DraftKings Soccer: Champions League DFS Helper for Tuesday 2/15/22

The Champions League knockout stages are finally here. We’ve got a two-game slate with interesting dynamics, so let’s look at the odds of these games on Soccer odd:

Forwards to Target

Kylian Mbappé ($9,200): Deciding how to handle PSG's forwards is one of the keys to the slate. Mbappé comes in $600 less than Lionel Messi with the same anytime goal odds. The Frenchman is also scoring at a much better rate in Ligue 1 than his Argentine teammate, averaging 0.58 goals per 90 minutes compared to just 0.17 for Messi. He's also averaging more crosses and crosses from more corner kicks than Messi does.

An interesting strategy is playing both of them, as most players will be dedicating more salary to Manchester City players. Mbappé and Messi could combine for a few goals, which would break this small slate. If only playing one, Mbappé has a slight edge in my eyes.

Riyad Mahrez ($9,000): Besides the PSG forward decision, deciding on what pieces from Man City to use is another point of contention on the slate. Mahrez is arguably the best option on the heavily favored side. He leads Manchester City with 16 goals in all competitions. Mahrez has a few key roles for City. He is on penalty and corner duty of late. He also has the best goal-scoring odds of anyone on the slate, so he could be considered the best overall play.

Raheem Sterling ($7,600): Sterling will likely start on the opposite wing from Mahrez and is a good play, as well. He is coming off a hat trick against Norwich on Saturday. He gives you a $1,400 discount from Mahrez, with goal-scoring odds of +130. His floor is lower than Mahrez's, but the upside is similar if Manchester City dominate this game as expected.

Others to consider: Karim Benzema ($8,200), Neymar ($7,800), Marco Asensio ($7,000)

Midfielders to Target

Kevin De Bruyne ($8,800): He hasn't been as productive for fantasy as in past years, but Kevin De Bruyne is still a good option. He averages more than three shots, three chances created and nearly seven crosses per 90 minutes, giving him a great floor. He hasn't just been a floor player of late, as he has five goals and two assists in his last eight league matches.

De Bruyne stands out as the best midfielder on the slate and will certainly be popular. You might want to consider playing just two of KDB, Mahrez and Sterling in tournament lineups, as these will likely be the three most popular Man City players, and at least one is likely to get subbed off with the five available substitutions.

Toni Kroos ($6,800): Kroos continues to be the reliable fantasy option that we've known for years. Since December 1st, he has at least 8.3 DraftKings points in every match. He does this by taking corners and creating chances for Real Madrid. He is also a threat to score from direct free kicks. Kroos might not seem like an exciting, high-upside play, but this is just a two-game slate. You likely won't need a huge performance from every spot in the lineup, so you can afford to play someone like Kroos.

Marco Verratti ($4,500): Verratti might be your best bet if looking to save salary at midfield. He creates some chances, draws some fouls and has been involved in the PSG attack of late. He recently scored a brace in a league match. He also has been taking some corner kicks. He's basically the lowest-salaried midfielder we can safely expect some points out of, so he'll be a good option.

Others to Consider: İlkay Gündoğan ($7,300), Georginio Wijnaldum ($4,400), Rodri ($3,300)

Defenders to Target

Oleksander Zinchenko ($4,500): Defender is definitely a position where you can save some salary. Zinchenko recently made his return after nearly two months out, and he had a good game. He had eight crosses and created two chances in a clean-sheet performance on Saturday. With Manchester City likely having the ball for most of this game, Zinchenko should have plenty of chances to get forward if he starts once more. Zinchenko isn't someone we always consider, but with the lack of truly outstanding options, he's definitely one of the better plays at defender.

Ferland Mendy ($3,400): Mendy looks like he will start for Real Madrid at left-back. He has some attacking chops to his game and can get involved in a goal. He has the lowest salary for a full back who isn't on Sporting. Note that if Marcelo ($3,800) continues to start in Mendy's stead, he would also be a good option.

Rúben Dias ($2,900): Dias has the lowest salary for any of Manchester City's regular center-backs. He can easily pay off this salary just with completed passes, a few tackles, and a clean sheet. Dias also has two goals and three assists in the Premier League this season. If he is able to get either one in this game, he'll go a long way to helping your lineup.

Others to Consider: Nuno Mendes ($3,900), John Stones ($3,200), Mathieu Reis ($2,500)

Goalkeepers to Target

Ederson ($5,900): Keeper is less important on a two-game slate since we have only four total options. Ederson is very likely to be the top scorer at the position. Man City have by far the best odds to win and are even favored to keep a clean sheet on the road. If you have the salary, Ederson definitely stands out above the rest.

Antonio Adán ($3,600): Two-game slates are so weird that it could possibly be correct to play Adán for Sporting, even if you are using a few Man City players. Adán could make a bunch of saves while conceding some goals, which may make him the optimal goalkeeper at this salary. He also could get negative two points, but the salary saved at the position will allow you to get other high scorers who can vault your lineup to the top. There's also the unlikely scenario that Sporting are able to win while Adán has five or more saves and a clean sheet, and he is the least popular goalkeeper on the slate. These paths are reasonable enough to justify Adán in 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.