Our Gameweek 17 Chaps Choices article provides Fantrax managers with a Fantasy EPL Sleepers XI. Our starting eleven of Premier League differential picks will help you find a golden ticket to a big score this weekend! These hints and tips will give you a better chance of picking up an all-important victory, as one of our Fantasy EPL sleeper picks could easily make the difference in a Head-to-Head game!
We’ll be focusing on players that will bring us not only attacking returns or clean sheets, but also those players that score “ghost points” on the sophisticated and statistics based Togga scoring model!
*For this article, we use the ownership statistics from Fantrax. Our only rule is that each player we highlight is required to have ownership of 60% or below at the time of writing. This way there’s a good chance these players will be free agents in your Fantrax Draft League!
Fantasy EPL Gameweek 17 Sleepers XI
**60% ownership or below**
GK: Vincente Guaita
Team: Crystal Palace
Opponent: Brighton (Home)
Ownership: 43%
Average Points Last 5 Games: 9.55 PPG
Prospects: Three clean sheets and three double-figure hauls in a row for Guaita. The Spaniard is the form goalkeeper of Fantasy EPL, and he has a great upcoming fixture schedule. Go ahead and pick up Guaita is you still can. You won’t regret it! This weekend Crystal Palace faces rivals, Brighton, at Selhurst Park, and we’re expecting a home victory. The likes of Maupay and Trossard will keep Guaita busy, ensuring he makes a fair few saves. A fourth Palace clean sheet in a row isn’t out of the question either! Dubravka (54% ownership) is a good alternative here, as Newcastle face Burnley and he’ll be sure to make a fair few saves.
Guaita is a bit of a dark horse in our Saves Made Minus Goals Against Rankings, as he’s missed a couple of games through injury!
GW17 Points Scored: 18.75
DEF: Martin Kelly
Team: Crystal Palace
Opponent: Brighton (Home)
Ownership: 32%
Average Points Last 5 Games: 8.55 PPG
Prospects: We’re backing a second Crystal Palace player in the form of Martin Kelly. The defender has been filling in for Joel Ward at right-back, and has scored very well in recent weeks. Kelly has gained three double-figure returns in a row, courtesy of three clean sheets, and some good defensive statistics! The Englishman is worthy of featuring in our Gameweek 17 Sleepers XI, and he’s certainly worthy of featuring in most Fantrax Draft Managers’ teams! This weekend Crystal Palace faces Brighton at home, and another decent haul is on the cards for Kelly!
Alternative Choice: If Kelly is already taken in your Draft League, then take a look at Gary Cahill (6% ownership). The veteran defender returned to the side in Gameweek 16, and he featured in our Waiver Wire Targets article earlier this week.
GW17 Points Scored: 11
DEF: Chris Basham
Team: Sheffield United
Opponent: Aston Villa (Home)
Ownership: 56%
Average Points Last 5 Games: 6.7 PPG
Prospects: Sheffield United haven’t been great at the back in recent weeks, but Basham’s score of 10 points in Gameweek 16 is encouraging. The defender gained a double-figure haul after conceding one goal and receiving a yellow card. Basham won 10 aerials during the 2-1 victory over Norwich! This weekend The Blades face Aston Villa at home. We’re backing them to gain a clean sheet, and Basham to score well for aerials once again, as The Villains will be playing the ball long to striker Wesley. If the Englishman is a free agent in your Draft League, he’s a great acquisition ahead of Gameweek 17!
GW17 Points Scored: 14.5
DEF: Federico Fernandez
Team: Newcastle
Opponent: Burnley (Away)
Ownership: 14%
Average Points Last 5 Games: 10.25 PPG
Prospects: Fernandez has been scoring very well on Fantrax since being re-instated into the Newcastle side in Gameweek 10. In particular, the Argentine has done very well during the last two games. The Magpies have been playing extremely well in recent weeks, as Steve Bruce has really installed some belief into these players. Fernandez is in red-hot form and looks set for another big score this weekend as he faces a trip to Burnley. We would highly recommend snapping up the big center-back if you still can!
