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

8.  I’ve also added how many of the top 10 fantasy premier league managers I’ve followed.

Forwards

1.  Aguero (£12.3m)

• Goals and assists:  14 goals 9 assists.  Time per point scored:  9.0 mins  .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 6th.  Consistency 12/16  75%          Last 5 return rate:  4/5    How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 4

I did say he was lethal from the bench but a goal and an assist in 29 minutes was even more than I expected.  Unbelievable in the FACup with a hat trick.  A must have.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Tottenham (A)
Chelsea (H)
Norwich (A)
Sunderland (H)
Stoke City (H)
Man Utd (A)

Goals and assists: 21 goals and 13 assists:     Time per point scored:  8.4  mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 18th.  Consistency 14/17    82%               Last 5 return consistency rate:  4/5    How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow:  10

It’s a sign of something that its a shock when he doesn’t score in a home game.  Has it all, can go past people score with ever feet create space and chances for others.  Great captain option at home.  Harder fixtures will make captain choices interesting though.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Everton (H)
West Brom (A)
Arsenal (H)
Fulham (A)
Swansea (H)
Southampton (A)

3.  Adebayor (£7.8m)

• Goals and assists:  5 goals 3 assists.  Time per point scored:  11.0 mins mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 17th.  Consistency since Sherwood 5/ 6   83%          Last 5 return rate:  4/5    How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 2

5 goals and 3 assists in 6 games since coming back into the team.  Great form and has good underlying stats so far.  3 tricky games next will be a good bellweather for the rest of the season.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Man City (H)
Hull City (A)
Everton (H)
Newcastle (A)
Norwich (A)
Cardiff City (H)

4.  Rooney (£11.3m)  (injured return GW23)

• Goals and assists:  9 goals 11 assists.  Time per point scored:  12.2 mins mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 9th.  Consistency  13/17  76%          Last 5 return rate:  3/5    How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 0

Injured and expected back for the Cardiff game if you can believe anything coming out of Man Utd these days.  Home to Cardiff is a good time to buy.  Incredible consistency.  Should have pens while RVP is injured although in theory he is also expected to be back.  Mata will dilute his set piece involvement.  However the key is that Rooney should be pushed up top with Mata the number 10 and his returns should be even better if that’s possible.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Cardiff City (H)
Stoke City (A)
Fulham (H)
Arsenal (A)
Crystal Palace (A)
Gameweek 28 – N/A

5.  Sturridge (£9.3m)

• Goals and assists:  11 goals 3 assists.  Time per point scored:  11.6 mins  .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 18th.  Consistency 11/14  79%          Last 5 return rate:  3/5    How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 3

After a goal and an assist in 25 minutes coming on at Stoke his first start since GW11 saw him score.  With some tricky fixtures it will be interesting to see if doubling up with Sturridge is too much risk or not. Fantastic consistency.  Good shooting stats but doesn’t create chances.  Would be in most teams if wasn’t a doubling up question with Suarez

Everton (H)
West Brom (A)
Arsenal (H)
Fulham (A)
Swansea (H)
Southampton (A)

6.  Giroud (£8.7m)

• Goals and assists:  9 goals 5 assists.  Time per point scored:  16.2 mins mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 13th.  Consistency 11/20  55%          Last 5 return rate:  3/5    How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 3

Very disappointing not to return against Fulham although had the chances.  Returns and consistency should be better given the midfielders behind him.  Good shooting stats but has dried up on creating chances.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Southampton (A)
Crystal Palace (H)
Liverpool (A)
Man Utd (H)
Sunderland (H)
Stoke City (A)

7.  Negredo (£9.8m) (injured GW23)

• Goals and assists:  9 goals 4 assists.  Time per point scored: 14.3  mins .  Rotation risk: medium.   fixture ease ranking: 6th.  Consistency     11/21  52%        Last 5 return rate:  2/5    How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 4

The most transferred out player in the gameweek by about 50% more than anyone else.  The stark difference between him and Aguero couldn’t have been shown better than in the Cardiff game when Negredo blanked and Aguero in 29 minutes got a goal and an assist.  Still the stats are pretty good and even the underlying stats are pretty respectable.  However Aguero is a must have and Negredo even without the injury isn’t a double up in my mind.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Cardiff City (H)
Tottenham (A)
Chelsea (H)
Norwich (A)
Sunderland (H)
Stoke City (H)

8.  Benteke (£8.7m)

• Goals and assists:  6 goals 0 assists.  Time per point scored:  22.1 mins mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 5th.  Consistency  5 /16  31%          Last 5 return rate:  2/5    How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 0

Scored in the last 2 games although were his first returns since GW4.  All hinges on whether you think he’s turned the corner or not.  Interestingly has maintained good shooting and creating chances stats through the whole of his drought.  Has the fixtures though to do so but it’s a big gamble.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

West Brom (H)
Everton (A)
West Ham (H)
Cardiff City (A)
Newcastle (A)
Norwich (H)

9.  Lukaku (£8.6m)

• Goals and assists  9 goals 6 assists.  Time per point scored:  15.1 mins  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 15th.  Consistency for Everton  12/18   67%  Last 5 return rate:  3/5    How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 2

Another player being sold heavily this gameweek.  Reasonable consistency buoyed by a series of fortuitous assists.  Ok shooting stats but another player not creating chances.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Liverpool (A)
Aston Villa (H)
Tottenham (A)
Crystal Palace (H)
Chelsea (A)
West Ham (H)

10.  Bony (£7.3m)

• Goals and assists:  7 goals 1 assists.  Time per point scored:  16.9 mins mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 4th.  Consistency  6/17  35%          Last 5 return rate:  2/5    How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 0

Anytime you’re playing Fulham at home it’s time to attract attention.  Has scored 3 goals in the last 2 games.  Has good shooting stats but again doesn’t create chances.  Not very consistent but starting to get a run in the side and 2 goals in the FA Cup showed again how he can finish. Some very good fixtures to come.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Fulham (H)
West Ham (A)
Cardiff City (H)
Stoke City (A)
Liverpool (A)
Crystal Palace (H

Budget Strikers

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

1.  Rodriguez (£6.3m)

Scored against Sunderland and it’s a very respectable 9 goals and 2 assists this season.  3 goals and  an assist in his last 5 and  returned once in his last 5.  Fantasy premier league points per minute of 17.2 is respectable for the price.   Not much in the way of underlying stats.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Arsenal (H)
Fulham (A)
Stoke City (H)
Hull City (A)
West Ham (A)
Liverpool (H)

2.  Hooper (£6.1m)

Started the last 8 games.  1  goal and an assist in his last 5 games.  Returning in 2 of those games.   With a fantasy premier league points per minute of 18.9 he’s not bad value.    Underlying stats are nothing great but what you would expect from the value.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Newcastle (H)
Cardiff City (A)
Man City (H)
West Ham (A)
Tottenham (H)
Aston Villa (A)

3.  Chamakh (£4.8m)

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

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