EPL DFS breakdown – Saturday 9/21/2019

EPL DFS – Top-Tier Defenders

Lucas Digne (Sheffield United @ Everton, $16) – I realize I am getting repetitive with this Digne play, but he continues to have one of the best-attacking upsides for a defender on a given slate.  While he’s been a little hit-or-miss so far this season, he has been great at home with at least 27 fantasy points in both home games.  Not only did he provide an assist in both of those games, but he also had six and then eight clearances.  This is another plus matchup for Digne and his price does not reflect his upside.  He could be tough to fit in with a full Manchester City stack, but he’s a top choice defender to pair with some value City guys.

There’s a similar story here for Yerry Mina ($14).  He’s shown some 20+ point upside but has some inconsistencies as well.  However, like Digne, both of his games at home have been 19+ point games.  I expect another similar outing here at low ownership as always.  A clean sheet bonus is definitely possible which could give both of these defenders a boost.

Oleksandr Zinchenko (Watford @ Manchester City, $16) – I’m going to sound like a broken record with this play too.  Zinchenko is in that elite group of attacking defenders from a fantasy perspective, and you already know that this is a plus matchup for City attackers.  He has yet to tally a goal or provide an assist, yet this season and he only has seven chances created, so I fully understand a fade here.  However, I think he provides some much-coveted City exposure for cheap.  Plus, he should be in line for a clean sheet bonus.

Erik Pieters (Norwich @ Burnley, $14) – Pieters has the third-most tackles in the league so far and he gets some interceptions and clearances as well.  Norwich is going to push and attack in this game which I love for Pieters.  His average fantasy points per game is slightly inflated with his two assists against Southampton, but he’s still in a good position to score more points than he costs.  His attacking upside isn’t zero though as he does add in an occasional chance created.  Norwich don’t defend well, so Pieters could show some of that upside in this matchup.

EPL DFS – Value Defenders

Sam Byram (Norwich @ Burnley, $11) – This play is largely based on price and matchup.  Burnley is a team that concedes a ton of clearances, and Byram had 11 clearances in his first (and only) start this season last weekend.  He also added 11 other defensive peripherals and ended the game with 28.6 fantasy points.  Now that was in a great overall matchup and a free-flowing game against Manchester City, so he probably won’t meet that mark again.  However, he’s in another good spot for clearances and if he adds in some defensive peripherals like he did last game, you’ll be getting a great value play for only $11.

For the same reasons I like Ben Godfrey ($11) as well.  He has started all five games for Norwich, but his fantasy output is a little more modest.  Regardless, both defenders are 100% viable on this slate to save you some money.  Ibrahim Amadou ($9) is intriguing as well.  He racked up double digit clearances (10) last week and with a matchup against Burnley, he can approach that total again this week.

Christian Kabasele (Watford @ Manchester City, $9) – The one Watford guy I can write up this week is Kabasele.  I just mentioned how Norwich’s defenders scored very well last weekend against City.  Kabasele is Watford’s more fantasy-relevant center defender, and you can get him only $9 in this matchup.  He hasn’t done much noteworthy in his two starts this season, but I’m expecting his best fantasy game of the season on Saturday.  Craig Dawson ($11) is Watford’s other center defender.  He hasn’t shown anything more than Kabasele has, so just take the $2 savings and fade Dawson.