English Premier League (EPL) Fantasy Soccer Picks: Southampton vs. Newcastle United DraftKings DFS Showdown Strategy

Two injury-ravaged teams meet on Friday as Southampton hosts Newcastle United at St. Mary’s Stadium. We break down the strategies along with players to consider for your roster from DraftKings’ soccer Showdown contest.

Set your DraftKings fantasy soccer lineups here: EPL Showdown $35K Counter Attack Special [$10K to 1st] (SOU vs NEW)

Captain

Callum Wilson ($15,300)

Callum Wilson has been on a hot streak in the Premier League. He has scored four goals in his last four games. Those four goals actually came across just two games, with two braces. Overall, he has scored six goals this season. He has been so important offensively because the next best in the goal-scoring chart for Newcastle is one goal. He has taken 16 shots so far, highest for his club. He has also been strong in the air, winning 14 aerial battles, second most for Newcastle.

Others to consider: James Ward-Prowse ($15,900)

High-priced flex options

James Ward-Prowse ($10,600)

Ward-Prowse is a pivotal cog in Southampton’s offense because most plays go through him. He is leading Southampton in completed passes, with 441 this season. He has contributed in almost all avenues. He is the playmaker and setpiece-taker, which is another influential fantasy characteristic. He has scored three goals, two of which came in the previous game against Aston Villa. He has also taken nine shots, third most for Southampton. Defensively, he has chipped in with 13 successful tackles, tied for second most in the club.

Che Adams ($9,600)

With Danny Ings ($11,200) injured, Adams will likely have to step up offensively. He has already scored two goals and assisted two others this season. That confidence could easily translate into an increase in fantasy output. He has also taken 13 shots for Southampton, two behind Ings. He is currently averaging 9.8 DKFP per game too.

Stuart Armstrong ($7,600)

Armstrong could be a stacking target from Southampton’s midfield. Newcastle is missing several key players in the middle of the field, which could leave gaping defensive holes. Armstrong will be able to capitalize on that from the right wing. He has already managed two assists this season. One of those assists came in the previous game, a 4-3 win over Aston Villa. He took one shot, albeit not on target, in that game.

Others to consider: Alex McCarthy ($6,200)

Value flex options

Theo Walcott ($7,200)

Walcott hasn’t contributed much, from a tangible perspective, this season. However, he can often be a valuable fantasy selection because of his ability to move forward and assist or even score goals. He has the faith from his management, which is evident from his time spent on the pitch. Newcastle’s defensive issues (the team has conceded in 13 of the previous 15 games in the EPL) could be a prime opportunity for Walcott to make an offensive contribution.

Jannik Vestergaard ($4,200)

Manager Ralph Hasenhuttl confirmed Ryan Bertrand ($5,400) will likely be sidelined for this game. That could mean additional responsibility for Vestergaard to maintain the balance at the back. He does like to move forward into the box for setpieces. He even scored in the previous game against Aston Villa. However, the main reason he is in this team is because I can’t see Newcastle scoring easily.

Others to consider: Sean Longstaff ($5,800)

Set your DraftKings fantasy soccer lineups here: EPL Showdown $35K Counter Attack Special [$10K to 1st] (SOU vs NEW)

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Nikhil Kalro is the Founder and CEO of Altletics Esports.