This article is part of our FanDuel Fantasy Soccer series.
MATCHES (EDT)
10:00 a.m: Sweden v. Switzerland
2:00 p.m: England v. Colombia
FORWARDS
Harry Kane, ENG v. COL ($13,000): Kane leads the Golden Boot race with five goals in the World Cup, and he is almost a must-play as the striker for the top favorite on the slate. He is $2,000 more than any other player, but he can be the difference between winning and losing, as we saw during the group stage. One goal should be enough for Kane, which will get him above 2x value, and if he gets another, it will be very hard to cash if you fade. He is also well rested after England head coach Gareth Southgate sat many key starters in the third group stage match against Belgium, and with a lack of safe options at the position, it is very risky to pass on Kane.
Ola Toivonen, SWE v. SWI ($8,500): Toivonen continues to be a stable target man for the Swedish attack, and while he has only gotten two shots off this tournament, both were on target and one found the back of the net. Anything below Kane at the forward position should be considered a high-risk pick, so you are going to have to roll the dice in at least one spot. Falcao ($11,000) is quite pricey and is going against a stiff defense, possibly without the help of James Rodriguez behind bim, and Raheem Sterling ($9,500) has been subject to much criticism from the British media due
MATCHES (EDT)
10:00 a.m: Sweden v. Switzerland
2:00 p.m: England v. Colombia
FORWARDS
Harry Kane, ENG v. COL ($13,000): Kane leads the Golden Boot race with five goals in the World Cup, and he is almost a must-play as the striker for the top favorite on the slate. He is $2,000 more than any other player, but he can be the difference between winning and losing, as we saw during the group stage. One goal should be enough for Kane, which will get him above 2x value, and if he gets another, it will be very hard to cash if you fade. He is also well rested after England head coach Gareth Southgate sat many key starters in the third group stage match against Belgium, and with a lack of safe options at the position, it is very risky to pass on Kane.
Ola Toivonen, SWE v. SWI ($8,500): Toivonen continues to be a stable target man for the Swedish attack, and while he has only gotten two shots off this tournament, both were on target and one found the back of the net. Anything below Kane at the forward position should be considered a high-risk pick, so you are going to have to roll the dice in at least one spot. Falcao ($11,000) is quite pricey and is going against a stiff defense, possibly without the help of James Rodriguez behind bim, and Raheem Sterling ($9,500) has been subject to much criticism from the British media due to his poor play in the tournament. That leaves Toivonen at the next spot, and at least he is in an even matchup and is in decent form.
Marcus Berg, SWE v. SWI ($7,500): Switzerland's forwards are all very suspect fantasy options due to their inconsistency and the lack of clarity regarding who will start. There are two Swiss midfielders worth consideration, but their forwards leave plenty to be desired. That leaves Berg as the last solid option, if he starts after suffering a head injury in their last group stage game. He hasn't scored yet in the tournament, but he has taken 10 shots and gotten five on goal. He'll now match up against a Switzerland team that allowed four goals in the group stage, including at least one in each match.
MIDFIELDERS
Xherdan Shaqiri, SWI v. SWE ($9,500): Now it's time to give the Swiss some love. Shaqiri is the clear chalk option at midfield, as he had one goal and one assist in the group stage and is the main attacking weapon for Switzerland. This matchup is a pick 'em, so Shaqiri should have a handful of opportunities to get on the board. Watch for him to bomb up the right wing all game, and while each run might not end in a great play, many of them end in some sort of scoring stat.
Blerim Dzemaili, SWI v. SWE ($8,500): Shaqiri's partner in crime is Dzemaili, who has taken seven shots in three games, including at least one on goal in each, and he bagged a goal in the group stage finale. Dzemaili and Shaqiri are the only locks to start in the Swiss attack, and they are both very likely to play the full 90 minutes.
Juan Quintero, COL v. ENG ($8,000): Quintero has been fantastic, with a goal and two assists in the first three games. James is likely to miss out Tuesday, so Quintero should take over all set piece duties in the absence of the talisman. He is averaging 20 fantasy points in three games, which is just under 3x value, but if James is out, Quintero could increase his rate of production. There are not many players that I love on Columbia, but Quintero is one of them.
DEFENDERS
Ludwig Augustinsson, SWE v. SWI ($5,500): Augustinsson is my top pick at the defender position for Tuesday's slate. He scored in his last time out against Mexico after making a long run up the field. He can get involved in the run of play and on set pieces, as his ability to deliver crosses is one of his strongest traits. He is a bit pricey, and I would prefer to spend down on the two defenders listed below, but if you have an extra $1,000, Augustinsson may be a solid upgrade.
Ricardo Rodriguez, COL v. ENG ($4,500): Rodriguez is my top choice among the cheap fullbacks. He can occasionally take penalties and free kicks, so don't be surprised when he takes a few set pieces. His left foot makes him a valuable asset, and he'll use it in the attack often Tuesday.
Johan Mojica, COL v. ENG ($4,500): The theme of cheap leftbacks with strong left foots continues. Mojica is a fine player to get at this cheap of a price. He has been manning the left-back position for Columbia in the tournament after providing four assists as a left wing-back for Girona in La Liga. I see Columbia going down at some point, which will force Mojica to get up the field. Mojica also helps us save at the defender position in order to spend up on attackers.
GOALKEEPER
Jordan Pickford, ENG v. COL ($4,500): England is the favorite on this slate, so it is a bit confusing why Pickford is the cheapest keeper. He has a great chance of earning the clean sheet with James out, and yet he is still likely to see a number of save opportunities from the aggressive Colombia attack.
