Yahoo DFS Soccer: Boxing Day EPL Picks

Yahoo DFS Soccer: Boxing Day EPL Picks

This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Soccer series.

MATCHES (ET)

FORWARDS

Mohamed Salah, LIV at LEI (£27): Salah failed to score in the Club World Cup last weekend but was riding a three-match scoring streak prior to Liverpool's trip to Doha. In the prior three matches, he scored four goals, provided one assist and took 21 shots (10 on goal). Leicester and Liverpool have the two best defensive sides (14 goals allowed), making the selection of Liverpool or Leicester attackers a risk, though the implied goal total for this match is over three. Salah's recent form is enough to spend up, but you'll go into it needing a goal to justify his inclusion. Sadio Mane (£26) is the direct alternative, while I think Roberto Firmino (£23) is too expensive for his production. Meanwhile, Jamie Vardy (£24) leads the league in goals and is no stranger to scoring against top sides, especially Liverpool.

Marcus Rashford, MUN v. NEW (£23): Rashford has the second-highest goal-scoring odds on the slate and is slightly more affordable compared to Salah, Mane and Tammy Abraham (£26) despite leading the Premier League in shots and being third in shots on goal. Anthony Martial (£21) is an alternative to Rashford but hasn't been nearly as productive.

Gabriel Martinelli, ARS at BOU (£12): After playing 90 minutes in three consecutive Premier League matches, Martinelli has a good chance to keep his place in the side against Bournemouth, who have lost five of their past six matches in the league. His production has been a bit scattered, with matches of 14.1, 6.7 and 3.05 fantasy points, but he's cheap enough where you won't need a massive score to justify his place. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£22) will cost you much more but has better goal-scoring odds, while Alexandre Lacazette (£20) is cheaper than Aubameyang but hasn't been a consistent starter.

MIDFIELDERS

Jack Grealish, AVL v. NOR (£19): Aston Villa's captain has scored 13 or more points in six of the past nine matches and is becoming as consistent as the likes of James Maddison (£20) and Kevin De Bruyne. Norwich concede the most accurate crosses on the slate (6.28 per match) and could give Grealish a good opportunity for a big fantasy day.

Mason Mount, CHE v. SOU (£16): Chelsea are the biggest favorite on the slate and Mount's price has steadily fallen since peaking at £26 in late September. He still has a small share of set pieces despite Willian taking over most of those responsibilities when he starts. Mount's cheap price and matchup against Southampton give the midfielder a chance for a big day if Chelsea can run away with it.

Michail Antonio, WHU v. CRY (£15): Palace concede the second-most accurate crosses, and Antonio is coming off four accurate crosses in his previous start. He is not a guaranteed starter, but he's a cost effective option and has been moderately productive when in the lineup. Felipe Anderson (£18) is pricier but hasn't hit more than eight points since late September.

DEFENDERS

Trent Alexander-Arnold, LIV v. LEI (£19): Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk (£19) are the two-most expensive defenders but will have a tough time keeping a clean sheet. Alexander-Arnold produces like a midfielder due to his ability to put in accurate crosses and win corners, while van Dijk mostly produces defensive stats, clean sheets and passes completed.

Lucas Digne, EVE v. BUR (£16): Digne is second in accurate crosses among all players, which is mostly due to his role on set pieces for Everton. He's affordable compared to Alexander-Arnold and has the third-best clean sheet odds. Burnley have scored only six goals in their past six matches and could offer a good chance for the Everton backline to keep a clean sheet.

Kiko Femenia, WAT at SHU (£14): Over his previous six matches, Kiko has scored at least 4.4 points and has become a consistent source of crosses and tackles won. He doesn't have that high of a ceiling due to Watford's inability to keep clean sheets or consistently attack, but he has a dependable floor.  

GOALKEEPERS

Dean Henderson, SHU v. WAT (£16): David de Gea (£15) and Manchester United have the best clean sheet odds, but they haven't shut out a Premier League opponent since Oct. 3. Nick Pope (£13) bounced back from three straight negative performances with consecutive matches of 10 points, and he now travels to Goodison Park to face Everton. Meanwhile, Henderson has consecutive double-digit scores and hosts Watford, a club who have 11 goals in 18 league matches.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Christopher Owen plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: owenc8888 (DraftKings, FanDuel), RotoCrook (Yahoo!).
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Christopher Owen
Chris covers fantasy soccer for RotoWire. In his free time he enjoys watching Jurgen Klopp celebrate goals on the touchline and beyond.
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