Fantrax EPL GW-3 Player Picks

Week 2 brought a little bit of everything. How is your team stacking up for week 3?

By PPQ Sep 24, 2020, 3:00pm PDT

Heung-Min Son celebrates with Harry Kane - Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League — These two were on fire last weekend with 5 goals and 4 assists. Can they continue that form at home vs Newcastle?

Week 2 was full of goals and points! A hat-trick + 1, a hat trick, and six players with braces. One player over 50 fantasy points, two with 40 or more, and 15 in the 30 point range. That’s a lot of possible points in one weekend.

But it wasn’t all good news. 4 red cards, a lot of yellows, many goals against. There were big names who didn’t produce, some big names who lived up to the hype, and a few surprises!

And please don’t mention VAR...

Whether you picked around the points, got it all right, or somewhere in between, it’s time to look at week 3.

Brighton vs Manchester United open the week, so as usual we get confirmed lineups in the hour before our deadline, which will be good as I’m thinking United may see some changes. Be sure to log in to NMA’s GW-3 Pre-Deadline Chat for those S11s as well as all of the other team news you need.

Saturday 19 September

Sunday 20 September

Monday 21 September

Fulham vs Aston Villa
Liverpool vs Arsenal

Goalkeepers

Emiliano Martinez ($3.80, FUL vs AVL): Emiliano is a great signing for Aston Villa, and he showed why in his first game. A PK save helped give Villa a huge three points in their opener. He is on the road against lowly Fulham who showed some fight against Leeds. There are a lot nicely price keepers out there, but he has shown that he has some real quality.

Hugo Lloris ($7.63, TOT vs NEW) He is still affordable and at home. Lloris is a solid keeper who doesn’t make a lot of mistakes, with eight saves over the first two games. Newcastle were shutout last weekend too.

Vicente Guaita ($15.09, CRY vs EVE) I’m not sure I’m buying this weekend after Everton’s five-goal bonanza from last match, but he has shown that he is one of the top keepers in the league, and Palace’s defense looked solid in front of him.

Willy Caballero ($3.80, WBA vs CHE) Chelsea’s “backup” keeper may get the start, as Kepa’s major error could have sealed his fate at Chelsea. West Brom has scored two goals in two games.

Defenders

Reece James ($15.62, WBA vs CHE) The Chelsea winger loves to get forward. With the match-up and the potential for offensive points, he’s one of the premium buys I’m looking at this week.

James Tarkowski ($4.93, BUR vs SOU) The big center back should return for Burnley, which makes them an all around better defensive team. He was a top tier defensive choice last season, and at that price with a decent match-up he makes for a solid choice. Charlie Taylor ($8.89) has also been playing well and getting forward. He’s putting in crosses and involved in the offense. If you like the match-up, he’s another option.

Kyle Walker-Peters ($11.17, BUR vs SOU) KWP has moved a little out of the price range that makes him really tempting. But he scored 14 points last weekend despite Southampton conceding five goals. Burnley are solid, but they are not Spurs upfront.

Trent Alexander-Arnold ($10.87, LIV vs ARS) He hasn’t shown the form he did a year ago, but it’s early in the season, at least on the fantasy scoresheet. He’s still on corners and set pieces (even Mo Salah let him take that one!). If you don’t have him yet at this price, be careful. Arsenal isn’t a great matchup, but how long can you wait?

Matt Doherty ($4.60, TOT vs NEW) Doherty was fantasy gold. I’m not sure how long he can stay down. Maybe Tottenham’s system isn’t working for him like it did at Wolves, but I still see him bombing down the right wing. I think it’s just a matter of time. I’m also watching the reports on newcomer Sergio Reguilon ($3.80) to see if maybe he will get a start.

Midfielders

Jack Grealish ($5.90, FUL vs AVL) Not the greatest start to the season, but Grealish gets a bounce back game against the porous defense of Fulham.

Kevin De Bruyne ($6.85, MCI vs LEI) Please tell us you had him. Now that you have him to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health... from this day forward, until the season ends (especially in NMA-17 where we have cover for temporary absences).

Son Heung-Min ($23.76,TOT vs NEW) Sometimes you must ride the hot player when he is hot. His price skyrocketed up, but you saw what is capable of.

James Rodriguez ($13.84, CRY vs EVE) James looked like the player Evertonians hoped he would be. He was everywhere. Key passes, corners, fouls suffered, and a goal. Crystal Palace has been tough at the back, but Rodriguez looked the part of a player who could always be in your squad.

Daniel Podence ($5.28, WHU vs WOL) I admit I have a fantasy crush on Podence. He’s aggressive and takes the game to the opponent. He had an assist in each of his games, and they were against stronger defenses.

Bruno Fernandes ($11.08, BHA vs MAN) It was not the start United was looking for. It will be interesting to see how United bounce back. Bruno still managed a decent fantasy weekend. Certainly Marcus Rashford ($5.78) is a cheaper option here, but Bruno seems to taking more corners and set pieces.

Forwards

Timo Werner ($11.66, WBA vs CHE) I am more and more impressed with Timo as I watch him. He is fast and unafraid to take people on. Even down a man, the Chelsea forward put pressure on Liverpool’s backline. West Brom have given up eight goals already, worst in the league. Is this the game where he opens his scoring account in the EPL?

Harry Kane ($18.94, TOT vs NEW) Four assists and a goal last week. Like many forwards, when he is hot he’s a nice person to have on your squad. Spurs clicked last weekend, and Kane was behind much of that. He is pricey, but with so many cheap options, you should have cash to splash on a couple overpriced stars.

Adama Traore ($6.44, WHU vs WOL) Traore gets points even without scoring or earning assists, but when he does score, he has a really big payday. He’s a high floor, high ceiling kind of pick. Raul Jimenez ($11.36) is also still affordable against West Ham.

Gabriel Jesus ($3.80, MCI vs LEI) Jesus looked solid leading the line for City. Even with a really good week, his price stayed absurdly low. Leicester isn’t the best match-up in the world, but at this price, he’s worth a look, if not now then on the barn-door. Same could be said for Raheem Sterling ($5.54), who was on our short-list of buy-and-forget season-long holds since last week.

Anthony Martial ($3.80, BHA vs MAN) The price point is just so tempting. Brighton gave up three to Chelsea in their first game, then shutout Newcastle. So I’m still not sure what to think of them in the back. United need a win, and I think they’ll get it.

Are you sticking with some of the big names who have some tough match-ups? With low prices scraping the floor, how many changes are you making? Who else should we be scouting, both now and on the barn door (looking ahead to GW-4 using GW-3 prices)? Please let us know in the comments!