As the first match of the 2018/19 Premier League season creeps ever closer we switch focus to Sky Sports’ Fantasy game.
We have launched our Free League for the campaign and you can find details of how to join it below.
Here we go over the basics of the game before we delve into more detail in the coming days.
How do I play?
Just like in FPL you select a squad of players that will either earn you attacking, defensive or bonus points in an attempt to score more than your friends, colleagues and/or the rest of the world. However, you choose simply a starting XI and do not have a bench.
Gameweeks run from Friday to Thursday with managers allowed transfers in between Gamedays, allowing maximisation of potential points by bringing in an asset yet to play for one who has already been involved that week.
Also, instead of one free switch per Gameweek (and a maximum of two if a previous one is saved), the Sky Sports game allocates 40 transfers that can be used any time during the season, with a limit of five in one Gameweek, creating the need for a more long-term strategy.
Wildcards, or Overhauls, are also available in Sky Sports. The first one becomes available to use following the completion of Gameweek 4 and remains an option until the deadline for Gameweek 6. The second one becomes active after the final match of Gameweek 27, through Gameweek 28 and until the Gameweek 29 deadline.
In Sky Sports Fantasy you can name more than one captain in a Gameweek depending on who is playing on which day. Managers are limited to one captain per day allowing them to potentially have up to four in one Gameweek and get double points for all of them. For example, if there were fixtures on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday in any given Gameweek, a Sky Sports Fantasy manager could name a different skipper on each of those match days, providing they did so before that day’s deadline. Managers can also schedule their captains ahead of a Gameweek too.
How do you score points?
The points structure is largely similar to FPL in Sky Sports Fantasy but tends to award more points for the actions mentioned below.
| Action | Points scored |
| Starting XI | 2 |
| Substitution appearance | 1 |
| Goal scored by a goalkeeper/defender | 7 |
| Goal scored by a midfielder | 6 |
| Goal scored by a striker | 5 |
| Goal assist | 3 |
| Clean sheet by a goalkeeper (must play 60+ mins) | 7 |
| Clean sheet by a defender (must play 60+ mins) | 5 |
| A penalty save by a goalkeeper | 5 |
| Man of the Match | 5 |
Can My Team Lose Points?
Unfortunately, just like in FPL there are a few ways to lose points too.
| Action | Points scored |
| Missing a penalty | -3 |
| Every goal conceded from the second goal onwards | -1 |
| Each yellow card | -1 |
| Each red card | -3 |
| Each own goal | -2 |
How do Bonus Points work?
Just like FPL there are additional points on offer for other events in matches, although the structure is slightly different, as you will see below.
| Tier 1 Action | Points scored |
| 5 saves made (GK only) | 2 |
| 3 tackles made (all) | 2 |
| 60 completed passes | 2 |
| 3 shots on target | 2 |
| Tier 2 Action | Points scored |
| 7+ saves made (GK only) | 3 |
| 5+ tackles made (all) | 3 |
| 70+ completed passes | 3 |
| 5+ shots on target | 3 |
How do I play against my friends?
There are a number of different ways to compete against others in Sky Sports Fantasy. You can create or join a Free League with your friends and colleagues but there are ways to win money too.
Sky Sports can actually administer your money league for you to avoid any awkwardness post-season. You can choose the entry fee (either £2, £5, £10 or £20 per person) and the prize structure beforehand and Sky Sports will take care of the rest.
How can I join the Fantasy Football Scout league?
As usual, we have got a league on Sky Sports Fantasy. It’s called FFScout and you can join using the code 8386881.
Read more with Scout
Visit our PRE-SEASON PAGE to get the latest pointers from pre-season friendlies and read scout reports on new players by CLICKING HERE.
Pick your FPL team for 2018/19 using our list of best available players, sorted for your convenience by position and price:
Goalkeepers | Defenders: Budget | Defenders: Mid-Price and Premium | Midfielders: Budget | Midfielders: Mid-Price | Midfielders: Premium | Forwards: Budget
Also check out our detailed statistical analysis articles on every team comparing data for the last two seasons to highlight the players to sign and the players to avoid:
Arsenal | Bournemouth | Brighton & Hove Albion | Burnley | Cardiff City | Chelsea | Crystal Palace | Everton | Fulham | Huddersfield Town | Leicester City | Liverpool | Manchester City | Manchester United | Newcastle United | Southampton | Tottenham Hotspur | Watford
Become a Member and access our data
Memberships for the 2018/19 campaign are now available for the pre-season price of just £12.50. This will increase to the regular price of £15 after the first Gameweek of the season.
Join now to get the following:
- Plot your transfer strategies using the fully interactive Season Ticker.
- Get projections for every Premier League player provided by the Rate My Team statistical model.
- Use Rate My Team throughout the season to guide your selections and transfers.
- Get access to over 130+ exclusive members articles over the season.
- Analyse our OPTA-powered statistic tables specifically tailored for Fantasy Football Managers.
- Use our exclusive tool to build custom stats tables from over 100 OPTA player and team stats.
- View heatmaps and expected goals data for every player.
- Use our powerful comparison tool to analyse players head-to-head.
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