DraftKings Fantasy Soccer: EPL Saturday Value Plays

This article is part of our DraftKings Fantasy Soccer series.

Goal = +10 PTs
Assist = +6 PTs
Shot = +1 PTs
Shot on Goal = +1 PTs
Crosses = +1 PTs
Fouls Drawn = +0.75 PTs
Red Card = -1 PTs
Saves (GK) = +2 PTs
Goal Allowed (GK) = -2 PTs
Clean Sheet (GK, D) = +5 PTs
One Goal Allowed (GK, D) = +2 PTs
Win (GK) = +5 PTs
Penalty Kick Save (GK) = +3 PTs

With that out of the way, here are the best available GPP contests for Premier League soccer Saturday:



$7K Equalizer ($1,000 first prize), Entry Fee: $27
$6K Treble ($2,000 first prize), Entry Fee: $300
$4K Striker ($300 first prize), Entry Fee: $3
and many more…



DraftKings has announced the $100K Fantasy Soccer World Championship with a $20,000 first prize set to take place May 24th. Saturday offers various opportunities to earn entry through contests with entry fees of $12, $33 and $55.

The following games are included: 


West Bromwich Albion at Crystal Palace
Burnley at Everton
Swansea City at Leicester City
Southampton at Stoke City
Chelsea at Manchester United

With a litany of fitness questions, being sure to land on players in the starting eleven is essential. The season is in its stretch run, and instead of the bottom of the table teams giving up and waiting for a draft pick, as is seen in so many American sports, they are fighting tooth-and-nail for their Premier League futures, the huge TV money and prestige it brings. Every game truly matters, and this is where European football really has a competitive edge on American sports. There is a bit of guesswork in projecting lineups until they are actually announced, so be sure to check the starting lineups upon their announcement approximately one hour prior to kickoff.

Goalkeepers:
Kasper Schmeichel ($4,600)
Just a few weeks ago Leicester was seen as the preverbal punching bag of the Premier League, the Minnesota Timberwolves or Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Well, something has changed and these boys have started to bring it with back-to-back victories. I can't say Schmeichel has garnered, nor deserved, credit for the recent success, as his three goals against in the last two is nothing to write home about, but his nine saves certainly deserve notice though. It's been since November that Schmeichel had a clean sheet, but as the clear favorites at home over Swansea, with less-than-desirable top-priced keepers, Schmeichel probably makes as much sense as he ever has.

Kelvin Davis ($4,500)
I greatly respect bookmakers, and that's truly the only reason Davis isn't my top recommendation. His side is favored away at Stoke, just not quite as steeply as Schmeichel's side is at home. Stoke is coming off taking just one point over their past four matches and Davis has begun to validate himself, allowing just one goal over his past three games. Southampton's stout defense seems to always point towards reliable defensive bonuses for their defenders, but the quantity of saves can tend to be a tad low. For that reason, Davis doesn't quite have the upside of Schmeichel, but it's also hard to see a situation where anyone lays on a huge number of goals – so the risk factor is fairly low as well.

Tim Howard ($5,200)
Howard has been amazingly unreliable this season, and is not to be trusted. Despite this, Everton are clearly the heaviest favorite on the day hosting a Burnley squad that struggles mightily to score goals. Howard's recent form has been decent, allowing just two goals over his last four. Everton has been able to win thrice and draw once in that time, so they come into this match with what very well may be their best form of the year. Maybe losing in Europe has finally given Everton the ability to focus on it Premier League status, but I'd be lying to say I trust Howard as the top-priced keeper – in any way.

I'd be hard trodden to take a defender in the Manchester United/Chelsea match, so I personally prefer to avoid the game from a defensive standpoint. Thibaut Courtois ($5,000) is the logical choice from the match, but my former statement stands as my true opinion.

Defenders:
Kieran Trippier ($5,500)
Week after week Trippier sends a ridiculous amount of crosses in, averaging a staggering 14 over his last two matches. His ever-rising price tag isn't all that attractive, but he seems worth it; you'll be hard pressed to find a midfielder the racks up the cross numbers Trippier does. I'm a broken record week after week recommending Trippier, but the record still works so the needle still spins.

Ritchie De Laet ($3,000)
De Laet isn't my favorite fullback on Leicester, but he's definitely the best defensive option. Jeff Schlupp has been the opposite fullback, but due to his prior position changes is actually listed as a forward. So, De Laet is the only remaining Leicester option at defense. He has a very low upside, but his price is incredibly low and matches with up with Schmeichel.

