The popularity of daily fantasy sports (DFS) has skyrocketed in recent years, with many companies offering DFS games. Cash prizes are up for grabs on a daily basis, making daily fantasy sports a huge part of the sports betting industry.
If you want to learn how to play daily fantasy soccer, you have come to the right place. In this guide to playing DFS soccer, we explain how to construct a lineup, how the scoring system works, which stats to consider and which players/teams to target.
Constructing Your DFS Soccer Lineup
When it comes to building your daily fantasy soccer lineup, the aim of the game is to construct the strongest team possible. However, the salary cap means that you can’t select all the best players in each position. For that reason, you need to spread the salary evenly across your lineup.
DFS soccer games vary from website to website, but they all have similar lineup requirements. In an 11-a-side game, you select one goalkeeper, three defenders, three midfielders, three forwards and two utility players.
The goalkeeper and defenders gain points from offensive and defensive actions, while the midfielders and forwards mostly gain points from attacking returns. Utility players can be offensive or defensive players.
How Daily Fantasy Soccer Scoring Works
Like the lineup rules, DFS sites have varying scoring systems. That said, most daily fantasy soccer games have a similar set of rules when it comes to scoring points.
For example, players get 10 points for scoring a goal and six points for making an assist. Defenders get three points for a clean sheet, while goalkeepers get five. GKs also gain points by making saves.
You can also score points from shots, shots on target, crosses, tackles and interceptions. On the flip side, players get negative points for actions such as goals conceded, yellow cards, red cards, penalty misses and fouls.
Important Stats for Daily Fantasy Soccer
If you want to be a successful DFS soccer player, you need to study the numbers behind the game. That’s why we recommended exploring the statistics before finalizing your lineup.
The top metrics to consider are goals, assists and clean sheets. These areas score you the most points from your teams, so it pays to look for the top goalscorers, leading assist-makers and goalkeepers with a high shutout ratio.
You should also aim to avoid players with a poor disciplinary record, as these players will bring in negative points for fouls and cards.
Most Popular Soccer Leagues to Bet On
Players and Teams to Target for DFS Soccer
The beauty of daily fantasy sports is that you can change your lineup to suit each round of fixtures. Accordingly, you can target specific players and teams depending on the upcoming matchups.
One of the first things you should look for is big favorites to win, as these teams will likely score lots of goals against weaker teams. You can also target matches with high goal totals, giving you a greater chance of picking up points.
It is also worth keeping an eye on injury and suspension lists, as players with a cheap DFS price may get an opportunity to play. If you can find low-priced players with guaranteed game time, you can spend more of your salary on elite players.
