FanDuel Soccer: EPL DFS Helper for 8/19/23

The first week of the 2023-24 season had some really interesting matches, and this week looks like it could be even more exciting.

As always, we're covering FanDuel's main slate, which kicks off at 10 a.m. EST on Saturday. All betting lines come from the soccer odds at FanDuel Sportsbook, and they may change after the article is published.

Slate Overview

Brighton (-115) at Wolves (+300)
Over 2.5 Goals: -143| Most Likely to Score: Evan Ferguson (+145)

Bournemouth(+1100) at Liverpool (-470)
Over 2.5 Goals: -323 | Most Likely to Score: Mohamed Salah (-135)

Brentford (+160) at Fulham (+175)
Over 2.5 Goals: -117 | Most Likely to Score: Aleksandar Mitrovic (+145)

Manchester United (+135) at Tottenham (+185)
Over 2.5 Goals: -186 | Most Likely to Score: Marcus Rashford (+155)

Newcastle (+390) at Manchester City (-150)
Over 2.5 Goals: - 148| Most Likely to Score: Erling Haaland (-110)

Positional Breakdown
Forwards/Midfielders

Unlike last week, we have some of the top teams on the slate. That includes four of the "big six" plus teams knocking on the door like Newcastle and Brighton.

We'll start with Liverpool, who stick out like a sore thumb on the slate. They get a date with Bournemouth at home. If you remember this fixture last season, Liverpool won 9-0 early in the campaign. While we're not expecting that, this game is not projected to be close.

Mo Salah ($23, -135 to score), has the best odds to score on the slate but doesn't have the highest salary. There are definitely other Liverpool players to target, such as Darwin Nunez ($19, -110). He has the second-best scoring odds on the team but has a lower salary than Luis Diaz ($21, +150) and Diogo Jota ($20, +130). Also keep Dominik Szoboszlai ($16, +320) in mind, as he was taking some corner kicks, and with the new scoring system, you'll get 0.5 points for a cross.

The next biggest favorite on the slate is Manchester City -- despite playing an impressive Newcastle team who won 5-1 last week -- coming in at -150.

The big news for City this week was that Kevin De Bruyne could miss four months with a hamstring injury. This hurts Erling Haaland ($25, -110), as he tends to rely on service from the Belgian playmaker. Haaland will likely be less popular than normal because Salah has the better matchup and scoring odds at a lower salary.

A player who benefits a bit from KDB's absence is Julian Alvarez ($20, +170). The goal-scoring odds aren't nearly as good, but Alvarez had five crosses and six chances created against Burnley last week. He added an assist to give him 33.1 fantasy points, showing how it's possible to rack up points in the new scoring system without scoring a goal.

Brighton were excellent as expected last week, winning 4-1 and creating the most expected goals (xG), according to FBref.com. They likely will go overlooked, with Liverpool and Man City playing and some other interesting players on the slate.

Evan Ferguson ($18, +145) has the best odds to score, but Pascal Gross ($20, +430) and Kaoru Mitoma ($19, +260) are both interesting from a floor/ceiling perspective.

In the Manchester United versus Tottenham match, two players stand out as similar bets. James Maddison ($20, +320) and Bruno Fernandes ($19, +280) will both get the majority of set pieces (opportunities for crosses) and have upside for goals and assists. Fernandes saves a dollar, is on the favored team and is likely to be on penalty duty, so he's the preferred option

Added time -- To get some of these guys in our lineups, we're going to have to save money somewhere. My favorite value options are Pedro Neto ($15, +390), Curtis Jones ($12, +350) and Mathias Jensen ($11, +900).

Defenders

The new scoring really benefits defenders that take set pieces, so those are the ones we'll want to target. Also, keep in mind that you lose 0.6 points for every goal the team allows and will get a five-point bonus if the defender keeps a clean sheet.

With Liverpool being in a position to dominate, we're going to want to target their full backs. Andy Robertson ($14) and Trent Alexander-Arnold ($14) both have posted some of the best crossing numbers over the past few seasons. It's hard to not play at least one of them in lineups given the matchup.

Looking a bit lower, the list of $12 defenders like Maximilian Kilman, Luke Shaw, Emerson Royal and Rico Henry all make for viable options. They all will get forward and attack, and they aren't likely to get overwhelmed by the opposition possession-wise.

Added time -- There are a few options for decent full backs at $10 and below. Destiny Udogie ($10) is an exciting new left back for Tottenham. Rayan Ait-Nouri ($9) has always been dangerous in attack and had a great opening game. If you really need to save, James Milner ($8) is probably your best option.

Goalies

The goalkeeper that stands out is obviously Alisson Becker ($14), with Liverpool being by far the biggest favorite and having +100 odds to keep a clean sheet.

Keeper is a position where it makes sense to try to save salary. Jason Steele ($11) is playing for a favored Brighton team against Wolves, who were the lowest-scoring team in the EPL last season.

If you want to bet on Manchester United continuing to struggle as they did in the opening match of the season, Guglielmo Vicario($9) looks like a bargain.

Added time -- It can be viable to use huge underdog goalkeepers as a way to allocate salary elsewhere. Sometimes, the keeper will allow three goals but make six saves, and for a really low salary, it makes them worth it. On this slate, those options would be Nick Pope ($7) and Neto ($6). Pope has a much better chance of winning and plays for a defensively-solid Newcastle team, so he's a better play on this slate.

Looking to build some EPL DFS lineups? Check out FanDuel’s daily fantasy soccer lobby to see all the offerings for today’s slates.

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.