The Champions League is back, and now it's time for the knockout rounds. There's four games this week and four next week as some of Europe's best teams compete for the biggest trophy in European soccer. Let's look at the matches we have and some players we can consider for lineups on DraftKings.
Forwards to Target
Neymar ($10,700): Neymar is one of the most well-known footballers throughout the world, but he has missed lots of time this season. When he has played, though, he has been the Neymar we have come to expect. He has scored 13 goals in 14 games in Ligue 1 this season, making him third in the league in goals despite missing 11 games. The Brazilian isn't just a goal-scoring forward as he also gets set-piece duty for Paris Saint-Germain. He has taken 3.44 corner kicks per 90 minutes in the league this season, according to Rotowire. He also draws a lot of fouls, 4.31 per 90, which are good for a point each on DraftKings.
PSG will take on Dortmund on the road, but they do so as a slight favorite, according to EPL odds. Neymar has anytime goal scoring odds of +100, and adding those good odds to what we know his floor will be based on the peripheral stats, it makes him worth paying up all the way up to roster.
Son Heung-Min ($7,800): Since Harry Kane has been out injured and Christian Eriksen is now playing for Inter, it's been the Son show for Tottenham. He has scored in five straight games in all competitions, including two goals against Aston Villa on Saturday. He also has inherited some corner kicks, as he took four of Spurs' seven in that win over Villa, according to WhoScored.com. He'll look to continue his great form from the group stage of this competition as he scored five goals in those six matches.
With Spurs being a favorite at home against RB Leipzig, Son comes in as a good value for someone who checks a lot of boxes that we look for when rostering a forward. Leipzig will be without top center back Dayot Upamecano, who is suspended for this game. If that weakens their defense overall, Son should be the one to exploit it for Spurs in this match.
Editor's Note: Since publication, Son has been ruled out with a broken arm.
Thorgan Hazard ($5,500): Hazard is a value play at forward for Borussia Dortmund. He should be starting in the front three in this match, which is a fixture that could see a lot of goals scored at both ends. Dortmund lead the Bundesliga with 63 goals scored in 22 matches. Hazard has been a consistent crosser in his first season with Dortmund, averaging 5.83 crosses per 90 minutes. Now with big Norwegian Erling Haaland playing as a striker, there is even more of a reason for Hazard to whip the ball into the box. He is one of the few forwards in this price range who has a reliable floor.
Midfielders to Target
All of the Forwards mentioned above are also midfield eligible.
Alejandro Gómez ($9,000): Papu Gómez is the driving force behind an Atalanta team that is one of the most fun teams in Europe this season. They lead Serie A in goals with 63, eight more than any other club. Gómez is the player who pulls all the strings as the creative man behind the attack. He has hit double-digit assists in four straight seasons. He is their main corner taker and averages 7.02 crosses per 90 minutes.
Atalanta are the only odds-on favorite on this slate, at -135. They are at home against an unspectacular Valencia side that sit in seventh place in La Liga. Gómez is one of the highest-floor players on the slate, making him worth his $9,000 price tag.
Jadon Sancho ($6,400): Sancho is the only player in the Bundesliga with both double-digit goals and assists, recording 13 of each. He is priced down due to some weaker performances in the Champions League, but he has been a standout player in Germany for the last two seasons. He doesn't get the same kind of floor stats as you would think someone of his profile might, but he has lots of upside at his price. PSG have struggled at this stage of the Champions League, getting knocked out in the Round of 16 three years in a row. If they slip up again and Dortmund are able to play well, Sancho is likely to contribute.
Defenders to Target
Trent Alexander-Arnold ($6,000): Alexander-Arnold has been one of the most reliable fantasy assets in the Premier League all season long. He leads the league in crosses by 44 over Kevin De Bruyne. He has been priced down due to a perceived tough matchup for Liverpool away to Atlético Madrid. However, Atlético have allowed the sixth-most crosses per game in La Liga, including the third-most per game at home. On top of that, Atlético will be missing a few key cogs who are out injured. They also average just 48.6% possession, which doesn't bode well for a date with Liverpool, who control the ball 58.2% of the game in the EPL. We should happily take the discount and roster Alexander-Arnold at this price, just as we would on most Premier League weekends.
Angeliño ($4,600): Angeliño has joined RB Leipzig on loan from Manchester City for the rest of the season. He was productive fantasy-wise in just six EPL appearances, racking up 43 crosses. Now with Leipzig, Angeliño is playing in a wing back role and thriving in it. He has 13 crosses in two league starts and also has taken five corners. Matt Targett of Aston Villa had nine crosses on Saturday against Tottenham, playing the same position Angeliño will man in this match on Wednesday. If this is some kind trend, Angeliño is definitely worth considering.
Goalkeeper to Target
Alisson ($5,100): In case you haven't heard, Liverpool are having an incredible season. They have won all but one game in the EPL thus far, with that match being a draw. They travel to Madrid to take on Atlético and are +125 to win, making them a slight favorite. The thing about Atlético this season is that they don't score a ton of goals. They have just 25 in 24 league matches. Those matches also haven't been against teams as good defensively as the Reds are as Liverpool have conceded just 15 goals in the league. Alisson makes a lot of sense in this spot, and he isn't priced as the most expensive keeper. He doesn't seem to have much risk of a dud, making him worth playing in cash games as well as tournaments.
Nicholas Vazquez is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Nicholas Vazquez also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username hbyanksman. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his/her personal views, he/she may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his/her personal account. The views expressed in his/her articles are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.