Fantasy Football tips and advice: Wildcard transfer suggestions during October international break
The October international break is one of many during the first-half of the season but it does present the opportunity to assess fantasy football teams.
Some of the big-hitters expected to deliver with sizeable price tags - the likes of Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling - are yet to perform and that is evident in their overall ownership percentages.
There have been others who have emerged though and some of those come at bargain prices. Pontus Jansson, Andros Townsend and Allan Saint-Maximin are just three of a number of examples of players outperforming those much higher than them in the cost column.
This period without Premier League football is a good chance to play the Wildcard chip if you're considering it. Fantasy Football Fix highlights that 38.9% of players have already used their first Wildcard but we can expect that to jump up ahead of Gameweek 8 beginning next Saturday.
The general advice would be to wait until the majority of the international fixtures are played before opting to bring in some of those away with their country. While unlikely, there is every chance that they pick up an injury and that could create issues in the short-term.
It's also a case of assessing what we want to get out of a Wildcard team. Is it best to go with the popular choices? Playing it safe leads to almost guaranteed points but they are points that many others will have. Instead, is it better to target those who have gone under the radar but choices that could backfire?
Who has the best upcoming fixtures on fantasy football?
It is a balancing act of both - largely for budgeting reasons. That said, the 'lower value' players often star and being brave in a few areas can pay off big time. When it comes to differentials, the options are out there.
Here, we pick out some players worth considering if using the Wildcard - we'll also be trying to avoid the obvious ones and high ownership options as best as possible.
David Raya
- Position: GK
- FPL price: £4.6m
- Sky price: £6.3m
A starting goalkeeper at a price you'd expect to see for a substitute - David Raya's 30 points so far is the fifth-highest of any stopper on FPL yet his price is far from the top of the list.
There are 16 goalkeepers above him in the pricing and some of those aren't even playing. Brentford have the fifth-best defence in the Premier League - according to Infogol's xGA numbers - and they're forecast a comfortable 13th place finish.
That's perfect from a goalkeeper perspective because we can expect some saves but also clean sheets. Crucially, as the number one choice for the Bees, he'll play in every game he's available for.
- Brentford's next four fixtures: Chelsea (H), Leicester (H), Burnley (A), Norwich (H)
César Azpilicueta
- Position: DEF
- FPL price: £6.0m
- Sky price: £9.3m
A more expensive choice when it comes to defenders but we can be confident that César Azpilicueta will play in the large majority of Chelsea's games - even with the possible rotation options across their back line.
There is also the fact that he's been delivering points - with only Marcos Alonso (also £6.0m) scoring more points across Blues defenders. However, the difference in selection rate is significant - 25.9% of FPL players have Alonso while only 6.0% have Azpilicueta.
Such a low percentage keeps him as a differential player but he should see more involvement for him - whether that be at centre-back or right wing-back - than Alonso who is battling for a starting spot with Ben Chilwell.
- Chelsea's next four fixtures: Brentford (A), Norwich (H), Newcastle (A), Burnley (H)
João Cancelo
- Position: DEF
- FPL price: £6.2m
- Sky price: £9.5m
Another defender who will cost a fair bit of the budget for this position but one who is worth paying the price for - 82.5% of FPL teams currently do not possess Joao Cancelo and they are missing out on points.
His 44 is the highest of any defender yet his selection percentage keeps him as a form of differential option. It's particularly true when we consider that six other defenders are more popular ahead of Gameweek 8.
Manchester City's short-term fixtures are good - although we could say that about anyone they face - and Cancelo feels like there is less risk attached when we consider some of the rotation options in other positions.
- Manchester City's next four fixtures: Burnley (H), Brighton (A), Crystal Palace (H), Manchester United (A)
Tino Livramento
- Position: DEF
- FPL price: £4.2m
- Sky price: £6.5m
He seems like a really popular option among FPL players yet Tino Livramento isn't in 86.9% of teams. That is amazing when we factor in the bargain £4.2m price tag.
That starting £4.0m price put him among those not expected to feature yet that hasn't been the case. Livramento has played the full 90 minutes in all-but-one of Southampton's game this season - the one that fell short saw him come off after 85 minutes in the 0-0 draw with Manchester City.
He got an assist in his most recent outing - that being a 3-1 defeat to Chelsea - as he earned the penalty which James Ward-Prowse converted. However, he could have had more across the season with his Expected Assists (xA) figure standing at 0.78 - only 11 full-backs have a higher total this term.
