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Just two points separate Leicester City and Leeds United in the EPL standings. That could change on Monday at Elland Road as the two teams round off another gameweek. We break down some players to consider for Captain and the flex positions on your DraftKings roster for Monday’s Showdown.
Set your DraftKings lineup here: EPL Showdown $35K Starting XI [$10K to 1st] (LEE vs LEI)
Captain
Jamie Vardy ($16,200)
Vardy has been in scintillating form this season, particularly on the road. In his past four away games, he has scored seven goals to set Leicester on the way. Five of those goals have been penalties, which could be an influential factor again with VAR becoming so ubiquitous in English soccer. He has scored six goals this season, tied alongside Patrick Bamford and Newcastle’s Callum Wilson.
Others to consider: Patrick Bamford ($14,700)
High-priced flex options
Patrick Bamford ($9,800)
Bamford is in prestigious company after scoring six goals in his first six Premier League games. That is a club record, only matched previously by Eric Cantona. He is in stunning goal-scoring form, carrying his touch from the 2019-20 Championship into the Premier League. He is averaging 17.7 DKFP per game, which rose considerably after a hat trick in a 3-0 win against Aston Villa.
James Maddison ($10,000)
An important fantasy note for Maddison is that he is unlikely to score a lot of goals this season. However, he is still a crucial addition because he is Leicester’s playmaker, tasked with delivering quality passes into the box. He occasionally puts himself in goal-scoring range too as he has taken six shots this season, third-highest for Leicester.
Youri Tielemans ($8,600)
Tielemans has proven to be a vital cog in Leicester’s functioning, particularly defensively. He is leading Leicester in passes (425), clean tackles (11) and interceptions (13). These are important defensive metrics, even from a fantasy perspective, because it’s likely that he will spend the entire duration of the game on the pitch. He is one of few players in this game to average double-digit fantasy points (11.4 DKFP per game).
Others to consider: Cengiz Under ($10,400)
Value flex options
Harvey Barnes ($8,200)
Leeds has yet to keep a clean sheet at home and that might impact the way Leicester sets up for this game. Barnes will be a key part of that offensive set-up as he has had a good start to the season. In fact, he is leading Leicester in shots taken with 15. Even though he has scored just one goal with one assist this season, he could still provide plenty of value to your fantasy roster if he gets the start.
Rodrigo ($7,600)
Rodrigo hasn’t quite brought his form from Valencia to Leeds yet and has taken time to get accustomed to the pace of English soccer. That time should now slowly start yielding positive results. He has taken 13 shots this season, good for second-most for Leeds. He occupies a vital position just behind Bamford as well.
Others to consider: Kasper Schmeichel ($5,200)
Set your DraftKings lineup here: EPL Showdown $35K Starting XI [$10K to 1st] (LEE vs LEI)
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Nikhil Kalro is the Founder and CEO of Altletics Esports.