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Welcome back, RotoBallers! We're nearing the end of the 2019-20 Bundesliga season with each team having only four games remaining. I will soon turn my focus to the English Premier League when they return, but for now, I am going to continue with my Bundesliga content with a breakdown of Sunday's Matchday 31 slate.
Sunday will be a small 2-game slate meaning you will need to prioritize the better plays on the slate and make some sacrifices with value plays. Most lineups will have a nucleus of the better-known Leverkusen stars, but we can use the other three teams to differentiate. Keep reading this breakdown for my DFS soccer picks on RotoBaller and see how to have success on Sunday's slate.
If you want to chop it up with myself and other Rotoballer writers, consider becoming a premium member and joining our ever-growing community of DFS and fantasy sports enthusiasts! In this article, I will be providing you with my Bundesliga daily fantasy soccer lineup picks for FanDuel on 6/14/20 for the slate that locks at 9:30 am ET. Be sure to also check out our other DFS lineup picks for other active sports. You can always find me on Twitter @vdray5 if you have any questions. Good luck, RotoBallers!
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Bundesliga DFS Lineup Picks - Overview
Schalke 04 vs Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen (-1.0) will be the slate's largest favorite on Sunday even on the road. This will be a massive game for them as they sit level with Monchengladbach on points right now for the last of the UEFA Champions League qualifier spots. Schalke are still winless in six tries since the league resumed in May. Leverkusen should win this game, and they will likely control much of the possession as well. Their attackers will be the clear priority for many DFS players on Sunday. The goal total over/under here sits right at 2.5.
Mainz vs Augsburg
Although they are safe as of now, both of these teams could still get relegated this season, so this is a huge game as the season winds down. Mainz (+130 on the money line) hold a very small edge at home. Mainz have struggled defensively at home and Augsburg have struggled on the road. That will likely be negated by the fact that both teams haven't been scoring well. There is no clear team to target here, but there will be several good and affordable plays to help fill out your lineup on Sunday. The goal total over/under in this game is 2.5 as well.
FanDuel DFS Forwards / Midfielders
All signs point to Kai Havertz ($22) being the highest-owned player on the slate. He is having a nice breakout season with 11 goals and five assists. He's the most likely anytime goalscorer with +100 odds. He's coming into the game in great form with five goals in only four games since the league returned. He also has the best matchup on the slate against a Schalke defense that has not kept a shutout since the middle of February. The only reason to fade Havertz here is to avoid the chalk, but even that is dangerous on a small slate if he happens to play well.
If you do decide to fade Havertz, combining Kerem Demirbay ($18) and Moussa Diaby ($17) in a lineup is a good strategy. It would be nice to see Leon Bailey ($12) out there for some value, but we might have to stick with Florian Wirtz ($9) instead. Wirtz collected his first goal last weekend and is likely still going to be playing on a high from that. Any of these players are acceptable to pair with Havertz as well. Personally, I would suggest at least two - if not three - Leverkusen attackers on this slate.
It sounds weird to say, but we can target some Mainz attackers on this slate. They get a home matchup against Augsburg who are allowing an average of 2.2 goals per game on the road. Robin Quaison ($15) is by far the team's leading scorer this season with 12 goals. He is going through a goal drought now, but this is the best matchup he has had in a while. On a site like FanDuel where you need to prioritize scorers, this is a place we can feel more comfortable about using him as he has the best odds to score in this game at +150.
Karim Onisiwo ($13) is another possible scorer for Mainz, but his floor is dangerously low. A guy like Ridle Baku ($16) will cost a few more bucks, but he has a far more stable floor with assists, crosses, and his defensive peripherals.
On the Augsburg side, Florian Niederlechner ($20) and Marco Richter ($16) are the only two attackers worth much consideration. Niederlechner leads the team in both goals and assists. He's pricey on this slate, but Mainz's defense can't be trusted to keep a clean sheet either as they allow 1.8 goals per game at home. His goal odds are just behind Quaison's at +180.
FanDuel DFS Defenders
Philip Max ($15) is the clear elite fantasy defender to spend up on this week. He is Augsburg's second-leading scorer this season with eight goals, and he also has five assists. He will be playing in a more attacking position, so you're basically adding another midfielder to your roster in a DEF spot. Max leads the team in crosses and takes the corner kicks as well. This, plus his normal defensive peripherals, always boosts his floor and ceiling.
Schalke defenders should be busy dealing with Leverkusen's attack on Sunday. Ozan Kabak ($11) is the best play of Schalke's backline based on defensive action. He has three straight double-digit games and should be in for another one here. Juan Miranda ($7) is a cheaper way to get exposure to this matchup. Miranda can also provide you a few crosses in addition to a nice collection of defensive peripherals.
Daniel Brosinski ($10) is still a little underpriced on this slate. He is a wingback like Max who will provide plenty of crosses, especially at home against Augsburg. If he can add in a few defensive stats like he usually does, he will be well on his way to providing good value for only $10.
Edmond Tapsoba ($10) has disappointed too many times lately, but Aleksandar Dragovic ($10) can provide a possible clean sheet bonus for Leverkusen. Leverkusen are the most likely team to keep a shutout, and those five extra points could prove vital on a slate with lots of iffy defenders.
FanDuel DFS Goalkeepers
Lukas Hradecky ($15) is the most expensive goalkeeper on this slate for good reason. He is definitely the most likely GK to keep a clean sheet on Sunday, and at the very least, he should come away with a few saves and a win bonus. While $15 is a few dollars more expensive than you would see him on a larger slate, he's still a priority play.
The other three goalkeepers on the slate are all unintriguing. Schalke haven't been able to keep anyone out of the net lately, and they're the biggest underdogs on the slate which takes Markus Schubert ($8) off the list. Augsburg are a bottom-three team points-wise on the road and their defense specifically is poor. Andreas Luthe ($11) will be tough to trust. I would highly recommend getting Hradecky, but if you really can't, Florian Muller ($12) is your only other viable option.
Thanks for reading my DFS Soccer column and good luck in your contests, RotoBallers!
