You can’t win or lose a league title after ninety minutes of football. You can, however, get yourself all excited about a 30-point haul from the randomer you pulled out in the 16th round of your Fantasy Premier League draft or convince yourself that the “sure thing” that you picked in the 4th looks like he’ll spend the majority of the season banished to the bench by his unhappy manager (Anthony Martial).
As fantasy football managers, we’re experts in jumping to conclusions and forming opinions on players after watching them complete one thirty-eighth of their premier league seasons. Here’s just a few names that will have caused sleepless nights since the opening weekend of the Premier League, whether that be for good reasons or not so good.
It’s good to be back.
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Fantasy Premier League Risers
Richarlison
Has a debut brace for Richarlison paid back his astronomical transfer fee? Far from it. Has it reassured those who drafted a big money Brazilian winger in the fourth round despite only really showing up for half a season last time round? Definitely.
Richarlison owners can rightfully feel smug about the great position that their man has put them in. Much to their delight, the August to December version of the Brazilian turned up to the Molineux on Saturday, giving us all a particular reminder of exactly what he can do with a cultured curling finish for his second goal.
Injury fears have been allayed and the Brazilian forward is ready for the visit of Southampton this Saturday. FPL managers will be expectant of another decent haul against the little fancied Saints, meaning Richarlison owners in Fantrax could see the trade value of this particularly asset at its peak. If he defies his critics and keeps up his form then he’s definitely one to keep. However, if you’re in anticipation of a similar decline to last season, cashing in on Richarlison ahead of GW3 in a trade for an elite performer could be the way to go.
Ruben Neves
“Ruben Neves plays far too deep to be considered a serious Fantasy premier league asset.”
“His goals look great but he only got six of them last season.”
“You don’t get more points for long range screamers.”
The last of those two statements are still very much true but Ruben Neves went some way to making a mockery of that first one on his Premier League debut. The Portuguese playmaker and Wolves star man whipped a stunning free kick past England’s number one into the top corner before providing a pinpoint cross which Raul Jimenez couldn’t fail to convert for the equaliser.
I’ve seen a lot of Fantasy Premier League people jumping on the Neves bandwagon this week. I’m one of them. Apart from his two goal contributions, Neves looks like a fantastic option due to the fact that everything goes through him and he commands set pieces which he also takes excellently.
This year’s Gylfi Sigurdsson? Could be.
Ryan Fraser
By far and away the best player on the pitch in the Bournemouth v Cardiff game: even Neil Warnock was impressed. Ryan Fraser has always been a free agent pickup favourite of mine but this could be the year where he becomes a player that is owned by one manager throughout the entirety of the season.
Without Junior Stanlislas in the team, Fraser commands most set pieces while his pace and trickery mean he’s good for a successful dribble or two. The Scottish winger also has an eye for goal, as demonstrated at the weekend, and looks good to surpass his tally of six last season due to the fact that he has finally nailed down a starting spot in the Premier League at Bournemouth.
He’s unlikely to be any use in trades unless he is the makeweight but is a must start when Bournemouth have a winnable home game like they did in GW1.
N’Golo Kante
“I’ll put Kante in. He’s a great player and he’s pretty cheap/will fall in my draft” says every FPL casual every single season. Kante under Sarri may actually mean they have a point for once.
Kante already has more goals than front man Alvaro Morata (we’ll talk about him later) after GW1. In fact, he is level with Mo Salah and is outscoring Premier League golden boot favourites Harry Kane, Sergio Aguero and Pierre Emerick Aubameyang (better use these stats while I can) this season.
It wasn’t the fact that the Frenchman scored but more the advanced role that he is playing for Chelsea under Sarri this season that makes him more appealing this year than ever before. Kante will still get the countless tackle, interception and dribbling points that he always accrues but will have attacking potential added on to them, meaning he is now a valid fantasy asset.
If Kante wasn’t already the complete Premier League centre midfielder, he might be now.
Fantasy Premier League Fallers
Gylfi Sigurdsson
It’d be easy to read too much into the fact that it was Gylfi Sigurdsson who was hooked off in the first half of Everton’s opener after Phil Jagielka’s red card. That’s exactly what I’m going to do.
I was incredibly high on Gylfi this summer and expected the ultimate bounceback season from him as Marco Silva built a new look Everton around him. The fact that it was him who was hooked off over anyone else on that field as well as the fact that the new boss has brought in the wonderfully named “Bernard” who plays in Sigurdsson’s position has dented my confidence somewhat.
Apart from anything else, the fact that it was Leighton Baines who delivered the free kick for Richarlison’s first goal proves that Sigurdsson doesn’t have monopoly over all set pieces. Big problem.
I have no doubt that the Icelandic playmaker will come up trumps this season and will be a very valid asset this campaign so if you can get him on the cheap off a disgruntled, impatient owner, you should definitely do it. However, maybe Sigurdsson isn’t as central to Silva’s plans as we first thought.
Josh King
Josh King owners have the right to feel very disappointed as their striker failed to produce a goal or assist in a comfortable win off the back of a very impressive pre-season. The fact that Callum Wilson took the penalty is also irritating, although the fact that he missed it bodes well for the future.
In a dominant Bournemouth, King left the field having contributed just one key pass, two successful dribbles and two aerials won; far from good enough from a guy you’d draft for the reason that he is central to everything good his side does. Unfortunately for King owners, it was the aforementioned Wilson and Fraser who took that crown.
King will have a great season, I have no doubt about that (as long as he keeps fit) but it’s not been a great start. More of a jester than a King for now.
Alvaro Morata
What is there to be said that hasn’t been said about poor old Alvaro Morata? No goal contributions in a dominant Chelsea display as well as more glaring missed opportunities will have left Morata owners (who will probably have had to take a gamble on him at round 4 and above) infuriated.
It could get a lot worse for them as I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see him lose his place when Eden Hazard re-enters the fold this weekend.
I’m starting to feel a bit sorry for him. If you own him, it might be worth trying to trade him away if anyone will have him.
Ryan Sessegnon
This is probably a harsh inclusion. Ryan Sessegnon will grow into this season but he had a GW1 to forget, despite promising moments.
Despite creating numerous chances, Fulham were soundly beaten by a professional and clinical Crystal Palace in their first of many London derbies this season. Even their wonderkid couldn’t produce anything, leaving the field having only contributed one key pass and one shot in target as his attacking contribution.
Things will get better for the kid but those that went for him high up in a may already be starting to worry that the gamble might not pay off. Early days on this one.
Nicolas Otamendi
Much is rightly made of Pep Guardiola’s enjoyment of rotation and he will no doubt create many a headache for owners of Riyad Mahrez, Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane this season. One position that should remain constant, however, is the centre back pairing so the omission of Nicolas Otamendi should be very concerning for those who owned him.
Thirty four Premier League appearances is as close to “ever-present” as you’ll get in a Pep Guardiola team so the fact that Aymerick Laporte and John Stones got the nod in the curtain raiser at The Emirates is just a little concerning for Otamendi owners. The fact that the aforementioned pairing did pretty well is a cause for more concern.
If you’re ready to add soccer to your fantasy repertoire head on over to Fantrax to start or join a league today! Fantrax can meet virtually any league setup, offering an unmatched level of customization.
Great article, thoroughly enjoyed this.