fantasy premier league GW23 midfielder tips – player rankings

Fantasy Premier League, Player Rankings

Here’s our fantasy premier league GW23 midfielder tips article in our player rankings series. There’s a range of stats plus commentary on each player and their next 6 fixtures. This will help you choose the best transfer for your team

FANTASY PREMIER LEAGUE GW23 MIDFIELDER TIPS – PLAYER RANKINGS

First it’s important to remember that each player is ranked as a transfer target for this week. So while we generally look at fixtures form and underlying stats a player who’s away to Man City is going to be ranked lower than someone home to Huddersfield for example. If possible a transfer should have a good fixture first up.

Firstly there’s a table of stats. Then there’s a bit of brief commentary on each player and their next 6 fixtures.

This is the 2rd player rankings article. There’s a defenders player rankings article .  You may also find it interesting to see who the 10 top FPL managers I follow have, who the bandwagons are

STATS DEFINITIONS

Fixt Ease: The ease of the mentioned fixture range from an attacking perspective. See our GW23 fixture ease article

Mins per FPL Pt. The amount of minutes a player takes to earn an FPL point. The shorter and obviously lower the number is the better

ATGS – the bookies anytime goalscoring odds for GW23.  Information is also available from 32 Red Sport

xG and xA per 90 – the expected goals and assists per 90 minutes played from the better than excellent site understat.com as well as our FPL expected goals article

The schedule




fantasy premier league GW23 player rankings

Sterling

It’s hard to know what more to say about Sterling this season and that’s been rewarded with an upcoming new contract.  Fantastic returns, fantastic underlying stats and although it’s a tricky fixture next you can imagine the extra motivation he will have against his old club.

He’s one of the few players who’s a consistent returner but also explosive.  Gets bonus points as well, although infamous for scoring twice and not getting a bonus point.

Has a real ability to sniff out the ball coming into the 6 yard box and you’ll always see him in the box on the counter.

Highlighted in my article on 6 players who could hurt your rank if you don’t own them

Liverpool (A)
Newcastle (H)
West Brom (H)
Burnley (A)
Leicester (H)
Arsenal (A)

Salah

17 goals and 7 assists in 19 starts and 2 as sub.  It’s impossible to believe his first proper season in the premier league could have gone any better.  Similar returns and underlying stats and bonus collection to Sterling except slightly better. Like Sterling also consistent and explosive.

Is still an injury doubt although seems likely to play in what’s a very tough fixture

Also featured in the article mentioned with Sterling above on  6 players who could hurt your rank if you don’t own them

Man City (H)
Swansea (A)
Huddersfield (A)
Spurs (H)
Southampton (A)
West Ham (H)

Sanchez

It’s probably worth starting on the negatives with Sanchez.  The Man City interest as an immediate distraction is one.  It would surprise me if he’s left out over the interest but I guess it’s not impossible and could affect his play.  Some might say the saga has effected him all season.

However I think that has been a little unfair.  While his returns haven’t been up to scratch he’s still been a fairy consistent returner and his underlying stats are only behind the two players above in my view.  He just hasn’t been able to collect bonus points and that’s has effected his ability to put double figure FPL point hauls hauls together.

The 2nd negative is the price which is ridiculous and a major impediment.  If he goes to Man City and plays striker when Aguero is rested and then starts as an AM when Aguero plays then it may look different but the price is a real drawback.

On the positive side as I said he has been a consistent and his underlying stats are excellent.  The next few fixtures are good as well, assuming he’s there still to play them.

Bournemouth (A)
Crystal Palace (H)
Swansea (A)
Everton (H)
Spurs (A)
Man City (H)

Lingard 

It’s hard to know where the recent form of 7 goals and 2 assists in his last 8 starts and 1 sub appearance has come from.  The attacking midfielder has backed it up with some excellent underlying stats.

If you wanted to be negative you’d point to the fact that prior to this season he’s only scored 5 goals in 3,000 premier league minutes and his current underlying stats are off the charts compared to previous seasons.

Is it progression or temporary over performance is what you have to decide.

Great fixture to bring him in on though

Stoke (H)
Burnley (A)
Spurs (A)
Huddersfield (H)
Newcastle (A)
Chelsea (H)

Hazard

Some really great fixtures coming up and a quality proven player are the attractions.  He also has the attraction of eating bonus points like no other midfielder.  Not even Salah or Sterling.  He also has pens which is something few other midfielders have.  To top it off he’s been playing as a strike partner to Morata releasing him from those boring defensive duties he obviously detests.

It all adds up to a great FPL player.

