Welcome back to a special version of “The Kick-Off” World Cup Edition! We are here for MatchDay 16 of the tournament and another helping of the round of 16. Knockout games are always interesting as it becomes all or nothing for teams.
Today’s slate will feature one of the favorites for the tournament, Brazil, and another that has the potential to cause upset, Japan. Brazil is a massive favorite to progress and should be set to welcome back their star player, Neymar. I'm really interested to see if Japan keeps the fairytale alive, but I think they realistically struggled with the strength of the defense.
The DraftKings World Cup DFS Soccer contests lock at 10:00 am ET for the 12/5/22 slate. Make sure to get your lineups in early. Also, don't forget to check out the rest of our World Cup coverage on Rotoballer with team and match previews, along with our betting and DFS advice. If you have any further questions or want to chat about the World Cup, feel free to reach out to me on Twitter @RichKingFF.
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DraftKings DFS Goalkeepers
Alisson- DK $5.9K
Opponent - South Korea
Brazil broke two of their records in their last group game, they conceded a goal for the first time. More impressively, they allowed their first shot on target. Their defense has been great, killing attacks early. Brazil has the best chance to get a clean sheet on the slate, and I'm not interested in chasing saves on this slate.
Others To Consider (Cash/GPP): Shuichi Gonda (DK $4.3K)
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Neymar- DK $10.5K
Opponent - South Korea
The coach has said that he is expecting Neymar to play, and really at this stage of the competition, Brazil needs him. His playmaking and set-piece ability give him a nice floor, and after struggling to do anything of note in the World Cup, he will be looking to make a statement here. The Korean defense has shown it can just crumble, as they conceded three goals against Ghana and one against Portugal's semi-B team. There should be gaps for Brazil to exploit. If he isn't set to play, you can pivot to Richarlison. Or, if you want to get funky, go for Andrej Kramaric ($7.8k) and go with Vinicius Junior at midfield.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP): Richarlison (DK $9.7K)
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DraftKings DFS Midfielders
Ritsu Doan- DK $5.4K
Opponent - Croatia
Japan has really been one of the big stories from this World Cup, with two upset wins against Germany and then Spain. In both, it was Doan who stepped up to tie before the team went on to score again. Croatia is a mean team, only conceding one goal, so it might be hard for Japan to do much of anything in this one. But, form is a massive thing in these types of tournaments and Doan has shown he can score when the pressure is on.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP): Vinicius Junior (DK $7.6K)
DraftKings DFS Defenders
Eder Militao- DK $4.0K
Opponent - South Korea
Wow. It really feels like I'm stacking on Brazilian options, but injury and the good chance of a clean sheet have put Eder Militao in with a shout of being a nice cheap play on the slate. With the players that have been injured, Militao is expected to be the right back for the team. The Korean attack I think is going to struggle to do too much against this Brazilian defense, and getting a cheap option with an upside is a nice play.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP): Borna Barisic (DK $4.9K)