RADIO
Welcome back, RotoBallers! Matchday 15 wrapped up on Sunday, and the next matchday in the EPL is starting Monday without any days off. This main slate is only two games - but there is a third game you can get on the All Day slate. I have another full breakdown for you all. Keep reading this breakdown for my DFS soccer picks on RotoBaller and see how to have success on Monday'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 12/28/20 for the slate that locks at 12:30 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!
EPL DFS Lineup Picks - Overview
Chelsea vs Aston Villa
These two teams are coming into this game in opposite form. Chelsea (-150) had a very poor performance in a 3-1 loss to Arsenal on Boxing Day, and they have now lost three of their last four putting them down to 7th in the league. Their opponent in this game - Aston Villa - was one of the teams that jumped ahead of them in the table after winning three of their last four. Chelsea are still favored at home, but this should be a very intense and evenly played game. The goal total over/under is 3.0.
Everton vs Manchester City
The late game on Monday is a matchup between two top-five teams who are both in good form right now. Manchester City (-205) are fairly large favorites on the road against the 2nd place team who have won four straight. This - like the early game - should have action at both ends. The goal total over/under is also 3.0 in this game.
FanDuel DFS Forwards / Midfielders
Kevin de Bruyne ($23) is going to be one of my main pieces on Monday. He has shown the ability to hit value even when not scoring goals this year. He is essentially matchup-proof but should fare well against an Everton team that has given up chances all season. He also has +160 anytime scoring odds which are second in this game only behind Raheem Sterling ($22) at -110. Sterling has been playing pretty well with four out of his last five fantasy performances being 20+ point games. Still, it's tough to pay this price for an attacker whose floor is under five points when you can spend another $1 to get KDB.
There is not a need to maximize your City exposure on this slate, but Ferran Torres ($16) is a strong play. He has scored goals when given playing time, and he should get another start with Sergio Aguero ($20) and Gabriel Jesus ($20) likely unfit to start.
Tammy Abraham ($19) is a good way to pivot off top City attackers. He has scored three goals in his last two games, and he's had a pretty productive season in general. His matchup is admittedly far from great, but he is a good way to get a goal in your lineup. Chelsea boss, Frank Lampard, was upset with his team's performance Saturday against Arsenal and already confirmed there would be lineup changes. One change could be the insertion of Callum Hudson-Odoi ($8) into the starting lineup. He would provide a ton of good value on this slate as you're getting a quality attacker for near minimum price. One name to watch for in lineups is Olivier Giroud ($17). Lampard seemed especially frustrated with the play of Timo Werner ($21) lately, so Giroud could replace him on Monday.
I have to keep writing up Jack Grealish ($18). He keeps churning out elite fantasy performances at a super affordable price. Chelsea's defense has sputtered lately and a guy like Grealish can punish them. His floor is better than almost everyone's on the entire slate and has always has 40+ point upside. If you're looking to get more Villa exposure in hopes of Chelsea continuing their poor run of games, Bertrand Traore ($16) has scored goals in two straight games. He is a former Chelsea guy who might be looking for a little revenge. Anwar El Ghazi ($15) has been stellar recently too. Both are great mid-tier options regardless of whether or not you have Grealish in your lineup.
Along with Hudson-Odoi, Ilkay Gundogan ($12) and N'golo Kante ($10) are some value plays worth considering.
FanDuel DFS Defenders
I don't see any reason to stop going to Joao Cancelo ($15) as the top pay-up defender on any given slate. He has been creating a few chances every game along with solid defensive stats. City are also keeping plenty of clean sheets right now, and that five point bonus always helps his floor. He is in a good spot against Everton for both chances created and defensive stats. However, I do not see a ton of need to pay up for him here with many good plays to come.
Yerry Mina ($12) has been really good at collecting defensive peripheral stats in his last five games. He has an ideal matchup to get those stats against Manchester City who force a lot of defensive action out of opposing centerbacks. This is a good price for Mina too. If you prefer to save $1, Mason Holgate ($11) is a nice play as well.
Ben Chilwell ($11) just got a $4 price drop on FanDuel. Sure, he has not been great, but his role on this team is to be an attacker. A player of his caliber who has his role is a steal. He can collect strong defensive stats as well. Likewise, Reece James ($8) received a price drop and is also too cheap. His role is also to attack, and he has gotten great defensive stats this year.
Nathan Ake ($9) is too cheap to miss out on if he starts again. He just scored 18 points in his most recent start against Newcastle. Ake has always been an above-average defender when it comes to getting stats. He is super cheap in a nice spot here.
Esri Konsa Ngoyo ($10) and Matt Targett ($12) need to be mentioned as well. They have a good matchup here against Chelsea and have shown the ability to get plenty of defensive stats this year consistently.
FanDuel DFS Goalkeepers
Emiliano Martinez ($9) is a good GK play on this slate. He is very affordable and has a solid matchup against Chelsea who have just five goals in their last four games after being one of the higher-scoring teams earlier in the season. Martinez & Co. have been strong defensively this year having only allowed the 2nd least goals in the league so far. Martinez has both a high floor and a high ceiling in this game. He should be able to get several saves, and Villa can win this game with Chelsea's poor form. Martinez has a massive 30+ ceiling if they can keep Chelsea out of the net.
Ederson ($13) is another solid play. He should get the win bonus here and he will also likely be able to make a few saves. City's defense has allowed the fewest goals in the league so far, so a clean sheet bonus is always a possibility even on the road.
Thanks for reading my EPL DFS lineup picks breakdown on RotoBaller and good luck!
