cheap punt in cash games in that case. The case for someone like Dango Ouattara ($5,100) is similar.
MIDFIELDERS
Bruno Fernandes (MUN vs. SHU, $10,300): Bruno is an elite play against a hopeless Sheffield United side. He takes almost all of Manchester United's set pieces and though he will occasionally share penalties with his teammates, he is the primary penalty taker. Don't overthink this one.
I'm as big a fan of Michael Olise ($10,000) as they come, but I think you must sacrifice too much to play him and Fernandes in the same lineup, and Olise has a much worse matchup away to Newcastle. It might be feasible to play both if Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson don't both start. Otherwise, there are several cheaper midfielders with great roles that you can play as an alternative. On an individual level, it's always terrifying to fade someone of Olise's caliber. On the lineup level, I think I can make up for a big Olise floor game at this price by playing a more balanced team.
Pablo Sarabia (WOL vs. BOU, $7,000): Though Thomas Doyle ($3,900) has pitched in with some set pieces in recent starts, Sarabia still takes a share of set pieces for Wolves. They've struggled with injuries this season, so in most of his starts in 2024, Sarabia has played at least 75 minutes. I think he's a good value for his floor at this price. Dominik Szoboszlai ($6,300) is a decent option if he starts and Alexander-Arnold doesn't, and I think he'll take some corners if that's the case. Early substitutions have been frustrating for Szoboszlai, however. Alexis Mac Allister ($6,500) has been terrific lately and plays a more attacking role if Wataru Endo starts.
There are some cheap options at midfield if you need to save some salary. If Casemiro starts as a defensive midfielder at $4,100, he's an option due to his matchup against Sheffield United. I'd be fine playing Curtis Jones at $4,700, but he's very likely to be subbed early. I already mentioned Doyle has taken a few set pieces in recent starts and you could consider Alex Scott ($3,900) if he starts, though he is liable to be subbed off at halftime.
Finally, I am very embarrassed to admit that nearly 35 weeks into the season, I continue to think Gustavo Hamer ($6,000) is a good play. He's a tournament option only for me, but Manchester United concede almost as many fantasy floor points to opposition as Sheffield United. If you jam attackers facing Sheffield, I think Hamer is at least worth considering against Manchester United.
DEFENDERS
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson (LIV at EVE, $6,300 and $5,900): If Robertson and Alexander-Arnold both start, my priority is to play both in cash games. Both players have averaged over 14 floor points per 90 minutes played this season, and both are live for assists and the clean sheet bonus. I think they're the best point-per-dollar values on the entire slate.
Harry Maguire (MUN vs. SHU, $3,500): Using the DFS Trends tool, I noticed only three defenders who primarily play center-back have averaged more floor points per start over the last 10 matches than Maguire ($3,500). He's too cheap as a massive favorite against Sheffield United. Virgil van Dijk is somehow priced at $3,200 and he also looks like a great option.
One name I like for tournaments is Diogo Dalot ($4,700). Sheffield United have been a great matchup for full-backs all season and I think he'll get overlooked due to the Liverpool full-backs and cheap center-back options.
GOALKEEPER
Jordan Pickford (EVE vs. LIV, $3700): Goalkeepers facing Liverpool this season in the Premier League have averaged 4.76 saves per match (I pulled that from the RotoWire Cheat Sheet, which now features goalkeeper stats!). As usual, in cash games I'll happily scroll down to the cheapest options in order to fit in the outfield players I like best. If you prefer Ivo Grbic ($3,600), he is fine, too. I think Dean Henderson ($4,500) is a few hundred cheap given that Crystal Palace are home in essentially a toss-up matchup.