Ryan Bertrand ($4,400) and Nathaniel Clyne ($4,000)
Bertrand and Clyne are a package, and after Clyne was rested last weekend, the two should be back manning the fullback position for the Saints. If going with Davis in goal, it's a fine choice to take the pair, as both get up field successfully. It's hard to say exactly what to expect from them, but between the two they usually bring enough points to at least carry their value.

Leighton Baines ($5,100) and Seamus Coleman ($4,800)
The Everton fullbacks are clearly talented, but their up field roles have been down from where they were in the early part of the season. Baines was once used as basically a midfielder, but his role has transitioned to a more defensive spot – and the team has prospered. The prices are steep for what you're likely to get, but it'd be hard to take Howard without at least one of the two.

Geoff Cameron ($2,700)
The American sleeper-play last week came through with 11.5 FPTs, with a season-high eight crosses. Cameron has this type of up-field mobility, and is a great discount option – especially for those avoiding the use of many, if any, Southampton players.

Midfielders
Charlie Adam ($4,800)
Where Adam's sudden outburst of offensive production has come from is a bit of a mystery, but his past three games have fantasy point totals of 21, 15 and 18. There's been a decent degree of variance as to where the production is coming from, but he has had as many as 17 crosses and seven shots, so at sub-$5,000, Adam is a great value.

Jason Puncheon ($5,200)
After some ridiculousness last weekend, Bolasie pulled a much-touted eleven-minute hat trick and his price has spiked over $1,000 to $7,200. Honestly, that price isn't terrible, but with a lack of consistency, Puncheon provides better value. Puncheon has just as many goals and one more assist than Bolasie on the season, has shown some good crossing ability, and at $2,000 less, he marks as the best value from the ever-popular Palace midfield. Wilfried Zaha ($4,400) is a dangerous bang-or-bust type with pretty high upside playing a very advance role.

Gylfi Sigurdsson ($7,400)
Sigurdsson is the clear-cut leader of the Swansea offense. His five goals and nine assists on the season, with tremendous free-kick ability, make him dangerous every week, especially with the added defensive responsibility he's taken on since Wilfried Bony was sold to Manchester City in January. Wayne Routledge ($5,500) is an interesting contrarian play that has seen a rise in production since seeing a more forward role over the past few weeks; he's also the team's top crosser of the ball.

Marc Albrighton ($4,000)
Coming off a 10-cross effort last weekend in his first start for Leicester, Albrighton seems to have carved out a substantial role on the right wing. Those are serious numbers, and at Albrighton's price, he's certainly worth a gamble to again reach that level of production.

Eden Hazard ($9,400)
The top priced midfielder has established himself as the go-to man for the Chelsea offense, not that he ever wasn't. With Diego Costa (hamstring) continuing to miss time, Hazard will once again carry the offensive load for his team in a very important match against Manchester United.

Ashley Young ($5,300)
Young has really come alive of late, throwing in big cross numbers while scoring two goals and dishing out two assists over the last five games. More importantly, he had a goal and two assists last weekend against Manchester City. Young was the hero of the derby, and in doing so solidified a major role on the wing for the Reds. Juan Mata ($6,900) on the other side has been magnificent of late as well, but Young's higher crossing numbers and discounted price make him the more desirable price though.

Forwards
Glenn Murray ($4,000)
The price is still ridiculous. Murray now has six goals in six matches, and three assists in his last three. $4,000 is still spectacular value.

Kevin Mirallas ($5,500) or Steven Naismith ($5,400)
The duo is likely to capitalize on another possible absence for Romelu Lukaku (hamstring). Buying in on these prices for what figure to be the top attacking presences on the hottest favorites of the slate is infallible logic.

Jamie Vardy ($5,500) and David Nugent ($5,800)
The duo has accounted for four goals and three assists over Leicester's last three matches. Nugent probably ranks slightly (and I mean slightly) higher with better peripheral stats ability, but you are investing in these strikers for goals – something Leicester has been surprisingly good at providing of late.

Other Options: That set of strikers is impeccably valued, so putting Wayne Rooney ($9,800) and Graziano Pelle ($7,900) in the same breath with their price tags seems unfair. The duo is thus relegated to the comment section, along with a mention that Didier Drogba ($6,500) could get the start at striker for Chelsea once again.