Fantasy World Cup Early Options

With the domestic season ending and the World Cup just over a month away, it’s useful to have an early scout of our options for next month’s tournament. Obviously, without a price tag, it is hard to value players’ worth across the Fantasy games but for now, here’s my thinking on the main contenders:

Group A

The host nation and favourites, Brazil, open the tournament on the June 12 against Croatia. The strong include Neymar, Fred, Willian, Oscar, Luiz and Marcelo. On the Croatian side, Srna, Modric and Mandzucik offer us good differentials for perhaps the latter fixtures. Assou-Ekotto and Eto'o seem the best prospects for Cameroon. Likewise, Dos Santos and Hernandez seem to be the key players should Mexico have a good campaign.

Group B

For Spain, there are a number of players that could potentially hit high scores. With so much quality to choose from, Del Bosque may have a tough decision to make with the lineup. In-form players like Azpilicueta could be in the reckoning as cheap access to the back line as oppose to Pique and Alba. Standout performers such as Mata, Silva, Costa, Xavi and Iniesta all offer as heavy hitters. Van Gaal’s side will have plenty of attacking options to offer to fantasy managers from what is a very young Dutch squad. Fan favourites such as Van Persie, Robben, Van der Vaart and Sneijder are sure to deliver in their bid to reach the finals and replicate their form of the last World Cup. For Chile, Vidal and Sanchez seem the only punt-worthy options. Australia doesn’t offer much for the group they are in but perhaps Luke Wilkshire at right back could be a cheap filler capable of attacking returns.

Group C

For Colombia, perhaps the three best options are Martinez, Rodriquez and Falcao (if fit), with the South American side looking to assert their talents in this somewhat easier group. Ivory Coast have several key players, including the sensational Yaya Touré and other in-form players such as Bony, Drogba and Kalou with Gervinho an alternative option depending on his classification and price. Greece are probably more known for their defensive ability rather than attack, with Papadopoulos and Maniatis in the heart of defence. Mitroglou and Ninis seem the only in-form options in attack, but it is probably best to steer clear. Lastly, for a Japanese side that can be very hit and miss, Kagawa, Honda and Okazaki seem the best options to gamble on.

Group D

Uruguay offers some of the best attacking options in the tournament with Suarez, Cavani and Hernandez up front. Defensively, Uruguay look frail at times, so perhaps it is best to avoid defence. For Costa Rica, Bryan Ruiz seems the only viable option. In the England squad, there are many options to choose from in attack. Rooney and Sturridge are the most popular, with in-form Wickham pushing for a squad place. Gerrard’s set piece duties may appeal to many fantasy managers, with Shaw and Oxlade-Chamberlain as possible differentials should they be selected. Likewise for Italy, Pirlo’s set pieces and creative passing should attract many, with other popular choices coming in the form of De Rossi, Balotelli and Cassano. Italy’s defence is generally reliable with Abate and Bonucci as solid options.

Group E

France have a plethora of options to choose from, however uncertainty lies around the forward starting places. Nasri, Ribery, Cabaye and Pogba seem reliable for points throughout the tournament. For Switzerland, Shaqiri and Schar look like two good differentials, with the latter having some great attack threat for club and country. Antonio Valencia seems the only realistic option to choose from Equador, with qualification unlikely. Cheap options from Honduras include Figueroa, Espinoza and Costly, however success in the competition is very unlikely for the Hondurans.

Group F

Argentina are also one of the favourites to win the competition and it’s no wonder why with their talent on offer. A fantasy favourite will most definitely be Messi, who will have a very high price tag. Other standout options such as Zabaleta, di Maria, Aguero and Higuain will also attract a huge amount of attention. For Nigeria, a few options may be considered such as Mikel on set pieces, the young Musa up front and alternatively, Moses and Eminike. The only decent options for Bosnia are Begovic, Dzeko and Ibisevic. Likewise for Iran, perhaps two cheap options are Nekounam on set pieces and the flair of Dejagah.

Group G

The German giants are a contender to win the competition with so many decent prospects available. Mertesacker, Reus, Schurrle, Muller, Ozil and Lahm could well prove to be great assets with the latter two very likely to be pricey. Portugal really only offer a few worthwhile options with Ronaldo the obvious choice alongside the “explosive” Nani. Pepe’s card-prone style may turn fantasy managers towards Coentrao or Patricio as defensive options. Boateng, Essien and Muntari are possible punts from Ghana, but with a tough group ahead, it doesn’t seem like a worthy investment. Lastly, the USA have been punching above their weight in recent times, with Altidore playing well for the squad alongside Dempsey and Donovan.

Group H

Belgium are the favourites to qualify from Group H with some players worth investing in for the early stages. Eden Hazard seems essential, with the Chelsea midfielder putting in outstanding performances this season and winning YPOTY award. Other options worth noting are Vertonghen, Kompany, Van Buyten, Mirallas and Lukaku. Russia also have players worth investing in, namely Shirokov, Dzagoev and Kerzhakov. South Korea have a few options that depend on the pricing. Park Chu-Young, Koo Ja-Cheol and Ji Dong-Won are worth keeping on the watchlist. Lastly, Algeria are seen as the underdogs in this competition; unlikely to cause any waves. A few differential options include Bentaleb, Feghouli and Soudani.