This article is part of our DraftKings Fantasy Soccer series.
Tuesday's three-game slate features France as the biggest favorite, with a 2.18 implied total against Australia. They'll be without star striker Karim Benzema after he suffered an injury recurrence in training last week.
MATCHES (ET)
- 8:00 am: Denmark vs. Tunisia
- 11:00 am: Mexico vs. Poland
- 2:00 pm: France vs. Australia
For detailed stats and odds, check out the
FORWARDS
Olivier Giroud ($9,000) is expected to lead the line, just as he did in 2018 when he started every match for the reigning champions. Kylian Mbappe ($11,600) will have his sights set on the Golden Boot and has the best goalscoring odds on the slate at -125. In terms of cash games, the price is steep and there is opportunity cost to consider. Denmark are also in nice spot with a 1.78 implied total against Tunisia in a match that they should control.
Antoine Griezmann, FRA vs. AUS ($9,900): Griezmann will take at least half of the set pieces for France and he has the third-highest scoring odds at +140. That fact that he's $1,700 cheaper than Mbappe is a major selling point for cash games. If they were priced the same, I'd choose Mbappe, who has a similar floor and takes penalty kicks. But that's a big difference in salary and it's enough to make Griezmann the priority at forward for cash. For tournaments, Kingsley Coman ($8,700) might go overlooked and he has just as much upside as Griezmann for $1,200 cheaper.
Martin Braithwaite, DEN vs. TUN ($5,500): He's not normally a player you'd consider for cash games but Braithwaite makes sense on this slate for multiple reasons, as long as he starts. First, he's too cheap for his goalscoring odds. Denmark have a favorable matchup and all of their other attackers are priced above $8,000, making Braithwaite stand out even more. More importantly, you're going to need some salary relief in order to afford Eriksen, Mbappe and/or Griezmann and there isn't anything else in the cheap range unless you want to go all the way down to a Tunisia forward and that doesn't seem optimal.
I realize that I haven't mentioned Mexico or Poland yet. It has the lowest implied total on the slate and no forwards who are viable for cash games, in my opinion. Robert Lewandowski ($9,500) is always a fine option in tournaments but will be a bit too popular for my liking. I'd rather take a chance on someone like Hirving Lozano ($8,900), who's in the midst of his best season for Napoli and won't be popular because of the France players priced around him. Ernesto Alexis Vega ($8,500) splits corners and would be a similar option to Lozano. Of Mexico's expected front three, I'm most likely to roster Henry Martin ($6,600) considering that he's $2,000 cheaper than Lozano and Vega.
MIDFIELDERS
Christian Eriksen, DEN vs. TUN ($10,500): Eriksen takes most of the set pieces as well as penalty kicks for Denmark. Considering the favorable matchup against Tunisia, he probably has the highest floor on the slate, making him a lock for cash games. There isn't much else to say because it's a pretty easy decision in that format.
Piotr Zielinski, POL at MEX ($7,300): Zielinski takes most of the corner kicks for Poland. He's been in great form this season for Napoli where he plays as a central attacking midfielder. He plays in a similar role for Poland as their main creative force in the final third, which adds some goal/assist equity to his set piece floor. The matchup against Mexico isn't great but it isn't prohibitive, either. He isn't a must due to the specific nature of this slate, but he's the second-best midfield option and can fit comfortably in certain builds.
Mikkel Damsgaard, DEN vs. TUN ($5,700): Even without any set pieces, Damsgaard should still have a decent floor for his price considering everything else that he does and that Denmark are considerable favorites. They should have most of the possession and create most of the chances against a Tunisia squad that doesn't have much talent.
Looking cheaper, Wahbi Khazri ($4,000) takes some corners and penalties for Tunisia, while Aaron Mooy ($3,600) takes corners for Australia. Both have a difficult matchup and can't be expected for much but a five-point floor might be enough. Carlos Rodriguez ($3,800) is probably a better option were he to start in an attacking role for Mexico.
DEFENDERS
Matty Cash, POL vs. MEX ($4,600): This is assuming that Cash lines up on the right wing and not in a back four. Defender is clearly the weakest position on the slate. The Denmark full-backs are decent but they're expensive if in a back four. Cash is one of Poland's most valuable players and they rely on him to attack and send crosses in. I wouldn't say anyone at the position is a lock, but he's the best point-per-dollar value, in my opinion. Daniel Wass ($4,500) would probably be a slightly better option than Cash if you knew he was going to play 90 minutes. He usually doesn't but Denmark's favorable matchup makes him a decent option nonetheless.
Lucas Hernandez, FRA vs. AUS ($3,700): Hernandez is just too cheap assuming that he starts at left-back. He doesn't normally do much attacking, but he doesn't need to at that price. He could send a few crosses in for Giroud, though, and France have 51-percent clean sheet odds.
GOALKEEPERS
Hugo Lloris, FRA vs. AUS ($5,900): I mentioned that France have the best clean sheet odds at 51 percent, while Denmark's are close enough to where you could consider Kasper Schmeichel ($5,600). However, France's win odds are 14 percent better which makes Lloris the top option for me if I'm spending up.
Guillermo Ochoa, MEX vs. POL ($4,600): Mexico are ever so slight favorites over Poland and Ochoa is cheaper than Wojciech Szczesny ($4,800). That match has the lowest implied total and either keeper could keep a clean sheet. Take your pick if you have a lean.
