DraftKings Fantasy Soccer: Wednesday UCL Picks

MATCHES (EST)

• 3:00 pm: Lyon vs. Juventus
• 3:00 pm: Real Madrid vs. Manchester City

For detailed stats and odds, check out the

DraftKings Fantasy Soccer: Wednesday UCL Cheat Sheet

FORWARDS

Cristiano Ronaldo, JUV at OL ($10,200): Juventus are favored away to Lyon, and no player has higher anytime goal scorer odds than Ronaldo, who comes in with 11 goals on 42 shots (19 on target) in his last seven games. He is $1,400 more than the next highest-priced active forward, but that isn't likely to suppress his ownership in cash games or GPPs, especially since there aren't a plethora of guys we need to pay up for, and there are some decent values to make it easy to fit him in.

Paulo Dybala, JUV at OL ($7,700): Dybala has been taking a majority of Juventus' set pieces recently, and given that they are favored (the biggest on the two-game slate), he'll surely be popular in all formats. The correlation with Ronaldo is certainly a plus, but I would argue they each make sense on their own merits, as one is the most lethal goal scorer in the world and the other will be put in good dead-ball situations in a game they should win. Pairing the two means you're likely not playing any of the Manchester City forwards, who are somewhat cheaper and also favored, though that match is expected to be high scoring, so paying down a little bit for someone like Karim Benzema ($7,900) makes sense if you don't want to pony up the $8,800 for Sergio Aguero or $8,500 for Riyad Mahrez.

Vinicius Junior, RMA v. MCI ($6,200): The pay-down options at forward don't inspire a ton of confidence if you don't want to go against Juventus, though Moussa Dembele ($5,700) and Karl Toko Ekambi ($6,600) are reasonably priced if you do want to take that route. Meanwhile, Vinicius could get a start for Real Madrid in place of the injured Eden Hazard (ankle), and while he's more of a floor play because of his shots and fouls drawn, lining up in that attack against a beatable Manchester City back line at least gives you exposure to potential goals.

MIDFIELDERS

Toni Kroos, RMA v. MCI ($6,600): Kroos is the primary set-piece taker for a home team in the game with a high implied total. He doesn't have the floor of Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne ($10,000), but he also provides significant salary savings. Playing both of them is a possibility, though doing so with Ronaldo means you're punting pretty much everywhere else. Fading De Bruyne is always scary, especially in cash games in an expected high-scoring game, but Kroos should be able to get close to De Bruyne's floor while allowing you to actually spend up elsewhere. Kroos isn't the only Real Madrid midfielder worth considering, as Isco ($5,300) could be a pretty solid bargain if he gets the start in the attack instead of Vinsicius. Isco doesn't have the floor to be a great cash-game play, though on a two-game slate he makes sense if you think Madrid win.

Martin Terrier, OL v. JUV ($3,900): Terrier has been taking a few set pieces recently for Lyon, and he would be a steal at this price if he retains that role Wednesday. Lyon are decent underdogs in the match, but if they're going to have any chance in the two-legged tie then they'll have to get at least one goal while playing at home. Terrier's floor isn't that good if he doesn't have set pieces, but his salary almost makes that concern a non-issue because of what else you're able to do with the salary.

DEFENDERS

Dani Carvajal, RMA v. MCI ($4,900): The timing of the first goal in the Real Madrid v. Manchester City match will greatly affect the fantasy production of the Real Madrid fullbacks. If the visitors can grab an early goal, Real Madrid will fall back into their comfort zone of letting Carvajal and either Marcelo ($5,500) or Ferland Mendy ($4,200) fly up the wings and start whipping in crosses to Benzema in the hopes of getting an equalizer, and likely more since they will have already given up an away goal. However, if they score first, and maybe second, the fullbacks will be left to defend the Manchester City onslaught. Either way, there's enough value on the slate to afford Carvajal and another Real Madrid fullback, who are likely the most attacking players at the position on the two-game slate. We also can't forget that Sergio Ramos ($3,900) takes penalties for Madrid, so he'll be higher owned than normal for a center-back on an underdog.

Alex Sandro, JUV at OL ($5,100): While the Real Madrid fullbacks are known to be solid attackers, we shouldn't forget about Sandro, who comes into the match in great form, creating 10 chances and sending in 13 crosses in his last three games, and he scored at least 11.6 fantasy points in three of his last four games, all without a goal or assist. Given the relative lack of good midfielders on the slate, it's certainly not out of the question to play three defenders, or at least pay up at both spots, and Sandro should definitely in the conversation (at least much more so than Danilo, even at $900 less).

GOALKEEPER

Anthony Lopes, OL v. JUV ($4,100): I think you can make a case for any goalkeeper on this slate, which isn't really that different than any other slate. Lopes likely has the highest save upside because he's an underdog and facing a shot-happy Ronaldo, and we have the added plus that the game has a relatively low total. Meanwhile, Wojciech Szczesny ($5,300) on the other side is a fine play because Juventus are favored to win and have solid clean sheet odds; it's just a matter of finding the $1,200 in salary. The two 'keepers in the other match, Ederson ($4,900) and Thibaut Courtois ($4,700) should also likely see shots, though they're also more likely to concede, at least according to the odds. Like I said, you can make a case for any of them, but Lopes at least gives you the most salary savings.