Cut-Rate XI: Week 13 Price Drop Alert

One of the most confounding things about the Yahoo! Fantasy Football game is and always has been the pricing algorithm. Players values can fluctuate wildly at any given time, and while the massive price jumps seem to be more under control this season, it's still a hassle to try to keep track of all the ups and downs when you're putting together your teams each week.

That's why we're going to focus on a mock team of players whose values have dropped since the previous game week, whether that's due to not playing, brief substitute cameos, poor performances or the inexplicable drop even with an above-average score.

The following players have been chosen not only due to their reduced prices, but also with their Week 13 fixtures in mind. Hopefully these recommendations will shine some light on some players you may not have otherwise considered. I was surprised to find this team could be fielded with an additional £10m+ to fill the bench spots. Let's take a look!

Goalkeeper

Wojciech Szczesny: £8.07m (down £4.20m)

Following their disheartening display against Manchester United in Week 12, the vast majority of Arsenal players saw their prices drop (hence their heavy representation here). A trip to the Hawthorns won't be the easiest test, but if the Gunners' keeper is fit and available he's an intriguing alternative to the usual suspects like Thibaut Courtois and former teammate Lukasz Fabianski.

Defenders

Calum Chambers: £7.03m (down £3.71m)

The young defender was second only to Szczesny in the price drop department following Week 12. While he still earned positive points and even improved on his points haul from Week 11, Chambers' potential to put up big numbers like his 20+ point game in Week 10 means a steep drop in price, which makes him affordable again for the match away to West Bromwich Albion.

Stephen Caulker: £9.48m (down £1.11m)

One of last season's fantasy stars, Caulker hasn't been at his best since joining Harry Redknapp's QPR this season. Still, the former Cardiff City and Tottenham Hotspur center back is capable of massive returns and is a steal under £10m for the Rangers' home match against Leicester City.

Jores Okore: £1.01m (down £2.83m)

Aston Villa brought in Okore last summer and he looked like a very exciting prospect at center back. The youngster suffered a serious injury that kept him out for the entirety of last season, and he's only now returned to fitness to start for Paul Lambert's side. His price alone should pique your interest for a bench role, especially with Paddy McNair and Martin Kelly not guaranteed starts. Okore should be the starter alongside Ron Vlaar if he can remain fit, and could be a solid option for Villa's match against Burnley in Week 13 if you're looking to fit in some more expensive players.

Midfielders

Kevin Mirallas: £7.66m (down £2.67m)

Another player who has returned from an injury lay-off, Mirallas is one of the league's best wingers on his day, and his reclassification as a midfielder this season makes him an even more valuable fantasy prospect. Rotation will play a part in Roberto Martinez's team selections over the course of the next month, but if there's any indication that the Belgian will start against Spurs he's a perfectly priced alternative pick.

Oscar: £10.82m (down £2.13m)

Inexplicably, Oscar's price plummeted after his 8-point haul in Week 12, despite it being a 7-point improvement over his previous score. The Brazilian has been in excellent form recently for both club and country and is a nicely-priced alternative to Cesc Fabregas if you don't have the Spaniard (though his price also dropped slightly).

Willian: £6.29m (down £2.66m)

Another Chelsea player with a steep price reduction (though justifiably so considering his -3 point return), Willian is about as cheap a way into the league leaders' fantasy juggernaut as you're likely to find. With Jose Mourinho keeping the faith with his players in the Premier League, the Brazilian should be the starter in Week 13, though rotation may see him among the first rested from the attacking band over the hectic holiday schedule.

Aaron Ramsey: £10.70m (down £1.65m)

The Welsh midfielder hasn't been at his best for some time, primarily due to persistent injury issues, but the return of Mikel Arteta in the holding role coupled with a potential absence for Jack Wilshere could mean a return further up the pitch. We all know how influential he can be when he's allowed the freedom to roam, and it's not hard to see him playing a big role in Arsenal's performance against West Brom.

Forwards

Alexis Sanchez: £13.26m (down £2.25m)

This will probably come as a surprise to you, but Arsenal's best player over the past six weeks experienced one of the biggest price drops of the week despite putting up a very respectable 14 points in the loss against Manchester United. If you're like me and missed out on the bandwagon, the Chilean's not as cheap as he once was but he's certainly worth his value as long as Arsene Wenger doesn't decide to start his holiday rotations early.

Robin van Persie: £11.21m (down £1.68m)

With Wayne Rooney and Angel Di Maria grabbing most of the attention recently, RVP has become something of a forgotten man. However, with Falcao still out, the Dutchman will be responsible for leading the line. With his side coming into form, this could be the week for van Persie to get back on track with a home match against Hull. He's affordably priced for the match-up, though he doesn't take as many set pieces as he used to and may have lost penalty duty for good.

Mame Biram Diouf: £3.79m (down £1.21m)

A dreadfully disappointing -5 points against Burnley has led to the Senegal striker dropping under the £4m mark. Despite his points return, his form has been solid recently and should be enough to retain his starting spot over Peter Crouch, though Mark Hughes may view a defeat against the last-place team as the catalyst for experimenting with his team. Liverpool have had a lot of trouble defending players on the counter-attack this season (as evidenced by the horrendous defensive display against Crystal Palace in Week 12), so Diouf's pace could certainly come in handy as Stoke try to rebound from their loss on their trip to Anfield.

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