There is no rule for forwards just pick the best ones especially now with goals virtually guaranteeing bonus points:

I’ve provided the following stats to support the player choices and to guide you in your decisions.  I’ve now moved this to this year’s stats:

1.  Goals and assists this year.

2.  Time per point scored this year.  This is how many minutes it takes for a Barclays fantasy premier league point to be scored over the course of the season.  The lower the better obviously.   I’ve now moved to this years stats

3.  Rotation risk.  High, medium or low.  High is the greatest risk of rotation.

4.  Fixture ease ranking:  The link is at the bottom of the article but essentially I’ve ranked all the teams by the ease of the first 6 fixtures.  The team with the best ranking ie 1 will have the easiest next fixtures of any of the fantasy premier league teams over the next 6 games.

5.  Consistency:  The % of times that the player got a goal or assist   as a % of games played

6.  I’ve also ranked them in their categories as who I think is currently the best choice

7.  I’ve added a new feature.  The last 5 return consistency rate.  This will show the amount of games in the last 5 played that have resulted in a goal or assist

Forwards

Goals and assists: 19 goals and 12 assists:     Time per point scored:  8.2  mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 20th.  Consistency 12/15    80%               Last 5 return consistency rate:  4/5

After only an assist in the difficult away games against City and Chelsea he was back to scoring ways against Hull.  With Aguero the standout forward and the shooting and creating stats leaders.  A must have

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Stoke City (A)
Aston Villa (H)
Everton (H)
West Brom (A)
Arsenal (H)
Fulham (A)

2.  Negredo (£9.8m)

• Goals and assists:  8 goals 4 assists.  Time per point scored: 13.8  mins .  Rotation risk: medium.   fixture ease ranking: 4th.  Consistency     10/19  53%        Last 5 return rate:  3/5

Fresh from a capital one hat trick against the hapless West Ham should be in confident mood.  Has  started 5 of the last 6 games but not got more than 61 minutes in 3 of those 6.  The underlying shooting and creating chances stats are ok but nothing outstanding considering the price.  Probably has the advantage over Dzeko due to playing style when Aguero returns but that has yet to be established.  That maybe irrelevant as I suspect (as they should) that most people will dump both of them when Aguero returns.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Hull City (A)
Man Utd (H)
West Ham (H)
Man City (A)
Newcastle (H)
West Brom (A)

3.  Adebayor (£7.7m)

• Goals and assists:  3 goals 2 assists.  Time per point scored:  11.7 mins mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 18th.  Consistency since Sherwood 3/4  75%          Last 5 return rate:  3/4

Has made a great start since getting into the side now Sherwood is the manager.  Will it last?  Who knows as he’s not the most reliable personality.  Does have talent and it was only 2 seasons ago that he scored 17 goals and 12 assists.  It is a gamble but he’s excellent value and home to Crystal Palace next so a good time to throw the dice.  Underlying stats are ok and he does score and assist as has a good all round game.  Sherwood will make Spurs a more attacking team unless he continues to get out numbered in midfield if Soldado and Adebayor don’t drop into that area when Spurs don’t have the ball.  They were certainly pretty inconsistent at it with Arteta in the FA Cup.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Crystal Palace (H)
Swansea (A)
Man City (H)
Hull City (A)
Everton (H)
Newcastle (A)

4.  Giroud (£8.5m)

• Goals and assists:  11 goals 4 assists.  Time per point scored:  16.2 mins mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 5th.  Consistency 10/18  56%          Last 5 return rate:  2/5

Returned in the last 2 after blanking in 4.  Seems to be going through the problems putting the ball in the net that he did last year.  Still good returns considering his price now.  Just hard not to think there is better Arsenal coverage in the midfield.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Aston Villa (A)
Fulham (H)
Southampton (A)
Crystal Palace (H)
Liverpool (A)
Man Utd (H)

5.  Lukaku (£8.7m)

• Goals and assists  9 goals 4 assists.  Time per point scored:  14.8 mins  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 9th.  Consistency for Everton  10/16   63%  Last 5 return rate:  2/5

