Welcome back to Draft Fantasy, and thanks for reading this week’s waiver wire column.
The transfer window is now shut and we’ve all had a week to see how the movers have settled.
If you happened to miss out on the biggest names last week, never fear: there are still some diamonds in the rough left to be unearthed.
Read on for the latest recommendations on players who might be available in your league.
Gerard Deulofeu, FWD, Watford
Javi Gracia will be thankful that the Spaniard winger’s arrival coincides with his own start as manager.
Deulofeu was undoubtedly the star of Watford’s 4-1 dressing down of the once mighty Chelsea and, though the Blues are in some turmoil currently, his performance transcended any of those qualifications and excuses.
When he ran at the defenders, he was a perpetual threat.
Deulofeu has a Barcelona pedigree and is no stranger to the Premier League, and his immediate resettlement is very apparent.
As a January transfer, who is still completely unowned, he will be a top priority in many leagues.
He would be even more desirable if he was still classified as a midfielder, as he was back in his Everton days.
Next up: Away to West Ham, home to Everton, home to West Brom.
Andre Ayew, MID, Swansea
For the sake of clarity, we will refer to the Ayews by first name in this article, since there are now two at the Wales club.
Andre is reunited with his brother Jordan at Swansea, and the family will look to be back in the goals together.
Andre’s move back to the Liberty Stadium, where he first broke into the Premier League, to some fanfare, looks to be a very happy return for all involved.
Andre never really got going at West Ham, but he should return to his usual box-to-box runs that make him more of forward.
Draft Fantasy managers stand to find value while he is still classified as a midfielder.
Next up: Home to Burnley, away to Brighton, home to West Ham.
Oleksandr Zinchenko, DEF, Manchester City
Did you miss out on the Aymeric Laporte sweepstakes?
Are the other Manchester City defenders all taken?
If so, this is a fortunate time for anyone who still has space to board the Manchester City express train to the Premier League title.
The Citizens and their five game lead have fielded the 21-year old Ukrainian Zinchenko in recent weeks, and only a handful of managers have yet to pick him up.
Yes, Danilo will rotate in and perhaps Fabian Delph, as a makeshift defender as well, but Zinchenko played well in his two games.
Though Danilo scored a beauty, Zinchenko remains an enticing emerging option, especially in deeper leagues.
He is also conveniently unowned and available almost everywhere.
Next up: Home to Leicester, away to Arsenal, home to Chelsea.
Jack Stephens, DEF, Southampton
He scored again. He can’t stop scoring.
There were some who thought that Jack Stephens would lose his place to Wes Hoedt or Maya Yoshida, but Stephens has scored in the last two Premier League matches and three in a row, when you include the FA Cup.
Yes, he only has one clean sheet in the last nine league games and defender goals can be difficult to predict, but Southampton figure to get their defense sorted out after the Liverpool match and James Ward-Prowse will continue to supply inviting crosses when Stephens ventures into the opposing box.
Plus, he is very involved with tackles and clearances if you play in a TIR (Tackles, Interceptions, Recoveries) format. Just 1% own him for the time being.
Next up: Home to Liverpool, away to Burnley, home to Stoke.
Olivier Giroud, FWD, Chelsea
Giroud has found a new London club, and with his signing, Chelsea have a new target man that has a strong chance to usurp the sputtering Alvaro Morata.
Whether Antonio Conte will stay on to manage the Frenchmen remains to be seen.
However, whoever manages the last dozen or so games, and whatever struggles they face, Giroud adds something new.
Chelsea were rumored to be in for a number of different aerial threats, and Giroud, though on the older side of 30, is still a huge presence in the air.
The Frenchman may be a better natural fit to Chelsea’s system than Morata, who hasn’t done much lately.
It would only have been a consolation if he had scored with his final shot against Watford, but perhaps there will be better days ahead when the dust settles.
Next up: Home to West Brom, away to Manchester United, away to Manchester City.
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