SOCCER

FanDuel Soccer: EPL DFS Helper for 4/16/22

Which players should you roster for Saturday's main slate, and how can you earn a share of a $3,000 prize pool via the Captain Morgan Soccer Pick 'Em?

As always, we're covering FanDuel's main slate, and that kicks off at 10 a.m. EST on Saturday.

Captain Morgan and FanDuel have teamed up to offer you an additional way to win with the Captain Morgan Soccer Pick 'Em. Simply answer 10 questions about this week of games for your free chance to win a share of $3,000.

Positional Breakdown
Forwards/Midfielders

It's hard to feel too confident about Manchester United right now, but they have a great opportunity to get back to winning ways Saturday at home versus Norwich.

The Canaries are last in the EPL table and have shipped 63 goals in 31 league matches. Their expected goal (xG) differential per 90 minutes is -1.08, per FBRef. The second-worst team in the league has an xG differential per 90 of -0.65. So, in short, this is basically the best matchup United could have by a long ways.

Cristiano Ronaldo ($22) and Bruno Fernandes ($21) could rip it up in a match in which United have the ability to score a handful. Both players will be immensely popular, but on a three-game slate, you probably gotta just swallow the chalk with one of them unless you are really determined to be different. Ronaldo's form is poor, but he's flashed huge upside at times and will be on penalties. Fernandes will be on the ball a lot and can create a plethora of chances.

United's Jadon Sancho ($17), Anthony Elanga ($16), Paul Pogba ($16) and Marcus Rashford ($18) are all quality options, too, if they start. You can make a case for dedicating three attacking slots to the Red Devils.

Arsenal are also in a nice spot as they travel to Southampton. The Saints don't have much to play for, although they'll surely turn up after getting drubbed by Chelsea last weekend. Arsenal, meanwhile, desperately need three points in the race for the fourth spot.

Bukayo Saka ($20) is salaried up among the elites, which could lower his draft percentage a bit if the masses try to stack Bruno and Ronaldo. Martin Odegaard ($18), Alexandre Lacazette ($16), Gabriel Martinelli ($15) and Emile Smith-Rowe ($17) are viable picks. If they get into the starting XI, Laca and Martinelli make a ton of sense at their salaries. Laca will likely be on penalties.

While I'm intrigued by Arsenal, I'm also pretty interested in the Watford-Brentford match. The Hornets are running out of time and need a win here, which could lead to a blah fantasy environment if Watford get a lead and try to play for a 1-0 win. On the flip side, if Brentford jump ahead, Watford will have no choice but to chase the game. We saw this scenario play out in a Watford-Leeds match that ended up with a total of three goals and was pretty end-to-end in the second half.

The Hornets will probably give us a value option in Joao Pedro ($14), who started at striker last weekend. His salary comes in handy if you're using Bruno and CR7. Emmanuel Dennis ($17) hasn't lived up to his early-campaign form and is over-salaried, but that makes him a sweet GPP choice if he's back in the lineup.

On the Brentford side, Ivan Toney ($19) might go off. He's produced three games of 40-plus FanDuel points across his last five and is on spot kicks for the Bees. Watford have allowed the third-most xG, and if the Hornets have to open up and chase the game, Toney could have a field day. The same goes for Cristian Eriksen ($17), who has put up at least 19.3 FanDuel points in three consecutive outings.

Added time -- Taking a shot at a Southampton attacker isn't a bad idea. Stuart Armstrong ($10) is a decent value target while Armando Broja ($14) is easy to love at this salary. ... Norwich's Kenny McLean ($8) and Kieran Dowell ($8) could wind up being the lowest-salaried starters among forwards/midfielders if you're going for a stars-and-scrubs build.

Defenders

Norwich's defenders will have solid floors. While I normally don't like dropping big salary for a floor defender, Grant Hanley ($13) has my eye. He's generated at least 15.6 FanDuel points in six of his last seven matches and had 28.4 and 29.7 FanDuel points from solely defensive actions the last two games. Whew.

Ben Gibson ($10), Sam Byrum ($9) and Dimitris Giannoulis ($7) are also listed as expected starters on the Canaries' back-line. They don't have a floor as high as Hanley's, but they're serviceable plays, especially if you need to save salary.

Alex Telles ($12) and Aaron Wan-Bissaka ($9) are penciled in as United's starting full-backs with Luke Shaw out. They will have chances to get forward and make for good stacking partners alongside United attackers.

Added time -- Watford's Hassane Kamara ($14) has been a very steady DFS asset, scoring at least 11.7 FanDuel points in eight straight games, including back-to-back outputs of 19.9 and 20.8 FanDuel points. ... Valentino Livramento ($11) has some upside against Arsenal and won't be popular.

Goalies

David de Gea ($14) offers the best shot at a win and/or clean sheet with the Red Devils at home against Norwich. He's had to make multiple saves in every game but one since October, so he should have some save volume to fall back on if he does concede.

After De Gea, Aaron Ramsdale ($12) checks some boxes in Arsenal's fixture at Southampton. Ramsdale's recent fantasy production has been awful as the Gunners hit a skid, but he has the talent to post a good outing at the Saints.

Added time -- The Watford-Brentford game is a decent place to find a keeper. David Raya ($11) and Ben Foster ($10) should start. It's scary to invest in Foster, who hasn't kept a clean sheet in any of his last five matches, but this isn't a bad spot for him.