Fantrax EPL GW-11 Player Picks

GW-11 brings us another FRIDAY DEADLINE when Southampton hosts Aston Villa; don’t miss it. Those two mid-table sides will also be our only two confirmed lineups before said deadline, so come back to NMA for our Pre-Deadline Chat to see those and share last minute news in the countdown hour.

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Goalkeepers

Alvaro Fernandez (BRE vs NOR, $2.20): Last week, many Fantrax managers eagerly snapped up David Raya’s deputy as a cheap route into a potential clean sheet against Burnley. Unfortunately, those plans blew up in their faces: The Spaniard saddled them with a return of -5 after conceding three goals in the shock loss to the Clarets. But there is no fixture more favorable than a home match against the Canaries, and Fernandez is dirt cheap. Now min-priced at just $2.20, he’s worth a second chance this week.

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Robert Sanchez (BHA vs NEW, $13.51): If you’re still not ready to trust Brentford’s young GK, then Sanchez is your man this week. Only four teams have conceded fewer goals than Brighton, and Newcastle’s attack is among the league’s worst.

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Defenders

Ethan Pinnock (BRE vs NOR, $11.25): Brentford has GW-11’s best defensive matchup, and Pinnock is their best Fantrax defender. A clean sheet looks highly likely this week, but Pinnock averages over 9 points/game and returned 7.5 even in GW-10’s 1-3 loss to Burnley. He’ll be solid for you even in the unlikely event Brentford ship one to Norwich.

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Nuno Tavares (ARS vs WAT, $4.15): Tavares has averaged 8 ppg since deputizing for Kieran Tierney, and it sounds like his run in the starting lineup will continue into GW-11. Mikel Arteta had this to say about the injured Scot after Saturday’s shutout win over Leicester:

He didn’t train with the team yesterday, he’s still not feeling good, he’s still in pain, and he is not comfortable when he’s running. He was struggling so we’re trying to help him as much as possible, we need him back and I don’t know when that will be. (arsenal.com)

I think we can expect Nuno to get the start again, and his returns should once again exceed his price when the Gunners host the Hornets on Sunday.

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Ben Chilwell (CHE vs BUR, $10.04) and Reece James (CHE vs BUR, $10.90): Chilwell and James play for the league’s tightest defense, and this week they host a Burnley side that sports one of the league’s weakest attacks. A Chelsea clean sheet appears likely then, but these guys offer so much more than that. James is actually Chelsea’s top scorer while Chilwell is joint-second (tied with Lukaku and Mason Mount), so it’s no wonder they’re both averaging double-digit Fantrax returns. Bonus: Chilwell was rested midweek, Alonso starting and playing the full 90’ against CL minnows Malmo.

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Marc Cucurella (BHA vs NEW, $6.01): Like James and Chilwell, Cucurella lines up in midfield, but don’t forget that this season Fantrax middies are eligible for clean sheet points too (one each). And the odds of one are decent against Newcastle. Plus he offers returns going forward. Also, tune in to Graham Potter’s presser. If Tariq Lamptey is finally ready for a full shift (he’s been eased in 20-minutes at a time over the last three games), then he’s a potential bargain at $2.20. Note: Cucurella can be fielded as a defender or a midfielder.

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Ozan Kabak (BRE vs NOR, $3.68): I know, I know — Norwich is comprehensively awful. But Kabak’s returns have fallen short of his current price only once. If you’re in the market for a solid enabler, he fits the bill.

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Ben Johnson (WHU vs LIV, $4.57): Johnson has started the last three matches, and the Hammers have conceded just one goal over that span. He also scored against Villa over the weekend. We shouldn’t count on goals or a clean sheet against Liverpool, but even without points for those he would have averaged almost 6 ppg over the last three game-weeks.

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Midfielders

Leandro Trossard (BHA vs NEW, $9.48): Trossard has had more shots-on-target than any other Seagull, and only Neal Maupay has scored more goals. Newcastle’s compliant defense should offer him plenty of chances on Saturday.

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Emile Smith-Rowe (ARS vs WAT, $10.55): ESR is in the midst of a purple patch, registering five goal contributions in his last five games. His prospects look good against a Watford defense that has conceded 18 goals so far.

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Callum Hudson-Odoi (CHE vs BUR, $4.01): Growing into his role in the absence of some of Chelsea’s bigger names, CHO provided the helper for the Blues’ goal in the 1-0 Champions League victory over Malmo on Tuesday. He also scored against Norwich a week and a half ago. He’s good value for the visit of the Clarets.

