DraftKings DFS Soccer: UCL Picks for Tuesday, Oct. 24

MATCHES (ET)

• 3:00 pm: Benfica vs. Real Sociedad
• 3:00 pm: Lens vs. PSV Eindhoven
• 3:00 pm: Manchester United vs. FC Copenhagen
• 3:00 pm: SC Braga vs. Real Madrid
• 3:00 pm: Sevilla vs. Arsenal
• 3:00 pm: Union Berlin vs. Napoli

For detailed stats and odds, check out the

DraftKings Fantasy Soccer: Tuesday UCL Cheat Sheet

FORWARDS

Bukayo Saka (ARS at SEV, $9,500): I was surprised Saka started against Chelsea over the weekend after he withdrew from international duty due to a hamstring injury. He's been nursing minor injuries for many weeks and Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta seems committed to starting Saka if he is physically able to play. I'm not sure how wise this is long term, but in the short term, Saka is Arsenal's most dangerous player capable of racking up huge fantasy scores from open play with goals and assists, while also splitting set pieces. I'm not enthusiastic about an away match against Sevilla, but he is a great spend-up option at forward in cash games. 

Angel Di Maria (BEN vs. RSO, $6,400): (Editor's note: Di Maria has been out since picking up a muscle injury before the international break, but he trained Monday and is a late-fitness test). Benfica host Real Sociedad in the lowest implied goal total of the slate at just above 2.50. I'm not targeting this match as a potential shootout, but Di Maria splits set pieces for Benfica and is averaging seven crosses per 90 minutes in domestic league play this season. He has logged four shots in each of his past four starts, playing 85 minutes in each of those appearances and he took Benfica's lone penalty this season. He's underpriced for this role and I think he'll be popular in cash games despite an uninspiring game environment.  

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (FCU vs. NAP, $7,100): From the point of view of the bookmakers, Napoli are similar to Arsenal in terms of both implied goal total and win percentage in their road match to Union Berlin. I find myself more drawn to Napoli in tournaments despite this similarity. The advantage with Napoli is that their forwards are much cheaper than Arsenal's. Gabriel Martinelli ($8,900) and Gabriel Jesus ($8,000) are fine at their prices, but it's difficult to click their names ahead of Kvaratskhelia or Matteo Politano ($6,300) when you can save almost $1,000 in salary. 

Kvaratskhelia has found his form after a slow start to the season due to an injury with three goals and two assists in his last five starts. I expect him to go a full 90 minutes against Berlin. The ceiling is there for Politano at his price, but he's not guaranteed to have a solid role with set pieces and he remains an early sub risk despite the potential for more minutes due to the absence of Victor Osimhen.

I've neglected to mention the two biggest favorites of the slate, Manchester United and Real Madrid. While I am most enthusiastic about the highlighted Napoli forwards above, both sides offer forwards well-worth playing. Vinicius Junior ($9,000) is on the expensive side for this slate, but Real Madrid's implied goal total is the same as Manchester United's. The only knock I have on Vinicius is that he hasn't played a full 90 minutes since his injury in September. Otherwise, he is capable of scoring 20 points from just one goal and breaking the slate with a brace in a plus matchup against Braga.

The Manchester United forwards are all underpriced and I think Rasmus Hojlund ($7,200), Marcus Rashford ($6,600) and Antony ($6,200) should all be at least $1,000 more expensive. On paper, all are great DFS targets who can easily pay off their price tags. In practice, I just can't get over how poor Manchester United have looked this season. 

They struggled on the road to a miserable Sheffield United team, who controlled possession for alarmingly long spells. They are coming off a loss at home to Galatasaray when they were similarly strong favorites as they are against Copenhagen. Fortunately for DFS players, it can be a positive if Manchester United are struggling to put away lesser competition. Either they will push for a comprehensive victory in front of their home fans or they might concede a goal or two, forcing them to attack more aggressively all match.

