Gameweek 20 means that we’re one match away from the start of a double gameweek for Tottenham and West Ham (WARNING: Spurs and the Hammers will BLANK in GW21), but first, there are Boxing Day matches.
As always, try to make sure you can field a full XI in your Draft Fantasy squads, and look to some of these players for the future. If you can stash some of these players on your bench, this might help you start planning.
Pablo Zabaleta and Aaron Cresswell, DEF, West Ham
These two Hammer defenders get top billing this week because of their low ownership (Zabaleta – 22%, Cresswell – 3%), and the upcoming double game week. Neither player has featured here before, due to West Ham’s woeful start to the season, but David Moyes seems to have them heading in the right direction.
Zabaleta is the better pick in terms of Kante Rule points and Cresswell is more likely to earn an assist and therefore better in standard scoring, so pick up whoever you can, according to availability and your scoring rules. Both should be guaranteed starters barring injury.
Next up: Away to Bournemouth, BLANK, home to West Brom and away to Tottenham (DGW).
Manuel Lanzini and Marko Arnautovic, MID, West Ham
Notice a trend? Lanzini (27%) and Arnautovic (36%) should both be in high demand.
Lanzini had a brilliant fantasy scoring game versus Stoke and tallied three assists, but in the process, he also got himself suspended for the last two matches for diving.
Arnautovic has been picking up the slack in the meantime with three goals in his last four. Thus, Lanzini will be well-rested and Arnautovic is one of most the in-form midfielders in the league.
Managers can’t expect much from West Ham out of the Spurs game as it is the second of two quick matches, but volume and minutes are the key here.
Next up: Away to Bournemouth, BLANK, home to West Brom and away to Tottenham (DGW).
Harry Winks and Eric Dier, MID, Tottenham
Speaking of Spurs, they won’t be afraid of anyone in their next few days.
Harry Kane will certainly be a top player, as will Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli, but they were all top draft picks and aren’t available in any respectable league.
Winks (1% owned) is free almost everywhere, and while not an all-star yet, the double game week gives him a very high floor and a decent ceiling, since Kane and Alli played well against Burnley. That is, provided he can play through the ankle injury that kept him out last weekend, but he’s been playing through the pain all season.
Dier (18%) isn’t much of a goal threat, but he continues to rack up the starts as a make-shift defender or in his customary defensive mid position, so would be a solid if unspectacular choice if you are risk averse.
Unlike the Spurs defenders listed below, he doesn’t get rotated very much.
Next up: Home to Southampton, BLANK, away to Swansea and home to West Ham (DGW).
Davinson Sanchez and Serge Aurier, DEF, Tottenham
Sanchez, like Lanzini, sees his stock tick upward as his return from suspension coincides with the double gameweek. Have we mentioned the double gameweek yet?
The Colombian Sanchez is a welcome returnee for Mauricio Pocchettino as he allows Dier to return to midfield, while Toby Alderweireld’s return keeps getting pushed further back in the spring.
Sanchez (16%) should get plenty of chances to partner Jan Vertonghen for months to come. Serge Aurier (13%) probably will not start both of the double game week matches, but he might have the best chance to do so among his competition – Ben Davies, Kieran Trippier, and Danny Rose.
As Aurier can play left or right back, the hope would be that Pocchettino plays him against Swansea and he plays well enough to keep his place against West Ham.
Next up: Home to Southampton, BLANK, away to Swansea and home to West Ham (DGW).
Yannick Bolasie, MID, Everton
As promised, Yannick Bolasie features in the fifth and final, speculative spot on this week’s waiver wire. Untimely injuries in Sam Allardyce’s Everton squad meant Bolasie will not make his return until the next match, but all reports indicate that he is chomping at the bit to play again.
While he can be a frustrating player at times who fails to harness his abundant skill, the skill is always there. Only 3% currently own him and after a few more substitute appearances, he will be given starts for a Toffees team that has done better with their offensive output, but still need pace and trickery.
Wayne Rooney has had a surprise bounce back season so far, Gylffi Siggurdson is playing better again, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin is in the lineup to stay. Bolasie is different than all of them, and worth a risk.
Up next: Away to West Brom, away to Bournemouth, home to Manchester United.
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