Premier League Injuries & Suspensions, Week 3

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: Tomas Rosicky, Danny Welbeck, Jack Wilshere

Doubt: N/A

In: N/A

Win: Alexis Sanchez

Following the much-needed win at Crystal Palace with Olivier Giroud scoring, an unchanged line-up would seem in order for the mysterious Mr. Wenger, leaving poor fantasy favorite Theo Walcott languishing on the bench. Alexis Sanchez should be in full fitness following last week's start and, with 10 shots in under 100 minutes, is the clear choice to terrorize Liverpool at the Emirates.

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Aston Villa

Out: Jose Angel Crespo, Chris Herd, Jores Okore

Doubt: Jordan Ayew, Carles Gil, Jack Grealish, Jordan Veretout

In: Rudy Gestede, Carolos Sanchez

Win: Jordan Amavi

It may be too soon for heralded newcomer Adama Traore to earn a start, so with Jordan Ayew and Jordan Veretout's starting spots looking shaky, Rudy Gestede and Carlos Sanchez could take their places. Unsurprisingly, Villa has managed just one goal in its two games thus far, so I've got to pick the promising defender Jordan Amavi.

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AFC Bournemouth

Out: Harry Arter

Doubt: Christian Atsu

In: N/A

Win: Matt Ritchie

Bournemouth have not scored yet, but Ritchie showed his class with a post-grazing smash against Liverpool and will look to reward his many fantasy backers against West Ham. Better late than never, buddy boy!

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Chelsea

Out: Asmir Begovic, Victor Moses

Doubt: Branislav Ivanovic, Oscar, John Terry

In: Thibaut Courtois, Abdul Baba Rahman, Ramires, Kurt Zouma

Win: Eden Hazard

Courtois returns to the net following suspension as Begovic returns to #2 duty.  Oscar remains an injury worry, while Branislav Ivanovic and/or John Terry could find themselves on the bench replaced by Kurt Zouma and/or newcomer Abdul Baba Rahman. On a team filled with underachievers, last year's Premier League Player of the Year Eden Hazard should take responsibility and if he does assert himself, how can West Brom possibly stop him?

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Crystal Palace

Out: Frazier Campbell, Julian Speroni

Doubt: Maroune Chamakh, Mile Jedinak

In: N/A

Win: Joel Ward

Stud fantasy performer of recent seasons Mile Jedinak looks to be banished to the bench a la Arsenal's Theo Walcott, leaving Joel Ward as a tempting pick for the spoils given his offensive threat combined with Villa's lack of offensive prowess.

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Everton

Out: Leighton Baines, Darron Gibson, Steven Pienaar

Doubt: Tom Cleverley, Aiden McGeady

In: Mohamed Besic

Win: Romelu Lukaku

Roberto Martinez could elect to insert Muhamed Besic into the starting 11 for extra defensive cover, possibly endangering Cleverley's spot.  Then again, if it's not broke why fix it, right? Given the difficulty of keeping Manchester City off the scoreboard regardless of the line-up, hopefully the Toffeemen can keep pace and Lukaku will be a handful for the visiting Citizens. Helping tip the scales toward Lukaku, Baines' injury leaves the Belgian striker with PK duty (unless that dastardly Mirallas manages to steal it from him, of course).

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Leicester City

Out: Matty James

Doubt: N/A

In: N/A

Win: Riyad Mahrez

Can Leicester City keep up its torrid start? A home fixture against defensively error-prone Tottenham should have Mahrez, Albrighton, Vardy and Okazaki licking their collective chops, though Hugh Lloris will have something to say about it. Mahrez has been absolutely on fire, so he gets the call. Given Leicester's delicious form, Claudio Ranieri is likely in no rush to push new signing Gokhan Inler into the starting line-up.

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Liverpool

Out: Joe Flanagan, Daniel Sturridge

Doubt: Jordan Henderson, Jordon Ibe, Adam Lallana

In: Roberto Firmino

Win: Christian Benteke

Will Roberto Firmino finally start (endangering Ibe or Lallana) or will Brendan Rogers keep delaying the inevitable until a more favorable fixture? If the former, he could certainly help Benteke score his first real goal of the season following last week's refereeing debacle that awarded him a phony tally.

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Manchester City

Out: Fabian Delph, Fernando

Doubt: N/A

In: N/A

Win: Sergio Aguero

Given City's two clean sheets, Manuel Pellegrini will likely opt to keep the same back line despite the recent addition of Nicolas Otamendi. Kun could easily have had a hat trick himself against Chelsea were it not for the heroics of Begovic and the Argentine should be able to puncture the goal once or thrice unless Tim Howard can magically rediscover his World Cup form.

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Manchester United

Out: David De Gea, Marouane Fellaini, Phil Jones

Doubt: Marcos Rojo

In: N/A

Win: Memphis Depay

Memphis finally scored, netting two beauties in the midweek Champions League clash, and should not be troubled by a floundering Newcastle. Can Rooney and Mata find the net as well or are we looking at another 1-0 nail biter?

