Fantasy Football: GW16 Preview

written by Mr. NiallHawthorn

After a calm and considered twenty premier league games in a week, we now have thirty premier league games in nine days. Yep, three rounds of FPL to navigate between this Friday and the Sunday of the weekend after.

You can’t win your mini-league during this run, but you can lose it, so let’s all clear our minds, concentrate, and get ready for this veritable pre-Christmas feast of football.

Onto GW16!

GW16 Defender: Tariq Lamptey, Brighton & Hove Albion

Ed: SCRAP THE DEF PICK – BRIGHTON V SPURS POSTPONED DUE TO COVID

He didn’t start a league game for Graham Potter until GW11, and has started four of five since then, returning an assist and two clean sheets. Just the two goals conceded in that spell with him on the pitch too.

This weekend they face a Spurs side allegedly decimated by the ‘rona, with reports of up to six players having tested positive. While patient confidentiality is important, my sources tell me that one Harold Kane has tested positive for a negative attitude. They may call this the Kane variant. In any case, if rumours are true, this increases the chances of a Brighton clean sheet on Sunday.

ed: Technically Brighton won’t concede this weekend so it’s solid

GW16 Midfielder: Mason Mount, Chelsea

While Chelsea was hilariously losing to the Happy Hammers at the weekend, Mason Mount was returning his second consecutive double-digit haul since his return to the side.

Leeds are up next at Stamford Bridge, and Chelsea know that it’s time to put the brakes on any possible slide, and quickly. Just like us FPL afficionados, if you lose form during the busiest time of the year, it may be too late when you find it again after the smoke clears.

GW16 Forward: Jamie Vardy, Leicester City

Is he in form? Is he ‘eck as like.

Is he an obvious pick? By gum, no way.

Is he playing Newcastle United, who had conceded 30 goals in 14 games before Burnley last time out? Abso-freaking-lutely.

Time for a Vardy Party!

GW16 Captain: Emmanuel Dennis, Watford

It’s a compliment to Mo Salah that I’ve stopped tipping him as Captain, finally, as it’s just plain boring because he never stops returning. If you’re going to Captain him, you’re going to Captain him and it doesn’t matter what I say.

However, if you’re a renegade master, you could consider Emmanuel Dennis of Watford, who are facing Brentford on Friday night. I know, I know, a Friday night Captain is dicing with death, but it’ll make you feel so ALIVE!

Thirteen starts this season for Dennis. 6 Goals. 6 Assists. 12 Bonus Points.

Brentford sans Raya: Six games. 12 conceded.

Feeling lucky punk? Well, do ya?

GW16 Outsider: Diogo Dalot, Manchester United

The new dawn of the latest interim manager who will cease to be interim manager and then become football consultant and then appoint himself permanent manager has begun positively at Old Trafford. The new man has made some changes, with Wan Bissaka out and Dalot in, and the young man has taken his chance well, so far.

A fixture against Norwich City is next up, and with a price tag below £4.5m and ownership below 1%, this potential Manchester United starting defender could be a bargain in a few weeks’ time.