The FA Cup continues this week with seven games on the schedule for Saturday and in terms of this week’s DraftKings tournaments the focus is on four specific matchups. We took the time to break down the players and their values in order to figure out the best possible lineup in order to help you earn some cash this weekend. Here is a look at the optimal lineup for this Saturday’s DraftKings FA Cup fantasy leagues.
GK: Asmir Begovic, Chelsea
Salary: $5,800
Chelsea has been cruising through their Premier League slate and we don’t anticipate a letdown in the FA Cup when they take on Wolves on Saturday. It makes sense to roll with the Blues goalkeeper but just keep an eye on the wire to make sure Begovic will in fact be between the pipes.
In EPL play, Chelsea has been the best team in the league far and away. They have 60 points while no other team in the Premier League has more than 52. What we can draw for FA Cup fantasy purposes from their performance in the EPL is that they’ve been fantastic at the defensive 18. So far this season, they have allowed just 18 goals in 25 games. That’s tied for the best in the league.
D: Danny Simpson, Leicester
Salary: $3,400
Leicester’s struggles in the Premier League have been well documented this season but they are still alive in the FA Cup and should be in a good position to pick up the win over Millwall on Saturday. Simpson is a lower priced defender option and should make for a strong value play in FA Cup fantasy. Leicester City has been fairly lousy in the EPL so far this season as they have just 21 points in 25 games and sit in 17th place.
D: John Stones, Manchester City
Salary: $3,300
Speaking of strong value plays on the back end, Stones certainly fits that bill as well at just $3.3K. We fully expect Stones to be in the starting XI for Manchester City when they take on Huddersfield in their fifth round matchup so don’t shy away from slotting him in to your DraftKings lineup.
M: Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester City
Salary: $10,000
After saving money with some strong value picks at the defender spots, we can spend a little more on De Bruyne in the midfield. Manchester City should have no problem producing goals against Huddersfield and it will be De Bruyne leading the attack as their most important offensive player. What we can draw from their EPL play for FA Cup fantasy purposes is that Man City has been stellar at the offensive end. They have scored 51 goals so far this season; only four teams in the EPL have scored more than 50.
M: Victor Moses, Chelsea
Salary: $7,400
While Moses doesn’t bring the same star power that De Bruyne does, he should make for a strong second midfield pick for Saturday’s DraftKings tournaments. Moses is more reasonably priced at $7.4K and he could surprise with a high level of production similar to De Bruyne this weekend.
F: Diego Costa, Chelsea
Salary: $9,500
It makes a lot of sense to double down on the Chelsea attacking players with a chance to capitalize on a very favorable matchup against Wolves, especially with Costa available at under $10K at the forward position. Costa will need to step up in order for the Blues to secure another FA Cup victory and he should be in line for a strong FA Cup fantasy performance.
F: Jamie Vardy, Leicester
Salary: $6,300
Vardy might not be enjoying the same level of offensive success as he did a year ago but he is still a talented striker that will have every opportunity to step up and deliver a big performance in the FA Cup this weekend. Vardy is available at a very reasonable $6.3K in DraftKings competitions so he is definitely worth investing in this weekend.
FLEX: Cesar Azpilicueta, Chelsea
Salary: $4,300
With just over $4K left over for our final FLEX spot, Azpilicueta might be the best value as another play from Chelsea. Azpilicueta has been among the best Premier League defenders all season and we will hope he delivers another strong FA Cup fantasy performance this weekend.
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