MIDFIELDERS

Bruno Fernandes (MUN vs. CPH, $9,400): If you're playing cash games Tuesday, I think you're penciling Bruno into one of your midfield spots. He continues to be the primary set-piece taker and took United's lone penalty this season. On a per-90 rate this season in domestic play, Bruno is averaging three shots (1.2 on target), three shots assisted and seven crosses. 

Jude Bellingham (BRA vs. RMA, $9,700): Bellingham is expensive and without set pieces he is not a conventional cash-game target. However, I'm planning on having a high exposure to Bellingham in GPPs. The 20-year-old is in incredible form in his debut season for Real Madrid. Per 90 minutes, he's drawing 3.5 fouls per to pair with 2.5 shots and 1.7 shots assisted. He's scored a goal in all but three of his 11 starts to pair with three assists. Bellingham may well be a top-three player in the world right now, perhaps even the best, and he's poised to continue crushing on the road at Braga.

Joey Veerman (PSV at RCL, $6,700): I've yet to mention anyone from the Lens-PSV matchup. Lens are a bit frustrating from a DFS perspective and they sub their attacking players frequently. For example, it's tough to pay $7,900 for Angelo Fulgini, who takes most of Lens' set pieces but is a near lock to be subbed after 75 minutes. This matchup is basically a toss up and Veerman is cheap for a set-piece monopolist. Ideally, Veerman starts with Jerdy Schouten, who is a more defensive midfielder. This would give Veerman a bit more license to join the attack when PSV are in possession and it would make him a better option in GPPs.

DEFENDERS

Sergio Reguilon or Victor Lindelof (MUN vs. CPH, $3,500/$2,700): I've mentioned mostly expensive players at midfield and forward, and if you jam those options you'll need some salary relief at the defender position. A combination of injuries and illness continues to keep Reguilon out of the Manchester United squad, but if he is available, $3,500 is too cheap for his matchup against Copenhagen. If he's not fit, Lindelof has been deputizing at left-back and he even got an assist against Sheffield United over the weekend. Lindelof is not an attacking player, but at $2,700, he's fine for a player on the flank in a plus matchup with strong clean sheet odds. 

Alexander Bah or Juan Bernat (BEN vs. RSO, $4,100/$3,700): I'm not sure if Bah is fit to start after sustaining a knee injury before the international break, but he is an attacking-minded full-back and I think he is well priced if he is healthy. If not, Bernat should start instead of him. He's a less exciting option than Bah, but it's a fair price, even if minutes aren't guaranteed for him, either. Jordan Teze ($4,500) was a hero in the most recent Champions League slate and I was not tilted at all by his last-minute equalizer that fell to his feet right in front of goal. Joking aside, Teze is an attacking-oriented player and a good option in all formats at his price.

I didn't mention any expensive defenders and if you're willing to forgo a popular expensive forward, I think you can afford them at modest rostership. Options like Giovanni Di Lorenzo ($5,600) and Josip Juranovic ($5,800) or Christopher Trimmel ($5,700) (who both take set pieces) are capable of getting on the scoresheet and separating from the rest of the defender pool in GPPs. 

GOALKEEPER

Orjan Nyland (SEV vs. ARS, $4,100): What kind of Tottenham fan would I be if I didn't highlight Sevilla's goalkeeper at home against Arsenal? Nyland should have plenty of opportunities for saves, but honestly, I'm fine with any one of the cheap home goalkeepers. It simply doesn't seem worthwhile to spend up for an out-of-form Andre Onana ($5,800) or road goalkeeper. 

In tournaments, anyone who doesn't correlate negatively to my outfield players is fine and in cash games, I'm willing to play whoever fits and focus on the rest of my lineup spots. I think Braga's Matheus ($3,800) might be a popular punt in cash games. He plays at home and I think it's unlikely Real Madrid players are popular in cash. Anatolii Trubin ($5,100) looks like a solid spend-up option at home in the lowest implied goal total matchup if you want to play a favored goalkeeper.