Here’s the GW16 fantasy premier league “ones to watch”. This is a menu of fantasy premier league players to pick from for your team with factors stating why. (values as at Wednesday 5/12 PM)
If you’re not familiar with the format I’ve put the removals from last week in strikethrough to show you who has come off from last week. The new fantasy premier league players and reasons why are added in italics to make it easier to follow.
Ive added a new feature putting BUY HOLD or SELL next to players to clarify my position an all players except budget and bubbling under players. It aso makes it easier for people wanting a quick look rather than going through the whole article. At the bottom is a key if you want a bit more detail on the factors listed
GOALKEEPER
Hart – £6.9m – quality HOLD
AS per each week, the best defence and with Kompany the only reliable purchase. Rotation may diminish now that they’re out of Europe
Begovic £5.4m budget HOLD
Fixtures now getting tough but with the right rotation (Bunn works nicely) he’s still a good option. Getting a bit expensive so Im not sure I would be buying given the alternatives in defence. Stoke again showed what a quality defence they are against WBA.
Guzan – £4.6m budget
Good rotation keeper
Bunn £4.0m Budget BUY
One of the better defences outside the elite. Ruddy is out until Feb and he’s cheap. A great buy
Federici £4.3m Budget BUY
2 games in game week 16 and the price is the only possible reason why you would invest in this dodgy defence
Szczesny £5.3m fixtures BUY
Good fixtures good defence despite what you’re told.
Gazzaniga £4.0m Budget BUY
Another budget option who despite some dodgy performances seems to have a secure place. Rotation option only in a defence which doesn’t seem to be quite the disaster zone it was earlier in he season
DEFENCE
Rafael – £6.5m – attack HOLD
If you’re subbed off after 30 minutes and you give SAF the cold shoulder then you really have to be worried about your game time prospects. I would see how things pan out for a little while before jumping ship especially if you are going to take a bath on the price as the fixtures are excellent. I don’t expect him to play this weekend though
Cuellar £4.6m fixtures BUY
Sunderland despite my poor defensive rating do have the ability to get clean sheets at home as their home defensive stats are good. They are the principal anomolie in this area. They also have 2 games in game week 16 and good fixtures so definitely dont sell now and worth buying
Johnson £6.3m fixtures BUY
Im a huge fan of this guy who plays like a winger with clean sheet potential and has the best shooting stats of any defender. He is more expensive than everyone else but has that attacking edge. I dont normally recommend paying premiums for attacking defenders but this is one of the few exceptions.
Wisdom – £4.5m budget HOLD
Rodgers surprised everyone by reverting to a flat back 4 with Johnson and Enrique the FBs. However he has a lot of time for Wisdom so I would hold on to see how things evolve over the next couple of game weeks as its not out of the question he will change it around again
Enrique £6.0m fixtures attack HOLD
Unfortunately exactly the reason why I would buy Johnson and not Enrique happened this week when Enrique reverted to a FB instead of a winger. I definitely wouldn’t sell with the fixtures but given the price differential I would always go for Johnson given a choice.
Sagna £5.2m fixtures HOLD (injury doubt)
Apparently back this weekend. The Arsenal defence is underated and Sagna also brings good attacking potential at a really reasonable price. Good fixtures as well. Gibbs at the slightly higher price of £5.4m is a BUY though
Nastasic £5.6m value BUY
Lescott came in for last week but doesnt change anything in my mind. Worth a gamble expecially as he’s not the type of player to come on as sub like Zab so you shouldn’t see those annoying 1 pointers.
Budget
Clyne £4.0m– Saints attack.
Fonte £4.1m– Saints attack
Gorkks – £4.0m Reading. 2 games in game week 16 dropped again now 2 weeks in a row I would hold though until after GW16
Davies £4.0m budget– Seems to be holding his place as Swansea LB. Fixtures are now ordinary. Rotation only.
Turner(Norwich) £4.2m budget HOLD (injured to Dec 8)
Best value out of the underrated Norwich defence and also has historic attacking potential. Still only a rotation option.
Shorey £4.1m Budget
Alternative option as a rotation filler to Gorkss at virtually the same price. Takes free kicks so has some assist potential
MIDFIELD
Fellaini – £7.7m form. HOLD
Took a first step towards demonstrating that he was fixture proof with a goal against City although it wasn’t on the back of great stats. Don’t sell though until proved to the contrary
Cazorla – £9.5m quality. HOLD
Another blank, thats 3 in a row now and he’s only a HOLD due to fixtures. At least this week though his shooting stats were good, although that was against a trend of very poor stats and he’s not in the last 6 top ten shooting stats. Im definitely not selling though when you consider the next fixtures are
WBA H
Rdg A
Wig A
Whm H
New H
South A
They really don’t get much better so keep patient but don’t buy.
