RavinYet another season of Fantasy Premier League is about to get underway, with millions of armchair experts eagerly awaiting to loudly share their opinions with other managers over the next 38 gameweeks.
Increasingly, FPL has become a methodical study of footballing statistics with terms like XG, PPG, and FDR part of an essential vocabulary for any serious fantasy manager. But for those of us who can’t give a toss about your overall ranking, Fantasy Football is a way to unwind and add to the excitement of watching the Premier League.
This guide is meant for those who have a passing interest in the game and mostly ignores early fixtures, budget or value picks, and new transfers from outside the PL. Instead, we’re going to be looking at past performances and team set-ups to justify our top ten players for the upcoming season.
1. Mohamed Salah – Current price £13.0
Last season’s position: 1st (265)
Is anyone surprised? The Egyptian king is FPL royalty and has shown time and time again an exceptional ability to rack up assists and goals.
However, Salah’s form towards the end of last season dropped considerably. While fatigue from AFCON certainly played a part, questions have to be raised about whether he can reach the heights he did in the earlier half of the season.
This combined with his increased price tag of £13.0 (he was at £12.5 at the start of 21/22), makes a thin but not entirely unreasonable case for leaving him out of your team. The arrival of Darwin Nunez could also alter the balance of the side, with the centre-forward looking to establish himself at Merseyside.
2. Son Heung-Min – Current price £12.0
Last season’s position: 2nd (258)
While he has his share of plaudits, Son Heung-Min is a vastly underrated winger who is sometimes forgotten in the conversation around the best players in the world. Possessing speed, technical ability, work-rate, and a penchant for the spectacular, Son could easily walk into the starting line-up of any top club in Europe.
As an FPL asset, Son is a little trickier to assess. He plays in a Tottenham side that looks renewed under Conte, but has had a tendency to underperform. Despite this, he equalled Salah’s goal scoring figures last season and shared the Golden Boot. To add to that, none of his 23 goals came from penalties, while Salah put away 5 from the spot.
3. Kevin De Bruyne – Current Price £12.0
Last season’s position: 6th (196)
In a side stacked with quality midfielders, Kevin De Bruyne somehow stands head and shoulders above. The Belgian is an assist machine who has a thumping long-shot that more often than not finds the target. With an array of passes in his arsenal, De Bruyne has a pronounced effect on how well City are able to break down their opponents.
Even after missing matches in the early part of the season, De Bruyne still managed an impressive 15 goals and 8 assists. He also had the most bonus points (33) of anyone last season.
The arrival of Erling Haaland also presents an excellent target for De Bruyne to ping crosses to, something Manchester City lacked last season. But it might also mean fewer goalscoring opportunities for a player who likes to get forward and into the box.
4. Trent Alexander-Arnold – Current Price £7.5
Last season’s position: 3rd (208)
It might be hyperbole to say that players like Trent Alexander-Arnold have completely changed how FPL managers view defenders, but it wouldn’t be far wrong. The right-back has lit up the league since his debut in the 16/17 season and was key to Liverpool’s domestic and European successes.
While 7.5 might seem pricey for a defender, Alexander-Arnold’s crosses from deep have been a fruitful source of goals. His 12 assists, supplemented by 18 clean sheets, put him third overall last season. Not bad for a player who costs far less than most premium midfielders. As the creative lynchpin of a hardworking Liverpool side, Trent is bound to whip in a couple of glorious assists this season and should always be considered for an FPL slot.
5. Harry Kane – Current Price £11.5
Last season’s position: 7th (192)
Forwards have not been popular in FPL over the last few seasons, with premium midfielders and defenders proving to have better value. Unless you’re talking about Harry Kane.
The England captain had a tumultuous start last season after being heavily linked with a move to Man City which fell through. Clearly unsettled in the early games, Kane soon got it together and finished with 192 points, rewarding those who kept faith in him.
More than just a prolific striker, a maturing Harry Kane has also proven to be among the best at holding up the ball and jinking it into the path of a teammate. And when you have someone like Heung-Min Son on the other side of the pitch, it’s a recipe for consistent, sky-high FPL returns.
6. Bukayo Saka – Current Price £8.0
Last season’s position: 11th (179)
From this point, the rankings get less predictable. Again, rather than looking for value picks, we’re identifying FPL players who have a record of bringing in consistent returns and are looking sharp for the season ahead.
Bukayo Saka fits this mould perfectly. A constant thorn in opposition defences from the right, the 20 year old Arsenal winger has only gotten better since he burst onto the scene two years ago.
With new signing Gabriel Jesus adding real quality to their attack, and alongside established regulars like Martin Odegaard, Smith-Rowe, and Gabriel Martinelli, Saka is well-poised to shine this season in a team that is poised to bring in some attacking returns.
7. João Cancelo – Current Price £7.0
Last season’s position: 5th (201)
In some ways João Cancelo is the perfect fullback for Pep Guardiola’s City set-up. A fast, technically adept, and highly intelligent player, he provides both width and depth as the situation dictates. His ability to both seamlessly tuck in and overlap in wide areas, creates instant overloads that make it that much more difficult for opposing teams to defend against.
His contributions to City pipping Liverpool to the title by just one point cannot be overlooked. In several games he looked to be the best fullback in a league with TAA, Andy Robertson, Reece James and Ben Chilwell. Alongside City’s stellar clean sheet record, Cancelo is bound to bring in the goods week-on-week.
8. James Maddison – Current Price £8.0
Last season’s position: 10th (181)
Now this is the first ranking that was genuinely difficult, but we’ve decided to go with a player outside the traditional top six to switch things up. However there is a strong case for James Maddison to be considered among the most creative midfielders in the league.
The Leicester playmaker is a nailed-on starter with an eye for a pass, an excellent free-kick, and good attacking intent. He scored 12 goals and had 11 assists in a lacklustre side that sorely missed the presence of Jamie Vardy for much of the season.
Maddison passes the eye-test with flying colours, looking a threat against both powerhouses and weaker teams. He is key to Brendan Rodger’s team so don’t be surprised if he ends up outperforming some higher rated players. Maddison is a good differential pick, but has some difficult opening fixtures so plan wisely.
9. Luis Díaz – Current Price £8.0
Last season’s position: 190th (64)
Our third Liverpool player on this list is testament to how much players from the Merseyside club dominated FPL standings last season. City might have scored more goals overall, but with the lineup always subject to Pep’s whims, Liverpool players are much safer picks.
With Sadio Mané moving to the Bundesliga, Díaz is likely to be nailed on the left-wing of Liverpool’s front three. A position cemented after scoring 4 goals and 3 assists in his 13 league appearances for the club last season. A dream January transfer, Díaz’s blistering speed and dribbling ability perfectly complements Klopp’s high-pressing approach.
10. Mason Mount – Current Price £8.0
Last season’s position: 15th (169)
Nobody doubts Mason Mount’s ability on the ball. At his best, the England international is an effective, classy, attacking midfielder who carries and distributes the ball well. In a side with misfiring strikers like Timo Werner and Lukaku, Mount’s 11 goals and 11 assists was crucial to Chelsea finishing third.
Though he has a tendency to be inconsistent, when Mount hits a purple patch he usually hauls in the points. Over a season such a run is virtually guaranteed, and it could come down to timing when to enter and exit Mount from your squad.
With Raheem Sterling bolstering Tuchel’s attacking options, it is likely that Mount will benefit with a proven EPL winger out front. But considering that the Chelsea team is in disarray with several high-profile departures, it remains to be seen if Tuchel can assemble the wealth of talent at his disposal to challenge for the top spot.
Ravin