Even if he isn't in fantasy starting XIs every week, having a bench option who plays is much more preferable to one who doesn't even make the matchday squad.
- Southampton's next four fixtures: Leeds (H), Burnley (H), Watford (A), Aston Villa (H)
Abdoulaye Doucouré
- Position: MID
- FPL price: £5.6m
- Sky price: £7.8m
Demarai Gray is the most popular Everton midfielder currently - and he has been delivering so there won't be many complaints there - but Abdoulaye Doucouré remains overlooked by fantasy football players in the centre of the pitch.
His 43 points so far is the third-highest of any FPL midfielder so far - only Said Benrahma (£6.6m) and Mohamed Salah (£12.7m) have more.
Doucouré has benefitted from a change in manager as he now contributes more in attack. He has two goals and a further four assists on his tally - the most recent one coming in the 1-1 draw with Manchester United.
The Toffees may host West Ham in Gameweek 8 but the fixtures after that are Watford (H), Wolves (A) and a struggling Tottenham (H). At his current price, he's an option that frees up budget elsewhere but one that is performing very well.
- Everton's next four fixtures: West Ham (H), Watford (H), Wolves (A), Tottenham (H)
Conor Gallagher
- Position: MID
- FPL price: £5.7m
- Sky price: £7.3m
I was really surprised when I saw that Conor Gallagher was only in 8.1% of FPL teams. The Crystal Palace midfielder is heavily involved in an attacking sense and has delivered with 34 points so far.
It already looks appealing enough before we consider the bargain £5.7m price tag. He's scored two and posted a further three assists - although the data highlights that it could have been more.
His Infogol xG figure is currently 2.56 from 15 total shots while his open play expected assists (xA) is 1.16. Cards could be an issue in the long-term, but he will more than likely make up for that with goal involvement.
It wouldn't be a surprise to see Gallagher getting close to hitting double figures for goals by the end of the season.
- Crystal Palace's next four fixtures: Arsenal (A), Newcastle (H), Manchester City (A), Wolves (H)
Daniel James
- Position: MID
- FPL price: £6.0m
- Sky price: £7.7m
This one feels like a risk because of the rotation potential that comes with it. That said, that fact that Daniel James started ahead of Jack Harrison in Leeds' win over Watford suggests he could be the preferred option of the two.
The Whites finally got their man on deadline day - a player they have chased for nearly three years - and his performance in that win last time out suggests he is starting to fully understand Marcelo Bielsa's system.
We can expect him to be more of a contributor than a goalscorer - but the numbers from his time at Manchester United suggest he will get assists if given regular minutes.
His Infogol xA per game tallies from recent Premier League seasons are: 0.18 in 19/20, 0.12 last season and 0.13 so far this term.
- Leeds' next four fixtures: Southampton (A), Wolves (H), Norwich (A), Leicester (H)
Adam Armstrong
- Position: FWD
- FPL price: £6.0m
- Sky price: £7.8m
A player flagged up in pre-season and one worth revisiting looking at Southampton's fixture list - Adam Armstrong has rewarded the 2.6% of players willing to take a gamble on him with 21 FPL points so far.
It's not the highest amount but there is potential of more for a forward who has played the full 90 minutes in all but one of their seven games so far.
He could have had more goals considering his Infogol xG figure currently stands at 1.73, and with kinder fixtures approaching, we can expect him to get on the end of more chances.
A point of interest here is that only Michail Antonio (27) has seen more shots than Armstrong (21) among forwards in FPL this season.
- Southampton's next four fixtures: Leeds (H), Burnley (H), Watford (A), Aston Villa (H)
Ivan Toney
- Position: FWD
- FPL price: £6.3m
- Sky price: £7.9m
Considering his performances so far and his cheap fantasy football price, it's a surprise to see that 85% of FPL players do not have Ivan Toney in their side.
The Brentford striker has scored two goals from an xG of 2.10 this season while a further two assists have come from 2.25 xA - it leaves him as the sixth-highest performing forward on FPL so far.
The price tag is a key factor for many with that freeing up budget to be used on the likes of Romelu Lukaku or Cristiano Ronaldo in that front line.
While we also look for bargain options the key factor is that the player has to be performing as well - Toney firmly falls into both of those categories.
- Brentford's next four fixtures: Chelsea (H), Leicester (H), Burnley (A), Norwich (H)