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.  Sturridge (£10.4m)

• Goals and assists:  16 goals 5 assists.  Time per point scored:  10.4 mins  .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 13th.  Consistency 15/17  88%          Last 5 return rate:  5/5    How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 7

Incredible form and consistency.  His ability to time his run for through balls to get into one on ones with the keeper is incredible.  Looks a must have at the moment.

Has a blank in GW29 but DGW31

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Southampton (A)
– Gameweek 29 –
Man Utd (A)
Cardiff City (A) GW31
Sunderland (H) GW31
Tottenham (H)
West Ham (A)

• Goals and assists: 22 goals and 17 assists:     Time per point scored:  9.4  mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 13th.  Consistency 18/22    82%               Last 5 return consistency rate:  4/5    How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow:  10

1 goal and 5 assists in his last 6 have been treated as a total disaster and he’s now the 4th most sold forward and gone down in price.  I personally think too much has been made of it and he will return to his high scoring ways.  Still seems to be keeping a reasonable central position and interchanging with Sturridge rather than being stuck on the flank which is some peoples perception. The form of Sturridge has meant he has suffered by comparison though

Has a blank in GW29 but DGW31

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Southampton (A)
– Gameweek 29 –
Man Utd (A)
Cardiff City (A) GW31
Sunderland (H) GW31
Tottenham (H)
West Ham (A)

3.  RVP (£13.6m)

• Goals and assists:  11 goals 2 assists.  Time per point scored:  13.6 mins mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 9th.  Consistency  10/16  60%          Last 5 return rate:  4/5    How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 1

Not playing this week but has some compelling reasons to hold.  4 goals in 5 games and 4 returning games since back from injury.  You really can’t argue with the stats. They’re all very good.   Body language and the “standing centrally until a chance comes to him” role doesn’t help the perception that he’s a shadow of himself last year.  What this has done is taken away his ability to get assists and this is hurting his returns.  He’s also got no set piece involvement although has retained pens.  One of the few real captain options though for GW29.  Blank in GW28. DGW31.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Gameweek 28 –
West Brom (A)
Liverpool (H)
West Ham (A) GW31
Man City (H) GW31
Aston Villa (H)
Newcastle (A)

4.  Adebayor (£8.3m)

• Goals and assists:  8 goals 4 assists.  Time per point scored:  12.4 mins mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 10th.  Consistency since Sherwood 7/ 11   64%          Last 5 return rate:  2/5    How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 5

No blanks in GW28/29 which makes him a secure pick over this period.  No DGW though and after the juicy Cardiff fixture there are 2 hard games.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Cardiff City (H)
Chelsea (A)
Arsenal (H)
Southampton (H)
Liverpool (A)
Sunderland (H)

5.  Lambert (£7.2m)

• Goals and assists:  8 goals 7 assists.  Time per point scored:  17.6  mins mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 7th.  Consistency 9/26  35%          Last 5 return rate:  2/5    How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 0

Has attraction now as doesn’t have any blanks in GW28 and 29 but also has no DGW.  2 games now without returning and he’s generally inconsistent.  Has gone 4 games without returning twice and 5 games without returning once this season.  These can be attributable to fixtures to some degree but not entirely.  Does have direct free kicks and pens.   Fixtures are a bit mixed

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Liverpool (H)
Crystal Palace (A)
Norwich (H)
Tottenham (A)
Newcastle (H)
Man City (A)

6.  Jelavic (£6.9m)

• Goals and assists:  3 goals 2 assists.  Time per point scored:  19.9 mins mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 2nd.  Consistency since Hull  2/6  33%          Last 5 return rate:  2/5    How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 0

A guy who gets alot of chances but until the 2 goals on the weekend, just seemed unable to put them away.  This may be the catalyst he needs to replicate 2 seasons ago in scoring 9 goals when joining Everton in the January window.  Will be desperate to make the CroatIa world cup sqaud and fresh and confident now having scored.  3 attractive home games on the horizon as well

Blank in GW29.  DGW31

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Newcastle (H)
– Gameweek 29 –
Man City (H)
West Brom (H)GW31
West Ham (A)GW31
Stoke City (A)
Swansea (H)

7.  Giroud (£8.7m)

• Goals and assists:  12 goals 7 assists.  Time per point scored:  15.7 mins mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 20th.  Consistency 14/25  56%          Last 5 return rate:  2/5    How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 0

