DraftKings Fantasy Soccer: Tuesday-Wednesday UCL Picks

For detailed stats and odds, check out the Fantasy Champions League: Tuesday-Wednesday Cheat Sheet.

MATCHES (EST)

Tuesday, 3:00 pm: Liverpool vs. Bayern Munich
Tuesday, 3:00 pm: Lyon vs. Barcelona
Wednesday, 3:00 pm: Atlético Madrid vs. Juventus
Wednesday, 3:00 pm: FC Schalke 04 vs. Manchester City

FORWARDS

Lionel Messi, BAR at OL ($11,200): Messi is the most expensive player on the slate, but he's also the highest fantasy scorer for the second-biggest favorite. While he has a role on corners, Messi's floor comes from his shots, as he took 31, including 13 on target, and created 14 chances in his last four games. But we're not really playing him for his floor, especially at this price, but for the fact that he has the third-highest anytime goal scorer odds and comes in with at least one goal in nine of his last 10 starts, bagging 13 in that span. There are plenty of elite forwards on the slate, but Messi is by far the safest, and he has arguably the highest upside.

Sergio Aguero, MCI at S04 ($10,100): The consideration for Aguero comes with the normal Manchester City caveat that you're really playing him for his goal or assist potential, as Manchester City are the biggest favorite and have the highest implied goal total. Playing multiple Manchester City attackers is an option, but it likely means you're fading Messi, which is fine if you want to pay a little less for fewer fantasy points, both in floor and ceiling. Rostering Aguero provides some safety in terms of the Manchester City lineup, because if he doesn't start then you have enough salary to pivot to any other forward; the same can't be said about Raheem Sterling ($8,800), for example, whose only pivots are Gabriel Jesus ($8,300) and Bernardo Silva ($7,900). For GPPs, you'll always see people rostering Cristiano Ronaldo ($10,300), who has eight goals on 36 shots (16 on target), three assists on 15 chances created and 14 fouls drawn in his last seven appearances (six starts), but the matchup away to Atletico Madrid is about as tough as it gets, even if he has some familiarity after his long run at Real Madrid. Liverpool's Mohamed Salah ($9,500) will get some ownership, too, because of who he is, and while playing against Bayern Munich will be tough, it's a side that has struggled more defensively this season than in years past. Speaking of Bayern, their leading attacker, Robert Lewandowski ($8,200), actually has better anytime goal scorer odds than anyone except Messi, Aguero and Jesus, though with just three goals in his last seven games plus the other available forwards on the slate, his biggest selling point is that he won't be that highly owned, something that also applies to Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann ($9,300), who has a goal in three of his last four starts.

Memphis Depay, OL v. BAR ($6,600): The absence of Nabil Fekir ($7,400) makes it a lot easier to roster Memphis, even if he's playing for the second-biggest underdog on the slate. Memphis is likely to be on all set pieces for Lyon, a role that helped him send in 54 crosses in his last six games. It also didn't hurt that he took 24 shots, including seven on target, during that span, giving him one of the more reliable floors on the slate. Playing against Barcelona will not be easy, but Lyon don't back down against bigger opponents (they beat Paris Saint-Gemain 2-1 earlier this month), and Memphis will be every bit a part of what they do, enough so that many people could play him as a midfielder if they decide to pay up at both forward spots. Given Lyon's solid fantasy-point producers, I wouldn't hesitate at the possibility of using Moussa Dembele ($5,600) or Bertrand Traore ($5,300) in GPPs as a possible run-back against Barcelona.

MIDFIELDERS

Kevin De Bruyne, MCI at S04 ($9,000): Paying up at both forward spots probably prices you out of De Bruyne, which could be a blessing in disguise anyway. De Bruyne used to be a cash-game lock, but he really hasn't been as reliable this season and his price this week all but requires at least one assist or goal. Unfortunately, he has one goal and one assist in 13 Premier League and Champions League appearances (six starts) this season. He could surely be part of a Manchester City stack, and while you'd probably be more comfortable spending just $6,000 on Ilkay Gundogan if he starts, it comes with considerable risk because we won't know his lineup situation until Wednesday and there aren't any good pivots from the favored teams if he's on the bench.

James Milner, LIV v. BAY ($7,400): If you simply look at the numbers, Milner represents a possible set-piece taker for the third-biggest favorite on the slate in a match with the second-highest implied goal total. His floor is mostly reliant on crosses, though he does win a few tackles to make his floor a bit stronger. However, he's playing Bayern Munich, and with the match expected to be close, he isn't likely to get a plethora of set-piece opportunities, and paying this much for just a few corners might not be optimal. Then again, he created 11 chances in his last three Premier League games, leading to two assists, so there's at least some upside if he can get on the scoresheet.

Tanguy Ndombele, OL v. BAR ($4,000): Ndombele isn't exactly the type of player you want on a Champions League slate because his goal and assist upside is pretty low, but that doesn't mean he can't be valuable in cash games. He will take a shot or two, but his real value comes from winning tackles and drawing fouls. Lining up against Barcelona is about as tough as it gets, but you really don't need a ton of production from a $4,000 player, especially since it'll allow salary to be spent at other positions. And if you need multiple players in this price range, Schalke's Weston McKennie ($4,100) has scored at least 5.00 fantasy points in four of his last five games, though three included assists, while Martin Terrier ($4,600) bagged a goal this past weekend and could start in place of Fekir.

DEFENDERS

Joshua Kimmich, BAY at LIV ($5,800): Paying up for Kimmich is paying up for certainty at a position that has a ton of question marks, though that doesn't necessarily mean Kimmich is absolutely necessary. He's likely to take a majority of set pieces for Bayern, which gives him a solid floor thanks to his crosses, though you have to consider how many they'll actually win playing at Anfield. And speaking of Liverpool, Trent Alexander-Arnold is only $100 less than Kimmich and could produce just as much. If there weren't a plethora of high-priced forwards worth rostering, specifically in cash games, I think playing both Kimmich and Alexander-Arnold together would be very viable because of the lack of midfielders. Unfortunately, after these two the defender pool is pretty weak.

Bastian Oczipka, S04 v. MCI ($3,600): Oczipka's role on set pieces has been a solid contributing factor to his decent fantasy-point production of late, scoring at least 6.00 fantasy points in three consecutive Bundesliga matches without getting on the scoresheet. You have to wonder how many set pieces Schalke will actually win against Manchester City, but Oczipka's low salary really doesn't require much to make value.

Ferland Mendy, OL v. BAR ($3,900): Mendy is another Lyon player who has shown a solid floor in Ligue 1, and while that doesn't really mean much when he's lining up against Barcelona, we can at least see a path to a few fantasy points, which is all you can ask for at this price. He contributes through crosses, tackles won and fouls drawn, helping him to score at least 5.00 fantasy points in five consecutive matches, with just one clean sheet in that span. He's unlikely to have a big performance, but like Oczipka, there isn't much needed to make his salary worth risking.

GOALKEEPER

Manuel Neuer, BAY at LIV ($4,300): There doesn't seem to be a popular path for at least one Liverpool goal scorer in cash lineups, which could make Neuer a popular choice, especially since he's widely considered the best goalkeeper in the world. That being said, he is recently back from injury and Liverpool are excellent at Anfield, so there's obviously risk in the selection. Then again, it's goalkeeper, so there's risk and high variance at every salary range.