This article is part of our FanDuel Fantasy Soccer series.
MATCHES (EDT)
11:00 a.m: Iceland v. Nigeria
2:00 p.m: Serbia v. Switzerland
FORWARDS
Haris Seferovic, SWI v. SER ($9,500): There are only four true forwards on this slate, making selection fairly straightforward. Seferovic will likely be the least owned after only 2.6 fantasy points in the opening match and five total passes. That makes him a GPP play as the front man for the Swiss. He didn't get much done against Brazil, but with this match equal in terms of skill, Seferovic will get more opportunities in front of net. As of note, he had five goals, four assists and close to three shots per match in qualifying.
Aleksandar Mitrovic, SER v. SWI ($9,500): Mitrovic was one of the few forwards who produced without a goal or assist last round, finishing with 19.5 fantasy points from one chance created and a couple shots on goal. Additionally, he was a beast up front and led the match with 12 duels won. If Serbia get opportunities, they will come through Mitrovic because they like playing wide. He's at least easier to trust than Alfred Finnbogason ($8,500), who has less opportunity due to the way Iceland play.
Odion Ighalo, NGA v. ICE ($7,500): Ighalo is the cheapest of the starting forwards with the only difference being that he may not see 90 minutes due to Kelechi Iheanacho likely replacing him. Ighalo had three shots against a better Croatia side, and if this match goes how all Iceland matches do, Ighalo and the Nigerians should be around close to 20 shots after having 14 against Croatia. Nigeria will also have to push because a draw probably isn't good enough with a desperate Argentina on the schedule next.
MIDFIELDERS
Xherdan Shaqiri, SWI v. SER ($10,000): Most lineups will have Shaqiri simply because he's the most expensive player available. Outside of the assist, he didn't do a ton against Brazil, with created three chances to go with three tackles. Those tackles and his bowling-ball like play on the pitch give him a nice floor, but he's also the most likely to create something for the Swiss. Steven Zuber ($9,000) will be looked at because he scored last match, but he wasn't as active on the left wing with 1.3 percent less possession than Shaqiri.
Gylfi Sigurdsson, ICE v. NGA ($9,000): Iceland's defensive style allows Sigurdsson not only to accrue tackles and interceptions, but when they get forward, he's often the main guy on the ball and may be more so without Johann Berg Gudmundsson. If this match is tied late, Nigeria will likely put everything forward and that should lead to chances in front of net for Sigurdsson, who sets everything up in the attack, similar to his days at Swansea.
John Obi Mikel, NGA v. ICE ($7,000): If you need to save money in a cash lineup, Mikel is an unexciting place to go. He had 11.2 fantasy points as an attacking midfielder last match, but there are reports that he'll play in his regular defensive role against Iceland. Whether that's the case or not, he's almost a lock to reach 10 points again due to tackles and possibly some clearances or interceptions. If you're looking for more of a cheap GPP play, Alex Iwobi ($7,000) is more likely to grab an assist on the wing.
DEFENDERS
Branislav Ivanovic, SER v. SWI ($5,500): Teammate Aleksandar Kolarov ($7,500) is the safest defender, though he has an outlandish price after scoring from a free kick in the first match. Without the goal, Ivanovic would've outscored Kolarov. The difference between the two is that Ivanovic plays a little more defense and that resulted in five tackles last match, which is in addition to chances created on the wing. Kolarov will take some spot kicks, but that's not a good enough reason to spend up.
Bikir Mar Saevarsson, ICE v. NGA ($5,000): It's a similar case with the Iceland back line, as all four defenders scored between 14.7 and 17.3 fantasy points last match. Kari Arnason ($6,000) may be the easiest to trust, but there's little incentive to use extra money on him. As for Saevarsson, as a right-back he'll be on the same side of the field as Victor Moses, which means more action and more chances for clearances and interceptions.
Nikola Milenkovic, SER v. SWI ($5,000): I don't think it's worth it to spend up on defenders in cash games, and that's the case for Milenkovic. He's cheaper than fellow center-back Dusko Tosic ($5,500) even though he had more clearances (nine) and blocks (two) last match. Additionally, Milenkovic is worth it as the cheapest possible defender because Serbia have the best odds for a clean sheet.
GOALKEEPER
Hannes Thor Halldorsson, ICE v. NGA ($5,000): If you have the money, Halldorsson makes the most sense at goalkeeper because none of the teams have overwhelming odds to win or secure a clean sheet. The difference with Halldorsson is that he's close to a guarantee to make at least three saves. Even against Nigeria, Iceland will play their defensive style and hope to counterattack, as they are fine with a draw in this match. If you want to spend down, Serbia are a slight favorite over Switzerland, making Vladimir Stojkovic ($4,500) the pick.
