DraftKings Fantasy Soccer: Gameweek 26

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 available GPP contests for the Premier League on Saturday:



$10K Equalizer ($2,000 first prize), Entry Fee: $27
$10K Treble ($3,000 first prize), Entry Fee: $300
$4.5K Nutmeg ($500 first prize), Entry Fee: $2
$3K Upper 90 ($1,000 first prize), Entry Fee: $100
$1.5K Corner Kick ($175 first prize), Entry Fee: $5
$1.5K Stoppage Time ($200 first prize), Entry Fee: $12
$1K Slide Tackle ($500 first prize), Entry Fee: $50
$300 Quarter Arcade ($43.50 first prize), Entry Fee: $0.25
and many more…



The following games are included:
Arsenal at Crystal Palace
Burnley at Chelsea
Manchester United at Swansea City
Queen's Park Rangers at Hull City
Stoke City at Aston Villa
West Bromwich Albion at Sunderland
Newcastle United at Manchester City

Premier League returns off a short respite for FA Cup action this past weekend. With a litany of fitness questions, being sure to land on players finding themselves in the starting XI is essential. There is a bit of guesswork in projecting until the lineups are actually announced. European football is back in the form of the Champions League and the Europa League with Chelsea, Tottenham and Everton coming off matches at midweek, while Arsenal and Manchester City find themselves in ties next week. Some players were rested midweek for a go this weekend, some will be rested for matches next week, and some players will power through playing in every contest. This typically inclines a lineup shakeup and opportunity to grab some value in players that may not normally find themselves starting. Along with this are a number of fitness questions, so every recommendation comes with the same warning label: check the starting lineups upon their announcement approximately one hour prior to kickoff.

And before we jump into the recommendations, here's another check of the crosses leaders:

Allan McGregor ($4,600)

Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on you. Queens Park Rangers have an abysmal record away from home but Sunderland wasn't able to capitalize, and QPR fooled everyone with a surprising 2-0 victory over the Black Cats. McGregor held a weak Aston Villa side to a clean sheet last time out, but did so with four saves. Hull, with their new addition Dame N'Doye (more to come on him), look a good chance to take down QPR, who has still lost all but one on the road this year.

Petr Cech / Thibaut Courtois ($5,700 / $5,800)

Fresh off what will be called a successful away draw at PSG midweek, Chelsea get a much less imposing matchup as they host Burnley at Stamford Bridge. It is not entirely clear which of their premier keepers will man the goal Saturday, but with Courtois getting the go at midweek and Cech playing so well against Everton last week, I would think Cech is more likely. I would normally be concerned about short rest, but Chelsea's near impeccable home record really nullifies much worry – even knowing pesky Danny Ings will be doing all he can.

Joe Hart ($5,500)

Manchester City have a massive match midweek in the Champions League. Hart is a good play this weekend, as his side hosts Newcastle, though with an eye on the week to come, and a Newcastle side that brought Chelsea's unbeaten streak to an end early in the year, Manchester City certainly provides reasons to be cautious. I doubt they'll field their No. 1s at every position, which is an opportunity to use some of their cheaper players but also puts the match's end result at least partially in doubt. Oh yeah, Sergio Aguero (back) is questionable to go too.

Of the rest of the heap, Manchester United's David De Gea ($5,200), Arsenal's David Ospina ($5,100) and Costel Pantilimon ($4,500) of Sunderland are all fine plays. The two former ones are facing opponents away that will certainly force any positive result to be earned. The latter gets a relatively favorable matchup at home, but West Brom has some goal scorers I'd worry about; but again, any kind of positive result in the match would lead to Pantilimon racking up a healthy score of fantasy points.

Defenders:

Branislav Ivanovic ($5,100)

The hero midweek scoring a fantastic header at PSG is working his way towards must-use status. His Chelsea side craves clean sheets, especially at home, and this guy gets up the right wing with great ability. He's not necessarily the biggest crosser of the ball, but he has managed a goal or an assist in half of his last ten matches. If teammate Cesar Azpilicueta ($4,400) is rested, giving Filipe Luis ($4,200) the start, he's a solid play and their fullback with the most propensity to serve crosses. Azpilicueta is not a bad pick either, he's just third in the pecking order of preferences.

Kieran Trippier ($4,900)

Nothing new here, Trippier is averaging nearly eight crosses per game over his last ten. Burnley will need him to do that and probably more to have much of a chance against the league leaders. He was able to convert one of his crosses with Danny Ings against Manchester United last week. Something similar would be Burnley's best chance for a goal this weekend.

Bacary Sagna ($3,700) / Gael Clichy ($4,300)

Which Manchester City fullbacks start is a question at the moment. It appears either Pablo Zabaleta ($4,600) or Aleksander Kolarov ($4,600) will be rested with the possibility both could rest until midweek. This brings both Clichy and Sagna into play. Sagna, if he does indeed start, would be a very good value on a team with such powerhouse status.

Alan Hutton ($3,700)

The premier offensive fullback for Villa has become an incessant source of crosses for a stagnant offense. Villa hosts Stoke in a match that doesn't expect to be overly offensive, a situation where a defender like Hutton stands a chance to be a good value. Actually, Phil Bardsley ($3,300) and Erik Pieters ($3,200) of Stoke are solid choices at even deeper discounts for the same reasons.

