Game-Week 28 was an incredibly low scoring week for FPL managers where most of the premium assets ended up firing blanks. All the top captain choices including Fernandes, Kane, Son, Salah, Gundogan and De Bruyne failed to score any points in game-week 28 which meant that the average score was only 43 points. Game-week 29 poses an interesting dilemma for fantasy managers as it is a blank game-week where only 4 of the 10 League matches will be played due to the FA Cup Quarter-Finals.
As only 8 of the 20 teams will be playing this week, most squads will be depleted. My view is that if you can use transfers to field a team of a minimum of 7-8 players that will be enough for this blank game-week but if not, you could use your free hit chip if that is still available to you. For those using their free hit and others looking in to bring players in for this week, here are our Fantasy Picks for game-week 29.
GK: Robert Sanchez (BHA) – £4.5m
Brighton has a favourable fixture this week against a Newcastle side that have only scored thrice in their last 5 games. Brighton also has one of the best defences in the league statistically as they only allow 1.01 Expected Goals per 90 minutes, the third-fewest among PL teams.
DEF: Lewis Dunk (BHA) – £5.0m
Given that Brighton has a great fixture this week, you could even double up on their defence and get in Lewis Dunk. Dunk offers great clean-sheet potential and is also a monster from offensive set-pieces having scored four goals this season.
DEF: Stuart Dallas (LEE) – £5.1m
While Dallas is listed as a defender in FPL, he often plays as a midfielder for Marcelo Bielsa’s side. Dallas has scored 5 goals and bagged 3 assists this season and has great attacking potential.
DEF: Sergio Reguilon (TOT) – £5.5m
Aston Villa has struggled offensively without Jack Grealish and have only scored two goals in their last four games. Reguilon offers the best route into the Tottenham defence given that he is nailed on to start and is also an attacking threat with 4 assists to his name this season.
MID: Raphinha (LEE) – £5.6m
The Leeds United winger is one of the best budget options this week and offers great value at his 5.6m price. Raphinha has 5 goals and 6 assists this season, is on all the set-pieces for Leeds and is heavily involved in everything they do from an attacking perspective.
MID: Nicholas Pepe (ARS) – £7.6m
It is difficult to predict who will start in Mikel Arteta’s front three but with Bukayo Saka injured, Nicholas Pepe might get a game against West Ham. Pepe is a brilliant differential option and has scored 3 goals in the 4 away games he has started in 2021.
MID: Gareth Bale (TOT) – £9.6m
With Son out injured and unlikely to feature at the weekend, the best premium asset from midfield is Gareth Bale. Tottenham will be desperate for a reaction after losing the derby as well as crashing out of Europe and Bale might be the man to go for given that he has 4 goals and 1 assist in his last 4 PL starts.
MID: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (ARS) – £11.4m
Aubameyang was left out of the line-up for the North London Derby for disciplinary reasons but is expected to come back into the XI against West-Ham. Aubameyang is listed as a midfielder in the game but is now playing upfront for an improved Arsenal side and has scored 4 goals in his last 3 league games.
MID: Ademola Lookman (FUL) – £5.1m
Ademola Lookman is a great differential option this week for managers playing their free-hit. Lookman is incredibly low-owned and is facing a Leeds team this week that have conceded the fifth-most goals in the league with 46.
FWD: Michail Antonio (WHU) – £6.6m
Michail Antonio could score some points this week against a shaky Arsenal defensive that is prone to lapses in concentration. Antonio also has the highest Non-Penalty Expected Goals per 90 in the league which in layman’s terms means he gets more goal-scoring chances than any player in the league.
FWD: Harry Kane (TOT) – £11.5m
With 16 goals and 13 assists this season, Harry Kane is the standout FPL premium asset this week. Kane is averaging 1.15 goal involvements (goals + assists) this season and is also on penalties which means he could be in for another big haul against Aston Villa at the weekend.
Captaincy Pick
With the limited number of games this week, the captaincy is an easy choice. Harry Kane was poor in the North London Derby against Arsenal but has the highest points ceiling amongst all options this week and will be receiving the armband.
[Image Credit: Premier League]
Shivaan Shah