DraftKings Fantasy Soccer: Wednesday UCL Picks

MATCHES (EDT)

• 3:00 pm: Barcelona vs. Inter Milan
• 3:00 pm: Lille vs. Chelsea
• 3:00 pm: Liverpool vs. Red Bull Salzburg
• 3:00 pm: RB Leipzig vs. Lyon
• 3:00 pm: Valencia vs. Ajax
• 3:00 pm: Zenit St. Petersburg vs. Benfica

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

FORWARDS

Mohamed Salah, LIV v. RBS ($10,500): Liverpool are the biggest favorite on the slate and no player has higher anytime goal scorer odds than Salah. He's been somewhat disappointing lately, with zero goals on 10 shots (three on target) and one assist on two chances created in his last three games, but a role on set pieces and tremendous upside ensure he's the most expensive player on the board. With Lionel Messi ($10,800) questionable to play because of a thigh injury that held him out of last weekend's match against Getafe, and he's only started one game this season, it seems entirely plausible that he's used as a sub, a situation that would only increase Salah's ownership in cash games and GPPs.

Victor Osimhen, LIL v. CHE ($5,200): There will be a few people looking at Chelsea's Tammy Abraham ($7,600), who had seven goals in three games before a three-match scoreless streak, though he's still been active with 13 shots, including five on goal, and three chances created over that span. However, Osimhen will lead the line for the home underdogs after scoring one goal on 12 shots (three on target), assisting two others on four chances created and drawing seven fouls in his last three games. His price makes him reasonable for cash games, though he's still probably more suited for GPPs, which also applies to Luiz Araujo ($4,800), who has scored two goals on seven shots (five on target) while adding five chances created in three Ligue 1 starts this season.

Timo Werner, RBL v. OL ($8,900): Werner is also much more suited for GPPs, as we can't ignore that he is actually tied with Salah for the best anytime goal scorer odds on the slate. RB Leipzig are the third-biggest favorite, trailing Liverpool and Barcelona, and while Werner's price makes him tough to fit in with players from those teams, it's still possible, especially if you're okay pivoting to Luis Suarez ($8,100) or Antoine Griezmann ($8,500) if Messi doesn't start. Leipzig actually have the same implied team total as Barcelona, and their attack will be led by Werner, who has taken multiple shots in every start this season, including multiple shots on target in five of seven. His last two games are the ones without multiple shots on goal, but he made up for it by creating three and four chances, respectively. Again, considering for Werner is about ceiling, not floor, but that works for a guy whose team has scored multiple goals in five of seven Bundesliga and UCL games this season. On the opposite side of this game is a trio of potential goal scorers in Memphis Depay ($8,200), Bertrand Traore ($6,600) and Moussa Dembele ($5,700), though they are all cheaper because their expectations are lower. Otherwise, you can go goal-hunting with guys like Artem Dzyuba ($7,500), Alexis Sanchez ($5,800) against his old team, or even Werner's teammate Yussuf Poulsen ($5,100), but you have to recognize their floors are incredibly low and you need a goal out of them to make the risk worth it.

MIDFIELDERS

Hakim Ziyech, AJA at VCF ($8,600): The matchup away to Valencia isn't the easiest on the slate, but that shouldn't make fantasy players hesitate about rostering one of the best cash-game midfielders in the world. He has been splitting set pieces with Quincy Promes ($7,000, forward) but it still hasn't affected his floor much, as he had five shots, including three on goal, five shots assisted and 12 crosses against FC Groningen last weekend, and he had five shots, including one on goal, six shots assisted and 13 crosses against PSV Eindhoven in his start before that. There's little reason to think he won't be just as active against Valencia, who are better than the Eredivisie teams he usually faces but not good enough to ignore Ziyech in cash games. On the other side of this game is Dani Parejo ($7,100), who created multiple chances in five of seven starts this season while averaging 5.83 crosses per 90 minutes thanks to his role on set pieces. It's worth noting that Parejo doesn't really cross much in open play, as 31 of his 35 crosses have come from corners (24) or free kicks (seven), and there's a reasonable projection that Valencia won't win a ton of set pieces in this match despite being slight home favorites.

