With Manchester City and Liverpool already taking charge at the top of the pile, you get the sense that even after only two weeks of the season the Premier League table is already taking shape. For that reason, players from the early frontrunners and title favourites will rarely figure in these articles due to their almost certain high ownership. Besides, it doesn’t take a Draft Fantasy Football expert to say “pick Benjamin Mendy”.
Last week’s article was certainly a mixed bag. From those recommended, Richarlison and Ryan Fraser bagged attacking returns while N’Golo Kante continued to enjoy his new found freedom.
As for the fallers, Josh King disappointed once again. Nicolas Otamendi failed to break into a City formation that included three central defenders. Gylfi Sigurdsson was outstanding and Alvaro Morata scored but we can pretend they weren’t mentioned in the “avoid” section.
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Here’s a few more notable names to watch out for in premier league Gameweek 3 and beyond, whether that be for the right or wrong reason.
Fantasy Premier League Risers
Alex Iwobi
Alex Iwobi’s inclusion in the Arsenal lineup to face Chelsea will have turned a few heads at the weekend. Unai Emery’s faith in the Nigerian was rewarded though, as was the audacity of the draft fantasy premier league managers who took the risk and picked him up at the last minute.
The Gunners kept up their 100% loss record but Iwobi was their bright spark, scoring a well taken goal as well as (sort of) providing the assist for Henrikh Mkhitaryan to (nearly) spare Pierre Emerick Aubameyang’s blushes. Because of this, a return to the bench for Iwobi would be extremely harsh, especially considering Mesut Ozil’s ghost performance. With Arsenal’s fixtures dramatically turning for the better, Iwobi could be a great way into the Arsenal attack, starting with this week’s home game against premier league strugglers West Ham.
Theo Walcott
Everton feature again! All eyes were on new boy Richarlison at Goodison Park but it was old boy Theo Walcott who got one in each column for attacking returns. His assist for the aforementioned Brazilian was the perfect way to follow up his smartly finished first goal of the season on Saturday. The Blues continue to promise more attacking value than they did last season.
Walcott’s fixtures also continue to be kind with a visit to Bournemouth in Gameweek 3 followed by home games against Huddersfield and West Ham. He’s also only owned in 78% of Fantrax leagues. If he’s available in yours, he’s well worth a pick up.
Troy Deeney
Watford’s new two up top formation seems to be perfect for Troy Deeney. A goal and assist Man of the Match display during The Hornets’ surprisingly dominant display at Europa League hopefuls Burnley demonstrated how much he is enjoying his company in attack as the skipper provided the first for his strike partner Andre Gray before burying his own chance with aplomb.
Deeney will be good value this week as Watford look to continue their hot start when they host Crystal Palace at the start of a run of three consecutive home games. Watford then welcome Tottenham and Manchester United but Deeney may still be worth starting in the tougher games. Defences hate facing The Hornets bulldozer when he’s on form.
Ben Chilwell
Ricardo Pereira’s early season form at right back has meant that the value of Leicester City’s left back has almost gone unnoticed. Ben Chilwell’s appetite for attacking as well as the fact that he is part of one of the league’s more solid rearguards makes his 36% Fantrax ownership absolutely baffling.
Two games have already brought about one clean sheet, four key passes and a shot on target for the young left back and it can’t be long before Chilwell starts converting those underlying statistics into assists and even a couple of goals, especially considering the fact that he appears to share set piece duties with James Maddison. Excluding the visit of Liverpool in GW4, Chilwell’s fixtures remain very enticing for the next five weeks, starting with this week’s visit to Southampton.
Callum Wilson
Having already included Ryan Fraser in last week’s article, I resisted the urge to go double Bournemouth and big up Callum Wilson, but another strike in Gameweek two has made the in-form striker too good to ignore this week. Yes, West Ham’s defence is atrocious but you’ve got to admire the pace, power, skill and finish that kept up Wilson’s 100% strike rate.
Wilson will fancy another against Everton this weekend too. Having owned this particular striker for much of last year, my instinct is that this purple patch won’t last. My advice would be to hope and pray that he makes it three in three this weekend. Then you can get maximum trade value for him before Bournemouth’s trip to Chelsea.
Fantasy Premier League Fallers
Willian
I proved exactly how well I know Chelsea’s attacking trio when I put Alvaro Morata in the Fallers section last week. Therefore it may be worth taking this section with a pinch of salt.
Gameweek two will surely be the last week Eden Hazard starts from the Chelsea bench. Due to the form of the two Spaniards it looks like Willian could be the most likely to make way for The Blues superstar. Willian’s only hope is that Pedro/Hazard find their way into a false nine position but Morata’s first goal of the season on Saturday makes that unlikely.
Jamie Vardy
What was he playing at? A needless tackle led to a needless red card and a needless ban. Jamie Vardy’s party will be on hold for the next few weeks. Those who doubted he could perform without his Algerian sidekick will be proved right for the next month or so.
The ban also means he misses the game against Liverpool. He ALWAYS scores against Liverpool.
Aaron Ramsey
It was due to the fact that Aaron Ramsey was dropped from the Arsenal starting lineup at Stamford Bridge that the previously mentioned Iwobi got (and took) his chance at the weekend.
Poor form? Uncertain future? Lack of fitness? Who knows? Emery isn’t happy with something in order for him to drop a player that he spoke highly of in pre-season.
This spot could easily have been saved for Mesut Ozil were it not for the fact that I think he’ll go points crazy for the first time this season against West Ham at the weekend.
Anthony Martial
Many Anthony Martial owners (myself included) will have been shocked and thrilled in equal measure to see the enigmatic Frenchman handed a start against Brighton at the weekend. Those same people will have watched on in dismay as Martial turned in a 2/10 performance. He was anonymous, losing the ball when he got it, getting booked and then being hauled off after 60 minutes.
He many just have blown another last chance, with Jesse Lingard and Alexis Sanchez set to reclaim their places. His only saving grace may be the fact that his team mates were equally as bad.
West Ham
There’s not been a lot of love for West Ham in this article. I’ve got nothing against the Hammers, they just look awful.
The heavy loss at Liverpool was a freebie that was forgiven and forgotten instantly. However, a reverse at home to Bournemouth had echoes of that ugly premier league game against Burnley last season.
Worrying times for Hammers fans who head to the Emirates to face a wounded Arsenal this weekend. Fantasy advice for West Ham is quite simple at the moment: consider Marko Arnautovic, forget the rest.
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