Gameweek 3 Preview: Fantasy Premier League #FPL

Written by @FantasyGaffer

The Third Week. The Week Before The Break. Potential Wildcard Week. The final weekend before the first break of the season has many names. That it is also the final week before the summer transfer window closes means FPL managers who’ve under-performed are close to panic. Makes sense, there’s a scant 35 gameweeks left to play once this weekend’s action ends. Last week Sadio Mane (8pts) got the armband while Riyad Mahrez (MID, 11 pts), Romelu Lukaku (FWD, 6 pts) and Andre Gray (Outsider, 4 pts) all did what they were supposed to do. Danillo didn’t start but, in fairness, City won 1-0 while he was on the pitch. So, we had that going for us. Which is nice. No slips this week, until we do.

You can read the FantasyYIRMA Gameweek 2 Review HERE

Defender: Patrick van Aanholt, Crystal Palace

PVA has been used primarily as a winger in the opening two matches, in which he recorded 90′ and 83′ but collected just two FPL points. This is the when we look to other scoring systems – like Togga’s FPL Draft game – and see that van Aanholt has been doing the things we want from an ‘attacking defender’. With four chances created, one shot on target, and two successful take-ons, he’s been aggressive. Add to that his seven interceptions and six tackles won, and you can see he’s been dynamic – instrumental in starting Palace’s counter-attack. It hasn’t paid dividends yet, but this weekend against a level opponent (Swansea) he’s good value. Just 3.2% selected means he may only be good value for you in your mini-league.

Midfielder: Henrikh Mhkitareean Micktaryan McTariyan Christian Eriksen, Tottenham

Spurs’ talisman isn’t just a holdover from the days when beer was cold, haircuts were function over form, and midfielders assisted  goals – he is the most dominant chance-creator / shot-taker in the EPL, and sometimes it’s the other way around. Burnley have not yet reverted to home win/away loss form, it seems, but Spurs will hold the ball, dial up the tempo and use Eriksen to bring to bear all of the weapons at Poch’s disposal.

Little question who’s tipped below as the Captain pick, but in order for ‘arry to come good, there will need to be plenty of involvement from the Danish star.  He’ll deliver and claim a share of the fantasy spoils once more. Shame he’s off to Barcelona before Week 4.

Forward: Sergio Aguero, Manchester City

Keeping the streak alive! Kun is the third forward to be picked away from home following Roberto Firmino (12pts GW1) and Rom Lukaku (6pts GW2). The Argentine plumped for a goal and 3BPS in GW1 before ‘blanking’ in GW2. Just a regular blank, not a Harry Kane blank (0 goals, 0 assists, 1 yellow card). With Bournemouth having lost both of their games without scoring a goal of their own, the Cherries are ripe for the picking. Not. Even. Sorry. Aguero is capable of banging braces and this match-up has all the markings of a 81′, 2g, 3BPS appearance. He’d be the no-doubt C choice if poor, put-upon Harry Kane was so clearly headed for a massive match.

Captain: Harry Kane, Tottenham

Spurs’ striker has two points through two matches and the author of this column is so fucking smug it’s putting Robert Downey, Jr. to shame. That said, Kane’s -151,094 total transfers (without a price drop!) is breaking the algorithm while a further 89409 transfers out as of writing still hasn’t seen his obscenely high price lower even 0.1. For those who’ve held the faith, this will be the week it’s repaid.  Of course, it won’t be much of a differential:

But that shouldn’t bother you, because the other statistics are firmly in the corner of Captain Kane:

Outsider: Danilo, Manchester City

Did You Know: Kyle Walker was sent off. As City are short on comically hyphenated replacements, it will be Danilo who gets the nod away to Bournemouth. He posted a clean sheet in Week 1 and looked exceptional on the ball in the attacking third. Whether it’s a clean sheet, an assist, or both, the signing from Real Madrid will have a chance to formally steal Walker’s minutes. Good riddance. /and there was much rejoicing. It’s rare you get the chance to big-up a player who failed because the player who started in their place was so thoroughly inept in their play – but £45M buys a lot of schadenfreude these days.

Draft: Craig Dawson, West Brom

The Baggies defender has played two exceptional matches in FPL Draft – scoring 14.5 and 12.75 points over each of the past two weeks in Togga’s Perfect XI weekly format. Those 27.25 points are good for 11th at the position and better than Maya Yoshida (1 assist) and Miguel Britos (1 goal). It’s markedly better than David Luiz (1 goal, 1 assist)! Stoke have scored one goal in two matches and looked alternately outclassed, and incompetent – it’s a real Sophie’s Choice of EPL inadequacy – but fantasy assets in the Dawson mold have been better than expected and his pedigree means this is a must-try differential play for GW3.

John (aka FantasyGaffer) has been playing fantasy sports for more than a decade.

An avid supporter of Liverpool since the days of the Spice Boys, he has earnestly worn a white suit on multiple occasions. You’ll find his work on fantasy draft site PlayTogga.

Prior to joining Togga, he wrote for EPLIndex, MLB.com/fantasy, BackPageFootball and his own site, FantasyGaffer.