World Cup Fantasy Preview: Brazil

As the host nation, Brazil come in as strong favorites for the 2014 World Cup. Luiz Felipe Scolari has named his 23-man squad, with a further 7 players on standby should any injuries befall the core group. Here's the list of players who have made it into Big Phil's training camp:

Goalkeepers

Diego Cavalieri, Jefferson, Julio Cesar, Victor Leandro

Defenders

Dani Alves, Dante, David Luiz, Filipe Luis, Henrique Adriano, Maicon Douglas, Marcelo, Maxwell, Miranda, Rafinha, Thiago Silva

Midfielders

Fernandinho, Hernanes, Lucas Leiva, Luiz Gustavo, Oscar, Paulinho, Ramires, Willian

Forwards

Alan Kardec, Bernard, Fred, Hulk, Jo, Lucas Moura, Neymar

Of that group, the players on standby are Diego Cavalieri, Miranda, Filipe Luis, Rafinha, Lucas Leiva, Lucas Moura, and Alan Kardec.

Obviously with the massive pool of players to choose from, there are naturally some very talented players left out. Some of the most notable omissions are Kaka, Ronaldinho, Robinho, Philippe Coutinho and Alexandre Pato. 

Fantasy Players To Watch

Julio Cesar - Brazil proved at the Confederations Cup last year that they're capable of doing something not many past Brazil teams have been able to - defend well. The Queens Park Rangers keeper, on-loan with MLS side Toronto FC, should be the first choice for Scolari and could prove an astute choice for your fantasy team.

Dani Alves - The Barcelona right back is well-known for his attacking tendencies and should fend off Maicon for the starting role. If you're unfamiliar with Alves, think Aleksandar Kolarov, but a little more likely to pick up a yellow card.

Thiago Silva - Brazil's captain is widely regarded as the best defender in the world, and has increased his stature during a wonderful debut season for Paris Saint-Germain. The center back is commanding in the air, strong in the tackle and capable of producing at both ends of the pitch. If he's reasonably priced, he's a must-have.

Oscar - A wonderful Confederations Cup tournament, followed by a bright start to the Premier League season for Chelsea, showed us the young midfielder's potential as a #10, and if he's kept in that role behind the striker in the World Cup, Oscar should have plenty of opportunities to rediscover the form he lost towards the season's end.

Neymar - Capable of the spectacular at any moment, Neymar is the player most Brazilians are looking to as the player who will make things happen for them should they need a spark of life in any of their matches. One of the few players in the tournament who has the potential to match the fantasy output of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suarez.

Fred - His strike partners will likely draw more fantasy investment, but Fred is a very good poacher, getting himself into great goalscoring positions time after time. There may not be many phantom points in this pick, but he could easily be the player on the end of all the attacking creativity from his more flamboyant teammates.

Hulk - Appropriately named, the muscular wide man is a powerhouse capable of charging through opposing defenses, but also has surprising pace and good feet. Likely to get plenty of chances to unleash his cannon of a shot, but perhaps not a nailed-on starter.