DraftKings DFS Soccer: GPP, Tournament Strategies for Sunday, May 28

Typically, most Premier League Saturdays on DraftKings feature four or five matches, so a 10-game slate offers different strategic consideration than usual. In small-field contests (such as the 200-entry King of the Pitch), rostership will be more concentrated on the best plays, but you are likely to land on some lower-rostered players naturally with so many teams to choose from.

Instead of pinpointing players, I went through all 10 matches below. They aren't intended to be definitive (there are so many ways to play this slate!) and I'm just trying to get a good feeling for the range of outcomes of key teams and players. My approach is centered around fielding a roster of players where everyone has a realistic route to 25 or more fantasy points. 

I don't think there is any reason to get wildly contrarian and I'll focus on major favorites, teams playing at home, and players with anytime goalscoring odds around +150 or better. I try to find some underutilized players and overlooked games, but my primary concern will be fielding a roster that can score enough points to win in a slate where the aggregate implied goal total is above 30.

DraftKings DFS Content for Sunday's final EPL slate

• DFS Podcast and Cash with Jack, Ryan Belongia and Adam Zdroik
• Cash-game strategy article from Ryan Belongia

MATCHES (ET)

• 11:30 am: Arsenal vs. Wolverhampton
• 11:30 am: Aston Villa vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
• 11:30 am: Brentford vs. Manchester City
• 11:30 am: Chelsea vs. Newcastle United
• 11:30 am: Crystal Palace vs. Nottingham Forest
• 11:30 am: Everton vs. AFC Bournemouth
• 11:30 am: Leeds United vs. Tottenham Hotspur
• 11:30 am: Leicester City vs. West Ham United
• 11:30 am: Manchester United vs. Fulham
• 11:30 am: Southampton vs. Liverpool

For detailed stats and odds, check out the

DraftKings Fantasy Soccer: Sunday EPL Cheat Sheet

Southampton vs. Liverpool

Liverpool are the second-biggest favorite Sunday and have the highest-implied goal total. Mohamed Salah ($10,200) and Roberto Firmino ($8,200) are each roughly -120 to score. I'm not certain how popular either is going to be since Salah is quite expensive and I have minutes concerns about Firmino. That should keep them from becoming too chalky if you want to attack this match. Cody Gakpo ($7,100) might be the under-the-radar Liverpool play if he starts and he has gone a full 90 minutes in his previous three starts. If Diogo Jota ($8,000), Darwin Nunez ($7,900) and Luis Diaz ($6,800) all make the bench, I'd still have some serious doubts about Gakpo's minutes despite recent trends.

Trent Alexander-Arnold ($7,100) seems good for a 10-point floor, but I don't think that will be enough to pay off his price with so many other options to choose from. There just aren't a lot of spend-down options at other positions with ceilings. On the other hand, this is one of the best matchups of the season for Liverpool and I expect them to keep possession. Alexander-Arnold benefits from this type of script in his new, more central role. He'll be more likely to score or assist than usual and I think he'll need that to reach 20 points. On the other side of the Liverpool defense, I can't trust Andrew Robertson ($5,600) to reliably hit a floor or play 90 minutes.

Arsenal vs. Wolves

Arsenal are slightly stronger favorites than Liverpool and while they are out of form, they benefit from having a home matchup. Bukayo Saka ($8,800) and Gabriel Jesus ($7,500) are great plays at forward. If I had to nitpick, I worry about their minutes with Arsenal having little to play for. On the other hand, I don't think the field will condense too much on any specific Arsenal player (if they do, I think it will be Jesus), and they can easily do their damage in the first 75 minutes. A similar feeling applies to Martin Odegaard ($7,700), who will be even less utilized since he is midfield-eligible only.

Saka missed a key penalty a few weeks ago, so I wonder if Jorginho ($3,900) might take penalties if he gets the start. If you are willing to gamble that this is the case, I think Jorginho is a great pivot off a cash-game piece like Chelsea's Lewis Hall ($4,800). I think it makes sense to use him only if you play someone like Saka or Jesus at forward, since Arsenal should dominate possession in this match and Jorginho is capable of contributing assists. I'm not prioritizing stacking, but when Jorginho is this cheap I think it makes sense.

Manchester United vs. Fulham

At first, I thought I might want to play a lot of United pieces but given what I saw in their recent match against Chelsea, I may fade them. Bruno Fernandes ($9,600) might be a popular option, but he has lost his hold of set pieces lately and doesn't have a good enough floor to justify his price. Christian Eriksen ($6,400) has an assist in each of his past two starts and has been taking most corners and free kicks. I think Eriksen will be a reasonable choice in cash games, but his profile is one I want to avoid in tournaments. Sure, he can contribute an assist, but his goal equity is low and I think I can find the points in other spots even if Eriksen scores 15 points. 

Luke Shaw ($5,700) was subbed off at halftime with a minor back injury Thursday. I'll monitor the news, but I have no interest in rostering an expensive full-back without guaranteed set pieces who is nursing a minor injury.

If I do play a United player, it will probably be Marcus Rashford ($8,700). Rashford will be one of the most popular forward options on the slate with -150 goalscoring odds. It's been a difficult season for Rashford faders, but I'm also confident in my ability to find alternatives with just as much upside with nine other games to choose from. Bruno took a penalty with Rashford on the pitch Thursday, so I think his goalscoring odds might be a bit too high without guaranteed penalties. 

