FanDuel Soccer: EPL DFS Under-the-Radar Plays for Sunday 5/23/21

If you have played daily fantasy sports for a while, you know the importance of being contrarian in large-field tournaments. Recognizing which players are going to be popular and finding others who you think have a similar point projection but will be much less popular can really separate yourself from your opponents.

The same goes for DFS EPL. Even though the large-field tournaments aren't quite as large as they are for other sports, there is still value in identifying quality under-the-radar plays.

This article will discuss FanDuel's main Sunday slate, which starts at 11:00 p.m. EST and features ten matches.

Matchweek 38 brings the Premier League season to a close and features all 20 sides in action at the same time. The majority of season-long outcomes are already wrapped up at the top and bottom end of the table, with Manchester City crowned champions and Fulham, West Brom, and Sheffield set to be relegated. Manchester United is locked into second place, leaving all of the remaining drama firmly fixated on the final two Champions League spots, which will be contested by Chelsea, Liverpool, and Leicester City. For Chelsea and Liverpool, it's simple -- win and they're in. Leicester City needs a win and a loss by either Chelsea or Liverpool or they will miss out.

From an odds perspective, all signs point to Liverpool (-650). They are the largest favorite on the slate by a wide margin, with Manchester City (-250), Leeds (-240), and Chelsea (-220) the next closest sides. Arsenal (-150), West Ham (-140), and Leicester City (-105) are next in line, while Fulham (+105), Burnley (+135), and Wolves (+145) round out the slate as slight favorites.

With several sides left with little to play for and Manchester City and Manchester United fully focused on their Cup finals later this month, keep an eye out for heavy squad rotation.

Here are three players to consider on this slate -- especially for tournament formats -- who may fly under the radar.

Patrick Bamford, FWD/MID, Leeds

FanDuel Salary: $21

With Sunday's slate chock-full of megastars from big-six clubs, high-salaried stars from lower-tier sides could go overlooked. At his salary of $21, Bamford is surrounded by the likes of Harry Kane ($22), Kevin De Bruyne ($22), Timo Werner ($21), Sadio Mane ($21) and Riyad Mahrez ($21). Additional squad rotation may further lower Bamford's popularity as low-salaried options on high-profile sides could take attention away.

If everything breaks their way, Leeds could technically finish as high as eighth in the table with a win. A mid-table finish has been assured for a while now, but Leeds has still managed to string together a three-match win streak, outscoring their opponents by a combined 9-1 during that stretch. That plus-8 goal differential is the best in the league over the past three matchweeks, and now they get a final-day matchup against soon-to-be-relegated West Brom.

West Brom has earned their spot in the bottom three this season. They are winless in their last six matches and have conceded a mind-numbing 73 goals this season, the most in the league.

Bamford has two goals in his last three matches and is set up to end the season on a high note. While the plethora of stars available on this slate provides plenty of options, don't overlook Bamford in an ideal matchup.

Chris Wood, FWD/MID, Burnley

FanDuel Salary: $17

A little further down the salary ladder, Chris Wood is positioned very similarly to Bamford. All of the attention in this salary range is likely to fall on Jamie Vardy ($17) as Leicester chase a Champions League spot on the final day. Combine that with the other options available in this range, including Edinson Cavani ($17) and Raheem Sterling ($17), and Wood is likely to go overlooked.

Burnley hasn't been good this season -- there's no way around that. They will avoid relegation by just one spot in the table, but they have managed eight goals over their last six matches and happen to be facing a Sheffield United side that is locked into last place. The Blades' 63 goals conceded this season are fourth-most in the league, and they allow an average of 1.5 goals per match at home.

Despite playing for a struggling Clarets side, Wood has put together a respectable season. He has 12 goals and 3 assists in 32 appearances and has been very productive following his return from a hamstring injury in late February. Since then, he has just two starts with fewer than double-digit FanDuel points and has managed to score more than 20.0 points in six of his 11 appearances, including an 88.0-point hat-trick in April.

This situation sets up well for Wood to have a big day.

Martin Odegaard, FWD/MID, Arsenal

FanDuel Salary: $10

Arsenal has quietly put together a respectable finish to an otherwise incredibly difficult and disappointing season. They have posted four consecutive wins, outscoring their opposition by a combined 9-2. Given the season they've had, Arsenal's stars are likely to be glossed over on this crowded slate, especially since the Gunners have nothing left to play for and have a not-all-that-friendly matchup versus Brighton.

Odegaard may be making his final appearance for Arsenal as his loan from Real Madrid comes to an end. He produced his first assist for the club during an appearance as a substitute on Wednesday and has shown flashes of his potential during his time in London. He is a risky play. As his past performances have shown, his fantasy floor is very low. But in his last two Premier League starts against non-big six opposition, he has been solid, producing a combined four shots and nine chances created against Newcastle and West Ham.

At a low salary of $10, Odegaard provides affordable exposure to a big-six side that is rounding into form at a time when everyone's eyes are elsewhere.