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
Burnley (+196) @ Aston Villa (+133)
Draw (+231) | Total: Over 2.5 (-116)
We’re starting off with honestly one of the least appealing games on the slate but I do think there are some solid mid-range options here. John McGinn and Jack Grealish are both serviceable fantasy scorers at fair price points and could pay off their salaries in cash or GPPs, its more a roster construction issue as we head into the build on Saturday. On the Burnley side, I really don’t like anyone but will give Dwight McNeil four-star potential assuming that Johann Berg Gudmundsson misses another start. Close game, low total, both goal keepers will also be worth a look.
BUR 5-Star Plays: None.
BUR 4-Star Plays: McNeil (Only if JBG sits)
GPP Note: Nah, way better spots on this slate.
AVL 5-Star Plays: None.
AVL 4-Star Plays: McGinn, Grealish
GPP Note: I will have some mini stacks here, Wesley is the forward to pair with.
West Ham (+163) @ Bournemouth (+142)
Draw (+262) | Total: Over 3 (-116)
High total in this one but the home side in Bournemouth is probably going to be relegated to a GPP target for me as there is so much uncertainty around the status of their best player in Ryan Fraser. If Fraser does sit again the biggest boost goes to Diego Rico on defense but that’s a DraftKings play only for me. What’s more interesting is the road side as Felipe Anderson is overpriced but pretty much every other West Ham player is under priced. This is a good team to target in GPPs and assuming he makes the start, Manuel Lanzini will in that mid range consideration for cash games.
WHU 5-Star Plays: Lanzini (lineup dependent)
WHU 4-Star Plays: Haller (GPP)
GPP Note: Like them for GPPs, you can mix in any of their front four attacking options as two-mans or one-offs
BOU 5-Star Plays: Rico (if Fraser sits)
BOU 4-Star Plays: Fraser
GPP Note: Even at home with a high total, I can’t get behind anything more than one-offs, for the price Joshua King would be my preferred forward.
Brighton (+557) @ Chelsea (-232)
Draw (+353) | Total: Over 3 (-102)
Chelsea are a big favorite and while we can make some general statements here, we really need their lineup on Saturday before we can really decide how to attack the slate. But here’s what we are looking for: if both Willian and Mason Mount play then they are both good, but not great, options. If only one starts, there’s a core play…it’s that simple. Tammy Abraham has been white-hot and will be a strong DK GPP or FD play. Also for DraftKings, I love the positional upside of Marcos Alonso. Brighton has injury concerns and are way over matched here. If they pull off the miracle, I’ll be in some trouble but I’m still not playing them outside of centerbacks on FanDuel.
BHA 5-Star Plays: Duffy (FD), Dunk (FD)
BHA 4-Star Plays: None.
GPP Note: Read the last sentence above 😛
CHE 5-star Plays: Mount / Willian (If only one starts), Abraham (FD / DK/GPP), Alonso (DK)
CHE 4-Star Plays: Mount / Willian (if both start)
GPP Note: Yes sir, they will be popular but stack ’em up. You can creative on your secondary pieces in those lineups.
Norwich (+265) @ Crystal Palace (-108)
Draw (+263) | Total: Over 2.75 (-136)
Norwich has overachieved to start the season and while that’s a great story and we like rooting for them, I’m going to try and bring you back to the reality. The primary pieces all have increasing salaries and they are still +265 road underdogs who will be over owned…I just can’t go there. on the Crystal Palace side, Luka Milivojevic is your man on DK at a reasonable price while the front line of Zaha, Ayew, and Townsend all in consideration for GPP. I also really like the price on Joel Ward as a cash play on DK, he’s just been rock steady and his prices is just hovering where we want it.
NOR 5-Star Plays: None.
NOR 4-Star Plays: None.
GPP Note: Hold your breath, it’s underweight leverage time.
CRY 5-Star Plays: Milivojevic
CRY 4-Star Plays: Ayew (GPP value), Ward (DK)
GPP Note: I won’t have many Palace stacks, I prefer the pieces I mentioned as one-offs.
Southampton (+540) @ Tottenham (-232)
Draw (+363) | Total: Over 3 (-108)
The heaviest hitter of them all on the slate in Tottenham and they come with elevated prices but also off of an EMBARRASSING domestic cup loss during the mid-week from fourth-tier Colchester. You would assume they will be out for blood after that but this team has been a little schizophrenic all season. Harry Kane is a slam dunk on FD but not so much on DK at that price in a less goal dependent format. Christian Eriksen has been burning us consistently and I can’t pay that much for him compared to Willian / Mount (at least in cash). So the simple solution is the full backs (could be any of Walker-Peters, Rose, Aurier, Davies) are DK cash plays, Kane is FD cash and DK gpp, and the rest of the attackers are better suited for GPP but I can’t hammer you if they make your cash build, I’m just not starting there. Tottenham have been so bad, I’ll be considering pieces of the other side of this game, mainly Nathan Redmond and James Ward-Prowse.
SOU 5-Star Plays: None.
SOU 4-Star Plays: None.
GPP Note: Redmond, JWP, and either Ings or Che Adams…one or two of that trio will be in my one-off pool for GPPs in case Tottenham continues this really bad run of form.
TOT 5-Star Plays: Kane (FD), Fullbacks (DK, see list above), Lamela (if no Eriksen)
TOT 4-Star Plays: Kane (DK GPP), Son (GPP)
GPP Note: I need to see the lineup but even with their bad play recently, if they show up, they can hang 4 or 5 goals on Southampton so I will certainly have some stacks.
Watford (+317) @ Wolves (-116)
Draw (+243) | Total: Over 2.5 (-101)
Holy hell Watford is bad. They are so bad that a Wolves team that has been pretty medicore to start the year is a big favorite. And I’m buying this line…give me Wolves and probably more of them then a should. That bad play from Wolves has given them solid price points in a home matchup. Joao Moutinho tops the list of targets (especially on DK) and Jimenez and Jota are in prime GPP spots. The Watford prices are down here too but really my only interest is in Holebas for DK and maybe some defenders on FanDuel.
WAT 5-Star Plays: None.
WAT 4-Star Plays: Holebas (DK)
GPP Note: With the way they are playing…no thanks.
WOL 5-Star Plays: Moutinho (DK)
WOL 4-Star Plays: Moutinho (FD), Jimenez
GPP Note: Definitely willing to mix and match different pieces of this team.
Manchester City (-333) @ Everton (+744)
Draw (+447) | Total: Over 3.25 (-107)
ATTENTION! THIS GAME IS NOT ON THE DK MAIN SLATE! DraftKings has moved to the 10 am ET games only (which I like) but FanDuel is still giving us the hammer match. As much as I like watching Manchester City play, they make things hard on DraftKings so I’m happy to have them only on FanDuel. I’ll be using plenty of them though it’s not an all-in spot like last week. I think you need to go a little more balanced but Aguero is the top-dog for City again this week.
MCI 5-Star Plays: Aguero, De Bruyne
MCI 4-Star Plays: Mahrez, B. Silva
GPP Note: In the FD format I think I’ll have at least 1 City player in all of my lineups. And quite a few with two forwards.
EVE 5-Star Plays: Keane, Mina
EVE 4-Star Plays: None.
GPP Note: Nope….try again.