Everton vs. Bournemouth

Dwight McNeil ($9,600) projects as one of the best forward-eligible players on the entire slate and he is certain to be chalky in both the small-field King of the Pitch and large-field contests. Everton have a favorable home matchup against already-safe Bournemouth and they are guaranteed to stay up with a victory. McNeil is regularly hitting a 12-15 point floor and his +185 anytime goalscoring odds are quite strong. That's a pretty elite range of outcomes and it's difficult to fade him in smaller-field contests. If he starts as a left-back again or if Demarai Gray ($7,800) starts and takes away some set pieces, I feel like a fade becomes much easier. Dominic Calvert-Lewin ($5,700) is a doubt to start. I think he would be popular if he was fit, but is Neal Maupay ($6,100) that much different at almost the same cost? 

Crystal Palace vs. Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest are safe after beating Arsenal at home last weekend, so this match features two teams with nothing to play for. I'm of the view that this increases the volatility of the matchup and one worries this could be a dull, low-scoring affair. But this is also the final home game for Crystal Palace and I think they may try to attack. 

I don't think Eberechi Eze ($9,500) and Michael Olise ($9,000) will attract much rostership and each of them are capable of massive ceiling performances. All season I've been half-joking about playing Odsonne Edouard ($5,900), but he's a cheap option as a home forward with +140 anytime goalscoring odds. I worry about his ceiling, but salary is somewhat tight making it worth considering. I'm not prioritizing stacking teammates with 20 teams to choose from, but if you play Olise, I think teaming him up with someone cheaper like Edouard in larger contests makes sense.

Brentford vs. Manchester City

This is a matchup I think I will fade in tournaments. Brentford pieces don't feel worth targeting as underdogs in a bad matchup, while City have secured the Premier League title and have the FA Cup and Champions League final in the upcoming weeks. I think this means City will rotate and even if players like Kevin De Bruyne ($9,800) start, they are early sub liabilities. Without any screaming values (even Cole Palmer would be $6,700 if he started), I'm confident I can find points in the other games even if City play well.

Leicester City vs. West Ham

Leicester must win to have any chance at promotion, while West Ham are on the road and likely will rest key players with a Europa Conference League final coming up. James Maddison ($9,100) profiles as a cash-game option if he starts and he will be one of the most popular tournament options in all formats. I think there is some fragility in Maddison's range of outcomes. Indeed, it was strange that he didn't start in their recent 0-0 draw at Newcastle, and there have been instances where Maddison has not been operating as a set-piece monopolist. 

Youri Tielemans ($5,100) is extremely cheap if Maddison doesn't start and I think in larger tournaments the field would not properly react to this type of news. Due to my concerns about minutes, I'd be less likely to roster Kelechi Iheanacho ($6,600) and Jamie Vardy ($4,900) in smaller-field contests, but they pair well with Maddison and offer some salary relief. Vardy has the best anytime goalscoring odds of players priced $5,000 below on the entire slate and offers salary relief if you spend up multiple times at defender. Pairing either with Maddison is sensible in tournaments.

Aston Villa vs. Brighton

I'm not too interested in rostering Brighton players, since they are slight underdogs on the road and they have already secured their Europa League spot for the next season. Villa have some motivation in this match, as they need to win in order to secure a spot in next season's Europa Conference League. I think this game will go overlooked in tournaments, but I think the Villa side is full of value. John McGinn ($4,800) continues to be too cheap if he starts in a forward position. Check to see if someone like Boubacar Kamara is starting with Douglas Luiz ($6,200) before committing to this selection. Ollie Watkins ($6,500) is underpriced for his goalscoring odds of +115 and I don't think his rostership will get steamed since he hasn't scored a goal since April 15.

Leeds United vs. Tottenham

Spurs could secure a Conference League berth with a win and a Villa draw or loss, but I don't think they'll be particularly heartbroken if they fail to qualify for that tournament. Leeds are certain to be relegated. A match between two teams that hardly care can often be a recipe for many goals. I'm curious what the rostership for Harry Kane will look like; I think he will be low rostered and a good pivot off of a popular Rashford. His price tag of $8,600 is close to set-piece takers in better matchups (such as Saka), but no one would be surprised if he scored a brace or better away to Leeds. 

Pedro Porro ($6,400) initially seemed like a bargain to me, but he didn't start last match while Spurs switched to a 4-2-3-1 formation. If Porro is deployed as a wing-back, I'll probably play him in every lineup. His set-piece role is just too valuable and I think he might be the most likely defender to score a goal. My favorite dart throw play of the entire slate might be Dejan Kulusevski ($5,700). He took some corners in the absence of Porro last game to pair with an 11-point floor. My only concern is that he may only play 70 minutes, but that might be enough against Leeds.

Chelsea vs. Newcastle

I'm not enthusiastic about rostering anyone on Chelsea, who have been anemic on offense the past two months. I also don't want to force Newcastle pieces on the road, but it's difficult to ignore Kieran Trippier ($7,500) and how bad Chelsea have been under Frank Lampard. As much as I'd like to consider fading a popular Trippier in a meaningless matchup for Newcastle, he has the safest floor of all the expensive defenders and I am not particularly confident enough in the alternatives. I'm more likely to fade Trippier in large-field contests and when I play him, I'm more likely to pair him with one of his teammates. Alexander Isak is favorably priced at $6,500 and I don't think he'll be popular given his recent form.