Many have now drafted while some (my league included) are still to come. My league turn it into an event that’s seemingly getting bigger each year and tie it in with the traditional season opener, the Community Shield. The following list is a compilation from the team overviews and could just give you an extra edge over your opponents. Who is the possible wildcard from each team?
Alex Iwobi – Still known to many as just the nephew of Premier League legend Jay-Jay Okocha, Iwobi has been threatening to really break out the last couple of seasons; with options in midfield possibly opening up, this could be the season where Iwobi truly shines. He’s well worth thinking about when it comes to creating your shortlists.
Jordan Ibe – There’s talent there and Liverpool wouldn’t have put a buy-back clause in his contract if they didn’t hope he’d tap into it. Liverpool had hopes of Ibe being a direct replacement for Sterling for a reason, maybe last season was just a blip and has light a fire underneath him to go on and shine this season as surely, it’ll be his last chance before dropping down the leagues.
Dale Stephens – Tough one to decide this, a promoted team is essentially a whole squad of wildcards but I would say that Dale Stephens could be worth a look. Now a regular in the Brighton team, he offers some solid linking up play but last season he only had 2 goals and 2 assists to show for it. Stephens is still only 28 and has played in every top-flight league bar the Premier League, so maybe he can adapt as well to the Premier League as he has done all others that he has played in.
Jon Walters – Just bring him in for Burnley’s games against Liverpool, he’s pretty much guaranteed a goal against them. Burnley parted ways with £3 million for Walters and he did notch up 4 goals and 3 assists for Stoke City last year despite not being a regular starter.
N’golo Kante – I’ve honestly flipped a coin on this between Batshuayi and Kante and it’s come up for Kante. I’ve mentioned it a lot here but with the Kante Rule coming in and the chance that he may add a few more goals and assists to his name, N’Golo Kante could offer your team that bit extra. If you’re playing in a head to head league than that 1 point could be the difference between a win or a draw.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek – His move to Crystal Palace from Chelsea is exactly what he needed, it’s a move that will benefit him and Crystal Palace. In the games he managed to get onto the pitch for Chelsea he’s shown that he’s a talent. This season really is his season to show his worth, like I said before, it’s a move that benefits him and Crystal Palace but it could also benefit you and your draft fantasy team.
Ademola Lookman – I realise that so far, all my wild card picks have been midfielders and I was actually thinking of plumping for Wayne Rooney as I feel it’s 50/50 on which way his season will go but I am going for another midfielder, Ademola Lookman.
I like him, I thought he showed some tremendous skill last season and he’s only bettered his reputation with his performances for England’s U19 team. Lookman will get more game time this season and could prove to be a real asset for your draft team.
Aaron Mooy – He had such an incredible season for Huddersfield Town in the Championship. Mooy was a key component in the push for promotion which got him voted into the Championship team of the year and this permanent transfer from Manchester City to Huddersfield Town could be what cements Mooy’s reputation as a Premier League player.
Demarai Gray – He has the potential to be the unexpected success of this season. Teams such as Liverpool, Everton and Tottenham have all been rumoured to be scouting Gray and a promise of more game time and the chance to show what he’s worth are the reason why he’s my outside pick to be considered for your draft teams.
Danny Ings – I’m finally breaking my run of midfielders here and picking Danny Ings! I really rate Ings and the last two years have just been horrible for him. Each time he started to get a run of games together for Liverpool he looked like a points scorer. His work rate as well must please Klopp and if he can stay fit, he could very well leapfrog Origi and Sturridge in the pecking order at Anfield.
Vincent Kompany – How do you pick a wildcard in a team of superstars? This is going to sound strange, but I’m giving the wildcard pick to Vincent Kompany. Kompany is a great defender but his injuries are never far behind him. It’s certainly worth thinking about that when it comes to drafting him. Kompany is high risk but high reward, that’s why he’s my wildcard pick.
Michael Carrick – I’m working under the assumption that a great deal of us are at least giving the Kante Rule a go this season, so that’s why my wildcard pick for Man Utd is the club captain himself, Michael Carrick. Man Utd without Carrick playing just look a little lost, he may be in the twilight days of his career but he adds that little something extra to Man Utd. Carrick one of the highest passing rates in the league, can provide some great assists and given a chance, he can crack one into the top corner as well.
Ayoze Perez – I see him as a forward as he plays as a second striker but in the game, he’s a midfielder and that could make a nice difference. If he finally performs like he’s meant to (Perez is forever linked with big clubs) then he’s a great pickup for your team as he’ll provide goals and plenty of assists
James Ward-Prowse – I do believe that if he finally gets more game time this season, he could do great things for Southampton, which sadly means for Southampton that he’ll be sold to Liverpool in the summer of 2018 for £40mil but this season, I think he could be a great choice for your team.
Julien Ngoy – At a guess, not many would have heard of him and that’s why I reckon Julien Ngoy could be a great wildcard pick. The young striker is highly rated by a lot of clubs around Europe, Monaco is rumoured to be looking to pick him up to replace Mbappe so if Stoke City don’t want to lose him, surely, they’re going to have to start playing him more.
Tammy Abraham – He may not start every game but it could be an exciting season for the youngster. If he has a strong start then he can push for a starting place which he’ll be wanting to keep. As I just stated above, I reckon someone will go in early for him as one of their gambles all season.
Ben Davies – He’s the only one whose place from the start of the season is truly under threat with the returning Danny Rose on the horizon. If Ben Davies starts the season strong and provides a little extra to the Spurs team then there’s no reason he can’t keep Danny Rose sidelined for longer.
Will Hughes – He’s been lauded over and rumoured to be the next big thing for a while so now it’s his time to prove it in the Premier League. He’s still only 22 but has 187 appearances, 12 goals and a bucket load of assists to his name. If he can step it up a level, he could be formidable. Remember, Dele Alli came from the lower leagues with a high reputation and look at him now.
J0nathan Leko – Tough one to decide this. West Brom’s squad is lacking a lot of depth, currently, they may just have the smallest squad on the draft fantasy football site. In the spirit of promoting youth, I’m going to go with Jonathan Leko. The youngster only made 7 substitute appearances in the Premier League last season but has represented at all levels that he’s eligible for and has attained a few reserve/young player awards in his time at West Brom.
Mark Noble – This may come across as lacking imagination but I’m picking Mark Noble for this. The West Ham captain could benefit greatly from the new rules in this seasons Draft Fantasy Football. He’s already a proven goal scorer and can provide a high number of assists and I reckon he’ll be overlooked by other managers in draft leagues.
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