This article is part of our FanDuel Fantasy Soccer series.
MATCHES (EDT)
11:00 a.m: Japan v. Senegal
2:00 p.m: Poland v. Colombia
FORWARDS
Robert Lewandowski, POL v. COL ($12,000): To no one's surprise, the most-expensive player on the slate also has the best goal scoring odds. He had a quiet performance against Senegal, taking just two shots and failing to create any real scoring opportunities, but I expect Poland to provide much better service than in Tuesday's loss. Lewandowski led Poland with 16 goals in qualifying and will need to find that form if they're are going to keep their World Cup hopes alive. Falcao ($11,000) is an alternative option for high-end strikers and could bounce back after he failed to see much of the ball while 10-men Columbia were forced to defend for 85 minutes against Japan.
Yuya Osako, JPN v. SEN ($9,000): Osako led all Group H players in shots (five) and shot on target (three) in the first set of matches while Japan upset 10-men Columbia. He also added a goal and two scoring chances created to put together an impressive 39.9 fantasy points. Osako's price won't allow much room for other high-priced players, but it's tough to argue with his early production.
M'Baye Niang, SEN v. JPN ($7,500): Niang's controversial heads-up play ended up being the difference in Tuesday's win over Poland as he raced from the sideline and rounded Wojciech Szczesny midway through the second half. He's expected to retain his role in the starting XI and will come much cheaper than
MATCHES (EDT)
11:00 a.m: Japan v. Senegal
2:00 p.m: Poland v. Colombia
FORWARDS
Robert Lewandowski, POL v. COL ($12,000): To no one's surprise, the most-expensive player on the slate also has the best goal scoring odds. He had a quiet performance against Senegal, taking just two shots and failing to create any real scoring opportunities, but I expect Poland to provide much better service than in Tuesday's loss. Lewandowski led Poland with 16 goals in qualifying and will need to find that form if they're are going to keep their World Cup hopes alive. Falcao ($11,000) is an alternative option for high-end strikers and could bounce back after he failed to see much of the ball while 10-men Columbia were forced to defend for 85 minutes against Japan.
Yuya Osako, JPN v. SEN ($9,000): Osako led all Group H players in shots (five) and shot on target (three) in the first set of matches while Japan upset 10-men Columbia. He also added a goal and two scoring chances created to put together an impressive 39.9 fantasy points. Osako's price won't allow much room for other high-priced players, but it's tough to argue with his early production.
M'Baye Niang, SEN v. JPN ($7,500): Niang's controversial heads-up play ended up being the difference in Tuesday's win over Poland as he raced from the sideline and rounded Wojciech Szczesny midway through the second half. He's expected to retain his role in the starting XI and will come much cheaper than the previously listed options. Sadio Mane ($9,500) failed to find the back of the net in Senegal's first match, but he has a higher floor than Niang.
MIDFIELDERS
James Rodriguez, COL v. POL ($9,500): A calf injury forced James to start the 2-1 loss to Japan on the bench before coming on for the last half hour. If he's fully fit and in the starting XI, he should take the majority of set pieces and be the main man in the Columbia attack. Columbia have their backs against the wall and will need to play attack-minded if they're going to get a result.
Keisuke Honda, JPN v. SEN ($7,500): Osako flicked Honda's 73rd-minute corner to the back post to give Japan an upset win over Columbia. Honda came off the bench to score 16.3 fantasy points, and while this a speculative pick because he isn't guaranteed to start, he did make a difference after coming on for the final 20 minutes. Gaku Shibasaki ($6,000) took the majority of set-pieces before Honda's inclusion and is likely a safer pick if you want a share of the Japanese attack.
Kamil Grosicki, POL v. COL ($6,000): Grosicki shared set-piece duty with Piotr Zielinski ($7,500) against Senegal, as each player took one corner kick. Grosicki is the cheapest option in Poland's midfield but plays higher up the pitch on the left wing, instead of Zielinski and Grzegorz Krychowiak ($9,000), who played as holding midfielders. Krychowiak has the highest floor of the three midfielders, but he may limit your options in other positions.
DEFENDERS
Maceij Rybus, POL v. COL ($6,000): Rybus stuffed the stat sheet against Senegal, racking up four clearances, two tackles and two chances created for 20.1 fantasy points. He is slightly cheaper than Lukasz Piszczek ($6,500), though they are two of the most expensive defenders on the slate. They'll be tasked with slowing down Columbia's free-flowing attack, which could open them up for opportunities for defensive stats.
Salif Sane, SEN v. JPN ($6,000): While watching Senegal's win over Poland, I was impressed with how composed the Senegalese back line was. They completely cut off service to Lewandowski and seemed unfazed despite Krychowiak's late consolation goal. Sane was a main reason for Monday's win, pairing well with Kalidou Koulibaly at center-back. He had a game-high six clearances to go along with three interceptions and a yellow card. Sane won't save you many dollars during roster construction, but he's a safe bet for defensive stats and always a dangerous option on set-pieces.
Hiroki Sakai, JPN v. SEN ($3,500): If you're looking for savings, Sakai should be your man. The Marseille right-back has a minimum salary for defenders and is expected to make a second start for Japan. He isn't considered a premier fantasy defender by any means, but a cheap price gives him a good chance of making value after putting together 12.4 fantasy points against Columbia.
GOALKEEPER
Khadim N'Diaye, SEN v. JPN ($4,500): Senegal have the best clean sheet odds of any team on the slate, while N'Diaye and Wojciech Szczesny ($4,500) are the two cheapest keepers. Szczesny and N'Diaye aren't much cheaper than David Ospina ($5,000) and Eiji Kawashima ($5,000), as this slate has all of the goalkeepers similarly priced. Japan's 1-0 win over Columbia was impressive, but I'm banking on Senegal putting up a better performance than a Columbia team that played with 10 men for 85 minutes.
