DraftKings DFS World Cup Picks for Saturday, June 20: Ecuador Headline a Four-Game Slate

Ecuador are the team to build around on Saturday's four-game DraftKings World Cup slate, sitting as massive favorites over a Curacao side that just shipped seven goals.

Saturday gives us four games on DraftKings, a 1:00 PM ET start that runs through a midnight kickoff. Ecuador are the biggest favorite on the board by a distance, around 85 percent to beat Curacao and implied for nearly three goals against a defense that conceded seven in its opener. Germany and Japan are solid favorites in their spots, and the Netherlands are only modest favorites against Sweden in a game with real draw equity.

A few injuries matter here. Japan are without Takefusa Kubo, which thins their wide attack. Ivory Coast lost Evan N'Dicka at the back ahead of Germany, and the Netherlands are missing Quinten Timber in midfield.

Come talk lineups in the RotoWire Discord before lock. Here's how I'm attacking it.

WORLD CUP MATCHES (ET)

• 1:00 pm: Netherlands vs. Sweden
• 4:00 pm: Germany vs. Cote D'ivoire
• 8:00 pm: Ecuador vs. Curacao
• 12:00 am: Tunisia vs. Japan

For detailed stats and odds, check out the DraftKings Fantasy Soccer: World Cup Cheat Sheet.

Hit up our Discord with more questions.

FORWARDS

Junya Ito (JPN vs TUN, $7,100)

This is a tough one. Ito didn't start the opener and Japan play in the final game. He's unlikely to be popular because of that, but he could have a majority of set pieces, split at minimum, if he's in the XI due to Takefusa Kubo being injured. This is a must-win spot for Japan, as well. Ito had six crosses in the final 24 minutes against Netherlands when they were chasing, and for the price, he could turn into the best floor play on the slate.

Cody Gakpo (NED vs SWE, $9,600)

Gakpo would have the highest floor, but without corners, that takes a bit of a hit. He's the Netherlands' main man on the left of a front three for a side implied around 1.8 goals, and he's at +190 to score with the volume to back into points even on a quiet night. Gakpo had a poor floor in the opener in a tougher spot and while he may not have sets, he's still on the ball a lot and would be on PKs if Memphis Depay doesn't start again.

Enner Valencia (ECU vs CUW, $7,200)

This is the matchup to attack, or at least, it's where most will go. Curacao conceded seven in their last match and Eloy Room was left facing a barrage, so Ecuador, the slate's biggest favorite at nearly three implied goals, should pour it on. Valencia leads the line at -155 to score, the best forward number on the board. The hedge is real: he's a veteran who doesn't always see 90 minutes, so some of his ceiling walks off with him around the hour. At $7,200 in this spot, it's a solid price.

Kai Havertz ($10,000) is the priciest play on the slate after two goals and four shots in Germany's opener, but $10K locks you out of doubling up elsewhere, so he's more of a tournament anchor than a cash lock. Viktor Gyokeres ($9,000) had a goal, an assist and five shots last time, though Sweden are only around 20 percent to win, so he's a GPP swing against a bunch better defense. The same goes for teammate Alexander Isak at $8,600.

Ayase Ueda ($6,400) is Japan's starting striker at +165, and Keito Nakamura ($6,600) put up three shots and five crosses for 20.6 points in the opener. Despite playing as a wing-back, Nakamura was involved a ton near the box in Japan's opener.

MIDFIELDERS

Tijjani Reijnders (NED vs SWE, $7,900)

Reijnders took six corners and free kicks in the opener, the most of anyone on the slate, and he's doing it from central midfield for a favored Netherlands. That dead-ball volume is the kind of floor most midfielders can't promise, which is why he's in the conversation. In a better matchup, Reinjders should have a better floor in this game and possibly some upside. The problem is that you're paying for all of it at $7,900.

Moises Caicedo (ECU vs CUW, $4,600)

At $4,600 in the best spot on the slate, Caicedo is close to a must-play. He took four set pieces in the opener and sits deep enough to stack tackles, interceptions and passes in a game Ecuador should run from the opening whistle, so the floor holds even if he never gets near the box. At this price, getting a gurantee of set pieces against Curacao is impossible to fade in all formats.

Gonzalo Plata ($6,000) is the more attacking Ecuador piece at +130 if you want to stack the rout.

Florian Wirtz (GER vs CIV, $9,200)

Wirtz piled up four chances created and three shots in Germany's opener for 17.3 points, and he's the hub of an attack implied around two goals against an Ivory Coast side still likely missing center-back Evan N'Dicka. He's not cheap, but the usage is the safest thing Germany offer outside of Havertz, and you're getting assist and shot equity in every phase. No corners means he's more of a tournament play at the price.

Jamal Musiala ($8,800) is the other Germany stud at +200, and Daichi Kamada ($4,200) scored and took two set pieces for Japan, a cheap way into a favored side. Benjamin Nygren ($7,600) carries a strong floor for Sweden if you want the contrarian angle. The downside is that he barely did anything against Tunisia and was subbed off early.

Joshua Kimmich (GER vs CIV, $8,400)

If you're paying up at defender, Kimmich is the one, though it's a ridiculous price. He took three corners and free kicks in the opener, gets forward from the right for a side that should control the game, and pairs attacking volume with clean-sheet equity if you think that happens. It's a lot of money for a defender, but he's the rare one who returns it through the ball, not just the shutout.

DEFENDERS

Nathaniel Brown (GER vs CIV, $5,800)

Nathaniel Brown ($5,800) will likely end up being more popular than Kimmich because he'll take the other side of corners and had an incredible World Cup debut. The price difference is massive between Brown and Kimmich.

Alan Franco (ECU vs CUW, $3,900)

The other way to play it is to punt into the best clean sheet on the board. Ecuador are implied to concede half a goal and carry the slate's top shutout odds, around 60 percent, so their cheap defenders are basically free clean-sheet shares. Franco is the right-back who gets forward, and at $3,900 he frees up the cap for the studs. If he doesn't start, it seems like a cheaper Angelo Preciado ($3,300) will be in the XI.

Denzel Dumfries ($7,000) had three crosses and two chances created for the Netherlands and is always a threat to get forward. If you want to double the Ecuador shutout cheaply, Joel Ordonez ($3,200) and Willian Pacho ($3,400) pair with the keeper at the minimum.

GOALKEEPER

Yahia Fofana (CIV vs GER, $4,200)

I'm not paying up here... probably. Fofana is $4,200 and lines up behind an Ivory Coast side that's going to spend the night under fire from a Germany attack implied around two goals, and shots faced is how cheap keepers pay off. He kept a clean sheet and put up 12.2 points in the opener, so the stops are in his range even if a goal or two go in. The savings let you fit the studs up top.

Kristoffer Nordfeldt ($4,400) is the other cheap angle, with Sweden carrying real draw equity against a Netherlands side that shouldn't run them off the field. If you do want to pay up for the cleanest shutout, Hernan Galindez ($6,000) behind that dominant Ecuador team is the spot, but he's the priciest keeper on the board and I'd rather spend it on the attack. You'll probably get 10 or 12 points from him.