Since he ended the run of 8 games with 1 return he has been reasonably consistent in returning in 6 from 10.  Looked back to his best after a little rest last weekend and that could be a catalyst for a revival.  Generally though he doesn’t help himself as misses alot of chances.  Fixtures are now very tricky with a minimum 4 difficult ones and 5 if you include Stoke away.  Blank in GW29.  Postponed game home to Swansea yet to be rescheduled.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Stoke City (A)
– Gameweek 29 –
Tottenham (A)
Chelsea (A)
Man City (H)
Everton (A)
West Ham (H)

8.  Bony (£7.2m)

• Goals and assists:  10 goals 1 assists.  Time per point scored:  17.2 mins mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 14th.  Consistency 7/23  30%          Last 5 return rate:  2/5    How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 1

A striker with the shoot on sight philosophy of say Jermaine Defoe.  Stats look worse consistency wise due to the number of sub appearances but returns for the value aren’t that bad at all.  Does have the added bonus of pens but also has some creative attacking midfielders, all now fit, who he is the main beneficiary of chances now that Michu is injured.

3 good home fixtures as an attraction.  Blank in GW29.  No DGW31 but Arsenal away postponed still to be confirmed

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Crystal Palace (H)
– Gameweek 29 –
West Brom (H)
Everton (A)
Norwich (H)
Hull City (A)
Chelsea (H)

9.  Benteke (£8.8m)

• Goals and assists:  7 goals 2 assists.  Time per point scored:  22.2 mins mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 5th.  Consistency  7 /21  33%          Last 5 return rate:  2/5    How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 1

This is a leap of faith in that 3 good homes games can provide returns for Benteke as his stats to date are terrible.  No returns in his last 3 and nothing in the performances have suggested it will turn around.  A big gamble but Norwich, Stoke and Fulham at home if you’re going to gamble are the fixtures you want.  No game in GW29.  Has a postponed game away to City yet to be confirmed

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Norwich (H)
– Gameweek 29 –
Chelsea (H)
Stoke City (H)
Man Utd (A)
Fulham (H)
Crystal Palace (A)

Budget Strikers

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

1.  Rodriguez (£6.6m)

10 goals and 3 assists this season but no returns in his last 3.  1 goal and  1 assist in his last 5 and  returned 2 times in his last 5.  Fantasy premier league  time per point scored of    18.7 minutes is respectable for the price.   Apart from at the beginning of the season before he got his place hasn’t gone more than 3 games without scoring.  As I said for Lambert no blanks in GW28/29 and reasonable fixtures to come

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Liverpool (H)
Crystal Palace (A)
Norwich (H)
Tottenham (A)
Newcastle (H)
Man City (A)

2.  Long (5.7m)

Looks a certain starter for Hull and the cheaper partner to Jelavic.    2 goals and and 1 assist in 3  returning games in 5 fixtures with Hull.  Fantasy premier league points per minute  of 22.0 is pretty ordinary but you’re banking on regular starts instead of rotation at WBA improving returns.    3 attractive home games in the next 6.

Blank in GW29.  DGW31

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Newcastle (H)
– Gameweek 29 –
Man City (H)
West Brom (H) GW31
West Ham (A) GW31
Stoke City (A)
Swansea (H)

3.  Peter Crouch (£5.5m)

Another with no blanks in GW28 and GW29. Fantasy premier league points per minute for  of 22.2 which isn’t anything to get excited about bit does seem to have security of gametime.  2 returns in his last 5 games.  Again though this is about covering the blank GW29 and investing in your midfield.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Arsenal (H)
Norwich (A)
West Ham (H)
Aston Villa (A)
Hull City (H)
Chelsea (A)

4.  Glen Murray (£5.2m)

Started his first game at home to Man Utd.  30 goals and 9 assists in 42 matches in the Championship last season is an incredible feat.  Will probably take pens.  Obviously gametime risk so early after coming back from an injury.  Again this is as much about investing in your midfield and having no blanks in GW28/29.  Will also play up top forcing Chamakh into a midfielder when Palace are out of possession.

No blanks in GW28/29 and a postponed game away to Everton yet to be rescheduled

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Swansea (A)
Southampton (H)
Sunderland (A)
Newcastle (A)
Chelsea (H)
Cardiff City (A)

5.  K Jones (£4.6m)

Only 1 goal  in 4 games isn’t a great return since joining Cardiff but he does offer no blanks in GW28/29 and is very cheap enabling you to invest in your midfield.    Fantasy premier league points per minute for  of 29.0 is as bad as it gets.  The advantage though of his fixtures is that in GW29 he’s home to Fulham when you will have to play him. Main risk is newly established in the team with a manager changing things around which gives some gametime risk when you really don’t need it

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Tottenham (A)
Fulham (H)
Everton (A)
Liverpool (H)
West Brom (A)
Crystal Palace (H)

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