GW17 Points Scored: 2
DEF: Reece James
Team: Chelsea
Opponent: Bournemouth (Home)
Ownership: 60%
Average Points Last 5 Games: 10.8 PPG
Prospects: James looks to have established himself in the Chelsea side, with Azpilicueta moving over to left-back to accommodate the youngster. The right-back has gained 37.5 points from his last three games, which is pretty good considering Chelsea have lost two of these games, and not kept any clean sheets! We would highly recommend bringing James into your Fantrax Fantasy EPL side if you still can; he’s featured in our Hot or Cold Player Rankings for a couple of weeks now. This weekend Chelsea faces a Bournemouth side bereft of confidence, so we’re expecting The Blues to gain a clean sheet!
Alternative Choice: If James is taken in your Draft League, then teammate Zouma (59% ownership) is well worth a shot. He looks to have established himself at center back and is likely to partner Rudiger once he’s fully fit. Speaking of Rudiger (43% ownership) – snap him up if he’s free in your Draft League. He started for The Blues in the Champions League Wednesday night.
GW17 Points Scored: 0
MID: James Milner
Team: Liverpool
Opponent: Watford (Home)
Ownership: 49%
Average Points Last 5 Games: 3.5
Prospects: We’re taking a punt on Milner starting this weekend after he was left out of the starting lineup for the crunch game in the Champions League mid-week. The veteran should be installed back into the side, after playing the full 90 minutes in Gameweek 16. Milner scored 11 points during this game, without recording attacking returns. If he’s a free agent in your Fantasy EPL league, we would recommend snapping him up. Liverpool plays bottom of the league Watford and as its the opening game of the weekend, you can simply drop Milner for someone else if he doesn’t actually start. A zero-risk punt!
Alternative Choice: A player to look at bringing into your squad if one of your players doesn’t start on Saturday, is Norwich City man Mario Vrancic (2% ownership). The Bosnian midfielder has been given a chance by Farke due to his side’s indifferent form. Vrancic started in Gameweek 16 and gained a steady 7.5 points.
GW17 Points Scored: 2.5
MID: Jonjo Shelvey
Team: Newcastle
Opponent: Burnley (Away)
Ownership: 51%
Average Points Last 5 Games: 14.7 PPG
Prospects: Shelvey is on stunning Fantrax form at the moment! The bald-headed Englishman has scored in each of his last three games, and has scored nearly 100 points over the last six games!! Shelvey was featured in our Hot or Cold Player Rankings this week, and deservedly so. If the Newcastle man is a free agent in your Fantasy EPL league, he simply has to be signed. And if he is taken, send over some trade offers to the manager who owns him! This weekend The Magpies face a trip to Burnley, and we expect another good performance from Shelvey. He’s an integral part of our Gameweek 17 Sleepers lineup!
Alternative Choice: Newcastle teammates Almiron (48% ownership) and Atsu (8% ownership) are well worth a look if you can’t get your hands on Shelvey. Atsu looks set to replace the injured Saint-Maximin in the side and scored very well towards the start of the season.
GW17 Points Scored: 0
MID: Aaron Mooy
Team: Brighton
Opponent: Crystal Palace (Away)
Ownership: 16%
Average Points Last 5 Games: 8.88 PPG
Prospects: Aaron Mooy has upped his game in recent weeks, and has played himself back into favor under Graham Potter. The Australian midfielder had to wait in the wings after getting sent off back in Gameweek 9. Mooy gained 33.5 points between Gameweek 13 and 15, and has proved that he can be a trusted midfielder for Fantasy EPL managers. The Brighton man was disappointing in Gameweek 16, but we’re giving him another shot ahead of a heated M23 Derby this coming Monday night. If Mooy is still a free agent ahead of Gameweek 17, he’s a great little sleeper to add to your squad!
