SOCCER

DraftKings Daily Fantasy Soccer Helper for Matchweek 27

Ryan Fraser continues to rack up crosses, and he has a great matchup to do just that as Bournemouth take on Burnley. Who else should you roster on Saturday?

The winter break for the Premier League is over and we have a five game Saturday slate on DraftKings. There are important games at both ends of the table, so let's see who is standing out above the rest at their respective positions.

Forwards to Target

Danny Ings ($9,100): Ings is having a fantastic season to help Southampton avoid a relegation battle. He has 15 goals in the league, tied for the third most. Those 15 goals are 47% of Southampton's goals in the Premier League this season, the highest percentage in the league. Believe it or not, Southampton are tied for the biggest favorite on this slate at -160, according to Soccer odd. They are facing Aston Villa, the side that have conceded the most goals in the league. Ings is a -145 favorite to score at anytime in this match, the best of any player on the slate. He has the multi-goal upside you're looking for if paying up at striker in tournaments.

Dwight McNeil ($7,200): All season long we've looked at Dwight McNeil as a solid floor play at forward for Burnley and not much has changed. He still gets a share of the corner kicks for the Clarets and is sixth in the league in total crosses. Burnley are home favorites against relegation-threatened Bournemouth. The Cherries allow the fifth most crosses per game, according to WhoScored.com. With the forward position not being particularly deep on this slate, it makes sense to go after a player like McNeil who is fairly reliable.

Mbwana Samatta ($6,000): Samatta is an interesting cheaper play at the forward position. He has played only two games since coming to Aston Villa from the Belgian league, and he scored one goal. He had three shots and two shot assists in both games, so he has been involved in the attack. Aston Villa may have the worst defense in the Premier League based on goals conceded, but they are facing a Southampton side that owns the second worst defense by the same measure. Samatta bagging a goal at this price tag would go a long way in your lineups.

Midfielders to Target

Kevin De Bruyne ($10,800): De Bruyne has been up to his usual tricks of late, recording double-digit crosses in four straight games. When he does that and also has the upside to score and assist a goal, he has eruption games like he did last time out against West Ham. He leads the league in corner kicks taken and is second in crosses. He's also nearly lapping the field in terms of assists, as his 16 are six better than anyone else in the league.

Manchester City are in the late kickoff against Leicester City as -160 favorites. Leicester's form has dropped off from the start of the season, having failed to win four of their last five league games. Man City should be able to impose their will on this game, as they lead the Premier League with a 61.5% possession rate. De Bruyne would be able do his usual thing if that was the case, and he should continue to rack up points as one of the highest floor players in the Premier League.

Ryan Fraser ($7,300): Fraser isn't having quite the same season as he did last year, when he was second in the league with 15 assists. It isn't for lack of effort or opportunity, however, as he is still eighth in the league with 162 crosses. Perhaps he needs better finishing from his forwards, and Callum Wilson's form is starting to improve with two goals over his last three games. Bournemouth are playing against Burnley as underdogs, but Burnley tend to sit back and let their opponents have the ball. They are the second worst possession team in the league. If the game script goes right and Burnley score first, it could lead to Fraser getting lots of crosses into the box, chasing a goal for his side.

Oliver Norwood: ($5,000): Sheffield United have been one of the most surprising stories in the Premier League this season. They are currently in sixth place and in reaching distance of the Champions League spots. They still don't score many goals, though, as their 28 is the sixth fewest in the league. Oliver Norwood is one of their main creative forces, leading the team in crosses and corner kicks. He has at least six crosses in his past five games. It is tough to find a player who is on a favored team and gets set pieces at this price range, making Norwood viable as a value play.

Defenders to Target

Matt Ritchie ($5,100): Since returning from injury, Ritchie has been back to his old self. He's had games of 10 and nine crosses in two of the three starts he's made. He's been Newcastle's main corner taker since coming back, taking all eight of their corners in his last league start against Norwich. Now he'll get to play Crystal Palace, who allow the second most crosses per game in the league. Palace are also the lowest-scoring team in the EPL, so the opportunity for Ritchie to get the three-point bonus from a clean sheet is be in play.

Frederic Guilbert ($4,300): Guilbert has been a welcome addition to the defender pool of daily fantasy soccer this season, as he has been fairly productive in his first season in England. He's eighth in crosses for a defender and leads Aston Villa in that department. He chips in with the defensive statistics, tackles and interceptions, averaging slightly more than four of those per 90 minutes -- which is good for over three points per game on DraftKings. Guilbert is a good value play at the defender position, with his floor being fairly reliable.

Goalkeepers to Target

Dean Henderson ($5,300): Henderson has been a standout performer for Sheffield United all season long. He's conceded just 21 goals in 25 league appearances. In his last 10 games, he's conceded multiple goals only twice. Those were in games against Manchester City and Liverpool, the two highest scoring teams in the league. Henderson is tied for second in the league with nine clean sheets and is in a good spot to be able to keep one in a home match against Brighton.

Martin Dubravka ($4,300): Dubravka and Newcastle are on the road and underdogs, but the matchup isn't too scary. They face Crystal Palace, who have scored just 23 goals all season and are winless in their last seven league games. Palace also average just 9.5 shots per game, the fewest in the league. Goalkeeper is a position we usually like to spend down at, so playing Dubravka looks like one of the better options at the position.


Nicholas Vazquez is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Nicholas Vazquez also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username hbyanksman. 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.