In the midst of the January wildcard season, many Fantasy managers are looking to shoehorn as many big guns into their revamped line up as possible. Every penny counts and plenty are on the hunt for regular scoring, cheap to mid-price third striker to free up funds for the likes of Robin Van Persie and Sergio Agüero.
Amongst the standout prospects in this category is Wolves striker Steven Fletcher. Since joining the Midlands club from Burnley in 2010, Fletcher has been crucial to Mick McCarthy’s attack, racking up an impressive 19 goals in 44 games.
This season he’s already scored nine goals, provided one assist and accumulated 13 bonus points for his efforts, with a brace against Sunderland in game week 14 among the pick of his performances. With his eye for goal, Fletcher has managed an average of 5.1 points per game, a ratio which puts the Scot in the top ten forwards this season.
So-called big clubs clearly hold no fear for Fletcher. He has now netted away to Man United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs, having added Harry Redknapp’s side to his list of top gun scalps last weekend, with a typical close-range finish. Indeed, Fletcher seems to thrive more on the road, scoring six of his nine goals away from the home comforts of Molineux.
If you’re on the lookout for a flair striker who can mesmerise defenders with a mazy dribble or unleash a furious lightning strike from 30 yards out, then Fletcher is not for you. In the wonderful world of Fantasy football, however, it doesn’t matter how they go in, as long as they hit the back of the net. What he lacks in style he makes up for in the consistency of a traditional goal poacher. All his goals this season have come from inside the box, with six of those headers.
For those still looking for a replacement for Newcastle’s Demba Ba, who is currently on African Cup of Nations duty, or seeking to transfer out Yakubu, who starts a three-match ban in gameweek 22 after his studs up challenge at the weekend, Fletcher seems to be a plum choice for that potentially lucrative third striker spot. Already, he has risen in price on the back of that goal at the Lane and, as the most transferred-in forward in the gameweek, is now on the verge of yet another price hike. Fletcher currently sits at a more than reasonable 6.0 but looks likely to move to 6.1 overnight.
A glance at their upcoming schedule shows the fixtures certainly fall kindly for Wolves. Over the next seven gameweeks, they play host to (AVL, LIV, WBA, BLA) and travel to (qpr, new, ful), and, as McCarthy looks to steer his team clear of the drop zone and further up the table, Fletcher appears a thoroughly enticing proposition.