Midfielders:

Matt Phillips ($4,000)

He's been a stalwart of the bench for much of the season, but in QPR's surprise of Sunderland last week, he assisted both of the goals. A good crosser of the ball coming off a huge match, you could certainly do a lot worse at this price.

Oscar ($7,400)

After coming on as a sub late in Chelsea's Champions League bout at midweek, Oscar will be rested and anxious to prove his worth in front of the Chelsea faithful at Stamford Bridge. In his last ten matches, he's tallied three goals and four assists, stats he'll look to expound upon at the weekend. Juan Cuadrado ($6,400) also looks a good chance to start on the wing for his new team. He hasn't fully established himself on the club yet, but he has a high potential to do very good things.

James Milner ($6,600)

Milner is in a good position to potentially grab a start this weekend. He has three goals and six assists in limited play this season. Oh, and at just $1,000 more you can have Yaya Toure ($7,600) fresh of his triumph in the Africa Cup of Nations. His performance last season alone merits him large consideration, and his eight league goals, free kick and penalty kick duty, and high shot quantity every game make him an excellent target.

Editor's note: Milner was ruled out Friday after publication due to a knee injury picked up during training.

Yannick Bolasie ($5,900) / Jason Puncheon ($5,300)

The Crystal Palace wingers instigate a lot of chances for their side. Yannick Bolasie is one of the most dynamic handlers of the ball in the Premier League. Puncheon has a had a tad higher propensity to score the ball, but Bolasie is going to be your more consistent point provider in terms of crosses, fouls drawn and assists.

Jefferson Montero ($4,200)

Say it once, say it a thousand times: Montero is an active crosser of the ball. His activity on the field when he starts makes him a danger to do just about anything and is a good chance to take at his price, if he starts. Gylfi Sigurdsson ($7,100) is back from a three-game suspension, and he is the catalyst of the Swansea City attack. There's a good chance anything positive Swansea takes against Manchester United will be a result of Sigurdsson.

Adam Johnson ($5,100)

Johnson has been quoted as "arguably Sunderland's most talented player." His minutes have been a question mark, but when he goes, crosses, fouls drawn and goals are often part of the equation.

Aston Villa and Stoke's matchup isn't one to drool over, but Carles Gil ($5,400) of the former and Victor Moses ($6,100) of the latter are both active on the field and are the likeliest instigators in the game.

Forwards:

Dame N'Doye ($4,800)

I mentioned him earlier and here's why: one start, one goal, one assist, four shots (three on goal), five fouls drawn, and just over 27 fantasy points. QPR held Sunderland to a clean sheet away last week, and they haven't been close to doing so against any other opponent. QPR let in a ridiculous number of away goals this season, and at $4,800, it doesn't get much better for the player looking a good chance to add to QPR's away defensive distress.

Alexis Sanchez ($9,600)

Sanchez does it all, and Arsenal owes a good chunk of their success this season to him. His four goals and five assists in his last ten are not to be scoffed at. Sanchez is one player you can count on to give 100 percent, Champions League game midweek or not. If Sanchez is a little more than you have to spend, Theo Walcott ($6,800) looks finally to be healthy and has two goals in two starts this month. Walcott was valued at $8,500 in November, so get at that price while you can.

Wilfried Bony ($7,900)

Sergio Aguero ($10,300) is a question mark to start this weekend because of a back issue, and with a game midweek, he's got a good chance of being rested. The beneficiary will be City's new arrival fresh off triumph at the Africa Cup of Nations. Bony looks a good chance to start alongside fellow countryman Yaya Toure and a striker on an offense as dynamic as Manchester City's is always a good add. If Aguero does start, he is, of course, a good target by his own right.

Papiss Cisse ($7,000)

Cisse has been hard-pressed to find a start, possibly purposefully with his effectiveness as a sub. Nonetheless, I can't recommend a player that doesn't start. However, if Cisse is in the starting XI, he has 10 Premier League goals in very limited action and is a good proposition to add to the total against a Man City side that could be guilty of looking ahead to their Champions League match at midweek.

Peter Crouch ($5,900) / Mame Diouf ($4,700)

Stoke's duo of Crouch and Diouf have each knocked in five goals this season. Obviously Diouf's price is much more appealing, but both are very suitable, as Crouch has been in the better form lately. The usability of both players hinges on the fitness of the team's top goal-scorer Jonathan Walters ($5,600) who has a propensity to score goals in bunches.

Diego Costa ($10,200)

Chelsea look likely to go ahead with Costa in his first game of Premier League eligibility after a three-game suspension. Blame it on rust if you want, but Costa's performance at PSG left much to be desired and was dutifully subbed off in the second half. With better prices on his midfield contemporaries, it may be better to let Costa prove a return to form before shelling out his high price tag.

Manchester United face a fitness question with Robin Van Persie ($9,500), which could finally move Wayne Rooney ($10,000) back to the striker position alongside Radamel Falcao ($8,400). Rooney is only usable if he starts up top, and is arguable even then at such a large price.

Brown Ideye ($5,600)

The long well-thought striker appears to have finally come into himself in the Premier League with two goals and an assist in his last 135 minutes on the pitch.

Robbie Brady ($3,000)

He sees his action on the wing and only needs a limited amount of production to carry his value. His best performance of late featured three shots (one on goal), five crosses and two fouls drawn against Sunderland. He's started the last two games and you can't get a better matchup than QPR away from home. Really, Brady is what you can take when you've let the rest of your salary be siphoned to more expensive parties.