DraftKings Soccer Strategy: How to Win at Fantasy Soccer
Interested in playing daily fantasy soccer over at DraftKings? I had plenty of success during 2014 World Cup over at Draftstreet so I can provide you DFS soccer beginners with helpful insight to build the best lineups.
Soccer is all about scoring goals and earning clean sheets and this will be our main focus when choosing players each weekend. First, we’ll go over the players in a roster, the DraftKings scoring system, then cover how to choose the best players, game selection and finally finding a few cheap value players to help you roster the must play studs each week.
Let’s get started.
Roster Basics
GK, D, D, D, M, M, M, F, F, Util, Util (where Util = any position except goalkeeper)
Roster Details
In each game, participants will be assigned a fixed salary cap of $50,000 that they can use to draft their entire 11-player roster.
Rosters must include players from at least 3 different EPL or UCL teams. Note: EPL and UCL are separate competitions and drafts include different teams, players, and salaries.
Scoring System
Important Notes
- The MLS awards both primary and secondary assists. Both primary and secondary assists are used for scoring in MLS contests and they have the same point value.
- Goalkeepers will be credited for all statistics except interceptions.
- Goalkeepers/Defenders must play at least 60 minutes to qualify for the clean sheet bonus. The player’s team (regardless if he is still playing or not) must allow zero goals respectively over the course of regular time and extra time to qualify. Injury time is not counted in a player’s total minutes played
- Goalkeeper win stat is calculated at the end of regulation time or extra time if needed. Goalkeepers must play at least 60 minutes to qualify for a win.
- Stats from Penalty Kick shootouts will not be counted for any players.
- Own goals do not count as goals for, but do count as goals against for Goalkeepers and do factor into Clean Sheet calculations.
If you played fantasy soccer under the old scoring system, then check out this blog post for information about the DraftKings soccer updates.
Soccer Strategy Tips
Check Starting Lineups Before Kickoff
It’s important to make sure your players are starting before rostering them. I use Rotowire’s Premier League Lineups to confirm all my players are in the starting 11.
If you use twitter, you can subscribe to the club’s main twitter feed to get the starting 11 before kickoff.
This is an important step because many clubs play in mid-week tournaments like Champions League and Domestic Cups which affect lineups.
Forwards/Midfielders
First off, we see that you earn 10 points for each goal scored. Rostering an elite striker for at least 1 of your 2 forward spots is a must. You want a player that can go off for a hat trick and really separate you from everyone else.
Assists are worth 60% of a goal, so choose midfielders that serve as the main playmaker for their squad. A good midfielder can easily score a goal and assist another goal in the same match. This gives you a nice 16 pts plus the chance for additional points earned through crosses, shots and fouls drawn.
You get double points for a shot and shot on goal so make sure to select Center Forwards over wingers if given the chance. A winger must cut in and this makes it a bit harder to get the shot on goal, whereas a center forward is usually right in front of the goal and will at least get the shot on goal.
Defenders
Most defenders rarely get shots on goal unless there is a corner kick opportunity. Target taller defenders that could win a header in the penalty box over a tall GK. You get a 5 point bonus for a Clean Sheet, so choosing a home team against a weak away squad is probably the best way to earn a clean sheet.
GoalKeepers
Choosing a GK at home with a solid backline is the best way to earn a clean sheet. Play GK going against squads with the fewest goals scored in the EPL or Champions League will give your GK an easier day out. Also, teams usually give up when down 3 or more goals so if your GK’s team scores in bunches, your GK could face a team lacking confidence which makes earning the CS much easier.
Research Tools
I put together a complete list of tools & resources I use to build my Draftkings soccer lineups. Check out those DraftKings Soccer research tools now.
