Last-Minute Fantasy Draft Prep

It’s crunch time. All of us that joined the Fantasy Football Scout league at Dugout FC have only a few hours remaining before drafts kick off. My previous articles advocate on behalf of the draft format generally and offer a few draft strategy tips. Right now, though, the questions being asked will be much more concrete: Sergio Aguero or Eden Hazard? Theo Walcott or Olivier Giroud? Third striker or second midfielder? Today’s final installment of my pre-season draft advice will be just that: practical advice to take into your draft on Dugout FC.

Over-Valued Players

To be clear, these are players who will require a high draft picks to attain. They are not bad players or players who should not be owned, but rather they are players whose overall production is unlikely to justify the high pick required.

Santi Cazorla – Although he just signed a new deal at the Emirates, expect Cazorla’s Fantasy production to regress this season. Competition for places among attackers at Arsenal this season will be fiercer than ever, and Cazorla may end up going the way of Mikel Arteta before him – dropping deeper to dictate play rather than rushing into the box alongside his more youthful team-mates. I would take him late in the second round, but not before.

Jordan Henderson – The new Liverpool captain occupies a spot amongst the top 10 for overall points scored last season according to Dugout FC, but he doesn’t even crack the top 25 for points per game. He’s a third- or even fourth-rounder if ever I saw one.

Olivier Giroud/Theo Walcott – I put both of these as one because I foresee a fair amount of rotation in the Gunners’ striking spot. If I had to pick one, I would put Walcott higher simply because he has the ability to play on the wings as well. Giroud in particular could frustrate Fantasy managers this year with inconsistent playing time. Take them no earlier than the end of the first round (picks 8-10).

Chelsea defenders – John Terry, Gary Cahill, Cesar Azpilicueta, and Branislav Ivanovic not only offer security of starts in one of the strongest defenses in the EPL, but also they both possess a significant goal threat for defenders. However, particularly since they all reside on the first few pages of Dugout’s draft room, I imagine they will all be picked by the end of the second or beginning of the third round of the draft. Look to bolster your attacking line-up early on. Pass on the Chelsea backline.

Any goalkeeper – Realistically, with 20 starting goalkeepers distributed among 10 teams, you should have your choice of middle-of-the-road ‘keepers. Bear in mind that Boaz Myhill, with the highest points-per-game of starting goalkeepers (5.18), averaged 2 points per game more than Wojciech Szczesny (3.18) and that EVERY OTHER STARTING GOALKEEPER apart from Tim Howard was somewhere in between. Goalkeepers are a lottery; don’t buy your ticket any earlier than the 10th round.

Under-Valued Players

Again, as above, these are players who may go later in a draft but have the potential or pedigree to produce at a much higher level.

Wayne Rooney – He’ll almost certainly be drafted after Sergio Aguero, Eden Hazard, and Diego Costa, but entering this season as United’s single striking specialist, I think Rooney ought to be considered in and amongst those three. I have no problem taking him second or third overall.

Gylfi Sigurdsson – I know. He doesn’t play for a top-four club. He’s not a sexy flying winger in the mould of Eden Hazard or Raheem Sterling. He is, however, an incredibly consistent player that takes the majority of his team’s set-pieces, plays almost every game, and scored a very respectable 4.81 points per game last season. Snap him up at the end of the second round.

Romelu Lukaku – This pick is not for the faint of heart. Everton’s opening 10 fixtures look atrocious. However, if you can see them through no matter the outcome, Lukaku, as the focal point of his team’s attack, could handily lead the line for your Fantasy team as well. Get him in the second round, particularly if you picked a midfielder in the first.

Laurent Koscielny – Expect to see Ivanovic, Terry, and even Azpilicueta to go off the board before the Gunners central defender, even though he actually led defenders last season with an impressive 5.15 points per game. I could think of worse players to take at the end of the third round.

James Milner – Many people might miss the former Manchester City player because he resides so far down the Dugout FC rankings. However, since he seems to have nailed down a key role in the Liverpool midfield, he could prove an incredible value. If you need a midfielder in the third or fourth round, keep his name close at hand.

Reach for the Handcuffs for Your Star Striker

This piece of advice is specifically for those upon whom fate shined brightly enough that you could draft Sergio Aguero and Diego Costa: get Wilfred Bony and Radamel Falcao, respectively. Monopolizing the starting striker for Manchester City or Chelsea could pay massive dividends, not to mention assuage a massive headache, should either star man come up lame. You may have to get them in the fifth or sixth round, but I think they’ll be worth it.

Look Out for Defensive Midfielders

Specifically for Dugout FC, watch for the likes of Mile Jedinak, Nemanja Matic, Daley Blind, Morgan Schneiderlin, Jack Colback, Francis Coquelin, and Fernandinho, all of whom averaged more than 3.5 points per game. Dugout’s scoring system favors players in this role much more heavily than traditional FPL.

Remember Players New to the League

Whether by promotion or transfer, there are a few gems among the players entering the EPL this season. However, since they enter Dugout FC with 0 points and 0 points per game, you will need to go looking for them. Some names to consider? Memphis Depay, Roberto Firmino, Dimitri Payet, Troy Deeney, Aleksandr Mitrovic, Andre Ayew, Patrick Bamford, Matt Richie, and Bradley Johnson, among others. If you’re unfamiliar with them, peruse the Scout Reports to learn more.

There you have it. Those are my final bits of wisdom. Good luck to all as you cram for that most auspicious of exams: your Dugout FC draft!