We’re over a month into the Premier League now and the table is shaping up nicely. Fantasy managers now know who are the consistent performers, whose fallen flat and who are the surprise packages.
There are three Gameweeks in October as we’ve got another international break to contend with and European weeknights. Managers will be looking to control players' minutes by resting them ahead of tough fixtures, but it’s still early doors in cup competitions and managers like to use these to field squad players. With that in mind, we dive into the October Gameweeks and see which club’s fixtures fare easier, who to avoid and some wildcard choices to throw into the mix.
Red or Blue?
According to nearly every football analyst site, Arsenal and Manchester City have the ‘easier’ run-ins in October. Arteta’s side faces Southampton and Bournemouth before facing Liverpool at the end of the month – perhaps it might be a good idea to sub/sell your Arsenal defenders before then. Gabriel Martinelli has shown in his last two games that he hasn’t lost the form he was in last season so at £6.9m he’s a solid option to consider. Meanwhile, Man City host Fulham and Southampton in between travelling to Wolverhampton. Three sides that have shipped goals this season; if you’ve not got Haaland and co in your team already, it might be wise to transfer them in.
Interestingly, Leicester and Ipswich also have fairly convincing run-ins for October. If you’ve gone out hard with players in the top 6, why not add some of the new boys to the mix? Full-back Leif Davis is priced at £4.5m; Ipswich Town’s set-piece taker could be worth a shout given the extra points available for assists. Behind in between the sticks you could choose Arijanet Muric (£4.4) who has 16 points so far. He could be a cheap addition given Ipswich will be busy no matter who they face and it's 1 point for every save and 3 points for every 5 saves made a match.
Who’s on Fire?
Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson has found his shooting boots this season having netted four goals and provided three assists in 6 games for Chelsea. At £7.8m he’s a wise option to have especially if you can’t afford club compatriot Cole Palmer in your squad. Likewise, Jadon Sancho is looking back to his best in his loan spell at Stamford Bridge. With four assists in his last three games, he’s a great option for just £6.3m. Emile Smith Rowe is enjoying his time at Fulham since his move there in the summer. At £5.8m, he’s a good squad player to have if you’re running out of money in the bank.
Time To Play The Wildcard?
Recent top performers have picked up injuries with the likes of Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard, Man City’s Rodri, Brighton’s Joao Pedro and Brentford’s Wissa all sidelined. If you’re one of the unlucky managers to entail at least two injured players in your team, perhaps it’s time to play one of your wildcards? With only one free transfer available a week, it’s a risky decision to transfer any more out with a costly four-point deduction coming your way. Why not play your wildcard down? You have the freedom to change your entire team, allowing you to change those players who are not available as well as those who have underperformed. It might seem too early to do this but remember you get two wildcards a season.
Fantasy Football – Gameweeks 7, 8 & 9
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