fantasy premier league GW24 forward tips – player rankings

Here’s our fantasy premier league GW24 forward 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 GW24 FORWARD 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 3rd player rankings article. There’s a defenders player rankings and a midfielders player rankings article . You may also find it interesting to see who the 10 top FPL managers I follow have and who the bandwagons are this gameweek

STATS DEFINITIONS

Fixt Ease: The ease of the mentioned fixture range from an attacking perspective. See our GW24 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 GW24.

NPxG and xA per 90 – the expected goals and assists per 90 minutes played from the better than excellent site understat.com.  The xG excludes pens <!-

THE SCHEDULE

Aguero

With Jesus injured and Sanchez not coming to the Etihad,  the Man City striker has the potential to play every game until GW27 when Jesus is expected back.   I say potential as anything is possible with Pep.  He has talked about using midfielders as strikers although the experiment with Sterling against Bristol City didn’t work.  The situation is helped by a FA Cup draw v Cardiff which could be a rest opportunity for Aguero.

So far this season it’s 13 goals and 5 assists in 17 starts plus 1 as sub.  He’s returned a goal or assist in a very impressive 11 of those games for a 64% success rate which is fairly exceptional.  He also has been good with bonus collecting 16 so far and his underlying stats are excellent including a very impressive assist based number.  The next 2 fixtures couldn’t be much better.

However there are negatives.  While he may be consistent this season he hasn’t been that explosive.  He’s only got 3 double figure FPL hauls vs Kanes 8.  He’s also stuttered for returns recently with only 1 goal and 1 assist in his last 4 games totalling 14 points.  You can point to good performances in 2 of those games but also 2 poor performances v Liverpool and C Palace.

There’s also his minutes.  Of the 17 games only 9 have been 90 minutes and a further 3 of 80 minutes.  It doesn’t matter what the situation is the sceptre of rotation will always hang over anyone in Peps team

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

Kane

The Spurs CF is practically the mirror image of Aguero this season.

Aguero is consistent.  Kane is still less than the 50% threshold of games returning a goal or assist

Aguero isn’t explosive.  Of Kanes 10 returning games he’s got double figure FPL point hauls in 8.  Aguero has 3

Kane has played 90 minutes in 14 of his 21 starts and only less than 80 mins twice.  Aguero 9 of his 17 starts have been 90 minutes with 5 less than 80 minutes.

Southampton (A)
Man Utd (H)
Liverpool (A)
Arsenal (H)
Crystal Palace (A)
Huddersfield (H)

Firmino

I find it hard to get my head around the Liverpool striker/false9 9.  Primarily because his goal threat underlying stats are pretty abysmal given his price.

However lets look at the basics:

He’s started 19 games plus 3 as sub.  He’s returned a goal or assist in a poor 9 of those games once going 5 starts with no returns.  He is explosive though getting double figure point hauls in 6 of those 9 games.   That looks like Kane except his underlying stats couldn’t be any different.  He’s massively over performing his goal threat stats although he has shown an ability to do that in the past.

His recent form is very good with 5 goals and 3 assists in his last 5 games

 It’s worth just covering the Coutinho point.  Liverpool have lost their main creative force and although the press against Man City made that irrelevant there is the question of teams that will sit back and defend deep without Coutinho.  Now Firmino has played 5 games against lower table opposition this season without Coutinho.  He’s scored and assisted v Watford and scored against Huddersfield.  He blanked against Palace, West Ham and Stoke.  Make of that what you will

If you’re getting him it’s on recent form and fixtures and the belief that his underlying stats are irrelevant.

It’s also worth noting that the Holgate Firmino bust up hasn’t played out yet.  If Firmino is found guilty of racism it will be a lengthy ban.

Swansea (A)
Huddersfield (A)
Spurs (H)
Southampton (A)
West Ham (H)
Newcastle (H)

Vardy

Speaking of terrible underlying stats but the ability to over perform as shown in Leicester’s title winning year is Jamie Vardy.

Great fixtures although he has shown an ability to not score against lower place deep defensive block sides.

He’s scored 9 times and here’s the list of who against Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool (x2) Spurs, Man Utd, Everton (Koeman) and Huddersfield.

To get him you have to ignore the underlying stats and believe he can break the negativity against defensive sides

Watford (H)
Everton (A)
Swansea (H)
Man City (A)
Stoke (H)
Bournemouth (H)

Lacazette

It’s hard to find positives for for the Arsenal forward apart from great short terms fixtures

His returns of 8 goals and 4 assists in 20 plus 3 as sub aren’t a disaster but the lack of bonus (he’s only accrued 3) have meant his rate of return is very poor for a £10m forward.

His minutes are a big issue. He’s only played 90 minutes 4 times although 3 of those have been in the last 4 which maybe a helpful pointer.  He has come off in less than 80 minutes 10 times.

His underlying stats are ok, Blanking in your last 3 games isn’t helpful

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

Lukaku

The Man Utd forward has more negatives than positives unfortunately.

On the positive side he’s a reasonably consistent returner.  His 11 goals and 4 assists in 21 starts plus 1 as sub have seen him return a goal or assist in 13 games which is a healthy 62%.  His underlying stats are ok.

However he just isn’t explosive at all with only 2 double figure FPL point hauls and problems accruing bonus points with only 10 in total.

At his price he should be a captain option.  However, his low ranking in the captain polls with even when home to Stoke (even Lingard ranked higher) said alot about how he’s held in that regard.

Burnley (A)
Spurs (A)
Huddersfield (H)
Newcastle (A)
Chelsea (H)
Crystal Palace (A)

C Wilson

Some great fixtures ahead, good season returns for the price with 3 goals and an assist in his last 4 games.   Underlying stats are just ok although he does have potential to over perform them.    With Jermaine Defoe injured into late Feb he should get a decent run leading the line for Bournemouth and 3 of his last 4 games have seen him play 90 minutes

West Ham (A)
Chelsea (A)
Stoke (H)
Huddersfield (A)
Newcastle (H)
Leicester (A)

Tosun

The new Everton signing from Turkey has only played the 1 game v Spurs which was difficult to make an assessment from.

He has played 25 times for the Turkish national team scoring 8 times.  This season for Besiktas before the transfer he started 12 games and 4 as sub scoring 8 goals plus 1 assist at a goal or assist every 127 minutes.  3 of those were pens which does reduce it to a goal or assist every 192 minutes.  However difficult to compare leagues but I can’t imagine the Turkish league is easier.

However there is a lack of cheaper options and with some reasonable fixtures some managers make deem him worth a punt

West Brom (H)
Leicester (H)
Arsenal (A)
Crystal Palace (H)
Watford (A)
Burnley (A)

A Gray

2 goals in 2 games since the Watford striker benefited from Deeneys suspension and in both games he’s posted some very good underlying stats.  Fixtures are a bit mixed and he needs to hold his place but has some potential

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

Benteke

Fairly secure gametime and a consistent 90 minutes is about all you can say for the Palace striker who’s only score the 1 goal and 3 assists in 15 starts and 2 sub appearances.  Only for the brave

Arsenal (A)
West Ham (A)
Newcastle (H)
Everton (A)
Spurs (H)
Man Utd (H)

Follow us on twitter and facebook for article updates and news

Geek Leagues

Fantasy Premier League: 5379-1967
Sun: FantasyFootballGeek SGDKX9Y3
TFF: FantasyFootballGeek PIN 8000919 Passcode 1159
Sky: FFGeek 831051