Premier League Injuries & Suspensions, Week 8

Out: Fantasy-relevant players who have been confirmed out for the week, either through injury or suspension

Doubt: Players facing the dreaded fitness test, rotation concerns and those who are out of form/favor

In: The likeliest replacements for the Outs & Doubts

Win: Fantasy player to watch / my hunch pick of the week

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Arsenal

Out: Mikel Arteta, Mathieu Flamini, Laurent Koscielny, Tomas Rosicky, Danny Welbeck, Jack Wilshere

Doubt: N/A

In: Francis Coquelin, Gabriel Paulista

Win: Aaron Ramsey

Following the huge win at Leicester City, Arsenal has its usual laundry list of injuries. Fortunately, Coquelin gets healthy and Gabriel returns from suspension as Flamini and Koscienly go out.  As usual, only the mysterious Mr. Wenger knows if Olivier Giroud or Theo Walcott will start up front. Alexis Sanchez finally delivered for fantasy owners who kept faith, so let's take a punt on Aaron Ramsey doing likewise this week against Manchester United.

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Aston Villa

Out: Jores Okore, Adama Traore

Doubt: Gabriel Agbonlahor, Jose Angel Crespo, Tiago Ilori

In: N/A

Win: Jordan Amavi

After a 3-2 loss away to Liverpool, Villa will certainly try for a more defensive approach against visiting Stoke. While you could peg Rudy Gestede following his impressive brace, it makes more sense to go with wing defender Jordan Amavi given his constant offensive threat combined with a half-decent shot at a clean sheet.

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AFC Bournemouth

Out: Harry Arter, Max Gradel, Tyrone Mings, Callum Wilson

Doubt: Tommy Elphick

In: Glenn Murray

Win: Simon Francis

With visiting Watford seriously struggling to score and with Wilson out, you've got to look at the defensive end. Artur Boruc could get the clean sheet, but shouldn't be tested much. Simon Francis is the way to go, thanks to a strong shot at a clean sheet as well as offensive phantom points.

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Chelsea

Out: Diego Costa (suspension), Thibaut Courtois,

Doubt: Gary Cahill (rotation worry), Oscar (rotation worry)

In: Ramires and/or Willian (rotation)

Win: Willian

Following the draw at Newcastle and the Champions League loss at Porto, who knows what Jose Mourinho is thinking when it comes to cobbling together a starting 11? Branislav Ivanovic and Cesc Fabregas have struggled, but ever the stubborn Mou is sticking with them while scapegoating less deserving others. The defense is a mess, but will Terry earn a recall or will Baba Rahman finally get a start? Willian scored from set pieces against Newcastle and Porto, so he should be in sad faced Mou's thoughts along with ours.

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Crystal Palace

Out: Marouane Chamakh, Damien Delaney, Mile Jedinak, Joel Ward, Connor Wickham

Doubt: N/A

In: James McArthur

Win: Yohan Cabaye

With Palace being at home to West Brom, you've got a wealth of options to choose from. Sometimes the obvious one is the best choice, so let's go with Cabaye.

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Everton

Out: Leighton Baines, Tom Cleverley, Tony HIbbert, Kevin Mirallas (suspension), Steven Pienaar

Doubt: Muhamed Besic, Seamus Coleman, John Stones

In: N/A

Win: Ross Barkley

Everton has plenty of question marks on the defensive end with Baines still out injured and Besic, Coleman and Stones doubts for the Merseyside derby. Lukaku scored his second brace of the season on Monday, but usually delivers a donut. So I'm tagging Barkley for fantasy success.

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Leicester City

Out: Nathan Dyer, Matty James

Doubt: N/A

In: N/A

Win: Riyad Mahrez

Claudio Ranieri may be tempted to tighten up with a more the defensive formation following the 5-2 debacle against Arsenal, but the trip to Carrow Road should bring goals and you can't go wrong with the dynamic duo of Mahrez and Jamie Vardy. I don't know which one is Batman, though, since they're both pretty pint-sized.

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Liverpool

Out: Roberto Firmino, John Flanagan, Jordan Henderson, Dejan Lovren

Doubt: Christian Benteke

In: N/A

Win: Daniel Sturridge

Unfortunately for plenty of fantasy bargain hunters, even with Lovren out injured, Mamadou Sakho and Alberto Moreno seem preferred to Joe Gomez. Danny Ings should continue to fill in for Benteke who seems unlikely to recover in time for the clash with Everton. Sure, Sturridge is probably not going to nab another brace, but a single goal and/or assist would be no surprise.

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Manchester City

Out: Gael Clichy, Fabian Delph, Vincent Kompany, Samir Nasri, Yaya Toure

Doubt: Bacary Sagna (rotation worry)

In: Fernando, Joe Hart, David Silva, Pablo Zabaleta

Win: Sergio Aguero

Kompany and Silva were both injured for the losses to West Ham and Tottenham. While Silva returns, Kompany remains out and now Yaya Toure joins him as announcers everywhere rue the possible Fernando/Fernandinho defensive midfield combination. However, Pellegrini may prefer a more offensive choice in Jesus Navas. Otherwise, Zabaleta returns to fitness, though Sagna may parry off the challenge. Whichever way the starting line-up shakes out, there should be plenty of action spread around a home fixture with Newcastle surely circled by many fantasy players, and hopes run high that Aguero can finally deliver the huge performance we've all been waiting for.

