FPL managers will be hoping that Gameweek Seven provides more joy than Gameweek Six and Premier League Central’s Jamie Collett has some options for you to consider.
Gameweek Six was a frustrating one as many premium players failed to produce significant returns. The average score was a measly 48 points, so millions of managers should be hoping for improvement as the season begins to take shape.
As premium players struggle, some middle or low-value options are thriving. Many of these options have low ownership of less than 10%. These could be the players to provide much-needed points differentials in weeks to come, should form continue.
Here, we will look at five players with less than 5% ownership that are worth considering for FPL sides.
Edouard Mendy – Chelsea – Goalkeeper – £5.0m
Edouard Mendy’s impact on Chelsea has been fantastic. The Senegalese goalkeeper has a 91.7% save percentage in his five appearances for Chelsea thus far, yielding four clean sheets.
Thiago Silva’s introduction into the team has calmed the Chelsea defence immeasurably. This, in turn, makes any Chelsea defensive player a much more viable FPL option.
Three consecutive clean sheets in all competitions testify a solidified defence. At £5.0m, Mendy is a mid-value goalkeeper in a team with title aspirations.
Owned by only 2.5% of managers, a punt on the Chelsea goalkeeper could be an initial differential and a season-keeper, all in one hit. With upcoming fixtures looking favourable, the best goalkeeper to secure could be Chelsea’s new number one.
Vladimir Coufal – West Ham – Defender – £4.5m.
West Ham’s mini-resurgence has been a real surprise of recent weeks, with positive results in their last three matches against members of last season’s top six. As a result, Vladimir Coufal has contributed points returns in each of his three appearances signing his under-the-radar signing from Slavia Prague for £5m.
The Czech full-back has two FPL assists while registering 10 crosses in his three games, indicating that he does get forward to contribute to attacks. Coufal is only selected in 0.3% of all squads and could provide excellent value at 4.5m, should he continue with his positive returns. He is certainly a budget defender to think of.
Christian Pulisic – Chelsea – Midfielder – £8.3m.
Christian Pulisic has featured in all of Chelsea last four matches in all competitions. A goal against Krasnodar in the Champions League could mark the real return to form for the American who dazzled at various stages last campaign.
Pulisic managed 9 goals and 4 assists in the Premier League last season, marking a good return on his debut campaign. Post-lockdown, the American upped his game tremendously, standing out as one of the division’s most exciting talents.
Pulisic will almost certainly feature in Frank Lampard’s strongest XI and therefore, with 3.9% ownership, he represents a real differential at this stage. He could prove to be a rare player of immense quality but with low ownership.
James Maddison – Leicester – Midfielder – £7.0m.
Another player that showed quality last season and is now regaining fitness is Leicester’s James Maddison.
Maddison made his first start in Leicester’s win at Arsenal in Gameweek Six and had four shots in the game, suggesting his confidence is beginning to rise. Maddison had 11 FPL goal contributions in 2019/20 and 14 in 2018/19, so he has the tendency to produce the goods although he will look to increase those numbers once more.
Competing with Maddison in this price bracket are, most notably, Jack Grealish and Wilfried Zaha. At 2.4% ownership, Maddison is a gamble but with reasonable upcoming fixtures, it could be a good time to own a player with huge quality.
Che Adams – Southampton – Forward – 5.8m.
The low-owned striker of most interest to me is Southampton’s Che Adams. At 5.8m and 2.0%, Adams is a player with tremendous upside. Two goals and two assists thus far ensure he has returned in three of his six league matches.
Adams has scored in back-to-back matches and is a favourite of Ralph Hasenhuttl for his high intensity. In a team where Danny Ings is the star, Adams provides an excellent foil.
Southampton’s style of play is the main attraction for Che Adams, however. Hasenhuttl sets his team up to press high and turn the ball over high up the pitch.
Adams’ pace and relentless pressing ability to create opportunities and at 2.2 shots per game, it shows that he is benefitting from this style.
All of the listed players provide the opportunity for a fantasy manager to gamble on a differential for their squad. After the disappointment of premium stars in Gameweek Six, Gameweek Seven could be another chance for low-owned players to enhance their reputations in FPL. Managers who act early could reap the rewards if they’re prepared to take a gamble.
