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Welcome back, RotoBallers! We have more mid-week EPL action on Wednesday. There are six total games Wednesday with three early and three late. This is the first time this season we have had six EPL games on the same day which used to be a regular thing with six-game main slates. I have another full breakdown for you all that will focus on the humungous main slate. Keep reading this breakdown for my DFS soccer picks on RotoBaller and see how to have success on Wednesday's slate.
The very large majority of my DFS content will be EPL-related, however, there is more soccer than just what is being played in England. If you want to chop it up with myself and other RotoBaller writers about non-EPL leagues or other sports, 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 English Premier League daily fantasy soccer lineup picks for FanDuel on 12/16/20 for the slate that locks at 1:00 pm 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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EPL DFS Lineup Picks - Overview
Arsenal vs Southampton
This is a matchup of teams that are having completing different seasons. Arsenal (+120) are all the way down in 15th with four losses in their last five EPL games including losses in their last three. They host Southampton who have been awfully impressive and currently sit in 4th place. They have Danny Ings back now who will only help them continue their bright start to the season. The goal total over/under is 2.5.
Leeds vs Newcastle
Leeds (-130) are in a poor run of form now after their good start but are favored at home against Newcastle. Newcastle have just beaten Crystal Palace and West Brom back-to-back, and they will look to continue climbing the table against a Leeds side that is falling. This should be another fairly even game on Wednesday. The goal total over/under is also 2.5.
Leicester vs Everton
After two losses, Leicester (+120) have righted the ship with two consecutive wins in which they scored five times and only conceded once. They are back up in 3rd place four points ahead of Everton on the table. Like the first two games on the early slate, this game should be played at both ends. The goal total over/under is 2.5, but this one has the best odds to go over 2.5 at -140.
Fulham vs Brighton
This is a matchup of bottom-five teams right now. Fulham host Brighton (+150) who are the smallest favorites on the slate. Both sides have been pretty poor defensively to start the year each allowing more than 20 goals so far. These two teams are not well known, and that could lead to some low ownerships in this game. This game has a goal total over/under of 2.5, but it has the lowest odds of going over among the 2.5 total games.
Liverpool vs Tottenham
All eyes will be on this late game as it is a matchup of the two top teams who are in a tie for first place. They are both coming into this game in strong form, and it should be an all-out battle as the winner will sit alone at the top of the standings. Liverpool (-130) at home makes me like them slightly more, but their defense has been worse than Tottenham's which intrigues me for Tottenham attackers. Lots of people might go heavy on this game with the number of popular players, so you could use that as leverage with five other games to choose from on this slate. The goal total over/under is 3.0.
West Ham vs Crystal Palace
The last game on Wednesday is actually a London Derby. West Ham (+105) continue getting positive results with four wins in their last five games. Palace will keep grinding out points and will not make this easy for West Ham. It should be a hard-fought, back-and-forth game. Scoring might not come often though with a goal total over/under of 2.5.
FanDuel DFS Forwards / Midfielders
This is going to be one of the toughest slates in recent memory when it comes to picking goal scorers. Nine of the top 10 scorers in the league so far are all on this slate, so how can we differentiate them?
Let's start with Jamie Vardy ($22). He is coming into this game in good scoring form with four goals in in six games. He is also averaging 28.9 fantasy points per game in that stretch. He has a good matchup against an iffy Everton defense, and he has strong anytime scoring odds at -125.
Mo Salah ($22) is another top play on the slate. He is also in good form right now with four goals and two assists in his last five league games. He is -140 to score on Wednesday, but he is facing a Tottenham defense that has been pretty stingy overall this year. I don't see Salah having great odds at multiple goals - which might keep some peope off him - but he is a good play nonetheless. He and Vardy are great, safe, and popular picks on this slate.