It’s just that he’s not really that consistent.  To be returning a goal or assist at below 50%  of what I call qualifying games just isn’t on at that price.  Also, prior to the penalty in the Arsenal game it was 5 games with just the 1 assist.  His underlying stats as well don’t really match the price although he has been able to over perform them in the past.

Those factors make him a tricky captain pick which is something you would like to have in your back pocket for the price.

Leicester (H)
Brighton (A)
Bournemouth (H)
Watford (A)
West Brom (H)
Man Utd (A)




De Bruyne

De Bruyne is an interesting FPL player inhibited a bit by his price and the value that Sterling especially brings as an alternative.  D Silva and Sane have also had spells as alternative representation of the Man City midfield at a cheaper price.

There are a huge number of positives though.  He’s a consistent returner, he’s also explosive with a high % of 10+ FPL point hauls.  He also gets bonus points on a par with Salah and Sterling.  His gametime as far as Pep world is concerned is also pretty secure.  That all adds up to a pretty nifty captain option which you need at that price.

There’s only 1 drawback and that’s the fact that his underlying stats really aren’t that great.  Now proponents of him would say they are irrelevant as he has a history of overperforming them.  That’s true and probably due to the fact that he has ability to score from outside the box and has Aguero finishing off the chances created.  To take that final step with De Bruyne you have to believe he can keep over performing those stats as if he doesn’t it’s a different picture

Liverpool (A)
Newcastle (H)
West Brom (H)
Burnley (A)
Leicester (H)
Arsenal (A)

Mane

Coutinho leaving should help Mane from a gametime pint of view as he now steps up to be the most likely person in the front 3.

To me the time left on the bench recently has detracted from some good stats that Mane has been throwing out.  He’s been a consistent returner and has good underlying stats to back it up.  His position in a front 3 is also attractive

He does come with some negatives though.  He’s not that bonus friendly  and he has a lower % of 10+ FPL point hauls that you’d like.  He’s also £9.3m which is just above alot of competing options for our funds.

Man City (H)
Swansea (A)
Huddersfield (A)
Spurs (H)
Southampton (A)
West Ham (H)

Arnautovic

Has a hamstring injury but seems likely to play.

The main attraction here has been his position as a striker although with Carroll and Chicharito back in the frame he may play more as an attacking midfielder.  His underlying stats and recent returns are good as are the next fixtures.

Huddersfield (A)
Bournemouth (H)
Crystal Palace (H)
Brighton (A)
Watford (H)
Liverpool (A)

Richarlison

Has recently seen a decent amount of sales and managers turning their back on the midfielder.

However, if you exclude he Man City game, the 7 previous to that saw only 2 poor performances in my mind.  3 assists over those 7 games isn’t exactly party time but it’s not the end 0f the world.

Richarlison has quite a few positives.  He’s been a consistent returner especially for the price.  His underlying stats have also been good and he has a very advanced position and has even been an odd forward option for Watford.

His biggest negative is a total inability to get bonus points.  He’s only got 4 bonus points for his 5 goals and 8 assists and his bonus per minutes is lower than anyone in this article by a country mile.  That stuff adds up believe me and his overall returns don’t look that great.

Secondly is whether he can actually finish the chances he gets.  He’s badly under performing his underlying stats for goal threat and certainly the TV  test shows a pretty frustrating inability to finish as an owner.

However the next 3 fixtures are good so there are worse places to roll the dice for that price.

Southampton (H)
Leicester (A)
Stoke (A)
Chelsea (H)
West Ham (A)
Everton (H)

Ozil

The much maligned Arsenal creator has had a pretty ordinary season to say the least and is only in the frame due to a few good fixtures next and a couple of goals in his last 4 and some decent underlying stats to go with it.

If you’re in a gambling mood

Bournemouth (A)
Crystal Palace (H)
Swansea (A)
Everton (H)
Spurs (A)
Man City (H)

A few not on the list

I only covered 10 but in brief here’s my reasoning. Remember this is about a transfer option for this gameweek

I’m a big Pogba fan but I’d like to see him with more freedom with Matic and say Herrera behind him.  His 3 games, prior to Everton,  playing deeper with defensive duties didn’t really go well.  Martial has so much potential but gametime is an issue.

David Silva I didn’t include until his gametime becomes more predictable due to his personal issues.  Sane also has potential but gametime as well seems to be an issue

Mahrez has Chelsea next so not a great time to transfer him in. He has been consistent and his returns are good but his underlying stats are pretty ordinary and you have to believe he can keep producing screamers from outside the box.

Alli, Eriksen and Son all have tough fixtures after the Everton game. None have been particularly consistent and all have some questions over their underlying stats, maybe Son apart.

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