RADIO
Welcome back to “The Kick-Off”! We are here for MatchDay 8 of the World Cup! Now it feels like we are really in the swing of things. We have seen some upsets already, alot of added injury time, and some 0-0 draws. The slate only consists of three games- South Korea v Ghana, Brazil v Switzerland & Portugal v Uruguay.
With so few games on the slate, I'm going to be selecting players from all of the games. This slate has been opened up a little by the fact that Neymar is injured, after struggling with the tackles that he has been hit with. The key to success one this slate is finding who steps up for Brazil with Neymar out.
This slate kicks off at 8:00 A.M. EST. If you have any questions on today's slate, bankroll management, GPP strategy, Cash game strategy, or anything else, don’t hesitate to reach out to me on Twitter @RichKingFF.
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The World Cup Matchday 8
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DraftKings DFS Goalkeepers
Alisson/ Ederson - DK $5.7k/ $5.6k
Opponent - Switzerland
I'm covering my bases here, because while Alisson is expected to start, he has some health concerns which means it could be Ederson who plays this game. Brazil does have a good chance of keeping a clean sheet against this Switzerland attack, but equally, they are likely to have enough attempts on goal that if they were to score, there would be plenty of saves too. It's expensive, but unless you are going for a Goalkeeper that is likely to be facing a barrage of shots, it's a hard slate for the position.
Others To Consider (Cash/ GPP): Yann Sommer ($3.8k)
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Richarlison - DK $9.9k
Opponent - Switzerland
As I said in the opening, the key to this slate I think is going to be getting the Brazilian that steps up to replace Neymar. My favorite is Richarlison. He stepped up perfectly last time out in the opener against a tough Serbia team, scoring two goals. The Brazilian, who is wearing maybe the most famous shirt in the sport, has continued his Premier League form and is going to be a constant headache for Switzerland. Not getting involved in set pieces, which ideally you'd like for the price, but he is the focal point of this attack at the moment.
Son Heung-Min - DK $9.6k
Opponent - Ghana
I'm fine spending up for Heung-Min on the slate. It's an expensive option, but this team is built around him being successful. He is the main set-piece taker for the team, and is one of a few options that can truly take a half (or quarter) chance and convert it. With the other attacking talents available on the slate, he feels like a nice pivot in GPPs away from the likes of Richarlison and Cristiano Ronaldo ($9.2k), but you need to know he could struggle on the slate.
Others To Consider (Cash/ GPP): Cristiano Ronaldo ($9.2k), Raphinha ($8.8k) & Inaki Williams ($5.4k)
DraftKings DFS Midfielders
Bruno Fernandes - DK $8.6k
Opponent - Uruguay
Fernandes looks like he has re-emerged as the star that Manchester United spent all that money on. After starting the season well in the Premier League, he performed in the opening game with two assists. Working as the main set piece taker for Portugal, and pulling the strings in midfield in linking to the attack makes him a solid piece to build around. Portugal is expected to get a few goals against Uruguay, and currently, it looks like any goals have to flow through Fernandes.
Vinicius Junior - DK $7.7k
Opponent - Switzerland
Despite not being involved in set pieces, Vinicius Junior has a solid floor. His involvement in creating opportunities is massively important, as he showed with his assist for Richarlison last time out. Without Neymar in the team, they are going to need a player who can get the ball and dribble at defenders, making them retreat and turn. The way that Vinicius Junior has done that this season makes him a nice selection on the slate.
Others To Consider (Cash/ GPP): Lucas Paqueta ($6.0k) & Ruben Vargas ($5.4k)
DraftKings DFS Defenders
Joao Cancelo - DK $6.1k
Opponent - Uruguay
For cash games, I think I would take his teammate Raphael Guerreiro ($5.2k) because I think they have similar outlooks in the game. They have a solid floor with their involvement getting forward, with that upside of an assist. In a GPP I'm going to opt for the Manchester City man because I think his ownership will be quite a bit less with an almost $1k premium to pay.
Abdul Rahman Baba - DK $4.2k
Opponent - Korea
Wing-backs who put crosses in are really valuable for DFS. If they are given the opportunity to have some set-piece involvement they are pretty golden. Baba is getting both, which gives him a solid floor at the price. Ghana isn't expected to get much from this game, but if they are able to get their midfield to muscle out Korea, they have an outside shot at a clean sheet.
Others To Consider (Cash/ GPP): Mathias Olivera ($5.4k), Danilo ($5.3k) & Thiago Silva ($4.0k)
And that's it! Any questions, you know where to find me otherwise Good Luck RotoBallers.
