This article is part of our DraftKings Fantasy Soccer series.
MATCHES (EDT)
6:00 p.m: Costa Rica v. Panama
8:00 p.m: Roma v. Paris Saint-Germain
9:00 p.m: USA v. El Salvador
PLAYER RECOMMENDATIONS
GOALKEEPER
Tim Howard, USA v. ELS ($5,900): The Americans are the only clear favorite of the slate, so Howard is the most valuable goalkeeper due to his high probability of a win and clean sheet. He was called into camp as one of six additions to the Gold Cup roster, so he should be healthy and excited to play after two weeks away from competition of any sort.
DEFENDER
Jorge Villafana, USA v. ELS ($5,700): Villafana was active against Nicaragua, though he still has potential to join the attack more often. Head coach Bruce Arena held Villafana back for much of the match against Nicaragua due to the lack of height of the players in the attack. On Wednesday, Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey should start, having been added to the squad Monday, and they thrive on service from wide areas. Look for Villafana to get up the wing on a more consistent basis against El Salvador in order to send in crosses toward the two forwards.
Dani Alves, PSG v. ROM ($5,400): Alves will make his debut for PSG on Wednesday. He moved from Juventus just a few weeks ago, and now it is time for him to show what he's got left in the tank. Right-back is not a position where PSG lack depth or quality in, with both Serge Aurier and Thomas Meunier still in the squad, and both are formidable fantasy options.
Emerson, ROM v. PSG ($4,700): Emerson took 19 shots in his last 15 Serie A matches last season, and the bottom two games in his DraftKings game log represents his potential for racking up crosses. One thing to be aware of is that friendlies are unpredictable, and many players in the International Champions Cup get subbed off before the 60th minute, if not at halftime, which really limits their value. Defenders are not likely to earn clean sheet bonus because they will likely play fewer than 60 minutes, and the rate of production for defenders is rarely high enough to hit value in half or two-thirds of a game.
MIDFIELDER
Clint Dempsey, USA v. ELS ($9,400): Dempsey has been tied with Landon Donovan for the most goals in U.S. history for months now, and he is certainly eager to score his next one. He was angry at head coach Bruce Arena for subbing him out against Trinidad & Tobago in June, and he did not even feature in the USA-Mexico match. However, he's been called up for duty in the knockout rounds, and Deuce knows how to score goals when it counts.
Kellyn Acosta, USA v. ELS ($7,500): Acosta did not play against Nicaragua after starting the previous three matches, including a friendly against Ghana. After some well-deserved rest, Acosta will be inserted into the defensive midfield position. Although his position limits his attacking potential, he takes set pieces for the Americans, and they are usually pretty good.
Darlington Nagbe, USA v. ELS ($4,800): Nagbe is another player called into camp for the knockout rounds. He will fit right into into the left side of the midfield, having replaced group stage standout Kelyn Rowe. He still has a lot to prove and Rowe showed that the gap between Nagbe and his backups is not as wide as once thought. After two weeks off, Nagbe should be sharp and ready to wreak havoc on the right side of the El Salvador back line.
FORWARD
Edinson Cavani, PSG v. ROM ($9,000): While it is not advised that fantasy managers pay up for players in this game, Cavani is a player who sometimes only needs half a game to hit value. He'll likely be removed from the match near the 60-minute mark, so he definitely comes with great risk.
Edin Dzeko, ROM v. PSG ($8,300): Dzeko is the goalscorer for Roma. Like Cavani, if he gets a goal before he exits the match, he will have hit value, but it's a big void to fill if he leaves early without finding the back of the net.
Marco Urena, CRC v. PAN ($7,500): Urena was rested for the final match of the group stage after two brilliant starts at center-forward. He has at least one great opportunity to score in each match he plays, and he has shown the ability to hit double-digits without a goal, which is rare for a striker of his type.