After returning in 5 consecutive games has gone off the boil with only a goal in his last 4.  Has dropped in his underlying stats as well and isn’t creating chances for others to supplement goals with assists in the long term.  Not helped by looking quiet as he isnt a striker who gets involved in the build up to a great extent.  Norwich at home definitely isn’t the time to sell though.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Norwich (H)
West Brom (A)
Liverpool (A)
Aston Villa (H)
Tottenham (A)
Crystal Palace (H)

6.  Welbeck (£7.2m)

• Goals and assists:  7 goals 2 assists.  Time per point scored:  13.3 mins mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 15th.  Consistency 8/14  56%          Last 5 return rate:  4/5

With the news that RVP is going to be out “for a little while” (whatever that means) then Welbeck is the likely man up top.  Hernadez is a threat but Welbeck is the player in form. Wont have Rooney to supply the chances this week at least but enough good fixtures to produce returns

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Swansea (H)
Chelsea (A)
Cardiff City (H)
Stoke City (A)

Fulham (H)
Arsenal (A)

7.  Bony (£7.3m)

• Goals and assists:  6 goals 1 assists.  Time per point scored:  15.5 mins mins .  Rotation risk: high.   fixture ease ranking: 7th.  Consistency  5/15  33%          Last 5 return rate:  1/5

This is all about his last couple of games against the Manchester teams.  2 against City and the winner against United.  Has very good shooting stats but he’s an old fashioned “I’m only here to score” type CF.  People may ridicule the Dutch league but you don’t score 30 goals in a season without knowing how to put the ball in the net.  His shooting stats are great but does nothing else.  Started the last 2 fixtures but has some convincing to go with Laudrup before we can assume gametime security.  3 good fixtures after the next 2 which are more difficult.  Dyer, De Guzman and Hernandez out isn’t helpful either for chances coming to him

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Man Utd (A)
Tottenham (H)
Fulham (H)
West Ham (A)
Cardiff City (H)
Stoke City (A)

8.  Remy (£8.1m)

• Goals and assists:  10 goals 2 assists.  Time per point scored:  15.1 mins mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 17th.  Consistency 9/18  50%          Last 5 return rate:  1/5

Only returned once in his last 7 games is a bit of a damning stat to say the least.  I’m not sure in my own mind if playing up front by himself with Cabaye as an advanced midfilder suits him.  I think he works better with Ameobi in 4-4-2.  The stats don’t necessarily support that though as Ameobi has started 3 of the blanks and his 2 goals at Palace were without Ameobi playing?  Whatever though he’s not in tip top form and his underlying stats are through the floor.  Fixtures aren’t much help with City visiting and this maybe a time to jump ship.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Man City (H)
West Ham (A)
Norwich (A)
Sunderland (H)
Chelsea (A)
Tottenham (H)

Budget Strikers

Here’s a few strker options if you want to go cheap and invest further in your midfield

1.  Rodriguez (£6.2m)

3 goals and  an assist in his last 5.  Fantasy premier league points per minute of 17.1 is respectable for the price.   Again not much in the way of underlying stats.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

West Brom (H)
Sunderland (A)
Arsenal (H)
Fulham (A)
Stoke City (H)
Hull City (A)

2.  Hooper (£6.1m)

Returned 3 goals and an assist in his last 6 games.  Returning in 3 of those games.   With a fantasy premier league points per minute of 17.2 he’s good value.    Underlying stats are nothing great but what you would expect from the value.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Everton (A)
Hull City (H)
Newcastle (H)
Cardiff City (A)
Man City (H)
West Ham (A)

3.  Chamakh (£4.8m)

After scoring in 3 consecutive games it’s now 3 without returning.  One for 3-5-2 only.

And for the real punt

Berbatov (£7.0m)

Incredibly its 3 goals and an assist in his last 4 games returning in everyone.  That wasn’t just a fluke either the underlying shooting and creating chances stats have been fantastic.  Maybe its all to impress Wenger, who knows but you can’t deny the form.  To take the leap though you have to forget the pouting, arm waving, team mate gesticulating, player of earlier in the season.   Remember the player who scored 21 goals and 4 assists 3 seasons ago in 2/3 of a season.  Good fixture to start home to Sunderland.  Here’s the rest, there are some difficult ones.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Sunderland (H)
Arsenal (A)
Swansea (A)
Southampton (H)
Man Utd (A)
Liverpool (H)

Fox Sports EPL fantasy:  League name: fantasyfootballgeek League access code: (10513-1773)