Getting your team selection correct in Draft Premier League is just as essential as your pre-season draft or your weekly waiver wire claims. And this is why we’re here to help with our Gameweek 3 Start and Sit article!
Whether you’re an obsessed EPL fan like our Fantrax HQ Team, or whether you’re a casual player new to the world of Fantasy EPL, you know to start your attacking players against the likes of Fulham, Aston Villa, or West Ham. We’re not going to waste your time dealing with the obvious! The goal of this article is to delve into notable players across each Fantrax position and let you know if you should be starting or sitting those particular players.
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Gameweek 3 Start and Sit
For our Gameweek 3 Start and Sit candidates, we’re going to highlight one player in detail for each section, as well as suggesting another alternate.
You have good days at the office when everything goes right, and bad days at the office, when you can’t seem to get a win. My GW2 Start/Sit article was firmly in the second category, however, Jimenez scoring against Man City and Vardy blanking against a heavily depleted Burnley side can be the silver linings in an otherwise mixed bag of predictions.
Onto Gameweek 3, let’s get to it!
Defender Starts
Erik Pieters
Go big or go home! A defender who played in a side that conceded four, while scoring an own goal? That’s right! With Gudmundsson and Brady out, the former Stoke defender will likely line up as a winger as Burnley host Southampton, who are themselves coming off a beating by the Son-Kane duo.
Alternate: Ruben Vinagre
Considered the natural successor to Jonny to roam the Wolves wings, we all thought the young Portuguese defender would be a perfect late-round pickup only for him to instantly lose his place to late arrival from Lyon, Marcal. With the latter picking up an injury, it is now or never for Vinagre to try and cement his place in the first team.
Defender Sits
Leicester Fullbacks James Justin/Timothy Castagne
Mentioned in @TheFFChaps Hot and Cold article, the free-roaming full-backs have been on fire in the first 2 games contributing to 5 of Leicester’s 7 goals so far. Although Manchester City is not always likely to keep a clean sheet these days, Rodgers will surely have more defensive duties for his wing-backs than in the first two games and a clean sheet isn’t very likely in the Etihad either.
Alternate: Hector Bellerin
The man capable of a 20+ point game only to deliver minus points when you pick him up. The Arsenal defense has been steadily improving, but the Champions will likely prove to be a step too far for Arteta’s defensive cohort with Bellerin being to most likely to put up a horrendous score if Liverpool’s front three start scoring the goals.
Midfielder Starts
Trezeguet
Everyone’s second favorite Egyptian after Mido (I am sure I forgot someone…draft legend Ryan Barnes suggested the man I am forgetting might be Elneny). The man, who humbly nicknamed himself after the Argentinian-born French forward legend, David Trezeguet, has just put up a “ghost point” extravaganza against struggling Sheffield United scoring 13.5 points, most of which came from the 3 KPs, 6 crosses (1 successful), 2 interceptions and 2 tackles, meaning he was involved in everything Villa did both offensively and chipping in defensively as well. With Ollie Watkins finding his feet up front, Trezeguet could be looking at more attacking returns this weekend.
Alternate: Tomás Soucek
The Czech midfield dynamo hasn’t been lighting the world on fire in West Ham’s 2 losses so far, but facing Wolves could be his turning point. Plenty of counting stats in the midfield battle against Dendoncker/Neves and Moutinho, he is due an attacking return from a set-piece. Watch out for his epic battle with Willy Boly when the corners start swinging in.
Midfielder Sits
Mateusz Klich
5th most points among midfielders, the Leeds man has been a mainstay in Fantasy football lineups. He is facing Sheffield United who have been struggling and currently sit 17th with 0 points. Am I crazy? That may well be, but I am expecting the Blades to start figuring out what has gone wrong so far and turn their luck around.
Alternate: James Maddison
Expected to start his first game of the season, Manchester City is not an opponent one likes to face, with not much possession and no trusted Ndidi behind him to take back the ball, Maddison might find the air to be quite thin around the center circle in the Etihad. If you have other options, you might want to have a think about starting them ahead of Maddison. His only saving grace could be that surely with him back in the lineup, he will take back all set-piece duty.
Forward Starts
Roberto Firmino
Absolutely loves scoring against Arsenal, last season he could not find the net against the Gunners, but after an assist in GW2, who is to say he will not roll back the years to 29th December 2018, when he got a whopping 43.5 points against the Gunners.
Alternate: Ollie McBurnie
Second time the charm, after scoring 12.5 points in the first game, the Blades forward came on for 22 minutes of play in GW2 to score a very handy 5 points in that time. This man will score you points regardless of his attacking output. Leave him out of your lineup at your own peril.
Forward Sits
Alexandre Lacazette
In 2 games, the French forward scored 2 goals, he looks happy, Arteta looks content. The underlying Fantrax points tell a different story. 25 points in 2 games, with 22 of those coming from the 2 goals, means that he is as goal dependent as they get. If Arsenal cannot score, he will struggle to break 3 points.
Alternate: Andy Carroll
The Newcastle big man’s minutes in the starting lineup may be numbered. After starting the first 2 games, he came off at half-time for Almiron against Brighton. Not exactly a good sign. Even if he starts, he will struggle against the mobile Spurs defense.
Previous Editions: Gameweek 2 |
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