The Watchlist Updated – Forwards

Our final Watchlist article focuses on the forwards as Fantasy Premier League managers scramble to react to recent injuries and attempt to configure the perfect strikeforce.

The Watchlist can be found in your sidebar on desktop, or via your slide-in menu on mobile or tablet.

These rankings give an indication of our current thinking on player selection for each position, listing the factors that are contributing to the given rank.

Injuries to Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Morata have played a big part in the recent transfer activities of FPL managers, though with Romelu Lukaku proving his fitness in Tuesday’s World Cup Qualifier for Belgium, we can at least be reassured on his Gameweek 8 start.

Harry Kane is also injury-free and, arguably, in the best form of his career.

Granted, his output at Wembley – blanks in all three league outings in front of his own fans – remains a concern, but Kane’s underlying statistics are peerless.

The top forward for shots, efforts in the box and attempts on target, he’s been the go-to striker ahead of a home encounter against Bournemouth – over 339,000 have snapped him up since the previous Gameweek.

Whereas midfield pair Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen have struggled to find the net, notching just twice apiece so far, Kane has scored two goals in three of the last four league matches.

He remains a fixture-proof option ahead of a mixed schedule which involves home clashes with the Cherries, Palace and West Brom, as well as head-to-heads with Liverpool, Man United and Arsenal, in the next six.

Boasting a massive 59.3% ownership, Lukaku has been the most consistent forward this season, netting in all but one of the opening seven Gameweeks.

Given that his highest return on the road is seven points, he looks a less enticing captaincy pick in the short-term, with three road trips – including visits to Liverpool and Chelsea – and a home clash against the Spurs defence to come over the next four.

Lower down our ranks, his team-mate Marcus Rashford has started six of the first seven Gameweeks, serving up two goals and three assists already.

Considering he managed five goals and three assists over the entirety of 2016/17, the starlet’s upturn in output suggests that, despite mainly being utilised off the left flank, he may yet prove a viable third striker option at just 7.6.

Indeed, with 33 points on the board, Rashford is the sixth top forward in terms of value for points per million (4.3) and is owned by just 8.9%. He’s played from start to finish just once as he continue to share pitch-time with Anthony Martial but, given the lack of options in his price bracket, he remains in our thinking.

Gabriel Jesus is second only to Kane for transfers-in over the Gameweek, earning 280,000+ new owners and up to second in our rankings.

Aguero’s likely absence bolsters his potential here. Although Jesus’ time has been managed, it’s no coincidence that his first 90-minute outing arrived in Gameweek 7, with the Argentine injured for the trip to Chelsea.

When on the pitch, the Brazilian has played a part in 45.5% of his side’s goals – more than any other team-mate – as Pep Guardiola’s men prepare for a favourable run of fixtures (STK BUR wba ARS lei hud).

However, we should not dismiss Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane as cheaper short-term alternatives in midfield. Sterling is the top midfielder for goals (five), while Sane has bagged 29 points in his last two at the Etihad.

We also have to carefully monitor Aguero’s injury situation.

Tuesday’s reports confirming that the Argentine had returned to light training indicated that the striker may yet be back in contention sooner than expected. Certainly the Gameweek 11 clash with Arsenal will be an obvious target; it remains to be seen if Guardiola would risk an earlier return. Some reports today even suggested he could be considered against Stoke this weekend.

Rested from international duties as he looks to overcome a hip complaint, Jamie Vardy sits fifth in the forward standings despite a testing start to the season.

The Foxes’ frontman has bagged five goals, netting against the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool, and also has penalties to strengthen his potential ahead of a run that sees him face only two of last year’s top six in the next 11 Gameweeks.

Between now and Gameweek 18, Vardy will entertain West Brom, Everton, Burnley and Palace and also visit Swansea, Stoke, West Ham, Newcastle and Southampton.

Alexandre Lacazette’s lack of away form is a big concern, given that Arsenal hit the road four times (wat eve mci bur) in the next six Gameweeks.

With a visit from Spurs also on the horizon, this leaves only a Gameweek 10 encounter with Swansea at the Emirates as a stand-out fixture for the Frenchman.

Alexis Sanchez’s return in midfield could also have an impact on Lacazette’s 14.9% ownership if the Chilean rediscovers the form that saw him score 15 of his 24 goals on the road last season.

Roberto Firmino’s stock is in rapid decline after dropping to the bench away to Newcastle. The Brazilian has blanked in four successive outings and with clashes against Man United and Spurs up next, the exodus is picking up pace.

Mo Salah and Philippe Coutinho look better options as routes into Jurgen Klopp’s attack, though Firmino – who also has penalty duties – could yet profit from a kind schedule from Gameweek 10 onwards.

The injury to Sadio Mane adds another variable however. It has been well publicised that Liverpool struggle in attack without the winger’s incisive running, scoring just 1.5 goals a game without the Senegalese, compared with 2.2 goals with him in the line-up.

Further down the price brackets, Joselu and Tammy Abraham are currently our budget frontmen of choice.

Costing just 5.5, the Newcastle striker’s average of 20.8 minutes per attempt is more frequent than premium picks such as Morata (23.4) and almost on a par with Aguero and Lukaku (both 20.3).

Although he only started for the first time in Gameweek 3, the summer signing sits fifth among forwards for shots in the box, while only Kane and Lukaku have bettered his 11 attempts on target.

Boasting two goals in five starts, Joselu has the fixtures to prove value with money – Rafa Benitez’s men face Southampton, Palace, Burnley, Bournemouth, Watford and West Brom over the next seven Gameweeks.

Abraham continues to simmer as an option and typifies our struggle for candidates at this price point.

He could yet be under threat should Paul Clement tweak his formation and tactics but, for now, he looks to remain up front alongside Wilfried Bony, with Jordan Ayew deployed in a support role.

The Swans boast four enticing home fixtures (HUD LEI BRI BOU) and a trip to Burnley in the next six which could see Abraham finally break-out and fulfil his potential as a cut-price asset.