Welcome to our latest visit to the Weekly Shop, where we will help guide your selections for daily and weekly Fantasy Football squad building. For this round we’re looking at both FanDuel’s and DraftKing‘s player lists.
As always, we divide the player analysis into two parts: I’ll assess the key targets that no squad can do without in “Better Buys”, before seeking out those one-shot “Poundstretcher” prospects that can provide us with points and liberate precious funds.
For those new to FanDuel our recent strategy guide will help familiarise yourself with their scoring model and key strategies for success.
We also have a player selection guide for DraftKings newcomers, that provides some tips on building the eight-player line-ups for their contests.
If you’re yet to register with these games, you can do via the link to FanDuel here .
Register and deposit £10 or more and you will qualify for the FanDuel ‘Second Shot’ offer of your money back as a free entry if your first paid-for contest is settled as a loss, up to a maximum £10.
You can sign up for a DraftKings account via this link and if you join the Fantasy Football Scout League, you’ll get notification of all our contests heading into the weekend.
Better Buys
Immediately we find ourselves heading back to Claudio Bravo (FanDuel £7m, DraftKings $5,700) for our premium stopper.
He has settled in quickly at Manchester City with back-to-back clean sheets in the league and Europe. Further defensive returns appear to beckon for the Chilean this weekend when City travel to a Swansea City side which has failed score in two of their five league outings.
With save points awarded in both FanDuel and DraftKings, Tom Heaton (FanDuel £7.5m) is another attractive prospect between the sticks. The Burnley keeper has the most saves in the Premier League, registering 24 over five appearances, and also has strong clean sheet potential for the visit Watford.
While the Hornets have scored seven in their last two league games, Burnley have proved resilient at home, conceding just twice at Turf Moor; they certainly demonstrated a steely resolve in the 2-0 home win over Liverpool.
In defence, our priorities differ between the two games with various criteria informing which players we target.
FanDuel defenders, for example, won’t pick up points for clean sheets but are rewarded for defensive actions such as clearances, blocks and interceptions.
This scoring system tends to favour centre-backs, especially those playing for teams that will face waves of pressure from the top sides or those playing away from home who could be under the cosh.
Conversely, in DraftKings, we look for defenders that get forward and serve up crosses from wide positions, this usually means finding full-backs from more attack-minded teams.
Only three points are awarded for a clean sheet and 0.5 points for interceptions so central defenders in DraftKings are best utilised as cheap enablers in the utility slot, and only when funds are tight.
With this in mind, Hull’s Curtis Davies (FanDuel £10.1m, DraftKings $3,800) has been a magnet for CBI points, with 95 so far.
As FanDuel rewards all three attributes, this makes him a near essential purchase each week. The Tigers’ centre-back has seen his price steadily rise so consider Andrew Robertson (FanDuel £6.4m, DraftKings $4,100) if you need to save some of your budget. The full-back has averaged 22.5 FanDuel points in his two away matches, creating three chances and should be busy again at Anfield.
We also like the look of Leicester’s Wes Morgan (FanDuel £7.4m). The centre-back should provide plenty of defensive contributions while attempting to keep Zlatan Ibrahimovic quiet at Old Trafford.
In FanDuel, Seamus Coleman’s (FanDuel £6.2m, DraftKings $4,800) price tag provides a keenly priced route into the Everton rearguard.
The right-back scored and picked up 8 CBIs in the ‘Boro win to build a score of 38 FanDuel points and looks to be the Toffees defender of choice ahead of their trip to Bournemouth.
But we favour Leighton Baines (FanDuel £8.1m, DraftKings $5,900) in DraftKings; the left-back has created seven chances and supplied 13 crosses so looks geared for picking up attacking points.
James Milner (FanDuel Mid £11.4m, DraftKings Def $6,600) looks to be an appealing DraftKings selection after being classified as a defender. The versatile Red is growing into his left-back role, providing 25 crosses and an assist in four appearances, whilst his spot-kick duties add value ahead of the Anfield meeting with Hull.
After scoring a fourth goal in five outings in the 3-1 over Manchester United, Etienne Capoue (FanDuel £9m) maintained his ridiculously strong start to the campaign.
The Frenchman also has a combative streak, with 17 tackles so far, and his versatility makes the Hornet a pick to consider in FanDuel as Walter Mazzarri’s side make the trip to Turf Moor.
Andros Townsend (FanDuel £9.9m, DraftKings $8,800) scored an outstanding first goal for Crystal Palace in Sunday’s rout of Stoke City.
In an impressive performance for his new side, Townsend also created two chances and had two shots on goal to earn a 39 point score in FanDuel. The midfielder equally stood-out in DraftKings, registering ten crosses against for a score of 24.5 points.
The ex-Spurs player looks a strong pick in both formats for the trip to Sunderland.
At Stamford Bridge, Liverpool picked up a third win of the campaign and looked particularly dangerous in the first half against Chelsea.
