RADIO
Welcome back, RotoBallers! Finally, we see the return of the English Premier League. A competition that I know a lot about, in fact here across the pond we just call it the Premier League!
In this article, I will be providing you with my English Premier League daily fantasy soccer lineup picks for DraftKings on 6/21/20 for the slate that locks at 09:00 am ET. Be sure to also check out our other DFS lineup picks for other active sports.
The DraftKings DFS slate is for three games, and below I'll give a quick preview of each of them (so you know what to expect) and then move onto some names to consider for your lineups. If you aren't familiar with how players score in soccer on DraftKings take a look at their scoring methodology. And to submit a lineup you need to select 1 Goalkeeper, 2 Defenders, 2 Midfielders, 2 Forwards, and a Utility player (most likely a Midfielder/ Forward). You can always find me on Twitter @RichKingFF if you have any questions. Good luck RotoBallers!
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English Premier League DFS Lineup Picks - Overview
Newcastle v Sheffield United
Newcastle are looking to secure their mid-table position, and have shown themselves to have a solid defense. In fact, their home form has been incredible this season, having lost just three games at home in the league since August.
Sheffield United will be looking to put their disappointing draw behind them, and continue their push for a European place for next season. I think the game will be quite tight, with maybe one goal in the fixture, which could go either way.
Aston Villa v Chelsea
Chelsea will be aiming to keep their Champions’ League qualification hopes alive with a victory over Aston Villa. Chelsea needs to keep ahead of a tight chasing pack to make sure they qualify for the top European competition next season.
Aston Villa, on the other hand, will equally be pushing for a result. Villa needs to start picking up points if they are going to avoid the drop at the end of the season. A draw against Sheffield United stemmed the flow and gave them a valuable point, but now they need to start winning games.
With Villa looking to attack, I think that Chelsea have a great opportunity to carve them up and get the victory they need.
Everton v Liverpool
This is the game of the slate, the Merseyside derby (and luckily is the last game to kickoff). Liverpool will relish the opportunity to take them closer to winning the league title against their rivals. If Liverpool gets the win, then they will only need three more points to guarantee they will win the title.
Everton restarts the campaign in mid-table, with not a lot to play for. However, that won't mean they won't be pushing to get a result, and they are pushing to get a top-half finish at the end of the season to show improvement from recent seasons.
In this game though, it's hard to look past Liverpool getting what they need and then pushing onto win the league.
DraftKings DFS Midfielders / Forwards
You'll see as we go through the slate that there are lots of players that have dual eligibility to be in your midfield or forward slot. Here you are looking for players that are constant scoring threats, as well as players that get involved in wide areas where they can put in crosses.
Let's be honest, you want to try and get part of the potent Liverpool attack so you will want to add either Mo Salah ($10,500) or Sadio Mane ($10,200) who spearhead their attack. While they are the headline grabbers, don't forget that Roberto Firmino ($6,700) is an important part of the offense, so try and get exposure to him if you are playing multiple entries.
In that same game, you could look at Richarlison ($6,200) who is the main goal-scoring threat for the team, and scored in the reverse fixture earlier in the season.
A duo worth consideration are Chelsea's Mason Mount ($7,600) or Tammy Abraham ($7,500). Abraham should be back and firing after recovering from injury earlier in the season, and Mount is the player that controls the team and gets forward at times (similar to now manager Frank Lampard).
In the early game, there are a few options, depending on your remaining budget. You could opt for Jonjo Shelvey ($6,500) who is the set-piece taker for the team, giving him a great floor, while also getting forward for the team. If you need a cheaper play then Miguel Almiron ($5,700) gets forward often for the team and could get on the scoresheet if given the chance. However, his lack of involvement in other areas of the field mean he could flame out.
DraftKings DFS Defenders
Defenders are where it starts to get interesting. In an ideal world, you want a defender who has a good chance of keeping a clean sheet while getting involved in attacking play. This slate doesn't have a team that looks like it will have a good chance to keep a clean sheet, so it's a case of looking at wing-backs.
These games force me to look at a duo of Liverpool players. While I would like to find salary to play Trent Alexander-Arnold ($9,000), but I think it's going to be a big ask to do. However, Andrew Robertson ($5,200) looks like he will be available to play and is a constant threat when getting forward. You could also opt for the central rock of the defense, Virgil van Dijk ($4,300), who should be able to keep the Everton attack in check. Even if Liverpool concede, he gets forward at corners and could score from a set-piece.
Outside of those two I am equally interested in Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta ($5,500) or Sheffield United's George Baldock ($4,600) who both get forward for their team and put in crosses for players to get on the end of, giving them decent floors. Both Chelsea and Sheffield United also have an opportunity to keep a clean sheet, which could mean they could be slate breakers.
DraftKings DFS Goalkeepers
The premier choice is between whichever Liverpool goalkeeper looks to start. Currently, Alisson ($5,500) looks like he should be available after recovering from injury, but if there is news that he won't then opting for Adrian ($5,600) is a fine choice.
Outside of those two, I'd be fine in playing Dean Henderson ($5,000) or Martin Dubravka ($4,500). Henderson has a matchup against Newcastle United who have struggled to score goals consistently, while Dubravka has an outside opportunity at keeping a clean sheet.
And that's it! Any questions, you know where to find me otherwise Good Luck RotoBallers.
