EPL DFS breakdown – Sunday 9/22/2019
By Vince Dray
EPL DFS: Defenders
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool @ Chelsea, $17) – I just got done writing the section about the terrible mid-low tier attackers on this slate, so I am desperate to find players that can actually be useful on Sunday.
I’ve mentioned how poor Chelsea’s defense is, and with the way Liverpool is firing right now, this game could get ugly. TAA has all the freedom he could want to get up the field and attack, and this is a great match-up for him to do so.
Chelsea will be able to attack some so TAA will come away from this one with some defensive peripherals too. He’s my top defender on Sunday, and I should have money to pay for him.
Andrew Robertson ($13) is starting to play well from a fantasy perspective with an average of 16.2 fantasy points over his last four games. He’s a good bit cheaper than TAA for a reason, but he’s viable nonetheless.
Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa @ Arsenal, $15) – I love the idea of center defenders on large underdogs, but I don’t always love paying this much for them. Aside from Tottenham in week 1 where he scored 41.2 points, Mings hasn’t faced many good attacking teams. That’s about to change on Sunday when he takes on Arsenal on the road.
Mings should excel in this match-up with his ability to get clearances and blocks. Unfortunately, he hardly gets any tackles or interceptions which makes for a risky floor. Bjorn Engels ($12) draws the same match-up as a center defender against Arsenal.
He only has one game where he did not score in double digits. This match-up and a low price are enticing. Perhaps an even better value play is Frederic Guilbert ($11).
Since joining the starting lineup, he’s been steadily increasing his fantasy output which was up to 23.6 last game. That was with a clean sheet bonus that he likely won’t get on Sunday, but this is a good match-up where he can get you points in the upper-teens.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Aston Villa @ Arsenal, $14) – Like TAA, Maitland-Niles is one of the better attacking defenders on this slate and he has a great match-up for it. Arsenal will control a ton of the possession in this game at home, which will allow Maitland-Niles to play like an extra midfielder.
He’s one of the more likely defenders to get an assist on this slate, and he’s been getting a handful of defensive peripherals pretty consistently as well. The other outside defender, Sead Kolasinac ($10), interests me some too.
Prior to his last game where he scored 18.2 fantasy points, he had played in some difficult match-ups. However, this will be his second good match-up in a row. He’s too cheap for his upside.
Issa Diop (Manchester United @ West Ham, $12) – Diop quietly has four straight games 13+ point games which is good enough to outscore his price tag.
A home match-up against United seems like a good spot for Diop to have success. His upside is limited as he doesn’t collect a ton of peripherals nor does he attack much, however his floor is stable, so he’ll provide some good value on Sunday.