You asked, draft fantasy soccer managers, and we listened. Shouts to Magnus W. Mindrebø for asking us to take a look at the smaller clubs ahead of each game week and here we are ahead of game week 10. Last week if you started Cardiff players, you went home a happy manager while if you started a Fulham defender, you were down in the dumps. Mining the scraps can be the difference between success and failure for draft fantasy soccer managers and hopefully, this article will help make educated decisions at the bottom of the pile.
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Scouting Smaller Clubs for Draft Fantasy Soccer
I’d like to begin by setting some ground rules. This article will encompass players owned in less than 50 percent of leagues on teams in the bottom five of the Premier League table so sorry, Wolverhampton doesn’t fit the bill. This week Newcastle, Huddersfield, Fulham, Cardiff, and Southampton are the teams in focus.
With Newcastle and Southampton facing each other, let’s start out with them.
Newcastle United:
Looking at the Magpies, it’s hard to find a team that’s more void of fantasy talent. Jonjo Shelvey and Jamal Lascelles are the only consistently startable assets for draft fantasy soccer managers in 12 team leagues but if you have to, Martin Dubravka isn’t a bad shout versus a Southampton team that consistently takes a lot of shots but is unable to find the back of the net.
Southampton:
Here’s where things get interesting because while Southampton isn’t a good team, they have more boom or bust fantasy assets than West Ham. It starts with Alex McCarthy who has had three performances of 16 plus points this season but has gotten six or fewer points in each other game. If that doesn’t sum up Southampton to draft fantasy soccer managers, I don’t know what will. Nathan Redmond has also been playing better lately which has seen his ownership rise to 49 percent. Outside of those two, any defender available in your leagues will be streamable in what will either be a low scoring win for the saints or a boring 0-0 draw.
Fulham:
Let me begin by saying that if you start a Fulham defender you’re asking to lose and are playing with fire. Don’t believe me, look at this:
In case you were wondering, Fulham is on pace to concede more goals than 08/09 Derby county for the most goals conceded in a 38 game season.
Derby: 2.34 goals conceded per game.
Fulham: 2.78 goals conceded per game.
Yikes
— Chuck Booth ✊🏾 (@ChuckBoothSport) October 24, 2018
The attack has been picked over in leagues but if you can, stash Tom Cairney as he returns to fitness.
Cardiff:
They scored half of their season’s total of goals versus Fulham last week but don’t expect nearly as good of a performance versus Liverpool this week. Josh Murphy and Victor Camarasa are the only Bluebirds that I would consider picking up but smart money says to avoid, avoid, avoid.
Huddersfield:
This is a weird team where everyone not named Aaron Mooy is likely available in your league. Mooy is owned in 76 percent of leagues but no one else even cracks 45 percent. It’s wild but its also a reflection on how bad Huddersfield has been this year. Philip Billing is the player owned in 45 percent of leagues and even he has only had two performances of double-digit points this season. Watford will be a tough match but I do like Chris Schindler and Chris Lowe to have good weeks. Outside of that, Huddersfield is useless until someone decides to score goals.
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