Lallana – £6.1m – fixtures form HOLD
A return of 11 in GW13 masks 6 surrounding fixtures with no return despite good fixtures. Has fallen out of the last 6 shooting stats table as well. I would hold until after the Reading game this week and then sell before the blank in 17.
McAnuff – £5.1m fixtures HOLD
Sell after game week 16 when they have 2 games.
Valencia £8.4m – fixtures HOLD (INJURED UNTIL 8 DEC)
Injury but potentially back this week even though we were told this last week. The cheaper alternative to RVP although not for me as an assist based player. Nani injured should make him a secure pick
Sterling £5.7m BUY
Place seems assured. An attacking midfielder for Liverpool at this price with these fixtures is great value. Isn’t that consistent though and hasn’t shown up in any shooting or chances created stats so you’re relying on fixtures, position and value rather than consistent returns
Bale £9.8m Quality fixtures HOLD (INJURED EXPECTED BACK DEC 8)
I sold as I also have Suarez who is suspended this week and don’t have Michu but if you dont have thee circumstances i think he will keep returning throught the course of the year.
Walcott £8.7m fixtures HOLD (INJURY DOUBT)
Another arsenal failure last week but same position as Cazorla. Fixtures are stunning so I wouldn’t sell.
Michu £7.8m BUY
Second in the last shooting stats despite hdeous fixtures and this really could be the evidence of him being fixture poof. add to the fact that his finishing is nothing short of lethal and that his upcoming fixtures have 4 good ones out of 6 as you can see below then its impossible to ignore him. Heres the upcoming 6
Nor H
Tott A
Man Utd H
Rdg A
Ful H
Avl H
Budget £4.5m ish
Schneiderlin – £4.4m Saints
Puncheon – £4.6m Saints
Has started the last 5 though and with relatively ok fixtures seems a good midfield filler.
Robson Kanu £4.3m BUY
Scored against united last week and is inthe last 6 shooting stats table albeit on the back of good fixtures. A viable cheap filler
Gardner C £4.9m BUY
Another cheap filler with 2 games in game week 16. Shoots far too much outside the box but does take some set pieces.
FORWARDS
RVP – £13.7m – QUALITY fixtures. BUY
While Utd have such good fixtures he’s an essential. Rooney dropping deeper and lack of production from the midfield means he’s the best option by far. Stats aren’t anything like last year but still worth buying
Lambert – £6.1m form. value HOLD
Dont consider selling until after the Reading game in this game week
Ba – £8.2m form . HOLD
Showed his quality again after 2 goals against Wigan. I would review after Fulham away in the next round
Suarez – £10.5m fixtures HOLD (SUSPENDED THIS GAME WEEK)
Great fixtures. Miles ahead of everyone in the shooting stats and now seems to have turned it in to goals. I would go as far as saying a must have for me.
Holt £6.0m HOLD
Now 7 blanks which is amazing. I would probably stick with it though until after the next 2 below
Swa A
Wig H
Giroud £8.5m fixtures BUY
I think he will start this weekend home to WBA as didn’t start in the Champs league. Still in the overall and last 6 stats tables so with the fixtures and stats I would keep the faith
Benteke £6.5m form HOLD
Dissapointing in the juicy home game against QPR and not in the last 6 shooting stats so i would hold for the Stoke hoe game and then consider selling.
Berbatov £7.4m fixtures BUY
Its now 4 without returning but the fixtures below are compelling so i think he will return despite him slipping off the stats radar
New H
QPR A
Liv A
Sot H
Swa H
Defoe £8.3m fixtures form BUY
Personally Bale would be my Spurs exposure of choice and Defoe is a bit of a gamble given that you could possibly argue that Adebayor fits the AVB system better but its hard to see him replaced given his form and the fixtures are reasonably good if you’re willing to gamble on the game time risk . Here’s the fixtures
Eve A
Swa H
Sto H
Avl A
Sun A
I’m not putting a budget section for strikers. I just think the position is too important and there’s too much quality to put a filler in.
KEY
quality – an elite player for his position
value – a player at a value that is less than the returns I expect
fixtures – a player facing good fixtures over the next 6 games
budget – filler at the minimum price the position allows. Should play
sleeping giant – a player with past form who may have had a quiet season last year but has the potential for far greater returns than his value
YC – card magnet
DGW – has 2 games in the specified game week
pre-season – has pre-season form
pens – should take penalties
short term – will only play for a few games
Form – current form
hope that stimulates some thought for your fantasy premier league team.