This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Soccer series.
MATCHES (ET)
- 10:00 am: Crystal Palace vs. Southampton
- 12:30 pm: Liverpool vs. Leeds United
- 3:00 pm: West Ham United vs. Newcastle United
FORWARDS
Sadio Mane, LIV v. LEE (£28): Mohamed Salah (£30) is the most expensive player on the slate with slightly better goal-scoring odds than Mane, but Mane offers a small amount of savings. Realistically they're 1A and 1B against Leeds United, who are making their first appearance in the Premier League in a decade. Liverpool are heavy favorites and should have no problem dispatching the newcomers, with Mane and Salah expected to lead the way. Patrick Bamford (£23) at his price doesn't offer much upside and is worth fading, while Roberto Firmino (£23) is a better differential play in tournaments.
Jarrod Bowen, WHU v. NEW (£19): Bowen is the main man on set pieces for West Ham and comes as a cheaper option than Callum Wilson (£24), who is expected to make his first start for Newcastle, while Michail Antonio (£26) is midfield eligible. Allan Saint-Maximin (£20) is Newcastle's best player when he's fit and would be a solid pivot or addition to Bowen if you think this match will be more high scoring than Southampton at Crystal Palace.
Che Adams, SOU at CRY (£15): Danny Ings (£25) is rightfully priced in the upper echelon of strikers after he netted 22 goals last season. For as much as I love Ings, it's tough to put him in your side if you can take a Liverpool forward who has better odds to score in a tastier matchup. Adams is the cheapest forward expected to start who doesn't play for Leeds United. He ended last season with four goals in his last six matches after starting the season with zero goals in the first 24.
MIDFIELDERS
Michail Antonio, WHU v. NEW (£26): As mentioned, Antonio is listed as a midfielder despite being West Ham's leading forward at the end of last season when he scored eight goals in nine games following the restart. He will hurt your budget, so if you do want to stack Liverpool attackers, you'll likely need to steer clear. Tomas Soucek (£21) is a safer option, albeit an expensive one for a holding midfielder. Ryan Fraser (£17) could play a part for Newcastle, especially if Jonjo Shelvey (£16) is unable to overcome his knee injury.
James Ward-Prowse, SOU v. CRY (£22): Ward-Prowse is a set-piece extraordinaire and one of the safer midfield plays. This match has the lowest implied goal total of the three, making set pieces even more valuable. Moussa Djenepo (£17) is a riskier play who should slot into the starting XI. He's got a Premier League season under his belt to make him comfortable and will look to improve in his second campaign. Max Meyer (£13) is the cheapest expected midfield starter in this match.
Naby Keita, LIV v. LEE (£17): Jordan Henderson (£13) is questionable to play against Leeds United, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (£16) is out with a knee injury. This should leave Keita primed for a start in a matchup that should see Liverpool dominate from a possession standpoint. Keita will likely play the linchpin between midfield and attack as Liverpool look to unlock their defense. Jack Harrison (£21) is expensive even if you think Leeds can find the back of the net, especially with Kalvin Phillips (£12) and Pablo Hernandez (£14) much cheaper.
DEFENDERS
Trent Alexander-Arnold, LIV v. LEE (£19): If you've followed along the past two seasons, this is an easy choice. Alexander-Arnold led the league in crosses, accurate crosses and corners won last season. He and Andrew Robertson (£17) finished second and third in assists and, barring any injuries, will consistently be the most coveted defenders throughout the season. If you want a Liverpool stack, Virgil van Dijk (£18) and Joe Gomez (£15) are other alternatives.
Luke Ayling, LEE v. LIV (£12): A clean sheet is likely out of the question in this matchup, but Ayling should see plenty of defensive work. He scored four goals and provided four assists in the Championship last season and does see a fair amount of attacking work when Leeds aren't pinned back.
Tyrick Mitchell, CRY v. WHU (£10): Patrick van Aanholt (£15) is sidelined with an injury and Mitchell started the final two matches last season and continues to start in pre-season. At this price, it's definitely worth the risk, as Mitchell should meet value relatively easy.
GOALKEEPERS
Lukasz Fabianski, WHU v. CRY (£14): This is an interesting spot for goalkeepers with Alisson Becker (£18) being priced like a midfielder as a heavy favorite with a good chance for a clean sheet, while Illan Meslier (£10) will likely see the most save opportunities but could get crushed. Vicente Guaita (£17) is the second-most expensive option but has the fourth-best clean sheet odds, while Lukasz Fabianski hits the sweet spot in price point and potential for a clean sheet. Martin Dubravka (£16) led the league in saves last year to go along with a respectable 11 clean sheets.
