This article is part of our DraftKings Fantasy Soccer series.
For detailed odds and stats, check out the Fantasy Champions League: Wednesday Cheat Sheet.
MATCHES (EDT)
2:45 p.m: Juventus v. Sporting CP
2:45 p.m: Barcelona v. Olympiacos
2:45 p.m: Chelsea v. Roma
2:45 p.m: Benfica v. Manchester United
2:45 p.m: CSKA Moscow v. FC Basel
2:45 p.m: Anderlecht v. Paris Saint-Germain
2:45 p.m: Bayern Munich v. Celtic
PLAYER RECOMMENDATIONS
FORWARD
Lionel Messi, BAR v. OLY ($12,300): Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are massive favorites over Olympiacos, Celtic and Anderlecht, respectively, while Juventus also offer a team that should dominate. And, wouldn't you know, each team has multiple high-priced forwards! Messi is the highest-priced player on the slate, but there is also not a single player who has better anytime goal-scoring odds (Bayern's Robert Lewandowski has the same).
Messi has scored in half of his club matches this season, and impressively has found the back of the net multiple times in each of those games. And in the five games he hasn't scored in, he's taken 26 shots (seven on goal), sent in 13 crosses and drawn 11 fouls. Barcelona have the highest implied goal total, which means fantasy managers are bound to turn their attention to Luis Suarez because he costs $2,900 less, but he also doesn't take any free kicks, is not on penalties and has just three goals in seven combined La Liga and Champions League appearances. He's at least been shooting (10 shots in his last two matches), but he's far from Messi.
Neymar, PSG at AND ($11,500): As mentioned, Robert Lewandowski ($10,400) has excellent goal-scoring odds, and he has scored at least once in eight of 10 appearances this season. And while Lewandowski takes penalties for Bayern, he doesn't take every free kick, and is also not on corners, something that Neymar is closer to providing. In addition to averaging almost the same number of shots as Lewandowski, Neymar averages over five crosses and nearly five fouls drawn per 90 minutes. It's basically impossible to play all three, and while Lewandowski is certainly capable of putting up a monster game, Messi and Neymar provide much higher floors.
Vitinho, CSK v. BAS ($6,300): CSKA are the lowest favorites on the slate against a Basel side that has scored nine goals in their last two matches, including a scoreless draw against Grasshopper Club in league play. In addition to leading the line, Vitinho should be on most, if not all, corners. He is averaging 5.6 shots and 6.6 crosses per 90 minutes during Russian Premier League play, giving him a very solid floor against a Basel side that looked great during their last Champions League outing but have to travel a decent amount for Wednesday's match.
MIDFIELDER
Cesc Fabregas, CHE v. ROM ($7,200): Given the high-powered forwards on the slate, there probably isn't much money left to spend on midfielders, so while Fabregas makes a good play, he's not good enough to warrant fading one of Messi or Neymar (or Dybala or Lewandowski). However, he takes set pieces for a home favored side, one that does have a tougher matchups than the higher favorites. Teammate Tiemoue Bakayoko ($3,500) has been a very solid fantasy performer of late, and while he isn't known for getting on the scoresheet much, he has one goal and one assist in his last three league matches.
Kingsley Coman, BAY v. CEL ($6,100): Coman provides a decent amount of exposure to a heavily favored side. His main objective is usually to cross to Lewandowski instead of shoot the ball himself, but he still has decent assist upside since Bayern are likely to put a couple on the board. He doesn't have a safe floor, but not many of the Bayern midfielders outside of the top price tier do.
Adrien Trebel, AND v. PSG ($3,600): Trebel returned a solid 10 fantasy points at this same salary in his last Champions League match, which came against Celtic, and while the matchup against PSG is absolutely tougher, he's still likely to be on set pieces and Anderlecht are at home. Finding value in the $3K range for midfielders is going to be key Wednesday, and while you could look at holding midfielders on heavy favorites, even a lot of those guys are more expensive. Trebel doesn't have to do a ton to make value, though his raw point total isn't likely to be too high.
DEFENDER
Joshua Kimmich, BAY v. CEL ($6,700): Kimmich has been arguably the best fantasy defender in the world this season, and if he put up the stats he does as a midfielder, we'd jump at the opportunity to roster him as this price, one that seems ridiculously high for a defender. For those who want to focus on his Champions League record this season, he had one goal, one assist and 10 crosses in Bayern's opening match, and while he wasn't able to get on the scoresheet in their second one, he sent in 20 crosses. And if you look at what he's done in Bundesliga play, he's averaging 9.88 crosses per 90 minutes while taking a majority of corners. Either way, Kimmich has an extremely safe floor, and because Bayern should be dominant in the attack Wednesday, Kimmich getting back on the scoresheet (he scored a goal this past weekend) isn't out of the question.
Ashley Young, MUN at BEN ($4,200): Young has been a solid crosser while playing as a fullback or wingback this season, and he even got a start in the attacking midfield this past weekend at Liverpool. The matchup at Benfica is both not the hardest and not the easiest, but it should still give him opportunities to move up and send in crosses toward Romelu Lukaku.
Javi Martinez, BAY v. CEL ($3,800): Martinez was primarily a centerback under former manager Carlo Ancelotti, but new (again) Bayern boss Jupp Heynckes has been utilizing him as a holding midfielder, a role that's allowed him to participate more in the attack, as seen with his three shots taken this past weekend against SC Freiburg, a total he reached just once all of last season. The upside isn't that high, but Martinez is still eligible for the clean sheet bonus and he could move up against a Celtic side that should be quite overmatched.
GOALKEEPER
Rui Patricio, LIS at JUV ($4,000): Paying up at goalkeeper doesn't seem like the optimal play when you have so many high-priced attackers to fit in, and if you go the Messi/Neymar route then you're probably fading Juventus, which means their opposing keeper comes into play. The goalkeeper spot should always be the last one you fill, and while you could play the game of "Messi will create a lot of saves," just know that it could end up with more goals allowed than saves made.
Editor's note: Javi Martinez was ruled out after the article was written.
