Welcome to the DFS Army Soccer Starting XI! This is the place to start your research as we’ll go game-by-game breaking down every match-up. For this week, the game-by-game breakdown is for VIP members along with coaches notes from both theDFSniper and TreyJ989, complete with player picks, confidence ratings, and in-depth advice for each slate. If you’re not a VIP member, join today and use code SNIPER for 20% off!
If you’re new to DFS Soccer and want to get a better handle on the basics, watch this introductory video as we get you ready to start cashing in your soccer contests. I also put together a five-step guide to constructing cash game lineups, give it a quick read before heading into head-to-heads and double-ups.
One last thing before we get rolling, Follow me on Twitter @theDFSniper
Starting XI Breakdown
Sheffield United (+921) @ Chelsea (-278)
Draw (+402) | Total: Over 2.75 (-104)
This slate is going to be all about how to attack the big favorites and where the priorities should be…because there are quite a few large favorites to attack. I’m all about Mason Mount if he starts and Willian is still out with his injury. Mount did pick up a knock and I can see going to Pulisic if they both sit, the issue with any of those plays is how they stack up against City who we have to spend up on, leaving us little salary for these guys. That does lend well to GPPs as they are the clear second option on the slate. While SHU has started the season well, I’m not buying into it enough to roster anyone here.
SHU 5-Star Plays: Egan (FD)
SHU 4-Star Plays: Basham (FD)
GPP Note: Nope. Nothing more to say.
CHE 5-Star Plays: Mount
CHE 4-Star Plays: Emerson, Azpilicueta
GPP Note: They are the best pivot away from the City chalk but I’m more inclined to play a Chelsea one-off with a mini City stack and pay down at the remaining positions.
Aston Villa (+255) @ Crystal Palace (+122)
Draw (+239) | Total: Over 2.5 (+101)
This entire slate is about context as we are going to talk about the necessary spend up pieces of Manchester City shortly and that context tells us most of the players in this match are off the board. But with a bad game and some tough match-ups, Luka Milivojevic checks in at a reasonable price tag for Crystal Palace. Christian Benteke is cheap and one of my favorite GPP dart throws on the board. Aston Villa has been playing really well but that means their prices are up as road underdogs and the only one I have any interest in is Anwar El Ghazi but he wont’ even make the list below.
AVL 5-Star Plays: None
AVL 4-Star Plays: None
GPP Note: Well if there are no four or five star plays I can’t recommend you play them in GPP either.
CRY 5-Star Plays: Milivojevic
CRY 4-Star Plays: Benteke (GPP), Ward (DK)
GPP Note: There are enough cheap pieces here for the home side that I will mix in the goal scorers as one-offs in GPPs. Pre lineup building I really want to get in Milivojevic into my primary, not sure it will happen.
Bournemouth (+391) @ Leicester (-137)
Draw (+305) | Total: Over 2.75 (-116)
Here’s where things get dicey, James Maddison should almost always be in your cash lineup at home against a non Big Six club. There’s just so many City pieces to play that I can understand if he doesn’t make the cut. Generally speaking though, he’s incredible safe while some of those City pieces are my goal dependent. There really is no wrong answer but because the Bournemouth defense has also been bad, I’m inclined to find a way to fit in Maddison. Fraser is also a solid play if you manage to fit him and in a high total game, go ahead and pick some of those mid-priced guys in GPPs (check the coaches notes).
BOU 5-Star Plays: None
BOU 4-Star Plays: Fraser, Ake (FD)
GPP Note: Joshua King is a cheap forward that I’ll be goal hunting with in GPPs, not stacking with Fraser. Could also go to Callum Wilson but the $ savings is key.
LEI 5-Star Plays: Maddison
LEI 4-Star Plays: None
GPP Note: My favorite under the radar pair with Maddison is Ayoze Perez, Vardy is a little price for me on this slate.
Brighton (+3103) @ Manchester City (-1101)
Draw (+1130) | Total: Over 3.75 (+101)
The line indicates a blood bath…and that’s exactly what I’m expecting. Manchester City is ruthless and they will not back off, the issue is always pinning down who will score the goals. Raheem Sterling has scored five goals in three games, Sergio Aguero is probably somehow under priced, Kevin De Bruyne is money on DK, both Silva’s are viable with non-ridiculous price-tags, Ilkay Gundogan saw his price drop, and even Zinchenko is getting involved in the offense. That may have not seemed helpful so let me just say that I’m planning to attack it this way: I want three pieces of City in cash games and at least two in all of my GPPs. My priorities are Aguero at the top range and David Silva in the mid range with Bernardo Silva as potentially the lowest owned of the bunch in GPPs. ***Just noticed that there could be some weather impacting this game on Saturday morning, that would change things a bit, we will monitor and post in VIP Chat come Saturday morning***
BRI 5-Star Plays: Dunk (FD), Burn (FD), Duffy (FD)
BRI 4-Star Plays: None.
GPP Note: Hahahahahahaha. No. If you play them, please take my head to heads.
MCI 5-Star Plays: Aguero, Sterling, De Bruyne (DK), D. Silva, B. Silva (GPP)
MCI 4-Star Plays: De Bruyne (FD), Gundogan, Zinchenko
GPP Note: The strategy I outlined above will bust if City goes cold but if they score 3 and you don’t have any, you’re dead anyway. I just don’t see how this game doesn’t finish 4-0 or 5-0.
Watford (+196) @ Newcastle (+163)
Draw (+224) | Total: Over 2.25 (-117)
So this game is projected to be low scoring but there are also some low salaries to consider as well as some potential injury news on the Newcastle side. The biggest question mark is Matt Ritchie who generates a lot of fantasy points. When he’s out the production kind of spreads but if Ki Sung-Yeung starts, he’s a viable value play at his salary. Again Watford is a side I want for some salary relief, I’m hoping Success gets a start but that seems unlikely. On the other hand if Cleverley plays he is a great value play and if he doesn’t and Capoue is in, that’s where I’ll go. Not expecting this game to blow up for goals, but it’s a hot spot for value pieces.
WAT 5-Star Plays: Cleverley (value)
WAT 4-Star Plays: Capoue (value)
GPP Note: Value pieces only.
NEW 5-Star Plays: None.
NEW 4-Star Plays: None.
GPP Note: Value plays only, less of a priority.
Norwich (+302) @ West Ham (-110)
Draw (+295) | Total: Over 3.25 (+103)
This game has the second highest total on the slate but their goal scorers are priced up so I’m not interested in stacking either side or getting exposure to the pay ups in cash but there are some really solid GPP one offs here. Cantwell is the best value piece on the Norwich side while Pukki is among the hottest goal scorers in the league, but pretty overpriced in this spot. Declan Rice is the value play on the West Ham side but there isn’t much upside there. The best targets will be the attackers for West Ham in GPPs, including Haller, Anderson, Snodgrass (or Antonio), and Lanzini.
NOR 5-Star Plays: None
NOR 4-Star Plays: Cantwell (value), Hanley (FD), Godfrey (FD)
GPP Note: Even with the a high total, most of my GPP focus for this one will be on the other side of this game.
WHU 5-Star Plays: None
WHU 4-Star Plays: Haller (GPP), Antonio (GPP)
GPP Note: This will be place to pivot a piece of my Manchester City stacks as I think West Ham scores at least twice in this one.