Roberto Firmino (FanDuel £10.7m, DraftKings $7,600) was rested due to an injury concern but, having started in the EFL Cup, should now return to the starting line-up against Hull. The Brazilian notched a brace in the Reds’ last home match.
Sadio Mane (FanDuel £9.5m, DraftKings $7,500) was also a major threat in the previous home win over Leicester City, after scoring and assisting against the Champions. The Senegalese midfielder is another promising option from Jurgen Klopp’s vibrant Liverpool attack.
Goals against Bournemouth from Kevin De Bruyne (FanDuel £16.3m, DraftKings $10,100), Raheem Sterling (FanDuel £12.1m, DraftKings $8,000) and Ilkay Gundogan (FanDuel £8.1m, DraftKings $5,600) demonstrated the weapons that Pep Guardiola has at his disposal.
Fitting in at least one of those City assets in our line-ups looks sensible if not vital; doubling or even tripling up is also likely to pay off bearing in mind their current form. You have to fancy more City goals at Swansea.
That inevitably leads us to Sergio Aguero (FanDuel £16.3m, DraftKings $10,500) who is set to return to the starting XI at the Liberty Stadium.
Romelu Lukaku (FanDuel £10.1m, DraftKings $8,800) followed up his hat-trick against the Black Cats with another influential performance, scoring and setting up another in the 3-1 win over ‘Boro.
A toe injury meant an early withdrawal last weekend, so look out for team news on the Belgian’s availability.
We’re expecting him to start and also continue his run of form as the Toffees travel to the Vitality Stadium – only Stoke City and West Ham have conceded more goals than Bournemouth.
Poundstretchers
West Brom’s Ben Foster (DraftKings $4,700, FanDuel £7.3m) has made 18 saves over five outings and looks to be a value pick in DraftKings as the Baggies travel to a struggling Stoke City.
We reckon there’s a good chance of the win bonus with a clean sheet for Foster at the bet365 Stadium.
His opponents Stoke provide us with a pair of cheap defensive options.
Glen Johnson (FanDuel £5.3m, DraftKings $3,600) looks suited for both formats if you’re looking for a budget enabler in defence. The right-back returned from the sidelines at Selhurst Park and with Mark Hughes surely targeting defensive improvement, he could be in for some surprise profit.
Centre-back Bruno Martins Indi (FanDuel £6m, DraftKings $3,200) also posted some encouraging numbers (18 CBIs) over his first two matches for the Potters. The Dutchman will be jostling with West Brom forward Salomon Rondon, so should prosper as a bargain FanDuel pick as he looks to mop up the long balls played up to the Baggies striker.
For similar reasons, Lamine Kone (FanDuel £6.6m, DraftKings $3,700) looks to be the Sunderland defender to go for in FanDuel; the centre-back will be tasked with keeping Christian Benteke’s aerial threat to a minimum.
Swansea City’s Jordi Amat (FanDuel £6.5m, DraftKings $2,700) recorded eight clearances to help earn a score of 25 FanDuel points against Southampton. The centre-back should pick up plenty of CBIs for the visit of Manchester City and looks a sound defensive selection in FanDuel.
If your budget won’t stretch to fit in James Milner in your DraftKings line-up, then consider Nathaniel Clyne (DraftKings $4,500, FanDuel £7.6m) as an alternative from the Reds back-line.
The full-back has created more chances (eight) than any other defender this season and should have more opportunities to register returns against the Tigers.
We name-checked Nacer Chadli (FanDuel £5.3m, DraftKings $5,700) as an enabler last week and the Baggies midfielder duly delivered.
A brace and a pair of assists indicate that the ex-Spurs player has already emerged as a serious goal threat and has to be considered in both formats as a budget friendly option for West Brom’s visit to take on the Stoke defence.
Arsenal’s Alex Iwobi (FanDuel £7.5m, DraftKings $5,000) features at a tempting price in both games, the midfielder created three chances in the victory at Hull, setting up two goals and could retain his place for the visit of Chelsea.
If you can’t afford Andros Townsend, but still want some cover for the Eagles’ trip to Sunderland then Jason Puncheon (DraftKings $6,400, FanDuel £8.8m) looks a viable replacement. The midfielder’s 35 crosses so far this campaign makes him a particularly compelling pick in DrafKings.
After impressing from the bench against Stoke, Heung-Min Son (DraftKings $5,900, FanDuel 9m) deserved a starting spot against Sunderland and used that match to cement his place.
A potential asset in DraftKings, the South Korean delivered 15 crosses (worth 0.75 points each in DraftKings) against the Black Cats and has a much kinder price-tag on that platform than in FanDuel.
Harry Kane’s injury not only increases Son’s chances of improved pitch time but also brings summer signing Vincent Janssen (FanDuel £6m, DraftKings $8,100) onto our radar.
The Dutch striker is expected to deputise for the England striker and will be eager to prove himself a capable replacement.
Janssen could emerge as a key asset over the coming weeks, both in the season-long and weekly Fantasy games.
