FanDuel Soccer: EPL DFS Under-the-Radar Plays for 4/9/22
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 separate you from your opponents.
The same goes for EPL DFS. 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 Saturday slate, which starts at 10:00 a.m. EST and features four matches. All betting lines come from EPL odds, and they may change after the article is published.
Slate Overview
Chelsea (-110) at Southampton (+300)
Over 2.5 Goals: -114 | Most Likely to Score: Lukaku (+170)
Leeds (+155) at Watford (+165)
Over 2.5 Goals: -130 | Most Likely to Score: Hernandez (+185)
Brighton (+470) at Arsenal (-155)
Over 2.5 Goals: +100 | Most Likely to Score: Lacazette (+125)
Tottenham (+120) at Aston Villa (+220)
Over 2.5 Goals: -110 | Most Likely to Score: Kane (+125)
Matchweek 32 features three big-six sides with Chelsea, Arsenal, and Tottenham all in action. Arsenal (-155 to win) is the largest favorite on the slate, and Alexandre Lacazette ($17) and Harry Kane ($19) have the best odds to score (+125) of anyone expected to be active on Saturday.
Chelsea (-110) is the second-biggest favorite, while Tottenham (+120) and Leeds (+155) round out the slate as slight road favorites.
Two of the big-six sides on this weekend slate are coming off incredibly disappointing Premier League outings -- Arsenal a three-goal loss to Crystal Palace and Chelsea a three-goal loss to Brentford. Tottenham enters Saturday on a three-game win streak, fresh off a four-goal victory over Newcastle. With all three sides in action, neither should be too popular by comparison. Expect Lacazette to be the most popular player on the slate, as his salary is slightly low for the star striker on the slate's largest favorite.
With that in mind, here are three players to consider -- especially for tournament formats -- who may fly under the radar.
Raphinha, FWD/MID, Leeds
FanDuel Salary: $18
Raphinha is tied with Aston Villa's Philippe Coutinho ($18) as the highest salaried player from a non-big-six side on Saturday's slate. The names around him should keep his draft percentage down in an excellent matchup against a Watford side that has conceded a league-worst 14 goals over their last six matches.
Leeds' defensive issues remain, but they have begun to turn things around in the final third, with six goals combined over their last three fixtures. As Leeds' primary set-piece taker, Raphinha has a chance to see a boost in his already impressive consistency if that form continues against a vulnerable Watford side.
Raphinha has FanDuel point totals of 7.3, 27.9, 6.5, 16.6, and 18.0 over his last five matches, with at least two shots taken in four of them. While all eyes will be on the trio of big-six sides in action, Raphinha could deliver in a pristine matchup on Saturday.
Ismaila Sarr, FWD/MID, Watford
FanDuel Salary: $16
Saturday's clash between Watford and Leeds has the best odds to see over 2.5 goals (-130) of any game on the slate. Watford's defensive struggles were documented above, and Leeds' defensive struggles remain, despite their turnaround in results in recent fixtures.
Sarr got off to a decently hot start this season, with FanDuel outputs of 38.3, 56.3, and 27.6 in three of his first six matches, but he has missed extensive time due to knee and hamstring injuries. Finally, after returning healthy from World Cup qualifying with Senegal, Sarr played the whole 90 minutes against Liverpool last weekend and should be good to go against Leeds.
Sarr's odds to score of +230 are better than Chelsea's trio of Christian Pulisic ($16; +240), Mason Mount ($19; +250), and Hakim Ziyech ($18; +250), and he should be available at a fraction of their expected draft percentage.
Dejan Kulusevski, FWD/MID, Tottenham
FanDuel Salary: $17
With 21 goals scored over their last six matches, Tottenham is in the best form in front of goal of any Premier League side heading into Saturday. Following Arsenal's and Chelsea's recent results, Spurs may be the most popular side on Saturday, but Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min ($20) should be the center of that attention.
Kulusevski has impressed since joining Tottenham in January, with two goals and five assists in 10 appearances. He has either a goal or an assist and 22.0-plus FanDuel points in four of his last six matches and will face an Aston Villa side that has lost their last three matches, allowing a combined five goals over that stretch.
His salary of $17 places him in the same range as Lacazette, James Ward-Prowse ($17), and Kai Havertz ($17), which should further suppress his draft percentage. As a key cog on the side entering this weekend in the best form, Kulusevski is well worth consideration for large-field tournaments.
