Afforded a little respite by the international break, we have time to give a heads-up on the return of the Suspension Tightrope widget, which is now available under the Watchlist rankings in your right sidebars or via the fourth button via the homepage on mobile.
For those unfamiliar, the Tightrope keeps a tally of cards accrued from all domestic matches across the EFL Cup, FA Cup and Premier League matches.
The table is updated after each Gameweek, and we aim to share the Fantasy implications of the latest yellows and reds collected in articles like the one you are reading now.
We’ll bring you news of all the latest suspensions, along with updates of the yellow card totals of the most regular perpetrators as they edge towards a domestic ban and clamber onto the ‘Suspension Tightrope’.
Essentially, players have to avoid collecting five domestic bookings before New Year’s Day, when the Tightrope is extended to 10 cautions. From a Fantasy perspective, Gameweek 19 – which takes place on December 31 – is the last round of fixtures to concern us.
Already, six players are just one yellow away from a single-match suspension.
Diego Costa’s presence on the Tightrope is clearly the most significant to Fantasy Premier League managers.
Chelsea’s top scorer has thrived under the guidance of Antonio Conte – having served up returns six of the first seven Gameweeks; he sits at the top of the FPL forward standings.
The third most popular forward option, Costa – who sits in 28.9% of FPL squads – has yet to manage two matches without a booking ahead of the Blues’ clash against Leicester.
With old boss Jose Mourinho and Man United rolling up to the Bridge in Gameweek 9, Conte needs his main striker to be on his best behaviour against the Foxes.
Jordan Henderson, Ryan Shawcross and Jose Holebas, along with West Brom pair Jonny Evans and Claudio Yacob are also teetering on the brink.
Below them, there are 23 players sitting on three yellows apiece.
Raheem Sterling is the standout name amongst that batch.
Owned by over 26% of FPL managers, he was booked just once in the first five but has since incurred the referee’s wrath in each of the last couple of Gameweeks against Swansea and Spurs.
Two of Leicester’s first-choice back-four – Robert Huth and Danny Simpson – also feature, along with Watford’s 7%-owned Troy Deeney.
The Hornets skipper has netted three times in four and now faces Middlesbrough, Swansea and Hull.
Marko Arnautovic is just two cautions shy of a ban as the fixtures turn in Stoke’s favour, as are a trio of Palace midfielders – Yohan Cabaye, Jason Puncheon and Wilfried Zaha.
Indeed, the Eagles are one of three teams boasting a trio of players in our full run down, with Watford’s Valon Behrami and West Brom’s Craig Dawson also giving their managers cause for concern.
This leaves Burnley’s Andre Gray as the only player still serving out a suspension. He remains sidelined for matches against Southampton and Everton before returning to contention in time for the Gameweek 10 trip to Old Trafford.