All of Tottenham's attacking essentially roles through Harry Kane ($21) and Heung-Min Son ($20). They do not have a very good matchup here on the road with Liverpool's defense at home. It is really Liverpool's away form that is concerning. There is not a huge need to play either one of these attackers on this slate with a less-than-ideal matchup and a plethora of other options. However, they do remain viable based on the seasons they are having.
If you want to get a little different on Wednesday with Salah, Kane, and Vardy fades, there are routes to doing that.
Patrick Bamford ($20) has eight EPL goals this year and should be available at lower ownership than some of the other attackers in this price range. His scoring has dropped off some recently, and this matchup is decent but not great. He is a viable GPP play, but he can also be left alone on Wednesday.
Danny Ings ($19) fits a similar bill. His six goals and three assists this year look great especially after he missed some time due to an injury. He has come back strong with two consecutive 20+ point games. However, I don't love this matchup. Sure, Arsenal's form is horrendous, but they have been defending okay. Still, Ings is a great goal scorer that you will likely get at lower onwership here if you decide to fade Vardy/Salah/Kane. James Ward-Prowse ($16) is a smart way to get exposure to this matchup if you want to save a few dollars from Ings.
Callum Wilson ($17) is a nice affordable GPP play as well. He is playing on the road, but this is still a plus matchup against a Leeds team that is giving 1.83 goals per game. Wilson is +175 to score and will go overlooked in this matchup. He makes for a good GPP play to separate your lineup.
Ademola Lookman ($16) has had several strong games in a row for Fulham in some tougher matchups too. He is now facing a weak Brighon defense at home. There are not many days to get Fulham attackers, but this is one.
For value on this slate, I will recommend getting cheap defenders because there will be goals galore on Wednesday. However, Solly March ($13), Curtis Jones ($11), Ryan Fraser ($9), and Cengiz Under ($8) if he starts are playable.
FanDuel DFS Defenders
I'll start with the value defenders here under the assumption that most will opt to find their value here. Eric Dier ($8) I mentioned that last week as being underpriced. He turned in a decent game with 10.8 fantasy points which kept his price low. He has a great matchup here against Liverpool where they will be a lot of defensive action. He is as cheap as I would go on this slate. Toby Alderweireld ($10) is a second Tottenham defender to look at for defensive peripherals in this matchup if you have a few extra dollars.
Mason Holgate ($9) is underpriced with only three games in the league this year. He has scored in double digits in all three and has shown a ceiling well into the teens. This is a decent matchup for him to get some defensive stats.
Fabinho ($10) is the last cheap defender in my player pool. He should feast on defensive action against Tottenham, and this game will have a lot of action on both ends.
Antonee Robinson ($13) is a defender I would consider paying up for. He has some good attacking ability and a good matchup to do that at home against Brighton. He will be very low-owned on top of that.
Aaron Cresswell ($15) is my top defender to spend on. He has great attacking upside and West Ham should create plenty of chances against Crystal Palace.
FanDuel DFS Goalkeepers
Alex McCarthy ($8) is a goalkeeper who is a boom-or-bust play on Wednesday. He is facing an Arsenal team that just cannot find the net in the Premier League with just 10 goals in 12 games. They have been shut out in three of their last four league matches. Southampton's defense has been decent this year allowing 1.41 goals per game in the EPL, and they do have five clean sheets too. There is risk that this game finishes in a 1-1- draw which takes both bonuses away from McCarthy, and Arsenal have not been able to generate very many shots against EPL opponents which limits his save points. However, Southampton have been the better team this year by far, and with the way Arsenal are currently struggling in front of the net, McCarthy has big upside.
Kasper Schmeichel ($12) is a GK who is firmly in my player pool on this slate. He is a nice home favorite against a team in Everton that have been pretty inconsistently when it comes to scoring goals this year. Everton will put shots on target, though, which boosts Schmeichel's floor especially with a win bonus possible too. Schmeichel has a high ceiling as well if Leicester can keep Everton out of the net at home.
Thanks for reading my EPL DFS lineup picks breakdown on RotoBaller and good luck!
