DraftKings DFS Soccer: Tuesday UCL Picks

MATCHES (ET)

• 3:00 pm: Benfica vs. Maccabi Haifa
• 3:00 pm: Celtic vs. Real Madrid
• 3:00 pm: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Juventus
• 3:00 pm: RB Leipzig vs. FC Shakhtar Donetsk
• 3:00 pm: Red Bull Salzburg vs. AC Milan
• 3:00 pm: Sevilla vs. Manchester City

For detailed stats and odds, check out the

DraftKings Fantasy Soccer: Tuesday UCL Cheat Sheet

FORWARDS

Tuesday's six-game Champions League slate is a bit daunting as PSG, Manchester City and Real Madrid are all in action which means the likes of Mbappe, Neymar, Messi, Haaland, De Bruyne and Benzema and there to choose from. And that's only to name a few! What makes it even more intriguing is that Benfica and RB Leipzig are the biggest favorites and have the highest implied goal totals at just under 2.5. Those spots won't be quite as popular as usual, either, considering the other matches are filled with some of the best players in the world, all of them capable of breaking any slate. 

David Neres, BEN vs. MHI ($9,700): Benfica and RB Leipzig have the most favorable matchups Tuesday. Leipzig are home against Shakhtar Donetsk and that means Christopher Nkunku ($10,500) is a top option. He scored a ton of goals last season but can't be counted on for more than a couple set pieces. Benfica are home against Maccabi Haifa and it appears that Neres is now their majority set-piece taker. He does a bit of everything offensively and has a decent floor in this spot without the set pieces. When you add them in, it makes him the best forward for cash games, in my opinion. Keep in mind that there are no players with standout goalscoring odds on this slate. Erling Haaland ($10,900) has the best at -145 for Man City's away trip to Sevilla. Lionel Messi ($9,900) is next at -135 with PSG at home against Juventus. He's been splitting set pieces and is considerably cheaper than his frontline partners Kylian Mbappe ($11,500) and Neymar ($11,100). Messi has looked pretty good to start the season with three goals and six assists through six games in the Ligue 1. It was a real toss up between him and Neres for me and it'll be a tough decision for everyone on this slate.

Looking at the mid-range for some GPP options, Timo Werner ($7,800) and Andre Silva ($7,200) are both about even money to score, and Benfica's Goncalo Ramos ($8,200) has slightly better odds. While these players will still be relatively popular, I'd imagine less so due to the name recognition across the slate.

Jota, CEL vs. RMA ($5,200): While a home matchup against Real Madrid isn't the greatest spot, Celtic have an implied total above one and Jota has been their main creative force. He's been taking set pieces and already has four goals and four assists through six matches. He's cheap and should have a decent floor for cash games. If you're looking for a cheap goal in tournaments, Olivier Giroud ($5,400) is +115 to score with AC Milan favored away to Salzburg. Those are nice odds for that salary and he's already scored in two of his three starts in Serie A. On the opposite side of that matchup, Noah Okafor ($5,600) would be a less popular option. That game has a lower total, but he's a talented young striker and he scored in similar spots last season. 

MIDFIELDERS

Kevin De Bruyne ($9,500) is always in consideration, but he doesn't seem necessary with Man City playing away to Sevilla and plenty of other good options elsewhere. Still, De Bruyne is relatively affordable and would make sense as a last man in, if you were $400 short of getting to Messi, for example. 

Joao Mario, BEN vs. MHI ($7,500): Mario has been sharing corners and he converted a penalty kick over the weekend. He's showed a bit more upside than usual this season and should have a pretty safe floor with Benfica in such a favorable spot. GPP options in this range include Emil Forsberg ($6,500) with RB Leipzig having the highest implied total. It would make sense to pair him with Werner or Silva, or roster him in any type of stack. If De Bruyne doesn't start, Ilkay Gundogan ($6,800) would split corners and could even be used for cash games in that case. 

Toni Kroos, RMA at CEL ($5,100): Kroos is too cheap with Real Madrid being substantial favorites away to Celtic. He's still their majority set-piece taker and he's put up double-digit floor points in both of his starts in La Liga this season. He seems awfully safe for cash games at that price, but I'll be looking for more upside in tournaments. Not to say that Kroos doesn't have it, but his ceiling games are few and far between these days. Luka Sucic ($4,800) and Nicolas Seiwald ($3,800) share set pieces for Salzburg. I'd avoid Seiwald in GPPs, as he's a defensive midfielder, but Sucic could get on the score-sheet. Defensive midfielders Ismael Bennacer ($4,700) and Sandro Tonali ($4,400) share corners for AC Milan. You wouldn't see them on my GPP lineups, though. I'd rather take a chance on someone like Mykhailo Mudryk ($4,200). Shakhtar are underdogs, but Mudryk is a winger who can do it all and even takes set pieces should they get any. 

DEFENDERS

David Raum, RBL vs. SHK ($6,500): Raum is pretty much a lock for cash games and looks good for GPPs, too. He plays wing-back and takes at least half the set pieces for Leipzig, who have the highest implied goal. He should be more expensive in this spot and all of that makes him the standout player at the position. Consider Benjamin Henrichs ($5,000), on the other wing, for tournaments. Alejandro Grimaldo ($6,000) and Gilberto ($5,400) are similar options for Benfica with both having upside in a nice matchup. 

Nuno Mendes, PSG v. JUV ($4,500): Mendes has been playing on the left wing and already has a goal and two assists this season. He doesn't have the safest floor but the cheaper salary makes up for that. Paying all the way down at second defender is an option for cash games, as well, especially on this slate where one clearly stands out as the best. Rostering someone for sub-$3,000 to make everything else work seems just fine.  

GOALKEEPERS

Odisseas Vlachodimos, BEN vs. MHI ($5,900): Vlachodimos has roughly 50-percent odds to keep a clean sheet which makes him the top option for cash games if you have the salary. If you're trying to save some money, Philipp Kohn ($4,500) is viable. He's about 20 percent to keep a clean sheet at home against AC Milan and that match has the lowest implied total. The Celtic and Sevilla keepers seem like fine options to gamble on in tournaments, especially if you're not rostering any Real Madrid or Man City players opposite them.