Draft Kings Player Picks: Week 15

Goalies

Paul Robinson ($4,400)- Burnley are underdogs at home against a really decent

Bournemouth side. This is an important match for Burnley, who are near the bottom

of the table. While I think Bournemouth are clearly the better side, Robinson’s price

for being at home against a team that is by no means great, is tough to ignore. There

aren’t many goalies who standout in this fixture, so I would advise looking to save

money at the position.

Lee Grant (3,700)- This is a very risky pick for a number of reasons, but I still

believe it has the potential to be the smartest play at goalie. Stoke are away against

Arsenal, in a match that will see Arsenal dominate the ball. Expect a ton of shots to

come Grant’s way, which means he’ll have the opportunity to make the most saves

out of any keeper in the slate. Stoke have also been getting better as the season has

gone on, and this has the makings of a very frustrating afternoon for Arsenal. While I

would expect the gunners to pull out the win, Grant still has the potential to put up

double digit points regardless and really save you some cash for other picks.

Defense

Adam Smith ($5,100)- Perhaps the most consistent scoring defender in the

Premier League is Adam Smith of Bournemouth. He has scored five points or more

in every match this season, and in a league without many prolific fantasy

defenseman, he remains a top option. Smith loves bombing forward, and should be

able to do this in abundance for Bournemouth in tomorrow’s match. If you want to

spend up on a defenseman, I would say that Smith is your guy.

Simon Francis ($4,300)- It feels odd putting in two Bournemouth defenders as the

top options, but Francis is really looking like a smart play tomorrow. It looks as

though Charlie Daniels will miss tomorrow’s match, which means Francis should

slide over to fullback once again. Every time Francis has moved to fullback for

Bournemouth, he has performed like a top tier fantasy defenseman. Expect the same

from him tomorrow. His price is still too low to ignore.

Midfield:

Gylfi Sigurdsson ($8,800)- Swansea’s best player is a guy you can play almost any

week, but he becomes especially valuable in games where his side should control

the game. Swansea are at home against Sunderland, in what appears to be a really

pivotal matchup for the relegation battle early in the season. Sigurdsson is almost a

guarantee to score double digits, and has been a goal scoring threat all season. He’s

probably the best play in the slate.

Ryan Fraser ($4,100)- This may seem to be a very reactionary pick after Fraser

came on in the second half for Bournemouth and single handedly won them the

match against Liverpool last week. I would still argue that if given the start, Fraser is

a very smart play because of his price. He did start for Bournemouth earlier in the

season, and actually put up decent stats in the two games he started. Again he’s

another solid value play.

Wilfried Zaha ($7,800)- Zaha has been one of the most consistent scorers in terms

of fantasy soccer this season. Crystal Palace are away to Hull City in what looks to be

a rather forgettable match. Zaha provides a very safe play, and still has the ability to

score goals and assists. I think the expectation for Zaha would be between 10-15

points, and he could be a guy you slot in to ensure yourself some points. Plug Zaha in

to your lineup, and focus on more volatile players elsewhere.

Forward:

Kevin De Bruyne ($9,800)- Normally thought of as a midfielder, De Bruyne can

also be played in the forwards spot, and I think that is what I will try to do

tomorrow. Looking at the fixture, there aren’t a ton of strikers that stand out to me,

so sometimes I think it’s a smart strategy to load up on midfielders. De Bruyne has

the goal scoring ability that you want from a forward, but also gives you the

insurance of a midfielder that gets a ton of touches and crosses. I am strongly

considering stacking up on City players rather than Arsenal, and De Bruyne will

surely be a big part of City’s attack.

Kelechi Iheanacho ($7,200)- With Aguero suspended for the next four games,

Iheanacho will likely play a huge role in getting City back on track domestically. If

you look at his stats per 90 minutes, he asserts himself as a truly elite forward in the

Premier League. If you can recall the last time Aguero missed a string of games,

Iheanacho stepped into City’s attack without missing a beat. City are away against a

Leicester side that has really struggled this season. As sad as it is to admit it, they

look more like the side from two years ago that nearly got relegated then last year’s

champions. I see this as a game City have the potential to really destroy Leicester.

Callum Wilson ($6,600)- There aren’t many out and out strikers that jump off the

page in tomorrow’s slate, but I think Wilson has a good chance to score. As I said

before, Bournemouth have a good matchup against Burnley, and Wilson has played

well lately, scoring in his last two matchups. One thing I will say is that I will likely

only be fielding two forwards, and will likely field a midfielder in the utility slot. I

don’t necessarily see a ton of goals in tomorrow’s games, so I will be looking to

target guys with higher floors.