Here’s our fantasy premier league midfielders DGW30 player rankings article. There’s a table of stats to help and a spreadsheet that can be filtered how you like to help you make a transfer choice
fantasy premier league midfielders DGW30 player rankings
This is the 2nd article in the player rankings series. There’s also defenders and GKs rankings
All the stats are from the free site understat
Methodology
The ranking is entirely objective and Maths based. I’ve ordered the players by their underlying stats ranking when I convert their xG and xA over the season into FPL points for goals and assists. That figure is adjusted for the average minutes played over the season.
I’ve then provided a range of different stats to help you choose which player is the best for a transfer in.
Stats definitions
Form s/10/5. These are the form rankings for season, for the last 10 gameweeks and the last 5 game weeks. They are the average minutes adjusted rankings once the xG and xA are converted into FPL points. The lower the number the better the ranking.
Av minutes: The average minutes played over the season. Non appearances aren’t counted.
PPM – the fantasy premier league sites points per match.
Fixture ease: The first number is the ranking of how easy the fixtures are over the next 6 gameweeks . The 2nd figure is the ease over 5 weeks from GW31. This is relevant if you are free hitting in GW30+ or wildcarding in GW31
DGW30+ This states if they have a double gameweek in DGW30
ATGS: the anytime goal scorer bookies odds for DGW30+ for £1 invested.
VFM: A Value for Money calculation by dividing the theoretical season goal and assist points by the players value. The higher the better. A factor of 10 is my benchmark.
The schedule ranked by midfielders underlying stats over the season
Here is the link to the google spreadsheet. You can go to file>make a copy and then sort it how you like.
The schedule is not adjusted for fixtures. You must have played 40% of available minutes ie 1,044 minute
It’s worth noting that Alli is suspended for GW30+
The double gameweek players
Man City
Everything about City will be down to gametime. Firstly, there no chance of the title but a top 4 finish is pretty sorted. However, an FFP appeal will decide whether they can play in the Champions League next season. Therefore, it’s a questionable motivation platform as well as an even more ideal context for Pep to tinker. It’s another tense team check on your phone for every game.
Sterling
On to the individual players. If you’re wondering why Sterling is so high in the rankings despite his indifferent season and low PPM it’s because he’s still producing incredible underlying stats equal to his 17 goal and 15 assist season in 18/19. He’s just not finishing off his chances and his colleagues are doing an even worse job of finishing off the chances Sterling’s created. In fact no player in the league has had their colleagues miss more chances than Sterling relative to his xA. While Sterling’s finishing history has been a little checkered it’s nothing like his current run and certainly his colleagues have never been so profligate before either. There could be a correction explosion coming at any time. Gametime wise he’s started 4 of the last 7 so some risk there although 2 of those were due to injury.
De Bruyne
Contrast Sterling with De Bruyne who season after season outperforms his underlying shooting stats thanks to a series of long range screamers. Except for last season he also has a good record of colleagues finishing off the chances he creates. His ranking here therefore is pretty irrelevant as he has a history of over performing his underlying stats. There is some theory from the Bundesliga that defences are reacting poorly to set pieces due to lack of time on the training ground so this could also be a positive for De Bruyne. Started all but 3 this season.
The rest
David Silva has started 1 in the last 5. Mahrez 1 in the last 4. Bernardo 3 in the last 5. Gundogan 5 of the last 8. You take all of them at your own gametime risk.
Sane is not mentioned as he is yet to play this season after a serious injury. There are also strong Bayern rumours. Foden has started 1 in the last 7 but the lack of objectives in the remaining games may see him get decent minutes. Or they may not. Who knows?
Arsenal
8 points of the top 4 or 5 points off the top 5 if Man City lose their appeal means that even a Champions League place is not totally off the table. A Europa League place is there for the taking.
Pepe
His ranking in the last 5 makes it looked like he’s turned a corner but the reality is that a stunning 1 goal 2 assist perfomance against Newcastke was the only game where he wasn’t an abject disappointment. In fact in the last 10 starts he’s only played 2 games where his underlying stats were worthy of his value. Form me there is a big question mark over him although at least now he’s playing having started 7 of the last 8.
