fantasy premier league GW16 – “ones to watch” best defenders/GKs

Here’s my gameweek 16 “ones to watch” article ranking the best defenders. It also gives a table of stats for you to make your own decision.  There’s also some narrative on each player and the next 10 fixtures to take a longer view than recently given.

fantasy premier league GW16  – “ones to watch” best defenders/GKs

I’ve tried to balance out attacking potential vs the premium price you pay for that player rather than just going for the attacking player automatically.  The attack vs value decision is really a matter of personal choice so in the narrative I talk about both options.   I’ve put together a table of stats with a key below it to rank the 10 best defenders.  Below that I’ve put some narrative on each player plus their next 8 fixtures to give you a longer view.  That takes you to the end of the January wildcard option.  I’ll also try and talk about the GK option and other players whether value or attacking defenders where relevant

Key:

Team ownership:  The total defence and GK ownership to give you an idea of how many FPL teams have a GK or Def from that team

Mins per FPL point:  How long it takes a player to earn an FPL point.  The lower the better obviously

Goals/Assist;  Goals/Assists so far in the season

CS – H/A:  The clean sheets so far this season.  Home/Away

Pred CS:  Predicted clean sheets in the next 8 games

Top 10 FPL managers own:  How many of the 10 top FPL managers I follow have the player in the team

Azpilicueta

There’s no doubt that Chelsea are the best defensive team in the league as 3 clean sheets in the last 4 demonstrates.  Only Southampton have more clean sheets although Chelsea have the best underlying defensive stats.  Azpilicueta is the best overall option in my mind as he’s £1.1m cheaper than Ivanovic who is the best attacking option (albeit without returns since GW3). GK  Courtois is injured this week.  Tricky fixtures though over the 8.

Hull (H)
Stoke (A)
West Ham (H)
Southampton (A)
Spurs (A)
Newcastle (H)
Swansea (A)
Man City (H)

Zabaleta

With there being some doubt over Kompany’s fitness I’ve gone for Zabaleta as the best overall option for Man City.  There’s no defender who’s not a a rotation risk which is why GK Hart is an option even if expensive for a GK.  2 clean sheets in the last 3 are showing that maybe things are finally coming right.  Good fixtures in the main over the 8

Leicester (A)
Crystal Palace (H)
West Brom (A)
Burnley (H)
Sunderland (H)
Everton (A)
Arsenal (H)
Chelsea (A)

Gibbs

The Arsenal defence really went through the ringer at Stoke.  It seems without Koscielny that there’s a real problem.  The fixtures over the 8 are mixed but when they have a full defence Arsenal are a strong defensive team as 2 clean sheets in the last 3 show.  There’s no particular attacking option although Mertesacker and Koscielny both have some set piece potential for a larger price.

Newcastle (H)
Liverpool (A)
QPR (H)
West Ham (A)
Southampton (A)
Stoke (H)
Man City (A)
Aston Villa (H)

Baines

Everton are hardly the defensive team of the year as no clean sheets in the last 5 show.  However Baines is all about the attacking prospects of direct free kicks and penalties and he’s unquestionably the best attacking defensive player in FPL.  With the number of cheap forward options especially he could be an option to mop up surplus funds,  Distin at £5.3m is the cheap option although the longevity of his place is questionable.

QPR (H)
Southampton (A)
Stoke (H)
Newcastle (A)
Hull (A)
Man City (H)
West Brom (H)
Crystal Palace (A)

N Taylor

1 clean sheet in the last 5 follows some trickier fixtures but they have shown an ability to keep clean sheets against lower ranked teams and 4 of the next 5 fixtures have reasonably good prospects.  No real standout attacking option.

Spurs (H)
Hull (A)
Aston Villa (H)
Liverpool (A)
QPR (A)
West Ham (H)
Chelsea (H)
Southampton (A)

Vergini

3 clean sheets in the last 4, two of which were against Chelsea and Liverpool.  Sunderland have really recovered from the 8-0 mauling from Southampton.  There’s no outstanding attacking option but Vergini probably has the best underlying sttacking stats.  £4.4m GK Pantmillion is a good GK option

West Ham (H)
Newcastle (A)
Hull (H)
Aston Villa (A)
Man City (A)
Liverpool (H)
Spurs (A)
Burnley (H)

Rose

The rather fortuitous clean sheet against Palace followed 7 unsuccessful attempts prior to that.  Pochettino may not have sorted out the team defensively or offensively but he does have fixtures on his side.  Rose is the best value but he does need to get back into the team after injury.  Davies played the Europa League game so that gives some hope. There’s no real attacking alternative and GK Lloris an expensive alternative at £5.6m

Swansea (A)
Burnley (H)
Leicester (A)
Man Utd (H)
Chelsea (H)
Crystal Palace (A)
Sunderland (H)
West Brom (A)

Wisdom

The clean sheet with Hull followed 4 pretty ordinary defensive performances without a clean sheet.  With Dawson not playing in GW15 Wisdom and Pocognoli become the value options at the same price.  Foster at £4.6m is one of the better cheap GK options.  McAuley is good attacking option if he can hold his place

Aston Villa (H)
QPR (A)
Man City (H)
Stoke (A)
West Ham (A)
Hull (H)
Everton (A)
Spurs (H)

Hutton

1 clean sheet in the last 4 but it’s reasonably good fixtures for the Villa defence. Hutton is probably the cheapest guaranteed player to lineup. Vlaar at £4.4m will get more bonus points if he ever returns from injury.  Guzan is good value as the GK at £4.7m

West Brom (A)
Man Utd (H)
Swansea (A)
Sunderland (H)
Crystal Palace (H)
Leicester (A)
Liverpool (H)
Arsenal (A)

Yun

2 clean sheets in their last 4 home games shows the usefulness of this cheapie.  Good fixtures including the home games.  Caulker is the attacking option but relatively expensive at £4.7m.  Green is good value as a GK at £4.5m and will get alot of save points.

Everton (A)
West Brom (H)
Arsenal (A)
Crystal Palace (H)
Swansea (H)
Burnley (A)
Man Utd (H)
Stoke (A)

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fantasy premier league GW16

fantasy premier league GW16