EPL Weekly Plays - Week 23
We are back after a short hiatus due to the Football Association Challenge Cup being underway. While we were gone, there were some surprises that led to some major teams being ousted in the Cup, while some minnows found themselves in the spotlight. This undoubtedly will have some repercussions on how managers choose to play their cards this week, as some might be overly cautious to prevent spiraling into a free fall that may cost them a high spot in the table, or even their jobs. So be on the lookout for lineups, as team strategy will be key this week in determining where players are in the best position.
Looking at the fixtures, it’s obvious that one game stands out as the highlight, and that is Chelsea vs Manchester City. However, that game doesn’t really interest me from a fantasy perspective as these top of the table games tend to be very slow and teams are cautious with their approach so as not to lose to a fellow contender. There are some suspensions to take into account, as well as injuries. Here is the list of players you should not roster due to suspension of injury:
Diego Costa – Suspension, Bojan Krkic – injury, Andre Schurrle – transfer, Daniel Sturridge – potentially not starting, Mohamed Salah – transfer, Branislav Ivanovic – injury, Cesc Fabregas – injury, Felipe Luis – injury, Samuel Eto’o – transfer, Shane Long – injury.
This is a quick list, I’m sure there are others that are worth keeping a look out for, either way, it will be imperative to monitor lineups as they get released an hour before game kickoff, to do so, you can follow me on Twitter @DFS_hambazaza as I’ll post lineups as they become available. Good Luck!
Goalkeepers
Asmir Begovic, Stoke City – $4,800 – Playing against QPR at home puts Stoke in an enviable position. QPR are 0-0-10 on the road this season and have scored a miserable total of five goals while allowing 24. While Stoke haven’t been lighting the world on fire, they are still in the best matchup in the Premier League this season. A lot of people will shy away from Begovic because of fear of Charlie Austin, however, I think I can trust the numbers that point to less chances and lack of success on the road. Begovic is my top keeper for the slate when considering price, matchup and recent performances.
Simon Mignolet, Liverpool – $5,400 – Liverpool are playing a West Ham team that is a big underdog on the road. West Ham are actually ahead of Liverpool currently in the table, which makes this an important match for both teams. However, I think I give the edge to the home team here to get the win. This pick comes with risk, as West Ham have scored goals in eleven of their 12 road games this season, putting Mignolet at risk of conceding at some point. However, in a GPP, everybody will flock to David De Gea and Manchester United, and the pivot option of Mignolet could prove productive even if he concedes a single goal, as long as Liverpool get the W.
Other Keepers to consider – David De Gea – Manchester United ($5,600), Petr Cech/Thibaut Courtois – Chelsea($5,000), Ben Foster – West Brom ($4,200, very volatile GPP play, will see lots of save opportunities)
Defenders
Luke Shaw
Kieran Trippier, Burnley – $5,300 He’s my top defender in this slate after his very productive performances over the past few weeks. I’ll ignore the scoring issues that have riddled his performance in the past as there is nothing we can do about it now. I will point out, however, that even with the scoring dilemma that we encountered, Trippier had 21 fantasy points last time out without scoring a goal. With 11 crosses and 5 fouls drawn, Trippier is a very reliable source of attacking prowess. The one risk I’ll associate with Kieran is that he tends to fall back a bit on the road and his average field position is in his own teams’ half. He is, however, adept at delivering crosses whether on the road or at home, so hopefully he won’t disappoint us this week.
Phil Bardsley, Stoke City – $3,900 – Bardsley is playing the right full back for a Stoke team that might be in the best position to secure the win. However, with the existence of Charlie Austin, it puts you at risk of the team conceding a goal (however unlikely that is). Bardsley does have the potential for crosses and assists, albeit very small. He will make a good play to pair up with Begovic in a GPP.
Billy Jones, Sunderland – $2,000 – It is not every day that we find a starter priced at the minimum and playing the midfield but marked as a defender on DK. I will be taking advantage of these savings by putting Jones in most of my lineups. He doesn’t have to do much, if Sunderland manage to hold Ings and Burnley scoreless (Burnley have failed to score on the road
in five out of ten matchups this season) then I believe that Jones will more than pay for his low, low salary.
Other Defenders I Like: Joel Ward – Crystal Palace ($3,000), Leighton Baines – Everton ($5,500), Kyle Walker – Tottenham ($3,800), Danny Rose – Tottenham ($4,000), Cesar Azpilicueta – Chelsea ($4,000)
Midfielders
Christian Eriksen, Tottenham – $7,500 – At his price, Eriksen is an absolute steal. The Spurs have been on fire lately, and while they are facing a very tough defensive unit in WBA, I expect that Eriksen to attack heavily and for the Spurs to potentially break through. Eriksen and his teammates should get plenty of shots on target, which would help create chances for both he and Harry Kane. Also of note, Eriksen scored two goals in his last matchup and is the main spot kick taker for Tottenham.
Eden Hazard, Chelsea – $9,300 – I always feel that its a bit of a cop-out when I play one of the top midfielders as a recommended play. I mean, he’s obviously one of the top plays, Hazard is a top-11 talent in the world and would make the cut in most teams in the entire world every week. However, this week, Hazard gets more opportunity as Chelsea will likely be without Fabregas, thus leaving a hole for creativity in the midfield. I like Willian to a lesser extent, but Hazard should be the guy to look at in this game. I know I said earlier that this matchup doesn’t excite me from a fantasy perspective, but the opportunity for Hazard will be there, and if Chelsea were to break through the City defense, expect Hazard to have a hand foot in it.
Jason Puncheon, Crystal Palace – $5,500 If you like midfielders that score goals and play in an attacking role, you’ll love Puncheon. He’s managed two goals in the team’s last two games, and he’s facing an Evertonian side that is weak on defense this season. Puncheon sits as an attacking piece for Palace along with Zaha, Gayle and Sonogo, however, between the four, Puncheon stands the greatest chance to score this week. At his price, you almost have to take a shot at him and hope for some fireworks.
Other Midfielders I Like: Angel Di Maria – Manchester United ($9,900), Victor Moses – Stoke ($5,500), Raheem Sterling – Liverpool ($8,200)
Forwards
Didier Drogba, Chelsea – $6,200 – Let the Costa-less period begin for this Chelsea squad. Costa has been suspended for three games for stomping a defender (no, really) so Drogba is the likely player to take the lead. He is a GPP option as this game may end up being very low scoring and without many chances. However, if you want to take a chance on Chelsea’s league best offense, Drogba should be your guy.
Harry Kane, Tottenham – $10,000 – I’ve touted West Brom’s defense the entire article, but Kane is just that good, and he’ll get his looks at the goal. He is a lock for a few shots on goal and at least a dozen touches in the box. I know we don’t count touches in the penalty area, but those are usually a good indicator that a player will have some shots, especially if that player has his eye on the goal to score like Kane has in recent weeks.
Saido Berahino, West Brom – $7,600 – He will take penalties for WBA, and the Spurs have a knack for conceding goals. Berahino is a terrific forward who is very active and can score against anybody. He is the most likely scorer for WBA this week, so he’s worth a look in some of your teams.
Danny Ings, Burnley – $7,600 – There are rumors of a move to Tottenham or another top English flight. For the time being though, Ings remains a Claret, and he has been absolutely scorching with three goals in his last three games. You cannot go wrong with rostering him this time out.
Other Forwards I Like: Jermaine Defoe – Sunderland ($5,500), Sergio Aguero – Manchester City ($10,300), Peter Crouch – Stoke ($6,800)