FanDuel World Cup Soccer DFS Analysis – Thursday June 21 2018
By David Gate
There are another three FIFA World Cup games today with some of the top rated teams in action. We will help you cash on FanDuel DFS with our tips and analysis.
FanDuel were able to get out their all day slate earlier so I can cover all three Thursday games. This slate has many of the pre-tournament favorites; France, Argentina and dark horse Croatia. Much of my lineups will be drawn from these teams.
I love France in their matchup with Peru. The South Americans were very competitive in their opening game with Denmark, but this talented French team will be another level for them.
The premium game of the day is Argentina v Croatia. Lionel Messi fluffed his lines in their opening tournament being touted as crucial to his legacy as the best player ever. They were frustrated by Iceland in a 1-1 draw. This game maybe even harder. Croatia are a well balanced side.
Denmark face Australia in the third game with the European side the heavy favorites. They were clinical, if not exciting, against Peru. They should overpower the Socceroos comfortably.
The lineups in this article will be for the All-day slate, but there should be enough info here to construct a line for the Main slate also. Bookmark my Guide to World Cup Set Piece Takers to help you increase your chances for goals and assists in your lines.
You will need to keep an eye on team sheets throughout the day which will come out an hour before kickoff of each game. The first game on the slate is starting at 8am EST and the last at 2pm EST. You can follow me on Twitter – @davidgatesports – for updates.
FanDuel World Cup: Goalkeepers
There are only two good options for Goalkeeper today. They are the two guys who have the best chance of winning. Denmark are the biggest favorites of the day and are primed to grab another clean sheet with their rigid defense. Kasper Schmeichel (5500) put up 35 FanDuel points in the opener and he is my ‘go-to-guy’ on this slate.
I think Hugo Loris (5500) is another good bet for France in a game they should dominate. However, his matchup is not quite as strong and he has made a few errors of the last six months that make you feel a little easy. If there were savings to be made here I’d be more into it. I am picking Schmeichel over Loris every time at the same price.
If you have a lineup you love and need another $1k savings to make it work, then I would consider Danijel Subasic (4500). I don’t love his chances of a clean sheet or win bonus but I wouldn’t rule it out either. Argentina are not everything they should be and Croatia will hand them nothing. Even without the bonuses, he should get opportunities to make saves.
FanDuel World Cup Defenders:
I love the price of Benjamin Pavard (4500) in this game. The Stuttgart defender is not yet a household name and is under the radar as a young player. He was very good in the opener and has an even better matchup against Jefferson Farfan. He will have opportunity to get defensive stats and get that clean sheet bonus. I have high hopes.
The best value defender on the slate is Ivan Strinic (5000). He put up 18 FanDuel points in the opener and now faces Argentina. What he could lose in clean sheet bonus he can easily make back with more tackles and clearances.
Those two will be my pair in all my lineups but i wouldn’t blink from using Domagoj Vida (4500) and Sime Vrsaljko (4500) either. Vida would be my pick of the two as he will be the nearest to Lionel Messi.
If you are looking for a goal threat you may want to take a punt on Dejan Lovren (6000). Croatia will be hoping to make the most of their height advantage at set pieces and the Liverpool defender will be the defender they target most.
FanDuel World Cup Midfielders
I hate not picking the GOAT but this tournament already feels like one that Ronaldo-stans will use for the next 30 years to state their case. Messi was fine against Iceland and if he had scored his penalty he would have had a nice 40+ game. But because picking Lionel Messi (12500) restricts you elsewhere I can’t go there in his toughest matchup of the group stage.
The main reason I don’t want Messi is because I do want Christian Eriksen (10000). He has the highest floor of any player on this slate. I think you can book in 20+ FanDuel Points against Australia. And I think he grabs a goal here too…
I also love Luka Modric (8500) today. I think he has a safe floor with defensive work while also being their primary set piece taker. That gives him some nice upside against a vulnerable Argentina defense.
Ordinarily I would not take a second look at Blaise Matuidi (5500) but the rumors coming from the French camp is he will play in an attacking position, potentially on the left wing. If that looks the case from the team sheets I love his upside at a very fair price.
FanDuel World Cup Forwards
When it comes to Forwards today I am most excited about France. I think this the game they announce their attacking ability to the world. Antoine Griezmann (11500) is the key man for them and deserves his high price tag.
Kylian Mbappe (9500) is underpriced as a player who has a real high ceiling. I would not be surprised if he turned in a huge performance as one of the brightest young stars in world football.
Those rumors around the French camp also suggest that Oliver Giroud (7500) could start. If that is the case he is ridiculously underpriced here. I would expect to see him in a bunch of lines with Messi or Aguero.
Speaking of Sergio Aguero (11000) I think he is a fine play. I don’t hate it on a small slate but I don’t see Argentina bagging more than two goals and he would have to get one and an assist to make his value.
Mario Mandzuick (9000) is tempting me at only $9k. I think Croatia will play a very compact game and look to get the ball to the forward early. Ultimately I like France’s potential to blow more than any of the other options at FWD.
FanDuel World Cup Lineup
Note: this is a sample lineup and are not optimized. The only guarantee I can give you is that I will playing it too. I will also have some lines that are not here. Best thing is to take some of these picks and build your own lineup – especially in GPP – as lineup sharing only reduces the amount you can win.
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Suggested Lineup
FWD: Griezmann – France
FWD: Mbappe – France
MID: Eriksen – Denmark
MlD: Modric – Croatia
MlD: Matuidi – France
DEF: Pavard – France
DEF: Vida – Croatia
GK: Schmeichel
Next: World Cup DFS Strategy Guide
Stay tuned to Fantasy CPR for more World Cup DFS coverage, along with all of the rest of our DFS picks. We have something for everyone!