Marcel Sabitzer, RBL v. OL ($6,600): Sabitzer has a decent share of Leipzig's set pieces, and he's a solid crosser in open play, with only 12 of his 36 Bundesliga crosses this season coming from dead balls. Only Robert Lewandowski has scored more fantasy points in Bundesliga play this season, and no player has scored more floor points, with Sabitzer hitting for at least 8.5 in all six starts, including four games with at least 14.4 fantasy points excluding goals and assists. With Leipzig favored at home against Lyon, who haven't posted a clean sheet since Aug. 16, Sabitzer could be a very popular player in his range for cash games.

Yusuf Yazici, LIL v. CHE ($3,700): Yazici left last weekend's match in the 50th minute due to a slight injury, but he's in the squad for Wednesday's match and would be a great salary saver if he starts. He's responsible for some set pieces when he's on the pitch, and while he doesn't do a ton in open play, he did take three shots in three different games this season. If he's unable to go, Jonathan Bamba ($6,200) should get a ton of consideration, as he's averaging 2.74 shots, including 1.73 on target, 2.31 shots assisted, 2.31 crosses and 2.88 fouls drawn per 90 minutes. Bamba could probably get some looks even if Yazici starts, though it's likely more people will be interested in the salary savings than the higher raw fantasy points.

DEFENDERS

Douglas Santos, ZEN v. BEN ($4,800): Zenit are slight favorites against Benfica, who will be making the 2,800-mile trip to Russia. Santos has been taking corners for Zenit and provides relatively cheap exposure to set pieces at a position that doesn't generally have them. He's averaging six crosses and 2.2 shots assisted per 90 minutes in the Russian Premier League this season, and while there are a few solid expensive defenders worth consideration, Santos at least comes in with a lower price point (and if you're sitting there thinking, "hey, I remember Yaroslav Rakitskiy!" just realize he hasn't taken any set pieces this season and continues to play center-back). RB Leipzig's Marcel Halstenberg is the same price as Santos and has a better matchup, at least according to the odds, though his share of set pieces isn't nearly as big, and he doesn't cross in open play much.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, LIV v. RBS ($6,700): Alexander-Arnold is the most expensive defender on the slate, a price high enough that only five midfield-only players have higher prices. He has a role on set pieces for Liverpool and is a great open-play crosser, which is generally why he's so expensive in a match they should win. Teammate Andrew Robertson ($5,800) does all of his attacking work in open play, though he's also not as prolific and his price is way too high for cash games. Meanwhile, Ajax's Nicolas Tagliafico ($5,600) is always a consideration for tournaments, showing his upside in their last UCL match when he had 35.1 fantasy points, including a goal and an assist, and he probably makes more sense if you want to pay up in cash than guys like Alejandro Grimaldo ($5,300) or Marcos Alonso ($5,400).

Leo Dubois, OL at RBL ($4,100): Lyon's fullbacks can get pretty active in their attack, so one of Dubois or Youssouf Kone ($4,400) can at least be considered, with Dubois getting a slight nod simply because he's cheaper. Lyon are underdogs, so we can't expect an explosion of crosses, but Dubois is at least coming in after sending in 11 and creating two chances this past weekend in Ligue 1 play. Having sent in 17 crosses in his last two, Dubois has been the more attacking of their fullbacks, though Kone at least has the consistency of sending in at least three crosses in five straight.

GOALKEEPER

Samir Handanovic, INT at BAR ($4,000): Handanovic has been excellent this season for Inter, coming in with four clean sheets in seven starts while allowing just one goal in each of the other three games. His save upside can be limited sometimes, as he made just one save in four starts, but Barcelona's attack should be able to put enough savable balls toward him Wednesday. The absence of Messi from the starting lineup would certainly help, though Handanovic can surely still be considered even if the greatest player in the world is in the first XI.