Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 3 Insights
Considerations for Fantasy Premier League Players Ahead of Gameweek 3
As Fantasy Premier League (FPL) players prepare for gameweek three, several questions arise: Should Cole Palmer be moved on? How do we replace Bukayo Saka? And the perennial debate—Erling Haaland or Mohamed Salah?
With plenty to contemplate, Fantasy Premier League enthusiasts need not worry—our Free Hit team offers a wealth of inspiration.
This week marks my final contribution as a substitute for regular BBC Sport FPL expert Thomas Woods. After analyzing the statistics, I am confident that this lineup will allow me to conclude my stint on a high note.
The team of the week is curated based on current FPL prices to fit within a £100m budget, simulating a Free Hit scenario.
Join our FPL special Q&A with expert FPL Heisenberg, live on the BBC Sport website at 15:30 BST on Friday, August 29.
Performance Review of Last Week's FPL Team
Despite a promising lineup, the Free Hit team managed to score only 48 points due to a blank from captain Erling Haaland and Cole Palmer's absence from the matchday squad.
Last week, I faced a tough decision between Jean-Philippe Mateta and Joao Pedro. I opted for Mateta, who returned just two points, while Pedro, who scored one goal and assisted two, would have netted 15 points.
Such is the unpredictable nature of Fantasy Premier League.
Goalkeepers and Defenders
Robert Sanchez, Chelsea, Goalkeeper, £5m - Fulham (Home)
Sanchez is a reliable choice for this week. Fulham has struggled to find the net in six of their last seven visits to Stamford Bridge, and Sanchez kept a clean sheet in Chelsea's opener against Crystal Palace. He narrowly missed another clean sheet against West Ham, where Chelsea triumphed 5-1.
Marc Cucurella, Chelsea, Defender, £6.1m - Fulham (Home)
Cucurella is quickly establishing himself as a must-have in FPL. He contributed an assist in last week’s Free Hit team and is expected to provide further attacking support, along with the hope of a clean sheet this weekend.
Nikola Milenkovic, Nottingham Forest, Defender, £5.5m - West Ham (Home)
Milenkovic, known for his reliability, amassed an impressive 145 points last season. Although he has yet to find his form this campaign, a home match against West Ham, who have scored just one goal and conceded eight, presents a favorable opportunity.
Sepp van den Berg, Brentford, Defender, £4.5m - Sunderland (Away)
Van den Berg is among the few players to earn maximum defensive contribution points in both gameweeks this season. Brentford has kept two clean sheets recently, including a cup victory against Bournemouth, and will aim for a third clean sheet as they face promoted Sunderland.
Midfielders
Mohamed Salah, Liverpool, Midfielder, £14.5m (Captain) - Arsenal (Home)
Salah will serve as our captain this weekend. Despite facing a tough match against Arsenal, Liverpool’s aggressive attacking style under Arne Slot has yielded positive results. Salah has already registered a goal and an assist this season and has scored in three of his last four encounters with the Gunners.
Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United, Midfielder, £9m - Burnley (Home)
In an unusual twist, a Manchester United player makes the cut this week. Following their midweek struggles, the underlying statistics suggest Ruben Amorim's side will thrive at home against Burnley. Although Fernandes has been playing deeper, he still has the potential to score significantly, particularly after taking penalties.
Harvey Barnes, Newcastle, Midfielder, £6.5m - Leeds (Away)
With an ownership of just 0.7%, Barnes could be a valuable differential. After challenging fixtures against Aston Villa and Liverpool, he now faces Leeds, who recently conceded five goals against Arsenal. Barnes is likely to see ample playing time with Anthony Gordon suspended.
Dango Ouattara, Brentford, Midfielder, £6m - Sunderland (Away)
Ouattara has quickly become a fan favorite, scoring the winning goal against Aston Villa and earning 13 points last week. His attacking role could lead to further contributions against newly promoted Sunderland.
Forwards
Chris Wood, Nottingham Forest, Forward, £7.7m - West Ham (Home)
Wood is hard to overlook this week. The Nottingham Forest striker scored twice in his last home game and will be eager to face a West Ham side that has struggled defensively.
Joao Pedro, Chelsea, Forward, £7.6m - Fulham (Home)
Learning from last week’s oversight, Pedro is included in the lineup following his impressive performance with one goal and two assists. He faces a Fulham team that has yet to keep a clean sheet this season.
Jean-Philippe Mateta, Crystal Palace, Forward, £7.5m - Aston Villa (Away)
Mateta is a riskier selection, having not scored since the Community Shield. However, with Aston Villa's recent struggles, this fixture may present a better opportunity for him to find the net.
Substitutes
Martin Dubravka, Burnley, Goalkeeper, £4m - Manchester United (Away)
Pape Sarr, Tottenham, Midfielder, £5m - Bournemouth (Home)
Michael Keane, Everton, Defender, £4.5m - Wolves (Away)
Omar Alderete, Sunderland, Defender, £4m - Brentford (Home)
Total Team Cost: £97.4m