The Premier League season continues on Saturday with six games on the schedule including the most highly anticipated game of the week with Chelsea set to host Tottenham. We broke down the matchups and the price tags on DraftKings in order to come up with the best combination of star talent and strong value options for you to create a winning fantasy roster this week. Here is a look at the optimal lineup for Saturday’s DraftKings EPL Fantasy Leagues.
GK: Ron-Robert Zieler, Leicester City
Salary: $5,200
Kasper Schmeichel didn’t play in Tuesday’s Champions League game as he continues to recover from an injured hand, so we aren’t expecting him to be back this Saturday for Leicester’s matchup with Middlesbrough. That means Zieler should get the start in what should be a favorable matchup at home. All three Leicester goalkeepers are listed between $5.1-$5.2K so check the wire closer to game time and make sure you lock in whichever goalkeeper gets the nod versus Middlesbrough.
D: Nyom, West Brom
Salary: $4,300
West Brom is another team that should benefit from a favorable matchup as they host a Hull City side that has dropped four of its last five and is tied with Middlesbrough for the fewest goals in the Premier League. Hull City has just 10 goals through 12 games so Nyom represents a strong chance at benefiting from a clean sheet bonus in addition to the work he does on the pitch.
D: Danny Simpson, Leicester City
Salary: $3,700
Simpson is available at $600 less than Nyom but he should be just as strong of an option for Saturday’s DraftKings competitions. There is a good chance that Leicester shuts the door on Middlesbrough at home so Simpson could also be in line for a clean sheet bonus as a strong value option in EPL fantasy leagues.
M: Roberto Firmino, Liverpool
Salary: $8,900
Sunderland is just 2-2-8 on the season so they will be in tough on the road against a Liverpool side that owns the best record in the Premier League this season. Firmino ranks second behind only Phillippe Coutinho in fantasy points on the Liverpool roster and the fact that we can slot him in at the midfield position instead of forward makes him that much more appealing in Daily Fantasy Leagues.
M: Riyad Mahrez, Liverpool
Salary: $8,200
Mahrez is right behind Jamie Vardy as Leicester City’s top fantasy option but he is a much better option than some of the other midfielders available for Saturday. Mahrez should have another productive outing versus Middlesbrough so we are confident in him as our second midfield option. Liverpool is currently in second place in the EPL standings as they’ve collected 27 points in 12 games.
F: Christian Benteke, Crystal Palace
Salary: $7,200
Crystal Palace won’t be the favorite in many games this season but they do have a decent matchup against a Swansea side that is buried at the bottom of the Premier League table right now. That should open the door for a strong performance from Benteke, who is listed at a very reasonable $7.2K in EPL fantasy tournaments. Crystal Palace is currently sitting in 16th place with 11 points as the week begins.
F: Jermain Defoe, Sunderland
Salary: $6,200
Defoe is another reasonably priced striker option that has the potential to make a splash in what could be a higher scoring affair versus Liverpool. Defoe has scored a goal in each of his last three games for Sunderland so it won’t be a shock if he delivers again on Saturday. Defoe is basically the only reason to look at this team for EPL fantasy purposes. They are in second-last place in the standings table with just eight points through 12 games and they’ve only scored 12 goals in those contests, which is the third-fewest in the EPL.
FLEX: James McClean, West Brom
Salary: $6,100
With just over $6K left over to address our final FLEX position, McClean appears to be the best option available with West Brom set to take on Hull City on Saturday. McClean has been a steady force in the midfield for West Brom so we have to hope that he can find the score sheet this weekend as the perfect choice for the final spot on our Daily Fantasy League roster.
