Cricket Fantasy Picks: Best Starts, Sits & Value Plays — 2026-07-02

DFS CRICKET PICKS: SA20 WEEK9 — YOUR WINNING LINEUP STRATEGY

START THESE THREE PLAYERS THIS WEEK

Joe Root deserves top priority in your England lineups after posting 68 runs in the SA20 clash against West Indies. Root's recent consistency in T20 formats shows a .58 strike rate with three scores above 45 in his last five outings. At approximately $9,200 on DraftKings, he offers the safest floor with ceiling upside you need in tournament play. His experience in subcontinental conditions historically produces 35+ fantasy points per game.

Reece Topley proved why he's a phantom pick in the West Indies matchup, recording two quick wickets while maintaining an economy under 7.5 runs per over. Bowlers are underpriced this season, and Topley's $7,100 salary on FanDuel represents steals value. He's delivered 15+ fantasy points in four consecutive outings against ranked batting units. Expect him to face vulnerable middle-order batsmen this week.

Evin Lewis displayed raw power with a 52-ball 87 in West Indies' chase, proving he's locked in despite the loss. His recent tournament averages show 42 fantasy points when he reaches 40+ runs. At $8,400 on DraftKings, Lewis gives you explosive upside while maintaining a floor near 20 points through his boundary-hitting consistency.

SIT THESE TWO PLAYERS THIS WEEK

Brandon King showed a 14-run performance in the SA20 contest and historically struggles against moving-ball bowling in English-style conditions. His recent form (two single-digit scores in five games) suggests ceiling limitations at $7,900 salary levels. The risk-reward doesn't justify tournament exposure.

Anrich Nortje requires benching this week. Despite his pedigree, his recent workload across formats has produced inconsistency, with three poor bowling performances in six outings. At $8,600, you're paying premier-fast-bowler pricing for recent mid-tier production.

Tabraiz Shamsi ($6,200 on FanDuel) delivered economical bowling performances while taking wickets in three of his last four starts. Spinners always produce tournament value in this format.

Andile Phehlukwayo ($5,800 on DraftKings) offers all-rounder utility—his last two games produced 28+ combined fantasy points through modest batting paired with reliable bowling.

THE CONTRARIAN PICK NOBODY'S TOUCHING

Shamarh Brooks at $6,500 represents your tournament differentiator. While his 18-run outing seemed marginal, his batting position (number four) and recent strikeout patterns suggest he's due for a 60+ fantasy-point explosion. Contrarian stacks built around Brooks can pay massive dividends in GPPs.