Game Week 14 comes on the heels of the last Premier League matches, and managing rotation will be the key for managers.
Your most trustworthy defenders may be rested, and even the most prolific scorers can’t play every minute.
Here are some players that might help you in for the midweek fixtures, and hopefully beyond.
Marcos Rojo, DEF, Manchester United
Marcos Rojo’s return may have gone slightly under the radar with Zlatan stealing all the headlines.
However, Zlatan must compete for minutes, and Jose Mourinho seems content to let Rojo reclaim his spot in defense, even if that means he gets eased back in.
Having made the bench twice in the Premier League proves he is healthy, and he did start against Basel in last week’s Champions League match-up.
A way into United’s backline will always be valuable with David de Gea minding the net, and Rojo is a decent threat of attacking returns as well. He will have a shot when given time and can fashion a cross towards United’s growing cadre of attacking talents.
Only 11% owned, expect him to start against Watford. Tough match-ups after that but managers must plan for the future.
Next up: Away to Watford, away to Arsenal, home to Manchester City.
Andreas Christensen, DEF, Chelsea
Is the Dane the main man to replace David Luiz for the Blues?
Antonio Conte’s squad drew 1-1 against Liverpool in Game Week 13, but it marked Christensen’s third consecutive start and finish to a Premier League match, and the previous two were clean sheets.
He looked a bit raw and still too inexperienced when he started this campaign, but he has been playing well lately: from good Dane to great Dane.
While he is a rotation risk when these games come so close together, Cesar Azpilicueta probably deserves a break more.
Christensen is young and energetic, and could be at the heart of the new-wave Chelsea defense with Antonio Rudiger and Davide Zappacosta.
He is currently 4% owned and could be a nice player for many more years, but John Terry comparisons are far-fetched for the moment.
The fixtures are generous and managers should expect him to start two of the next three Premier League matches.
Next up: Home to Swansea, home to Newcastle, away to West Ham.
Will Hughes, MID, Watford
Is it chasing points? Probably, but Will Hughes deserves a mention anyway because he has scored in two on the trot and is finding himself in all the right places.
The former Derby County man is repaying the club that brought him to the top stage. He has lasted past the 80-minute mark in the previous three contests, and will not be dropped based on his current form.
While Abdoulaye Doucoure has been tremendous this season, and Roberto Pereyra was also promoted on the waiver wire several weeks ago, Watford continue to over-perform.
The problem is that Hughes, virtually unowned entirely, only had two goals all of last season in the Championship and it would be unexpected for him to keep scoring at his current rate.
So don’t drop anyone that you could not get back in a week, and do not expect too much, but test the water with the English youngster and see how he does in the next few games.
If anything else, remind yourself to check on the availability of Kiko Femenia and Marvin Zeegelaar whose defense and supply has enabled Watford’s attack lately.
Truth be told, Zeegelaar may be the better pickup, depending on your needs – but the next two are difficult even though it is better afterward.
Next up: Home to Manchester United, home to Tottenham, away to Burnley.
Xherdan Shaqiri , MID, Stoke
The Swiss sparkplug Shaqiri (20% owned) is likely one of the top scoring players still available in your league.
He has started the last four after briefly sitting out in Game Week 9, and he has returned in all four.
This consistency has previously eluded Shaqiri since Mark Hughes brought him in, but to state the obvious, would make him a serious fantasy contender for Draft Managers.
Shaq produced two goals and three assists in this most recent run, and while the defense has been more like Swiss cheese than Swiss army knife, that doesn’t hurt the attacking options too much as they are constantly battling to get back into the game.
His game is actually more geared towards standard scoring because his tackles/interceptions/recoveries have been relatively sparse for the amount of minutes he has played.
However, an attacker who attacks successfully is just as good.
Next up: Home to Liverpool, home to Swansea, away to Tottenham.
Charlie Austin, FWD, Southampton
If selecting Will Hughes is chasing points (and he probably is), then Charlie Austin (11% owned) is desperately pursuing points with reckless abandon.
That is the only apt comparison when someone scores one fantasy point per match in his previous seven Premier League appearances and then explodes for 10 (in standard scoring) as a result of a start and two goals against the shambolic Everton.
Manolo Gabbiadini actually had a parallel scoring line earlier this season, never mustering more than two points in a long stretch except for a brace against Newcastle.
It would seem that this kind of erratic production is the norm and not the exception for Southampton, and you could even stretch that to Sofiane Boufal and Dusan Tadic. Frustrating.
However, Draft Fantasy Managers must not let our justifiable rage prevent ourselves from finding value here.
If Austin’s balky knees hold up well enough, we know he is a real predator in the six yard box and he will take and score penalties when he is on the pitch. Monitor for now and see if you can still grab him if he performs the next time he plays.
Gabbiadini and the rest of the attack have done very little to save themselves.
Up next: Away to Manchester City, away to Bournemouth, home to Arsenal.
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