The opening weekend of the Premier League was a successful one for many Fantasy Premier League managers.
With the likes of Mohamed Salah and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang opening their tallies for the season, many managers were able to profit from captaining their major asset.
However, even so early on in the season, there look to be some players who will be forcing their way into the thoughts of many Fantasy managers.
Here, we will take a look at five players who could prove to be reliable and exciting Fantasy assets going forward.
Tariq Lamptey – Brighton – Defender – 4.5m
Tariq Lamptey was outstanding despite Brighton’s 3-1 loss at home to Chelsea. The marauding, young wing-back showcased his dribbling skills and his ability to link-up with Brighton’s attackers. Lamptey recorded an assist, one shot, two key passes and two dribbles against his former club.
His return of three FPL points was not rewarded for his performance. At 4.5m, Lamptey looks like an excellent option as a rotational defender in a team which kept nine clean sheets in 2019/20. The youngster is certainly one to keep an eye on and add to your watchlist.
Reece James – Chelsea – Defender – 5.0m
Many people will have wondered how Chelsea allowed Lamptey to leave last summer. On 56 minutes, Reece James showed them why. A thunderous strike into the top corner, followed by an assist just 10 minutes later, earned James 14 FPL points. The 20 year-old broke into Frank Lampard’s Chelsea squad last season and looks to be making the right-back spot his own.
The underlying numbers indicate that James has potential for assists in the long-term, especially if he continues to take corners. James recorded 109 crosses in 2019/20 as well as creating six big chances. If Chelsea secure a new goalkeeper, James could be the best choice to a Chelsea defence that should considerably improve.
Wilfried Zaha – Crystal Palace – Midfielder – 7.0m
After a disappointing season in 2019/20, Wilfried Zaha kicked off the new campaign with a goal and 8 FPL points. Zaha has been Crystal Palace’s key player for as long as most fans can remember, with 45% of their attacks coming down Zaha’s preferred left-wing in 2019/20. Despite this, the winger only managed four goals and three assists last season but this only adds to the feeling that the Ivorian could represent excellent FPL value at 7.0m.
With arrivals of Ebere Eze and Michy Batshuayi, Roy Hodgson will hope that the attacking burden is eased from his star-man. It is this that makes Zaha a viable midfield option despite rumours linking him away from Selhurst Park. If Zaha remains at Palace, then he is an excellent option as a fourth or fifth midfield player in anybody’s FPL squad.
Matuesz Klich – Leeds United – Midfielder – 5.5m.
An even cheaper option that should be considered is Leeds’ Mateusz Klich. The Polish midfielder is valued at 5.5m, which means he is likely to be the fifth midfielder in any squad. In Marcelo Bielsa’s expansive Leeds side, Klich stars in an advanced midfield role, often looking to get into the box as his 1.8 shots per game in 2019/20 proves. His goal at Anfield in Leeds’ plucky 4-3 defeat to Liverpool was unsurprising given the advanced positions he took. In a side who are sure to create chances, and with Klich a Bielsa favourite, the Pole could be a cash-saving option but also a good bet to add to the 9 Fantasy points he gained in Gameweek One.
Callum Wilson – Newcastle – Forward – 6.5m
The final player to have caught the eye for FPL managers this weekend is Newcastle’s new recruit, Callum Wilson. He opened his account for his new club on debut, scoring 8 Fantasy points. Newcastle’s use of an attack-minded 4-4-2 formation, with two strikes plus Allan Saint-Maximin on the wing, indicates that Steve Bruce is looking to transform his side into a more attack-minded one. Wilson could be a beneficiary of this.
8 goals in 35 appearances for relegated Bournemouth wasn’t his best season but he has a point to prove upon his transfer to the North-East. The England international has home games against Brighton and Burnley in his next three, so now could be the time to add Wilson as a striking option ahead of the likes of Alexander Mitrovic and Jordan Ayew who are at a similar price.
With a deadline of 11:00 am BST on 19/09/2020, FPL managers have time to adjust their squads ahead of what is sure to be another exciting week. The players highlighted above may not be the star names such as Salah, Aubameyang and Kevin de Bruyne but every successful FPL side has its unsung heroes. Lamptey, James, Zaha, Klich and Wilson are five players who stood out on the opening week and could prove to be must-haves in the coming weeks.
