The time has come again with the new Premier League season fast approaching. Fans are frantically starting to pick their Fantasy Football team.
While the obvious picks of Harry Kane and Kevin De Bruyne get chosen, who should you go for if you’re on a budget? Which players should you take a chance on that your friends will ignore? Well here are some Fantasy Premier League bargains you should consider that could lead your team to FPL glory this season.
And don’t forget to join the Just-Football.com Fantasy League at fantasy.premierleague.com, using the entry code 1764589-422248
Fantasy Premier League bargains: Goalkeepers
Rob Elliot
I may be slightly biased as a Newcastle United fan but Rob Elliot seems the perfect second choice or even first choice goalkeeper for your fantasy team.
Despite Rafa Benitez’s current pursuit of a keeper, Newcastle have yet to sign one this window and Rob Elliot seems certain to start the season as number one. At only £4m he is as cheap a player as you can get – but unlike most the other options for the same price, he will likely play.
Although just promoted, Elliot is behind a defence that was the joint best in the Championship last season and is a capable shot stopper so could help pick up bonus points for saves even if he doesn’t keep a clean sheet.
Alternative option: Asmir Begovic (£4.5m) – Artur Boruc was part of a Bournemouth side who only conceded less than four other teams, yet he was the 7th highest scoring keeper in FPL. Begovic is the new number one at Bournemouth and will likely be behind a better defensive unit this season that includes Nathan Ake.
SEE ALSO: 4 summer transfer targets for Rafa Benitez at Newcastle United
Defenders
Alfie Mawson
Goalscoring defenders are what every manager looks for and Alfie Mawson is a defender that is always a threat at set pieces.
Available for only £5m, Mawson managed 94 points last season thanks to seven clean sheets and four goals in his 27 appearances. Mawson isn’t in the best defensive side but his eye for goal means he is a risk worth taking.
Swansea City also looked far more solid towards the end of the season with Paul Clement in charge and Mawson is likely to be a crucial part of the back four in the new campaign. While your friends may go for the likes of Gareth McAuley as a scoring defender, Mawson only scored two fewer goals than McAuley did, despite making nine fewer appearances.
Alternative option: Rob Holding (£5m) – A regular in the back three which finished the season so strongly for Arsenal, Holding is a cheaper option than any other likely starter for the “top 7”. May be worth seeing if he is first choice after the first few weeks before transferring him in.
SEE ALSO: 10 uncapped players Gareth Southgate could call up for England
Midfielders
Georgino Wijnaldum
If you’re looking for a Liverpool midfielder you’re probably immediately drawn to the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah. However, the true value in the Liverpool team for Fantasy Football could be Gini Wijnaldum for £7m.
Wijnaldum managed 149 points last season for Liverpool with six goals and nine assists. The Dutchman scored even higher the season before when he was relegated with Newcastle – hitting eleven goals and 170 FPL points.
Going for Wijnaldum over the other three allows you to save money and spend it on other areas while also having a player for Liverpool who scores highly. He is a player that is unlikely to be picked often by too many players as evident by his 7.2% selection compared to Coutinho’s 29.9%.
Alternative option: Jon Walters (£5.5m) – Walters scored 72 points despite making just 13 starts for Stoke last season. Now a new signing at Burnley, Walters will be expected to play more regularly and could potentially even start up front for the Clarets, despite being listed as a midfielder in the FPL.
Strikers
Kelechi Iheanacho
When given the chance Kelechi Iheanacho has proven he can score goals. It’s evident by the fact he scored twelve goals in thirteen starts for Manchester City in the Premier League.
Now, having completed a £25m move to Leicester City, Iheanacho is likely to be partner Jamie Vardy in a front two for the Foxes. The move will give Iheanacho the regular football he craves and at only £7m he could prove to be real value, especially when you consider Vardy is valued at £8.5m.
Currently only selected by only 1.3% of FPL users, that percentage will likely increase now he has sealed the move but he is still going to be overlooked by managers who spend big on forwards.
Alternative option: Tammy Abraham (£5.5m) – Fresh from scoring 23 goals in the Championship for Bristol City, Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham is back on loan this time at Swansea City. If given regular game time, he is an incredibly cheap option whose natural goal scoring instincts should help him score highly in the Premier League and FPL.
Join our Just-Football.com league using the code 1764589-422248. Head to fantasy.premierleague.com to select your team.
Which Fantasy Premier League bargains are you going for in 2017/18? Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @JustFootball and Facebook for more football news, features and analysis.
The post Fantasy Premier League: 8 bargain gems for your 2017/18 fantasy team appeared first on Just Football.