We all know that targeting the likes of De Bruyne, Eriksen, Kane, Aguero and Lukaku will usually result in points aplenty in the Fantasy Premier League, but as good as these players are, they eat up your budget like a pig at a trough, meaning you also need to find those low cost diamonds that add invaluable points to your team and can make the difference between winning and losing your fixtures/leagues.
Lets take a look at one player from each position that will be worth adding to your otherwise star studded line up :
TAMMY ABRAHAM (FW – Swansea City)
In a season of struggle for the Swans, Abraham has been a shining light for them, and has rewarded the 17% of managers who own him by rucking up 48 points to date – which ranks him seventh overall amongst all Fantasy Premier League forwards. At just £5.9m he is ahead of much more costlier options such as Alexandre Lacazette and Marcus Rashford, and only Stoke City’s Mame Diouf has scored over 40 points so far whilst being under £6m to buy. Abraham will look to continue his form to enhance the growing clamour for his inclusion into next years England World Cup squad….get him now and start him with confidence.
Honourable Mentions : Mame Diouf (Stoke City), Glen Murray (Brighton), Shinji Okazaki (Leicester City)
ABDOULAYE DOUCOURE (MF – Watford)
Watford are one of the Premier League’s entertainers, with 38 goals being notched up in their 11 games to date – only runaway leaders Manchester City’s games have produced more goals. Whilst teammate Richarlison has actually scored more points, it is Doucoure who has caught our eye – gaining 52 points and having played every minute for the Hornets, belying his value price tag of just £5.4m. Seeing that he will likely remain a central figure in the Watford midfield, there is no reason to expect this pace to drop. Snap him up and reap the rewards before others do.
Honourable Mentions : Pascal Grob (Brighton), Steven Davis (Southampton), Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield Town)
STEPHEN WARD (DF – Burnley)
Burnley games are usually tight, dour affairs, and from a Fantasy Premier League perspective, Stephen Ward is golden for the nearly 18% of managers who own him, scoring 56 points so far and only behind three other defenders overall. Indeed, his Burnley defensive cohorts Ben Mee and Matt Lowton are also excellent value picks and scoring heavy, but Ward at £4.9m gets our vote, having completed all but one game and adding a goal and an assist to his defensive points. Whilst Sean Dyche is in control at Turf Moor, expect them to remain a tight defensive unit, with Ward being a fine addition to your bigger named players.
Honourable Mentions : Harry Maguire (Leicester City), Maya Yoshida (Southampton), Kyle Naughton (Swansea)
NICK POPE (GK – Burnley)
It stands to reason that if the Burnley defensive corps are producing well from a Fantasy Premier League perspective, then the Clarets keeper will be as well. And it holds true, with Nick Pope standing 6th in the shotstoppers points table, and although Huddersfield keeper Jonas Lossl has 11 more points to date and is only 100k more expensive than the £4.5m price tag of Pope, it is a vote for the team over the player that we put our stock in, still expecting the Terriers bubble to burst much sooner than any loss of form for Burnley. If you have the likes of De Gea or Courtois it is very rare you’ll replace them – but check the matchups and keep Pope there for when it seems very likely that Burnley will be involved in a tight game – which is more often that not (only 2 games of 11 have produced 3 or more goals).
Honourable Mentions : Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester), Lukasz Fabianski (Swansea), Matthew Ryan (Brighton)
There you have it….our four headline picks costs you just £20.7m but will have scored you 201 points so far…compared to the fantastic foursome of Lacazette, Alli, Walker and Lloris who will have scored you 184 points but cost you £11 million more!! That being a comparable (points) example!!