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Mason Mount (CHE vs BUR, $13.80): Illness forced Mount to miss the Newcastle match over the weekend as well as Tuesday’s match against Malmo. Tuchel said this in his presser ahead of the UCL game:

For Mason, he does not feel really better. To stop any speculation, it’s not Covid – he’s just ill and does not feel good enough to take part in training and, of course, take part in the trip to Malmo. (fantasyfootballscout.co.uk)

If Mount recovers in time to make the lineup on Saturday, he could reward investment handsomely, especially if you snapped him up before his latest price-hike.

Note: Christian Pulisic ($4.16!) is back from ankle injury, playing 16 minutes from the bench midweek. That was his first action in nearly three months, so it’ll be a while until he’s ready to make the starting lineup, and probably even longer until he’s granted a full shift. Nevertheless, when fit the fragile American has shown that he’s capable of producing the goods, so he’s one to monitor. Follow team news.

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James Maddison (LEE vs LEI, $9.61): Youri Tielemans is Leicester’s undisputed Fantrax midfield beast. But averaging more than 10 ppg over his last three, Maddison is no slouch either, and costs about half as much. He’s a slight doubt with a bug, but Brendan Rodgers expects him to pass fit. If he does, he’s worthy of consideration against a Leeds team that has shipped 17 goals this season.

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Raphinha (LEE vs LEI, $15.58): Oddly enough, just like Leeds, Leicester has also conceded 17 goals this season. That will have the Peacocks’ leading scorer salivating. Raphinha also leads his team in SOTs and averages over 10 ppg.

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Curtis Jones (WHU vs LIV, $3.72): Injuries mean Jones is likely to line up on the left side of Jurgen Klopp’s midfield again this weekend, and the 20 year-old offers plenty of attacking threat for just a few dollars of your budget.

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Phil Foden (MUN vs MCI, $11.12): With four goal contributions in his last four games, Foden seems to have made Man City’s center-forward position his own. Foden scored last night in the Champions League too. And although Man United held Tottenham scoreless on Halloween weekend, the Red Devils have conceded 13 goals in their last five games across all competitions. I like similarly-priced Kevin De Bruyne ($11.29) for the Manchester Derby as well. He subbed in at the 75-minute mark against Club Brugge last night, so he should be fresh and ready to start against United.

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Forwards

Ivan Toney (BRE vs NOR, $10.21): Not to beat a dead horse (but we are) — Everyone looks better when attacking the league’s worst defense, especially when one’s defense faces the league’s worst offense. Ivan averages 8.2 ppg against the rest of the league, so expect more here, especially because he takes pens. Bryan Mbuemo ($6.23) is a cheaper alternative who has scored the same number of goals as Toney.

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Neal Maupay (BHA vs NEW, $7.90): Brighton’s leading scorer will be hoping to add to his goal tally when the Magpies bring their porous defense to the Amex.

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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (ARS vs WAT, $10.05): PEA seems to be sparking back to life, registering three goal contributions over his last three games. And even though he failed to score against Leicester on Saturday, his returns still nearly matched his price.

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Jamie Vardy (LEE vs LEI, $15.39): I keep expecting this aging superstar to slow down (he turns 35 in two months), but so far there’s no indication of that. He’s the #2 goal-scorer in the Prem, and he’ll be looking to close the gap on Mo Salah when he travels to Elland Road this weekend.

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Diogo Jota (WHU vs LIV, $10.83): Mo Salah is obviously Liverpool’s premier fantasy asset, but at $26.19 his ship has probably sailed for you if you didn’t already board it with a cheaper ticket. Jota looks the best alternative this week, as the hamstring injury that Bobby Firmino picked up in the UCL match last night makes the Portuguese a virtual lock to start.

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Raul Jimenez (CRY vs WOL, $5.77): It’s good to see Jimenez finding his feet again after his serious head injury last season. The Mexican has four goal contributions in his last five games, and he’s averaging 10.5 ppg over his last two matches — not bad for under six bucks. He takes pens too.

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Stats from fantrax.com and premierleague.com.

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What holes do you need to fill in your Fantrax sides? Are you snapping up any of the picks above? And have you found any gems of your own? Please share (and ask your Fantrax questions) in the comments below.

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