$25,000 in total prizes will be handed out through the top DraftKings Premier League fantasy equalizer this weekend and since it does not include a fully-stocked schedule for Sunday’s games, the process of building the optimal fantasy lineup becomes a little more difficult. We’re working with what we’ve got, so here is a look at our best possible starting XI for Saturday’s DraftKings Premier League fantasy action.
GK: Lukasz Fabianski, Swansea
Salary: $4,800
Swansea City turned more than a few heads with a 2-2 draw versus Chelsea in last week’s opener and will look to carry over the momentum in to a much more favorable matchup against Newcastle this weekend. Fabianski has proven himself as one of the top fantasy goalkeepers in the Premier League and he is our consensus best bet for Saturday’s starters.
D: Toby Alderweireld, Tottenham
Salary: $4,300
Tottenham nearly held off Manchester United for a draw in its opener but an unlikely own goal was the difference in a 1-0 loss. Now they return home looking to avoid a second straight loss to open the season. Stoke City didn’t show much flare in a 1-0 loss to Liverpool in its opener, so Alderweireld and company should be able to keep their attack in check at home.
D: Christian Fuchs, Leicester
Salary: $3,600
Nobody expected the offensive explosion that Leicester produced in its 4-2 win over Sunderland last week and while West Ham United is coming off an impressive 2-0 win over Arsenal, we like both teams to settle in this week and play a much lower scoring game. With a more conservative matchup expected, Fuchs is an excellent value option at a discount price.
M: Christian Eriksen, Tottenham
Salary: $8,400
Nobody will fault Stoke for giving up one goal to Liverpool off an incredible strike by Philippe Countinho but Spurs is coming off a shutout loss to United, so we know there will be a greater sense of urgency at the offensive end of the pitch. Eriksen is one of the most creative playmakers on the board for Saturday’s games and we are banking on him to deliver in this matchup.
M: Marc Albrighton, Leicester
Salary: $6,500
Albrighton scored a goal and added two assists in Leicester’s 4-2 win over Sunderland and they will need him at his best against West Ham this weekend. The fact that he is available at only $6.5K seems like a discount to us, so we will plug him in to our lineup at the second midfield spot.
F: Harry Kane, Tottenham
Salary: $9,800
Expectations are high for Kane after he scored 31 goals in all competitions last season and while he was limited to three shots in the opener against United, he should get plenty of opportunities to get his first of the new Premier League season on Saturday versus Stoke. Kane is capable of scoring goals in bunches and he is the most dangerous striker available on the board for Saturday’s action. That’s why we splurged here.
F: Jermain Defoe, Sunderland
Salary: $7,100
Defoe took three shots and scored one of Sunderland’s two goals in last week’s 4-2 loss to Leicester and he will lead the way up front when the Foxes attempt to bounce back this weekend. Norwich City looked less than impressive in their 3-1 loss to Crystal Palace and Defoe should have at least a couple of opportunities to get on the score sheet as a quality second striker option for Saturday’s contest.
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FLEX: Peter Crouch, Stoke City
Salary: $5,400
No Premier League striker has capitalized on more aerials than Crouch over the past couple of seasons and his nose for the goal will be important this week against Spurs. Stoke might not win the game but Crouch could still be a factor if he manages to score a goal versus Tottenham this weekend. He’s the best available option left for us to fill out this FLEX position with the money we have remaining.