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Manchester United

Out: Patrick McNair, Marcos Rojo, Luke Shaw

Doubt: Ander Herrera

In: Phil Jones

Win: Anthony Martial

It may be too soon for Phil Jones to make it into the starting line-up given the big fixture at the Emirates, but then again, how well can Louis Van Gaal really feel about having two amongst the midfielder trio of Daley Blind, Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young nestled in his back four?  Given the defensive doubts, someone from the 3M trio of Martial, Mata and Memphis is surely your best bet for fantasy glory and Martial looks to be the most reliable so far.

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Newcastle

Out: Rolando Aarons, Remy Cabella, Papiss Demba Cisse, Paul Dummett, Massadio Haidara, Gabriel Obertan, Steven Taylor

Doubt: Jack Colback

In: N/A

Win: Chancel Mbemba

Newcastle will do the best they can to batten down the hatches, but a walking wounded line-up is not exactly the right prescription. City will have plenty of possession and I look for defender Mbemba to pile up phantom points trying to withstand the onslaught.

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Norwich City

Out: Youssuf Mulubu, Gary Hooper

Doubt: N/A

In: Matt Jarvis, Nathan Redmond

Win: Nathan Redmond

Carrow Road should be buzzing as goal-scoring and goal-allowing Leicester City comes to Norwich, a side which fancies its fair share of action on both sides of the field as well. Do you like Robbie Brady? Wes Hoolahan? Cameron Jerome? Fine choices all, but I'm going with Nathan Redmond.

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Southampton

Out: Fraser Forster, Florin Gardos

Doubt: Jordie Clasie

In: N/A

Win: Dusan Tadic

Chelsea's right back Ivanovic is getting torched by wingers, so let's go with Tadic as he'll be operating on the left side, though Graziano Pelle and/or Sadio Mane could certainly deliver also.

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Stoke City

Out: Ryan Shawcross

Doubt: Xherdan Shaqiri, Marc Wilson

In: N/A

Win: Jack Butland

You're not expecting many goals when Stoke visits Villa, especially if Shaqiri is unfit to play, so let's go with keeper Jack Butland who has filled in very nicely for the departed Asmir Begovic.

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Sunderland

Out: Younes Kaboul

Doubt: Steven Fletcher (rotation worry)

In: Jermain Defoe, Jack Rodwell

Win: Jeremain Lens

Sunderland has plenty of player choices, but thus far none has clicked in terms of fashioning a cohesive line-up. Is sticking with one or continuing to tinker the answer, or is it a hopeless cause? Whichever the case, Jeremain Lens looks like a promising player who could pay off against the Hammers who have not played nearly as well at home as on the road.

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Swansea City

Out: N/A

Doubt: N/A

In: N/A

Win: Bafetimbi Gomis

Swansea has trailed off mightily after a strong start, with Gomis and company looking to rebound at home against a Tottenham side which looks to be improving.

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Tottenham Hotspur

Out: Nabil Bentaleb, Moussa Dembele, Roger Mason, Heung-Min Son

Doubt: Danny Rose

In: N/A

Win: Erik Lamela

Erik Lamela's looked bright recently, so why not pick him to continue his form against Swans?

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Watford FC

Out: Valon Behrami (suspension), Joel Ekstrand

Doubt: N/A

In: N/A

Win: Heurelio Gomes

Watford is a defensive-minded team and Bournemouth should struggle in the absence of injured Callum Wilson. As one of fantasy's highest scoring goalkeepers, Gomes looks particularly tempting this week, but don't hesitate to go with a defender such as Craig Cathcart as well.

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West Bromwich Albion

Out: Ben Foster, Gareth McAuley, Jonas Olsson, Salomon Rondon

Doubt: N/A

In: James Chester, Rickie Lambert

Win: Saido Berahino

While West Brom has kept three clean sheets, it has given up three or more goals as many times so things could clearly go either way. Given the keeper/defender injuries combined with the tricky fixture against Crystal Palace, I'm looking to the offensive end for fantasy spoils. Rondon is out injured and Berahino seems to have found his happiness again following the ugly transfer saga.

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West Ham United

Out: Enner Valencia, Andy O'Brien, Angelo Ogbonna, Alexandre Song

Doubt: Andy Carroll, Winston Reid

In: Darren Randolph, Modibo Maigra, Pedro Mba Obiang

Win: Victor Moses

West Ham is enjoying a marvelous season thus far, and things should continue rolling smoothly against struggling Sunderland. You've got plenty of options, but if you want a cheap one, Victor Moses could pay off handsomely.

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My fantasy teams at the moment:

Gomes / Azpillicueta, Cathcart, Kolarov / Ayew, De Bruyne (V), Mahrez, Pedro, Sako / Aguero (C), Gomis [Official BPL]

Cech / Cathcart, Monreal, van Dijk / Ayew, De Bruyne, Mahrez, Sako / Aguero, Martial, Sanchez [Fantrax]

Hart / Amavi, Cresswell, Francis, Kolarov / De Bruyne, Mahrez, Payet, Redmond / Aguero, Vardy [Togga Perfect XI]

How are your squads coming together?