The second international break is a good time to evaluate the season so far in terms of statistics and see if that matches the fantasy output.

A key pass is a pass that directly leads to a shot, thus the players that produce key passes at the highest frequency are the ones most likely to gain assists.

There have only been seven matches of the season, but the top five in terms of key passes per ninety minutes are ones you would expect. This suggests that they will likely maintain it and are reliable options to have in Draft Fantasy.

This article will only include those that have featured in at least five Premier League matches, therefore Philippe Coutinho is not included.

The Brazilian is currently averaging 4.76 key passes per ninety minutes and is a great option in the game, if he can maintain that rate. However, that seems unlikely as will become clear when the top five are listed.

5) David Silva

The Spaniard has been one of the best player for Manchester City and has managed to maintain his place in the first team, despite the intense competition at the club.

He averages 3.44 key passes per ninety minutes and that is highly impressive, considering he is playing in a side that has creative quality in all areas of the pitch.

Silva is sharing creative responsibility, but City have scored 22 goals this season and are averaging over three goals a game.

Although he isn’t the sole creator, the strength of the team’s attack means that he should be able to remain as one of the most creative players in the league.

Currently, he has contributed six assists at nearly one per game and looks set to be one of the highest scoring midfielders in Draft Fantasy this season. He is certainly a player worth owning.

4) Kevin de Bruyne

The next best in terms of key passes per ninety minutes is another Manchester City player, in the form of Kevin de Bruyne with 3.57.

If he and David Silva were playing in different teams, they would both be producing more, but that makes their current output even more impressive.

There was initially fantasy concern with the Belgian as he was operating in a deeper role, but he has become more influential during recent matches.

In the Premier League, he has one goal and three assists to his name. Based on points in the game, he is trailing his Manchester City team-mate by two points, but the underlying stats suggest he is more influential in matches.

Out of the two, the Belgian international is definitely the better player to own for the long-term.

3) Henrikh Mkhitaryan

There was a feeling within the fantasy community that Henrikh Mkhitaryan could be one of the stars this season if he was given a prominent role in the Manchester United attack.

Jose Mourinho has made him one of his key men and the Armenian has been excellent so far, averaging 3.58 key passes per ninety minutes.

Unsurprisingly he is one of the best players to own in the entire game, as he sits second with 54 points. The only player with more points in Draft Fantasy is Nacho Monreal.

He has contributed one goal and five assists, which shows that he is currently backing up his underlying stats with fantasy contribution. If he maintains this form, he will finish as one of the top five midfielders in terms of points scored.

2) Alexis Sanchez

The Chilean has played fewer minutes than the rest, which may explain why he is ranking as the second best in terms of key passes. He has produced 3.61 every ninety minutes and emerged as a dominant force in the Arsenal attack once again.

Although he has only contributed two assists and has yet to score, his underlying stats suggest he is going to be a star in Draft Fantasy again this year. He is averaged 4.93 shots per ninety minutes this season and can offer a guarantee of goals and assists.

If you don’t currently own him, this is the perfect time to try and add him through a trade. His current owner might be unconvinced by his current contribution, but the underlying stats suggest an upturn is imminent.

1) Mesut Ozil

Surprisingly, a player that has yet to assist once leads the way in key passes per ninety minutes. Mesut Ozil averages 3.84 and is producing the kind of form that he showed during the 2015/16 season.

A combination of bad luck and poor finishing from his team-mates explains why he is yet to gain an assist, rather than any fault on his part.

The German will return from injury after the international break and an upturn in fantasy production should be just around the corner.

Arsenal look to be finding their confidence again and if Ozil continues to produce a high rate of key passes, fantasy points should be just around the corner. Despite his failures so far, the midfielder is still a good player to own.