Monday evening brings the curtain down on the Round of 16 as DraftKings managers are handed a pair of fixtures to assemble their eight-man squads from.
Defending champions Spain take on Italy in the tie of the round at 5pm, with a mouth-watering quarter-final clash against Germany awaiting the victors.
Vicente del Bosque’s side won their opening pair of matches against Turkey and Czech Republic before a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Croatia saw them finish the group stages as Group D runners-up.
The Azzurri were also beaten in their final group fixture. After clinching qualification with victories over Belgium and Sweden, Antonio Conte’s decision to rest many of his regulars resulted in a 1-0 loss to Republic of Ireland.
England and Iceland go head-to-head at 8pm for the right to meet hosts France in the next round.
Roy Hodgson’s team arrive unbeaten, with a win against Wales and draws with Russia and Slovakia on their way to finishing as Group B runners-up. The Three Lions manager faces a dilemma up front, though, after his side fired 29 unsuccessful attempts on goal during their goalless draw with Jan Kozak’s outfit.
Iceland, meanwhile, also picked up five points from their first three fixtures, with a pair of stalemates against Portugal and Hungary preceding a last-gasp win over Austria that clinched the runners-up spot in Group F.
Fortunately, DraftKings allows us to take in the teamsheets before each fixture, adjusting our eight-man squads accordingly in order to seek out potential last-minute bargains.
Here’s our selection of DraftKings
Alvaro Morata – Spain – $8600
If the defending champions are to progress at the expense of Italy, Morata’s contribution in and around the box looks crucial in Monday’s early fixture. Joint-top scorer for the tournament so far, the Spain frontman has notched three of his side’s five strikes to date and registered six attempts on target – four more than any of Vicente del Bosque’s players over the group stages.
Gylfi Sigurdsson – Iceland – $7100
The Iceland midfielder offers DraftKings managers an all-round option in the centre of the park for the 8pm clash against England. Sigurdsson produced more successful tackles than any team-mate in the first three fixtures and also led the way for attempts on goal for the Group F runners-up. Given that he’s also on penalty duties and takes a fair share of corners, the Swansea City playmaker could be well worth the $7100 outlay.
Wayne Rooney – England – $7300
England’s captain will be fully refreshed for the Iceland game after being afforded a second-half sub role for the final group match against Slovakia. Classified as a midfielder on DraftKings, Rooney looks a secure pick in the centre of the park at a time where uncertainty surrounds the make-up of Roy Hodgson’s attack for this evening’s encounter. Number one for corners, the Manchester United man has produced more crosses than any team-mate and also leads the way for attempts on target as the Three Lions look to book a place in the final eight against France.
Emmanuel Giaccherini – Italy – $5300
Having spent last season on loan at Bologna, the Sunderland man has the opportunity to place himself in the shop window this summer. Afforded a central midfield berth in Antonio Conte’s 3-5-2 formation, Giaccherini notched Italy’s first goal of the tournament in a 2-0 win over Belgium before being rested for the final group match against Republic of Ireland. With Antonio Candreva ruled out through injury, Giaccherini – who sits second for successful crosses amongst Conte’s charges – looks likely to be handed a share of dead-ball duties as The Azzurri attempt to book a quarter-final slot against Germany.
Kyle Walker – England – $4800
With opponents Iceland expected to sit deep and frustrate, the England right-back should be afforded leeway to raid forward down the flank. Rested for the final group match against Slovakia, Walker is expected to return to the starting XI despite the impressive display of Nathaniel Clyne last time out. The Tottenham Hotspur man leads the way for both crosses and successful tackles amongst the England defence, underlining his suitability to the DraftKings scoring matrix.
Spots in DraftKings contests for Monday’s matches are still available, including the $3 entry “Striker” with a $10k prize pot.
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