Ozil
I haven’t included Ozil in the schedule but if I told you his underlying stats ranked him 53rd over the season would it surprise you? He’s behind such luminaries as Shelvey and Westwood this season and in 18 starts has 1 goal and 3 assists. He has started the last 10 although only got to 90 minutes 3 times. Will he even play against Man City given the lack of ball Arsenal will have and amount of defending Arsenal will have to do?
Aston Villa
Avoiding relegation will be a serious motivator
Grealish
The talisman and the standout midfielder easily. It’s just the fixtures could be better
El Ghazi
I’m a fan and the stats are pretty good but gametime is a big risk. He’s been on the bench in the last 2 which is not what you want to hear. Although before that he started 7 of the previous 9.
McGinn
Just come back from serious injury which in itself is a worry although the relegation concerns may mean player and manager will take the risk and play him as before. He did play 90 minutes in every game before the injury. He is a CM though not an AM although his underlying stats are pretty poor even for the price and taking the position into account. His shot map could be worse although there is alot from long distance and not 1 from inside the 6 yard box.
Sheffield United
I’ve included them at the end despite the fact that neither got near the top 30. Chasing a European place will be a big motivator.
Fleck has had his moments but for me they are way in the past.
For Norwood the underlying stats and the bookies lack of belief in him make pretty sad reading. His volumes of shots and key passes are also pretty dismal. You’re hoping for penalties or set pieces to be your saviour here
Single gameweekers
The 2 games of attraction for midfielders are Chelsea v Villa and Liverpool v Everton. I won’t bore you with the well known merits of Salah and Mane.
Chelsea
However, Chelsea have a reasonable appeal in their match v Villa. Pulisic shows up best in the rankngs although again there is the question of coming back from an injury and how much you can take a limited amount of what were exceptional underlying stats.
Mount is probably the safest starter although as a CM or AM is the question and his stats have seriously dropped off recently. He’s always capable of a late arrival in the box or creating a chance through his pressing.
Willian has only started 2 of the last 5
Hudson Odoi is not on the list but again is coming back from a serious injury as is Loftus Cheek. Pedro has started 4 of the last 5 but has yet to sign a June 30 contract extension. Will that affect selection?
The attacking teams fixture ease schedule
Here’s 2 fixture ease schedules. The first has the DGW in it and ranks the 6 gameweeks from DGW30+ in terms of easiness of defensive teams faced.
The 2nd assumes that you have used your Free Hit in DGW30+ or are Wildcarding after using your Bench Boost in DGW30+ and ranks the 5 fixtures from GW31.
I outline my FPL strategy along with 10 other FFGeek contributors in our new EBook.
Join the FFGeek FPL Patreon site
* access to the FFGeek Contributor tracker team (46k OR)
* Weekly podcasts
* Joe’s interactive transfer planner & team
* imaginary wildcard articles
* Slack channel access
$2 & $3 tiers.
No commitment beyond 1 month
https://www.patreon.com/fantasyfootballgeek
Other Posts
The most consistent FPL players
FFGeek team thoughts on unlimited transfers
The FFGeek first draft free hit team
FFGeek contributors on the upcoming DGW part 1
FFGeek contributors on the upcoming DGW part 2
Fixture ease schedule for attacking players
Fixture ease schedule for defensive players
Double gameweek confirmed by the FPL site
10 top FPL Managers teams post GW38
Best fixtures until the end of the season attackers
Best fixtures to the end of the season defenders
Each teams top PPM player – Arsenal and Aston Villa
Each Teams top PPM player – Bournemouth and Brighton
Each teams top PPM player – Burnley and Chelsea
Each teams top PPM player – Palace and Everton
Each teams top PPM player – Leicester and Liverpool
Each teams top PPM player – Man Utd and Man City
Each teams top PPM player – Norwich and Newcastle
Each teams top PPM player – Southampton and Sheffield
Each teams top PPM player – Watford and Spurs
Latest news on the premier league restart
A deep dive on the 10 top FPL managers stats
Social Media
For more fantasy premier league DGW30 midfielders articles follow FFGeek on twitter and facebook and instagram for article updates and news
