FanDuel Focus – Gameweek 8

Welcome to our regular lunchtime article looking at FanDuel’s Gameweek contests and key picks.

Getting the right blend of players will be especially vital for this set of fixtures as FanDuel are running an additional offer this weekend. The first 300 new FanDuel customers who register before 12:00pm on Saturday will get £5 bonus credit added to their account, with no deposit required.

This weekend there are three deadlines for entering FanDuel line-ups. The 12.30pm early kick-off at Stamford Bridge marks the start of the games that include all ten fixtures of the round.

The late swap function is particularly valuable with these contests. This makes it possible to change any non-starters in your squad, right up until their fixtures kick-off.

There are also FanDuel contests that cover the action from three o’clock on Saturday, plus a Sunday and Monday slate that begins at 1.30pm with the clash between newly-promoted Middlesborough and Watford at the Riverside Stadium.

To get started with FanDuel, register for a free account via this link.

When you sign up, enter the promocode “SCOUTFIVER” and FanDuel will refund your first paid entry fee, up to £10, as free entry credit if you miss out on a cash prize. This will also ensure you get £5 credited to your account if you are one of the first 300 to sign up.

If you’re starting up, we have a strategy guide available that examines which players to target in the various positions, based on the average scores they would have accrued if the FanDuel scoring was applied to last season.

In addition, FanDuel are sponsoring our latest FFS Cup, which gets underway in Gameweek 11. There is more than £1,000 worth of prizes to win plus FanDuel are also offering £10 free credit to UK entrants that register. More information about the FFS Cup can be found here.

Now let’s move on to look at my XI ahead of the weekend contests…

My Team

Artur Boruc £7.4m

Marcos Alonso £6m
Michael Keane £7.4m
Curtis Davies £10m

Junior Stanislas £6.3m
Dusan Tadic £9.6m
Son Heung-Min £11.1m
Dimitri Payet £13.2m

Charlie Austin £6.1m
Christian Benteke £8.1m
Alexis Sanchez £13.9m

Key Picks

Bournemouth appear to have discovered some resilience in front of their own fans after keeping back-to-back clean sheets against West Brom and Everton.

Artur Boruc (£7.4m) has made 16 saves in his last four outings which have helped the Polish stopper accrue an average of 17.81 FanDuel points over that spell. Weekend visitors Hull City have had the joint least attempts on goal (61) alongside Middlesborough this season, indication that the Cherries keeper could be in line for a third successive home shut-out.

Marcos Alonso (£6.0m) made his first start for Chelsea against Hull City last Gameweek. Taking up a role as a wing-back on the left flank, he could provide us with a Chelsea asset that can earn us both defensive and attacking points for a kind price tag.

Five efforts on goal and four chances created against the Tigers were hugely impressive numbers for a defender. Upcoming opponents Leicester City are more likely to keep the Spaniard on the back foot, but four tackles last time out also shows a willingness to get stuck in.

With a greater goal threat at set-plays, we’re favouring Burnley’s Michael Keane (£7.4m) over his partner Ben Mee (£6.9m) for the Clarets’ trip to Southampton.

The latter is ahead on clearances, interceptions and blocks recorded, his 88 CBI’s outweighing Keane’s still respectable 77. However, Keane’s five chances from set pieces have already resulted in a goal against Watford, so he gets the nod for the trip to Southampton.

We’ve returned to the standout FanDuel defender for Hull’s trip to Bournemouth. After a couple of relatively low scoring appearances, Curtis Davies (£10m) posted a haul of 26.25 against Chelsea, making four tackles, five clearances and six interceptions. The centre-back now has an average of 28.11 FanDuel points and another decent return looks achievable at the Vitality Stadium.

Junior Stanislas (£6.3m) will be one of the key men in the Bournemouth line-up that will threaten Hull’s clean sheet. Having been switched to the right flank, Stanislas has scored and assisted in his last two outings. A 16.4 Fanduel points average this season for an outlay of £6.3m provides us with a cheap enabler to fund the rest of our midfield spending.

An impressive international break for Dusan Tadic (£9.6m), in which he scored twice and served up four assists for Serbia, makes the in-form Saints midfielder one of the first names in our line-up.

With a goal and two assists in his last four league outings, we’re expecting more end product against Burnley from a confident Tadic.

After striking four goals and providing two assists in four league appearances for Tottenham, Son Heung-Min (£11.1m) has established the highest FanDuel average (39.94) in their player list.

The South Korean has created 12 chances and drawn fouls on seven occasions (worth 0.5 points each) over those four outings. In addition, only Everton’s Romelu Lukaku (10) and Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic (9) have mustered more shots on target over the last four than the Spurs man (seven) ahead of his encounter with West Brom.

As mentioned in today’s Team News article, though, Mauricio Pochetinno has hinted at rotating his team, so we’re keeping an eye on this one, with the late swap facility allowing us to change if needs be.

West Ham’s form remains a concern but in Dimitri Payet (£13.2m), they have a player who can elevate himself above those struggles.

The Frenchman’s minutes were limited at the start of the season, but he’s demonstrated his undoubted quality of late, averaging 31.18 FanDuel points over the last four matches.

Nineteen chances created is more than any player over that period, and his deliveries have brought three assists. He also earned a first goal of the campaign with a sublime solo effort against Middlesbrough last weekend.

Payet’s opponents Crystal Palace have conceded six attempts per match from set-plays at Selhurst Park; only Swansea City are as obliging at providing opportunities from dead ball situations, indicating that Payet could reap FanDuel points from chances created.

Having conceded six goals in their two away trips this term, we just can’t see Burnley keeping Southampton quiet at St Mary’s, so have doubled up on Claude Puel’s attacking assets.

Charlie Austin (£6.1m) has netted twice and notched an assist over the last three in the league, bringing his tally in all competitions to five goals. A budget price tag, spot-kick duties and a secure starting role in Puel’s side has convinced us to turn to the ex-QPR frontman.

In five starts this season, Christian Benteke (£8.1m) has provided 15 attempts on goal. Palace are playing to his strengths and, with three goals in four in the league and the recent hat-trick for his country, Benteke will face a fragile West Ham defence full of confidence.

We identified the value offered by Theo Walcott (£9.9m) in the Weekly Shop, but with money in the bank, we’re opting for Alexis Sanchez in our weekend line-up for the Emirates meeting with Swansea City.

International duties may impinge on the Chilean’s pitch time, but a central role makes the Gunners forward difficult to ignore.

Four goals and three assists in the league from eight shots on target and 14 chances created demonstrates that our extra investment could be well worthwhile.

This Week’s Contests

The Saturday to Monday, ten-fixture slate has the biggest pot of the weekend – the £6000 Fan Favourite contest, which has a £5 buy-in and a £600 first-place prize.

The main game for the Saturday-only slate is a £1500 special. It has a £3 entry fee, with £200 going for first place.

There’s a similar contest for the Sunday and Monday time frame.

FanDuel are offering a £1500 pot with a £3 entry – the deadline is 1.30pm, but late swap can be applied to players you select from the matches at St Mary’s and Anfield.

You can register for a free account at FanDuel via this link. When you sign up, enter the promo code “SCOUT” and FanDuel will refund your first paid entry fee, up to £10, as free entry credit if you don’t win cash.

Also make sure you register in good time to take advantage of FanDuel’s additional £5 bonus credit offer for this weekend.