At this point in the season, the waiver wire is likely becoming empty of real talent, so many managers will be better off waiting for their luck to change for their early Draft Fantasy picks who still haven’t produced (looking at you, Alexis Sanchez, Eden Hazard, and Roberto Firmino).
Of recent selections, Michy Batshuayi stands as a swing a miss, but several others have lived up to expectations. Here are a few players who might still be left and could at least be used at spot starts or prospective pickups.
Richarlison, FWD, Watford
Take The Boot Room‘s word for it, but here are my two cents just in case. Still just 27% owned, Richarlison has been absolutely brilliant in leagues (nine, 12, and eight in the last three) with ‘Kante Rule’ and bonus points, but he really must be considered in standard league scoring as well.
Watford are flying right now, and while Troy Deeney and Andre Gray vie for the same starting spot, the Brazilian Richarlison looks to have solidified his place without any further doubt. He already has three goals and three assists in seven for Marco Silva, and Richarlison has certainly brought the trademark South American flair with him from Fluminense.
Just 20 years of age, he looks capable of goals and assists and game changing performances. He may have flown slightly under the radar in Draft Fantasy as he is classified as a forward here (correctly, I would think) but a midfielder in the official format. However, do not let that stop you. Forwards are at premium, so get him while the getting is good.
Next up: Away to Chelsea, home to Stoke, away to Everton.
Yohan Cabaye, MID, Crystal Palace
To be honest, Wilfried Zaha (34%) is the only Crystal Palace asset you should really be considering at the moment, as he is back from injury and will be given a very advanced role in Christian Benteke’s absence.
However, seeing as Zaha was already profiled as pickup earlier, Draft Fantasy managers might finally just be ready to look at Roy Hodgson’s Palace squad now that they have finally scored. Took them long enough.
Yohan Cabaye (16%) didn’t actually get credited with the first goal against Chelsea on Saturday, but he did get the fantasy assist for Cesar Azpilicueta’s own goal.
He has been in and out of fantasy form for the few years he has played in the Premier League, but when he is hot, he is good for a few assists and shots from set pieces, and he pretty much stays in the middle of things.
Is he a secondary option on the last place team in the league? Yes. However, beggars cannot be choosers and you should consider the Frenchman if you need to spice things up.
Next up: Away to Newcastle, home to West Ham, away to Tottenham.
Sofiane Boufal, MID, Southampton
I will admit, I have been eager to tout Southampton players all season and have been burned more times than I would like. Manolo Gabbiadini (27%) finally produced a decent performance with a start and two goals, but he has been disappointing otherwise.
The entire Southampton attack has been lacklustre. Gabbiadini is the most immediate add if he is available to you, but I would at least like to mention the forgotten man, Sofiane Boufal.
I’ve been a huge fan of his (or at least the thought of him) since his arrival, and am desperately hoping that he is given starts soon ahead of the underperforming Dusan Tadic or Nathan Redmond in a bid to finally save his Premier League career.
Before the season started, I bet that Boufal (15%) would be the surprise top midfielder ahead of the others, and while he has only started one game, he is still in with a shout, simply because everyone else around him has been so poor.
Do not claim him yet, but pray that he comes good on his obvious talent. Oh, and one more thing, Mario Lemina is the new Oriol Romeu with ‘Kante Rule’ bonus points.
Next up: Home to West Brom, away to Brighton, home to Burnley.
Martin Olsson, DEF, Swansea
Lukasz Fabianski was featured in this column a few weeks ago and has since come good, and now he is joined by his teammate Martin Olsson (3%). Only Antonio Valencia and Phil Jones (who should seriously be owned everywhere by now) have more clean sheets, both with seven.
Olsson and a few others are tied for second most with five, and you could rightly pick one of the other Swans defenders like Alfie Mawson (7%) or Kyle Naughton (10%) as it really is hard to predict which one might pop up with the odd goal or assist to differentiate them.
Do not expect too much out of the visit to Arsenal, but Leicester might be a risk worth taking, and then there is Brighton down the road as well. If Tammy Abraham (21%) can keep scoring then the balance can return to the side and take some of the stress off of the defense.
At the very least, managers starved for points should at least look at guaranteed starters like Olsson if they do not want to worry about if their choice will start that week.
Up next: Home to Leicester, away to Arsenal, home to Brighton.
Fabian Delph, MID, Manchester City
Fabian Delph? Incredibly, yes, he has become relevant again. The Englishman, at just 2% ownership is a talented player, but the surprise here is mainly that he has fought his way back into the juggernaut that is Manchester City. He has now appeared in the club’s last three matches, going the distance in the last two.
The City attack dropped a seven-spot on Stoke last weekend, the team that Delph might have joined in another timeline. And, as fate would have it, he assisted Fernandinho’s thunderbolt, only serving to solidify the notion that anyone on Pep’s drug right now can get a fantasy-contact-high if they are even remotely in the vicinity.
David Silva’s brother from-another-mother Bernardo got in on the action too. Like you’ve been previously warned with Leroy Sane, managers must try to capture these point explosions. There is the Champions League to navigate in midweek, so the peripheral players who rest then should get an uptick in investment for next weekend.
Next up: Home to Burnley, away to West Brom, home to Arsenal.
BONUS: Buy five, get one free this week on the waiver wire picks. Chelsea’s Victor Moses could be out for a month, making the already intriguing Davide Zappacosta a priority add at just 3% owned. It was only a matter of time before he pushed for a regular spot ahead of Moses anyway, but few of you have made the transition already so it’s worth promoting him again.
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