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 that’s exactly why we’re here to help with our Gameweek 10 Start and Sit article! We’re here to help you with some of the big Fantasy EPL decisions you may need to make for the upcoming fixtures.
Gameweek 10 Start and Sit
Whether you’re an obsessed EPL fan like our Fantrax HQ team, or a casual player new to the world of Fantasy EPL, you know to start your attacking players against relegation-threatened sides. 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 players.
Our format is as follows: We will be choosing 2 different teams. One will be our starts of the week, made up of non-obvious, low-rostered players. The other will be our sits of the week, made up of highly rostered, normally started players.
Now let’s see the Gameweek 10 Start and Sit contenders!
Starts of the Week XI
| Player | Pos. | Team | Opponent | % Rostered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kepa Arrizabalaga | G | CHE | WOL | 15% |
| James Justin | D | LEI | @BOU | 54% |
| Kurt Zouma | D | WHU | FUL | 36% |
| Luke Ayling | D | LEE | @CRY | 20% |
| Casemiro | M | MUN | @EVE | 53% |
| Marc Roca | M | LEE | @CRY | 36% |
| Miguel Almiron | M | NEW | BRF | 61% |
| Philip Billing | M | BOU | LEI | 45% |
| Danny Ings | F | AVL | @NOT | 40% |
| Dominic Solanke | F | BOU | LEI | 55% |
| Odsonne Edouard | F | CRY | LEE | 16% |
Average % Rostered: 39%
As we’ve come to expect, Gameweek 9 being the first set of fixtures after an international break definitely threw some curveballs in terms of starting lineups and match results. Hopefully Gameweek 10 will be a bit more predictable. Right out of the gate, though, there is the possibility that Kepa is replaced in goal for Chelsea’s attractive home fixture against an anemic Wolves attack. My sense is that Kepa will be given a chance to re-establish himself as the number one in Graham Potter’s side due to his ball playing abilities, and if that’s the case he’s a prime option to roll out against the lowest scorers in the Premier League.
In front of the Spaniard, it’s not a bad time to give some favorites from previous seasons a run-out despite their struggles this season. James Justin was part of a Leicester side that earned its first win and clean sheet of the season against Forest last time out and is looking at another favorable fixture against Bournemouth. Kurt Zouma was part of another side earning a rare win and clean sheet in GW9. The Hammers’ fortunes appear to be turning with a good run of fixtures on the horizon, and they could be lucky enough to face Fulham without Aleksandar Mitrovic, increasing the likelihood of another clean sheet. If the big Serbian does start, Zouma could at least be in line to rack up points from aerial duels. Luke Ayling was a regular starter for Leeds when fit last season, but injuries and the arrival of Rasmus Kristensen have meant he’s had to wait for his chance to return to the starting lineup. His Danish teammate hasn’t lived up to his billing, so Ayling could be set to reclaim his place. A match against a surprisingly poor Palace side bodes well for points if that is the case.
Speaking of billing, Philip Billing has been boom or bust so far this season, but there aren’t many better fixtures for attackers than Leicester City, even with their win in GW9. Joining him are Miguel Almiron, who has been in brilliant form and faces a makeshift Brentford defense; Marc Roca, who has been a reliable option for a solid floor of points; and Casemiro, who finally earned a start in the Europa League on Thursday and, while United didn’t look great, could finally be ready for a run in the team to help them get back to winning ways in the Premier League after the heavy defeat in the Manchester derby last weekend.
Up top, there’s some uncertainty for starts, but if you have the luxury of a backup option, there’s plenty of upside to go around between Danny Ings, Dominic Solanke and Odsonne Edouard, all of whom are facing defenses that offer up a lot of chances.
Sits of the Week XI
| Player | Pos. | Team | Opponent | % Rostered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Ramsdale | G | ARS | LIV | 90% |
| Aaron Cresswell | D | WHU | FUL | 89% |
| Virgil Van Dijk | D | LIV | @ARS | 100% |
| William Saliba | D | ARS | LIV | 86% |
| Alexis Mac Allister | M | BHA | TOT | 86% |
| Brenden Aaronson | M | LEE | @CRY | 84% |
| James Ward-Prowse | M | SOU | @MCI | 100% |
| Thiago | M | LIV | @ARS | 83% |
| Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg | M | TOT | @BHA | 95% |
| Bryan Mbeumo | F | BRF | @NEW | 92% |
| Che Adams | F | SOU | @MCI | 87% |
Average % Rostered: 90%
When it comes to who you should sit, there’s a fairly common theme this week, particularly at the back half of the pitch. The Liverpool-Arsenal match promises to be an enthralling one, but probably not one where either side will keep a clean sheet. As such, I’m recommending benching Aaron Ramsdale, William Saliba and Virgil Van Dijk (and honestly any of your other defensive assets from this match with the possible exception of the Liverpool fullbacks). There aren’t too many other highly rostered players that I expect to have poor outings this week, so I’m going to be a bit of a contrarian to my Zouma recommendation and advise that you sit Aaron Cresswell given his lower ceiling than his defensive partner. However, if you’re in a pinch or facing the prospect of dropping him or starting him, I’d keep him in your lineup this week.
Returning to the weekend’s marquee match, I don’t have high hopes for Thiago to reach the heights of his scoring potential. Likewise for usual set-and-forget James Ward-Prowse against a frankly terrifying Manchester City squad. Filling out the 5-man midfield are a trio of players who have higher rostership than I believe they warrant. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has delivered some attacking returns, but outside of a strong ghost point haul against lowly Nottingham Forest, he’s been very dependent on goals and assists to deliver even marginal fantasy value. A match against an already strong and now energized Brighton side may not be the best place to bet on another goal involvement. The same principle applies to Brighton’s own Alexis Mac Allister, who has yet to deliver more than 6 points without a goal or assist this season. Finally, we have Brenden Aaronson, who is a bit of an enigma in that he is heavily involved throughout Leeds matches but isn’t seeing his high work rate translate into fantasy points. A wide role in the absence of Luis Sinisterra may change that this week, but it’s a risky bet to make if you have other options available to you.
Up top, Bryan Mbeumo has reverted back to last season’s high goal dependency after some fool’s gold to begin this campaign and faces a stingy Newcastle rear guard. And as will likely be a common refrain throughout the season, I’m recommending that you stay away from a striker facing Man City, with Che Adams the highest rostered of the Saints attackers. While the Scot has actually been a sneakily good fantasy option of late, it’s hard to see him delivering better than streamer value against the Citizens.
Make sure you also check out our official EPL content partners The Draft Society for all the latest! Check out their Fantrax Weekly Player Projections page for more player evaluations for the upcoming week!