Alternative Choice: Another steady scoring midfielder who may be a free agent is Manchester United man Fred (16% ownership). The Brazilian was in the headlines for all the wrong reasons in Gameweek 16, but Fred has actually been playing well the last couple of months. If you need a midfielder who will gain you a solid six to nine points per game, then he’s your man.
GW17 Points Scored: 3.5
FWD: Andy Carroll
Team: Newcastle
Opponent: Burnley (Away)
Ownership: 5%
Average Points Last 5 Games: 9 PPG
Prospects: Making his debut in our Sleepers XI during Gameweek 17, is Newcastle forward Andy Carroll!! We really didn’t think we would be featuring the lumbering striker this season, but his form is good, and he fully deserves a mention! Carroll has gained assists in both of his last two appearances, and he looks set to start this weekend against Burnley. Newcastle is on great form, and Joelinton has been struggling in the lone forward role. The big forward has a decent chance of attacking returns, and will gain plenty of aerial wins every time he’s on the pitch! Carroll has registered 21 aerials during his last 130 minutes of Fantasy EPL action!
Alternative Choice: Liverpool forward Divock Origi (43% ownership) is worth an add this week, as he could well start in Gameweek 17 against Watford. The Belgian forward may be brought into the starting eleven after Mane, Salah, and Firmino all played during the mid-week Champions League game. Origi usually scores well when he starts (he gained 24 points last time), and Liverpool play in the first game of the weekend, so he can easily be dropped if he doesn’t start!
GW17 Points Scored: 5
FWD: Kelechi Iheanacho
Team: Leicester City
Opponent: Norwich (Home)
Ownership: 24%
Average Points Last 5 Games: 22.25 PPG
Prospects: Iheanacho has featured twice for Leicester this season, and he’s scored over 20 points in both games!! The forgotten man has scored two and made two during these appearances, and he has a really good chance of establishing himself in this title-challenging side!! Ayoze Perez really hasn’t made the most of his opportunities this season, and Iheanacho is ready to pounce. After featuring for just over 60 minutes in Gameweek 16, we’re backing the Nigerian to start in Gameweek 17 and become an incredible sleeper pick! Iheanacho has also been added to our Hot List!
Alternative Choice: Another Leicester man who benefited in Gameweek 16, was Dennis Praet (5% ownership). The midfielder started against Aston Villa and gained an assist. Praet is worth adding to your squad ahead of the weekend, as he should score well if he does earn another start!
GW17 Points Scored: 2.5
FWD: David McGoldrick
Team: Sheffield United
Opponent: Aston Villa (Home)
Ownership: 21%
Average Points Last 5 Games: 9.5 PPG
Prospects: McGoldrick continues to perform well for Sheffield United, but his ownership continues to remain low. The veteran Irishman is king of ghost points, as he’s averaging 9.5 points per game over the last five, despite gaining just one attacking return. McGoldrick is firmly established in Wilder’s side and should score well this weekend against Aston Villa. The Sheffield United forward was featured in our Hot or Cold Player Rankings this week, and he’s well worth signing if you still can!
Alternative Choice: If McGoldrick is already taken in your Fantasy EPL league, then perhaps Neal Maupay (41% ownership) is an option. The Brighton man has bagged two goals in two games and could have been dropped by a fellow manager after he was left out in Gameweek 14.
GW17 Points Scored: 16.5
Gameweek 17 Sleepers XI:
Team Points – Gameweek 17: 76.25
Team Average Score – Gameweek 17: 6.9
Average Ownership – Gameweek 17: 34% Fantrax ownership
Previous Sleepers XI Editions: Gameweek 9 | Gameweek 10 | Gameweek 11 | Gameweek 12 | Gameweek 13 | Gameweek 14 | Gameweek 15 | Gameweek 16 |
Wondering who the best current Fantasy EPL players to target are? Look no further than our Top 120 ROS Player Rankings on Fantrax!!
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