DraftKings Fantasy Soccer: Wednesday UCL Picks

MATCHES (EST)

• 3:00 pm: Ajax vs. FC Midtjylland
• 3:00 pm: Atlético Madrid vs. Lokomotiv Moscow
• 3:00 pm: Bayern Munich vs. Red Bull Salzburg
• 3:00 pm: Inter Milan vs. Real Madrid
• 3:00 pm: Liverpool vs. Atalanta
• 3:00 pm: Marseille vs. FC Porto

For detailed stats and odds, check out the

DraftKings Fantasy Soccer: Wednesday UCL Cheat Sheet

FORWARDS

Robert Lewandowski, BAY v. RBS ($11,900): Lewandowski is the most expensive player on the slate because he leads the line for the team with the highest implied goal total. He also comes in with the highest anytime goal scorer odds of -400 on DraftKings Sportsbook, which is higher than Cristiano Ronaldo's -335 on Tuesday, which were high enough that he was easily the most popular player in cash games and GPPs. Lewandowski bagged a brace against RB Salzburg in the reverse fixture, his first goals in the Champions League this season, but he also has 11 goals and four assists in seven Bundesliga appearances (six starts), so let's not worry about his slow UCL start. There are likely to be plenty of people who stack Bayern Munich, so guys like Kingsley Coman ($8,600), Leroy Sane ($7,800), Thomas Muller ($7,500) and Serge Gnabry ($7,600, midfielder) will be popular depending on who starts. There is also a possibility that Douglas Costa ($6,500) starts, and after taking a majority of Bayern's set pieces this past weekend, he will surely be popular in cash games because of the cheaper price.

Romelu Lukaku, INT v. RMA ($8,000): With so many fantasy players likely targeting guys from Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid (I'm looking at you, Joao Felix), Ajax (Dusan Tadic) and Liverpool (Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota and Sadio Mane), Lukaku surely figures to be overlooked despite having the sixth-highest anytime goal scorer odds among teams on the slate. Inter Milan sit last in Group B and are desperate for three points, and they'll continue to rely on Lukaku to get them on the scoreboard. He returned from injury this past weekend with two goals on four shots and two assists on three chances created against Torino, and he'll continue to be the focal point of the Inter Milan attack. The matchup against Real Madrid won't be easy, but the reverse fixture had five goals in it and Lukaku didn't even play. He probably shouldn't touch a cash lineup, but Lukaku should not be ignored in GPPs.

MIDFIELDERS

Zakaria Labyad, AJA v. MID ($7,400): Labyad is questionable because of a knee injury, though he is expected to play, which is great news for fantasy players who want cheaper access to Ajax's set pieces than paying all the way up for Dusan Tadic ($10,800). Labyad isn't a prolific open-play crosser, but he still takes a solid number of shots and creates chances at a good rate, making him a strong midfield play for the team with the second-highest implied goal total. Tadic is Ajax's penalty taker, so he has more goal upside than Labyad, as do forwards Lassina Traore ($7,300, forward) and David Neres ($5,700), but Labyad seems like the stronger cash-game play because of his floor and price.

Dominik Szoboszlai, RBS at BAY ($6,800): It's tough to get excited about a player on the third-biggest underdog on the slate, but Szoboszlai has shown he can produce against some of Europe's best teams. Despite not scoring against Bayern Munich in the reverse fixture, Szoboszlai still managed 16.3 fantasy points, which was his lowest score of the UCL season. While he takes set pieces for RB Salzburg, it's tough to rely on those since they're such big underdogs, but with the way the team likes to attack, Szoboszlai could put up another big floor game at a fairly reasonable price. If you don't want any part of going against Bayern Munich, Alejandro Gomez ($7,200) is an option in what should be an open match against Liverpool. And speaking of Liverpool, James Milner ($5,300) could get some attention in cash games if he starts at right-back again because he took a share of set pieces last weekend in place of the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Dimitri Payet, MAR v. POR ($5,800): Florian Thauvin ($6,100) continues to take more of Marseille's set pieces, but Payet has been the better fantasy scorer when he plays. Given the five subs rule in the Champions League, Payet seems destined to play no where near 90 minutes, but Marseille absolutely need all three points in this one if they want any chance of advancing to the round of 16. Payet's lower price could make him an attractive target, though he is certainly not without risk for cash games, mostly because of the playing time issue. Sergio Oliveira ($5,200) is expected to take set pieces on the other side of this match, though his floor isn't high enough that cash-game players will immediately go to him. If anything, they could target Koke ($5,000) because he takes some set pieces for the biggest favorite on the slate, though Atletico Madrid are never known to be a high-scoring team. And on the topic of Koke, if you really just want a cheap midfielder for a big favorite, Saul Niguez ($3,500) is always a possibility.

DEFENDERS

David Alaba, BAY v. RBS ($3,000): Alaba usually plays center-back, which is why he is priced so low, but with a number of injuries along the back line, he could play out wide as a left-back, which would make him one of the most popular players on the slate in cash games and GPPs. With Joshua Kimmich out injured, the Bayern set pieces are kind of up in the air, and Alaba has a history of taking them (though not a recent one). Given the potential, it might be worth it to play him even if there's a hesitation that he'll be out wide, as Bayern Munich are still big favorites and Alaba can make magic happen at any time.

Andrew Robertson, LIV v. ATA ($6,500): Robertson is the most expensive defender on the slate because of Alexander-Arnold's injury absence, but as a set-piece taker for a favorite in the game with the second-highest implied goal total, he could be a viable option in cash games and tournaments. The availability of Milner could push people off Robertson, even though the former has zero clean-sheet equity, so Robertson may not be as popular as he normally would be. Kieran Trippier ($6,400) is another potential pay-up option because Atletico Madrid are such big favorites, though his crossing isn't nearly as prolific as it used to be. If set pieces aren't a concern, Nicolas Tagliafico ($5,100) has plenty of upside for a defender and Ajax should be able to attack against Midtjylland.

Johan Mojica, ATA at LIV ($2,600): Mojica is expected to start as a wing-back for Atalanta, who are playing in the game with the second-highest total. That implied goal total really has nothing to do with Mojica, but getting a wide player at such a low price is usually someone worth considering, especially if it's clear Alaba will be stuck in his regular center-back role. He's only slightly better than a punt, and if you'd rather focus on a favorite, Porto's Zaidu Sanusi ($3,600) and Wilson Manafa ($3,100) are still very cheap.

GOALKEEPER

Agustin Marchesin, POR at MAR ($4,500): Despite being a slight away favorite, Marchesin is actually less expensive than Marseille's Steve Mandanda ($5,100), so right off the bat we're getting a bit of a deal. It also doesn't hurt that Marseille have scored multiple goals just twice in 12 Ligue 1 and Champions League matches, including the first match of the season. If the salary is still a little too high, Guilherme ($3,800) could be the popular pay-down goalkeeper because he's the cheapest one not facing Bayern Munich.