The new year hasn’t brought an awful lot of change for FPL draft managers so far. Dave still saves, Salah wins penalties, and Harry Kane still has glass ankles.
As news of Kane’s fourth ankle injury in just over two years broke this week, many devastated owners will be rifling their way through the free agent pool for a “worthy” replacement for their star striker. Meanwhile, the Premier League title race is alive and well. The same should be true for the majority of FPL draft Fantrax leagues as we begin the business end of the season.
Looking for a player to bolster your title hopes? Here are your latest FPL risers and fallers.
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Fantasy Premier League Risers
Fernando Llorente – Tottenham (Forward)
Step forward…Fernando Llorente? There’s no guarantee it will be the much-maligned Spaniard to fill Harry Kane’s sizeable boots but right now, he is Tottenham’s only senior, available forward.
There’s not an awful lot to say about Llorente this season. He’s played 36 minutes across six appearances this season. I suppose you can say he’s not done a lot wrong. That being said, he is a riser this week. More due to necessity than form but, nevertheless, a riser. Definitely worth a punt in 10/12 team FPL draft leagues.
James Ward Prowse – Southampton (Midfielder)
Few teams have enjoyed a new manager bounce quite like Southampton have in recent years. Ralph Hassenhuttl’s contribution to the Premier League has been vast and he’s already fast becoming a cult hero down on the south coast. James Ward Prowse is thankful for his arrival too.
JWP spent most of his time warming the bench under Mark Hughes but the new man has slotted him back into the Saints midfield and he is, once more, an excellent FPL draft asset. Not only does he dominate set piece duty, but he’s also excellent at delivering them. The likes of Charlie Austin and Danny Ings (as well as the six foot plus centre backs) will be licking their lips at the prospect of Ward Prowse’s crossing.
A well-dispatched penalty at the weekend won’t have harmed his FPL draft value. Scores of 16, 8.5, and 20 in tricky fixtures over the last five weeks will surely mean his ownership of 15% will skyrocket in the coming weeks. Get on the JWP, quick.
Marcus Rashford – Manchester United (Forward)
If you’re looking for someone with top tier trading potential, look no further than Marcus Rashford. Out of the team under Jose Mourinho, Rashford may have been floating around on waiver wires in more shallow leagues. If you picked him up, well done.
The youngster would almost certainly go in the first two rounds if any FPL draft took place today. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has all but confirmed that Rashford is his preferred striker and the England man has justified that faith in recent weeks. Since December the 1st, Rashford has amassed 165.5 points in Fantrax at an average of 18.4 points per match. Phenomenal.
You can target pretty much anyone in the league with United’s number 10. Then again, it might just be worth keeping hold of him.
Fantasy Premier League Fallers
Harry Kane – Tottenham (Forward)
Harry Kane owners, look away now. In fact, you’d better look back and start preparing for life without your first pick from your FPL draft for the foreseeable future. Seven weeks was his longest absence caused by his troublesome ankles back in September 2016. This looks like more of the same.
As much as he is a quick healer, there’s not a lot of good news to give about the England talisman. The fact that he is the country’s star man means that he’s had next to no rest since August 2017. An enforced break may be just what Kane needs. Not that that’s any consolation. To anyone…
Romelu Lukaku – Manchester United (Forward)
Marcus Rashford’s hot form has delighted everyone at Old Trafford. Everyone, that is, apart from one man: Romelu Lukaku. Despite a run of poor form going back as far as most can remember, Lukaku was almost untouchable under Jose Mourinho. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer seems to possess no such affection for the Belgian and Rashford is undoubtedly the caretaker manager’s first choice.
To put it bluntly, since Lukaku’s last start on the 16th December, United have won every single game. Are they a better team without him? Looks like it. Is he droppable from your roster? Not far off…
Robert Snodgrass – West Ham (midfielder)
Signings can change everything. Just ask Robert Snodgrass.
The wonderfully named midfielder was the subject of many a waiver bid a couple of months ago. Fast forward to mid-January and the arrival of Samir Nasri appears to have all but ended the Scot’s extended run in the side.
An FPL draft favorite, Snodgrass has done little wrong, putting up a series of good scores going into the new year. However, if the lineup (and performance) against Arsenal is anything to go by, now may be the time to bid Snodgrass a fond farewell.
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