Premier League: 4 FanDuel Value Plays for Matchweek 14

Matchweek 14 in the Premier League kicks off on Tuesday with teams having a very short turnaround from this past weekend's action. However, the larger fixture list comes on Wednesday and FanDuel will feature a slate of all six matches.

The first three matches will kick off at 2:45 p.m. EST with the other three starting 15 minutes later.

With the league leaders in action, many of the top-priced players are from Manchester City. Sergio Aguero leads the way at $12,000. In total, 16 players are priced at or above $9,000. Chelsea's Marcus Alonso leads the defenders at $7,500 with 25 others priced at or above $6,000. The keepers are bottled up more than ever, with four players at $5,500.

There are more players in the top tier of pricing this week, which should be expected when Manchester City is on the slate. However, there are still excellent value plays, so let's get to it.

Forward

Andy Carroll ($7,000): West Ham have underperformed all year, and that is also true for the team's striker position. The lack of production can be partially blamed to overall team instability. That continues this week as Marko Arnautovic and Michail Antonio are likely out and David Moyes returns to Everton.

However, both teams need a result as they are separated by just two points with West Ham in the relegation zone. Given the injuries, West Ham will be relying heavily on Carroll up front. He looks to be the beneficiary of a leaky Everton defense that has conceded at least two goals in their last five matches.

Everton may be the only team able to cite more instability than West Ham. They still have not appointed a permanent replacement for Ronald Koeman. They have allowed the most goals in the league and gave up four to Southampton on Sunday. The injury list is long and may include Michael Keane, who was forced off against Southampton. It will be an extremely quick turnaround for Everton and the two extra days of rest that West Ham have should be evident.

Carroll has the top odds of any West Ham player to score a goal in this relegation battle. West Ham, which is fourth in the league in crosses, will continue to aim for the big striker's head in the opposition box. Everton also have six defensive errors this season, twice as many as West Ham, and three of those have led to goals. It should be a good day for Carroll to cash in.

Midfielder

James Ward-Prowse ($4,500): Ward-Prowse was a force in the match against Everton, as the Southampton midfielder was credited with 18 crosses and awarded 5 chances created for FanDuel points. His best performance coincided with his team's best showing this season, so Ward-Prowse should be in the starting lineup again this week.

Southampton is facing the best team in the league, meaning he will have to put in a defensive shift as well. City have scored at least three goals in their last five home matches, so everyone on the Saints will need to be aware and involved on defense.

When Southampton does get the ball, Ward-Prowse will need to be an outlet. The approach will likely be crosses as Southampton is third in the league, thanks in part to Ward-Prowse's contribution. Charlie Austin showed his prowess in the air against Everton, so it is a good idea to get the ball into the box.

Ward-Prowse's price is too low to ignore -- it would not take many defensive action points for his production to outweigh his cost. Oriol Romeu may return this week, but there is still value in the Southampton midfield should Ward-Prowse return to the bench. Three other Southampton midfielders are priced under $7,000, but he's still the best value. Be sure to watch for the team news.

Defender

Ragnar Klavan ($4,500): Dejan Lovren remains an injury concern for Liverpool, so Klavan should slot into the center back position against Stoke. Only one expected defensive starter is priced lower than Klavan.

Klavan is coming off one of his best games, as he was credited with a season-high 11 clearances. That led the team on a tough night against championship contender Chelsea and came after a 12-clearance performance in the Champions League against Sevilla. The 32-year-old Estonian defender has also shown composure in the back, completing over 90% of his passes.

Liverpool have won five of their last six matches against Stoke in all competitions. Stoke are averaging less than 44% possession and 12 shots per match. However, they have not been shut out since September 23rd, so Klavan and the back line cannot fall asleep.

Keeper

Petr Cech ($5,000): The pricing on the keepers is very tight again this week, as only two expected starting keepers are listed below $5,000. With that in mind, the price difference should not be enough to sway FanDuel players from big names, especially if they have a good chance at a clean sheet.

Arsenal have won 11 Premier League home matches in a row. They will host a Huddersfield side that have been shut out in three of their last six matches on the heels of back-to-back Premier League clean sheets. Huddersfield have also failed to score in their last five away matches.

An Arsenal shutout is a popular prediction for this match. Cech seems in line for another clean sheet.

Douglas Smith is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Douglas Smith also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username aquemini03. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his/her personal views, he/she may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his/her personal account. The views expressed in his/her articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.