This article is part of our Starting Eleven series.
MATCHES (EDT)
7:30 a.m: Tottenham v. Liverpool
10:00 a.m: Bournemouth v. Leicester City
10:00 a.m: Chelsea v. Cardiff City
10:00 a.m: Huddersfield v. Crystal Palace
10:00 a.m: Manchester City v. Fulham
10:00 a.m: Newcastle v. Arsenal
12:30 p.m: Watford v. Manchester United
FORWARDS
Saturday's slate is the arguably the most star-studded we've seen through five weeks as Tottenham face Liverpool while Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal all have favorable matchups.
Eden Hazard has been the top-performing forward through four matches despite coming off the bench twice, and he scored in both of Belgium's friendlies over the international break. A matchup against Cardiff City makes him one of my first considerations. His teammate Pedro also continues to play at a high level, scoring three goals to start the season. He's a bit more goal-dependent, but could make for a solid Chelsea stack. Sergio Aguero joins Hazard as my two preferred options at striker, while Raheem Sterling continues to produce when he's in the starting XI.
I'm steering clear of Manchester United's clash with Watford based on both the club's current form and playing style. That being said, I prefer Romelu Lukaku to Alexis Sanchez based on the Belgian's higher goal-scoring odds. United have yet to reach top form while the Hornets have yet to drop a point in the table. Meanwhile, my role as lead conductor of the Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hype train finally paid off after he scored his first of the season against Cardiff City, and he and Alexandre Lacazette have a good chance to link up at forward against Newcastle.
Sadio Mane made it four goals in four games as Liverpool saw off Leicester City with a 2-1 win before the international break. Any of Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah are able to put up big numbers in any given matchup, though Saturday's with Tottenham will be a difficult one for both teams. On the other side, Harry Kane will face a Liverpool defense that has allowed just one goal to start the season, which came on a goalkeeping mistake by Alisson. That isn't to say Kane won't be able to find the back of the net, it's just that a difficult matchup with a backline playing at a high level. Additionally, Heung-Min Son could return to the starting XI after playing in the Asian Games with South Korea over the past few weeks.
Mane is tied for the Golden Boot lead with Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic, who is third in the league in shots (18) and first in shots on goal (nine). He and Fulham have a tough matchup with Manchester City, but Mitrovic's shot numbers make him a viable play.
Huddersfield have a road match with Crystal Palace, which should see Steve Mounie back in the starting XI. No player has more duels won (49) through four matches than Mounie, something to consider if you want to be contrarian to picking players from the favorites. He's recorded just one assist this season, but is in a decent matchup of two mid-table sides. Other potential low-owned options are Troy Deeney, who has scored twice and provided an assist in his last three matches, Wilfried Zaha and Jamie Vardy (returning from suspension).
MIDFIELDERS
Jean Michael Seri is quickly becoming a transfer coup for Fulham, as he's starting to establish himself as a top midfielder in the Premier League. He's managed one goal and one assist while completing the sixth-most passes. He has yet to score fewer than 12.30 fantasy points and will likely continue that form despite a tough matchup with Manchester City. Another summer transfer worth considering is Chelsea's James Milner, who leads all Starting XI midfielders with an average of 20.08 fantasy points per match. Jordan Henderson replaced Naby Keita in the starting XI against Leicester but failed to impress, while Georginio Wijnaldum has excelled in a no. 6 role. Milner is the top option given his duties on free-kicks.
With Dele Alli already ruled out due to a hamstring injury, Lucas Moura and Christian Eriksen are expected to be the focal point of Tottenham's attack. Eriksen has had a slow start to the season, providing just one assist through four matches, while Moura lit up Manchester United for two goals after scoring against Fulham the week prior. It will also be interesting to see whether Son comes straight into the starting XI or if he's available off the bench.
Philip Billing is an outside-the-box option due to his duties as a defensive destroyer for Huddersfield. He leads all Premier League players in tackles won (12) to go along with a respectable seven interceptions and 34 duels won. He scored his first goal of the season against Everton and should keep his spot in the starting XI against Crystal Palace.
DEFENDERS AND GOALKEEPERS
Chelsea have the best clean sheet odds on the slate, which could lead to a stack of Kepa Arrizabalaga and a Chelsea defender. Cardiff City have been abysmal in front of net, scoring just two goals despite playing against 10-men in two different matches. Marcos Alonso is always a danger on the left flank and from set-piece situations, while Cesar Azpilicueta is someone who you can depend on for 10+ points.
I'm steering clear of the Tottenham and Liverpool defensive guard due to the potential for goals in that matchup. If you'd like a slice of that clash, Jan Vertonghen has been spectacular this season and Virgil van Dijk's transfer fee is starting to seem like a reasonable acquisition based on his performances over the past half year.
Ederson and Manchester City have the second-best clean sheet odds at home against Fulham, but they have just one clean sheet despite a couple of advantageous matchups. That being said, Benjamin Mendy will continue to be a top option out of the back as he almost plays like a left winger.
Crystal Palace's Wayne Hennessey is in a favorable spot against Huddersfield and ranks second in saves of eligible goalkeepers on the slate. It's a shot in the dark considering Kepa and Ederson's clean sheet odds, but he could be worth taking.