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Newcastle

Out: Remy Cabella, Daryl Janmaat, Sylvain Marveaux, Emmanuel Riviere

Doubt: Paul Dummett, Moussa Sissoko

In: Rolando Arons, Steven Taylor

Win: Papiss Demba Cisse

Janmaat's foolish dismissal left Newcastle squarely behind the 8-ball in last week's loss at Swansea and Tim Krul will surely be under heavy fire again this time around at Old Trafford. If you pick anyone on Newcastle's squad for fantasy purposes, you're a braver player than me, but if you absolutely had to, Cisse would be the way to go. Newcomer Florian Thauvin is certainly someone to keep an eye on, but this week probably comes too soon.

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Norwich City

Out: Youssuf Mulubu, Martin Olsson

Doubt: N/A

In: N/A

Win: Steven Whittaker

A 3-1 home loss followed by a 3-1 away win, will the real Norwich City please stand up? Who knows what's in store this time, but I have no problem backing a defender who bombs forward with aplomb.

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Southampton

Out: Ryan Bertrand, Jordie Clasie, Fraser Forster, Florin Gardos

Doubt: Gaston Ramirez

In: N/A

Win: Sadio Mane

With only two days of rest following the midweek Europa tilt, there could be some weary legs. Steven Davis, Shane Long, Cedric Soare and Dusan Tadic were all rested and should have no trouble featuring from the start, but Mane's the one with something to prove after the heady links to Manchester United.

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Stoke City

Out: Peter Odemwingie, Ryan Shawcross

Doubt: Bojan Krkic, Jonathan Walters, Marc Wilson

In: Steven Ireland, Xherdan Shaqiri

Win: Mame Biram Diouf

After sitting out last week, Swiss wunderkind Shaquiri may get the start in place of injury worry Jonathan Walters while Moby-domed Steven Ireland should slot in for an ineffective Marco van Ginkel. Away at Norwich, look or Mame Biram Diouf to continue his strong start as we get closer to seeing what Mark Hughes' dream squad can finally do.

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Sunderland

Out: Jordi Gomez, Adam Johnson

Doubt: Billy Jones

In: Wes Brown

Win: Steven Fletcher

After giving up seven goals in two games, Sunderland could use a shake-up in the back and Wes Brown's return from injury -- with Billy Jones or Younes Kaboul possibly having to make way -- could be just what the doctor ordered, or at least a pinky-sized Band-Aid as the visiting Swans have netted four times already. Sunderland is struggling at both ends of the pitch, but Steven Fletcher always has a chance of scoring.

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Swansea City

Out: Jordi Amat

Doubt: Ki Sung-Yeung

In: N/A

Win: Jefferson Montero

Aside from uncertainty surrounding Ki's fitness and Garry Monk's plans for recent newcomer Botti Bia Bi, the line-up looks set and you've got plenty of choices for fantasy glory between Ayew, Gomis, Montero, Shelvey and Siggy. Let's play a hunch and go with the exciting Ecuadorian international who may be coming into his own this season.

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Tottenham Hotspur

Out: Andros Townsend

Doubt: N/A

In: N/A

Win: Christian Eriksen

Newcomer Clinton N'Jie will likely be on the bench, while Eriksen and Harry Kane should have plenty of chances to open their accounts against a wide open Leicester City.

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Watford FC

Out: Lloyd Doyley, Joel Ekstrand

Doubt: Almen Abdi

In: Alessandro Diamante

Win: Troy Deeney

Watford welcome Nathan Ake and Alessandro Diamante, the latter of whom could feature and take the spot of Almen Abdi with the Hornets in need of an offensive infusion. Deeney has yet to score but that should change against a Southampton squad that's understandably leaked five goals so far with an injured keeper and plenty of turnover in the back line.

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West Bromwich Albion

Out: Ben Foster, Peter Odemwingie

Doubt: Serge Gnabry

In: Salomon Rondon

Win: Saido Berahino

West Brom will look to pack it in against visiting Chelsea, but after giving up three goals to visiting Manchester City in the opener you would think there's little chance of repeating last week's clean sheet at Watford. Amazingly enough, West Brom has won two of its last three home games against the Blues -- with the other being a draw -- and Berahino scored twice in May's 3-0 victory, so he's got to be the choice if you go Albion at all.

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West Ham United

Out: Adrian, Andy Carroll, Enner Valencia, Mauro Zarate

Doubt: Reece Oxford

In: Darren Randolph, Modibo Maigra, Pedro Mba Obiang

Win: Dimitri Payet

Shock win at Arsenal.  Letdown loss at home to Leicester City. What's next against visiting Bournemouth?  With Adrian suspended for his blind karate kick antics, Zarate out injured and Oxford a doubt, it will be interesting to see which West Ham shows up, but one thing's for sure, Payet has more than filled the shoes of Stewart Downing so far.