Daily Fantasy Premier League 2015: Best EPL Lineup Picks Week 30
The race for the top four and the Premier League title is heating up as league play enters Week 30, and England's best are gearing up for another crucial matchday sure to be decisive as the season begins to wind down.
With Manchester City and Arsenal being the EPL's last to be eliminated from the Champions League in midweek, a refocus on domestic play should be in order for the league's top clubs. Seven matches grace Saturday's slate, and Manchester City's hosting of West Brom is the only match not on DraftKings, so let's take a look at which players to target from the other six games.
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| GK | Costel Pantilimon (Sunderland) | West Ham | 9.2 | $4,700 |
| D | Danny Rose (Tottenham) | Leicester City | 9.1 | $4,500 |
| D | Ryan Bertrand (Southampton) | Burnley | 9.0 | $4,600 |
| M | Victor Moses (Stoke City) | Crystal Palace | 10.4 | $6,900 |
| M | Wayne Routledge (Swansea City) | Aston Villa | 6.8 | $5,000 |
| F | Olivier Giroud (Arsenal) | Newcastle | 11.5 | $9,700 |
| F | Christian Benteke (Aston Villa) | Swansea | 7.8 | $7,900 |
| FLEX | Sadio Mane (Southampton) | Burnley | 10.9 | $6,700 |
Forwards: Olivier Giroud ($9,700) and Christian Benteke ($7,900)
| 7 | 3 | 38 |
Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud is on fire as of late, scoring goals in seven of his last 10 DK appearances including Tuesday's win and subsequent elimination on aggregate goals against Monaco. A top-four finish in focus means the Gunners will roll with their top squad—including Giroud—Saturday against Newcastle.
The Magpies' 11 goals conceded in their last six league games are more than any other EPL club, and the Frenchman has scored in each of his last three appearances versus Newcastle.
Aston Villa are trending upward on a three-match win streak, and striker Christian Benteke has come into his own. Three of his five goals have come in his last two appearances, and Villa host a Swansea City club reeling after a tough loss to Liverpool last week.
Midfielders: Victor Moses ($6,900) and Wayne Routledge ($5,000)
Stoke City were one of the EPL's hottest clubs prior to a Week 29 loss to West Brom, and Victor Moses will help to get them back on track against the hapless Crystal Palace. The Eagles' 39.6 percent possession rate is by far the worst in the league, which will allow Moses to continue his impressive recent play and post double-digit fantasy points for the fifth time in six games.
Moses was held out of the squad for Nigeria's friendly during the week, but per football injury data analyst Ben Dinnery, he should be in the fold for Saturday's contest:
Wayne Routledge is a lineup X-factor who will not only allow you more salary room to pick the best forwards, but also to get some value for a low price. Swansea's midfielder whacked in six crosses against Liverpool last weekend, and is good for a few occasional shots on target if Aston Villa struggle to keep their recent form. Most importantly, the ball will be at his feet enough to procure those scoring opportunities.
Defenders: Danny Rose ($4,500) and Ryan Bertrand ($4,600)
| 2 | 3 | 33 | 19 |
With top-four hopes fleeting and their backs against the wall, Tottenham should post an inspired performance that leaves defender Danny Rose as a regular part of the attack. He has 12 combined crosses in his last two games, which was preceded by a goal on three shots against West Ham, and the hope for a clean sheet is very much alive versus Leicester City.
Ryan Bertrand is once again one of the best defensive plays in DK, which has as much to do with the defender's affinity for crosses and attacks as it does Southampton's defensive stiffness. Relegation-candidates Burnley will have the pressure on them following last week's win over Chelsea, leaving Bertrand and Co. ready to pounce.
Goalkeeper: Costel Pantilimon ($4,700)
Costel Pantilimon's form has eluded him over the last month along with Sunderland's, but the embattled goalkeeper is set for a bounce-back Saturday at West Ham on a discounted price. His opponent has only scored one goal in their last three EPL outings.
Even amid giving up seven goals in his last three games, Pantilmon impressed with a combined 15 saves in that span. If Sunderland leave their keeper out to dry again on Saturday, he should at least have enough save opportunities to make for a productive day.
Advanced stats courtesy of WhoScored.com unless otherwise noted.
Steven Cook covers daily fantasy world football for Bleacher Report. Follow and interact with him on Twitter.
