DraftKings DFS World Cup Picks for Monday, June 15

Spain are the clear favorites to open Monday's four-game DraftKings World Cup slate against Cape Verde, but there are other opportunities to exploit due to pricing.

The slate starts with the noon ET game between Spain and Cape Verde, which is near 90% to win, and implied for more than three goals. Uruguay and Belgium are also strong favorites in their respective matches, while Iran are the modest favorites against New Zealand, which promises to be the lowest-total game of the day.

Before you build your lineups, keep in mind that Lamine Yamal has returned from injury for Spain and is expected to start, firming up the forward selection. Also, Uruguay's defense is struggling with Ronald Araujo out injured and Jose Maria Gimenez, Sebastian Caceres, and Matias Vina all questionable, making the team's full-backs a more attractive choice.

We recommend checking out our RotoWire Discord chat before the lock to discuss lineups and get the latest updates.

Our expert analysis and picks for the slate are as follows:

For Spain, Oyarzabal was always likely to start, but his upside is higher due to his role in the team's attack. However, minutes are not guaranteed for anyone, which makes Ferran Torres ($9,800) a safer bet to score, as he is likely to sub off for Lamine Yamal at some point. Meanwhile, Alex Baena or the player who starts on the left will also sub off, allowing you to play a few of the Spain players.

Ghoddos offers a good matchup and a split of set pieces, making him a viable option in both cash and tournaments. His price is also relatively affordable.

Nunez is a cheaper goal-scorer option, with Uruguay around two-thirds to win and he being +135 to score. He leaves room to pay up in the midfield and can be a value pick in tournaments.

Federico Vinas ($6,200) is the cheaper Uruguay striker at +145, while Mehdi Taremi ($10,000) leads a favored Iran but is extremely expensive and not the preferred choice. Mohamed Salah ($8,500) could be an option, but paying a lot for an underdog might not be the best value.

The midfield is stacked with favorites, so it's essential to choose the right value plays to fit the team you want to select. De Bruyne has the highest midfield floor, with Belgium around 60% to win, and the attack running through him. He's an excellent choice to build around, with a fair price for the expected output.

Alex Baena ($7,900) is cheaper, but he has early sub risk and might not start, while De Bruyne ensures he'll be on the ball no matter what. Valverde nearly matches De Bruyne's floor, with Uruguay the bigger favorite, making him a great second stud or pivot. As the team's main set-piece taker, he offers a decent floor and the potential to create more opportunities without Giorgian De Arrascaeta.

Maxi Araujo ($6,100) offers a value option for Uruguay, with most of his work on the wing. Pedro Porro is the headliner at defender, but there's a big question on whether he starts or not.

Porro offers a best defender floor on the board, with a wide margin in set pieces. However, the question of whether he'll start or not remains a concern. Varela is the value full-back, with Uruguay favored to win and keep it tight, and at $4,500, he frees up cap space for the studs up top.

Marc Cucurella ($5,500) is the other Spain full-back, with Milad Mohammadi ($5,700) offering an option for Iran. For the Spain clean sheet on the cheap, Aymeric Laporte ($4,800) and Pau Cubarsi ($3,700) are the center-backs to pair with Unai Simon.

The Spain clean sheet is the best on the slate, around 60% with the team near 90% to win. We also recommend checking out Mohammed Al-Owais ($4,000), who makes sense as a cheaper option, given Uruguay's struggling attack and Nunez's tendencies.

For detailed stats and odds, check out the DraftKings Fantasy Soccer: World Cup Cheat Sheet.

Hit up our Discord with more questions or get the latest updates on our analysis.