Mid-price and budget options will be key to the success of Eliteserien Fantasy managers in the 2019 campaign.
This time around there are a lot more players at the premium end of the pricing, so finding the right cheaper assets is crucial.
In this article we’ll take a look at the mid-range and budget picks in all of the different positions…
GOALKEEPERS
In goal, there are three mid-range keepers that stand out for me. Sondre Rossbach (5,5) at Odd was the joint second-highest scoring shot-stopper last season, picking up a lot of bonus points, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see more clean sheets this year. He also has three home games in his first four Gameweeks making him an important option to consider early on.
Alexander Vasyutin (5,5) joined Sarpsborg during the summer, and put in a number of impressive displays, particularly in the Europa League. Hans Petter Arnesen’s side is expected to do better in the league this season, and he can be a very solid pick.
At Kristiansund, Sean McDermott (5,0) is another popular asset, particularly with the early Double Gameweek and considering he is one of the very best goalkeepers in the league. He doesn’t have the best defence in front of him but saves and bonus points are expected.
Among the budget goalkeepers, it’s harder to point out who will be the best option. Julian Faye Lund (4,5) recently joined Mjøndalen on loan and will be their first choice. They were very solid at the back in OBOS-ligaen so if they can come anywhere close to that level of performance in the top flight, he might be a solid pick. Ricardo Friedrich (4,5) at Bodø/Glimt is also a solid goalkeeper, but with their early hard fixtures, he is probably not worth considering for Gameweek 1.
At Viking, the goalkeeper spot still looks up in the air. Amund Wichne (4,0) got the nod in the final pre-season game, but with Iven Austbø (4,5) unavailable with a slight injury and Erik Arnebrott (4,0) away with Norway under-21s, I’m not sure if we can read anything into that. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of the 4,0 goalkeepers earned a start in the first Gameweek.
DEFENCE
Kristoffer Haraldseid (5,5) was bought by Molde from Haugesund ahead of this season. He has some attacking threat from his right back position, but the thing that makes him interesting is he’s 0,5 cheaper than the other starting defenders at Molde. He does face some competition from Christoffer Remmer (5,0), but he should be the first choice.
Birk Risa (5,5) played a lot as a winger and even as a striker last season, but after Odd sold their other two left-backs he was shifted to defence. At left-back, he’s a very attacking player, and definitely has the potential of attacking returns. He comes in at 1.0 less than Espen Ruud (6,5).
Joachim Thomassen (5,5) might be the best pick from the Sarpsborg backline. He offers an attacking threat from his left-back position, and also has some set-pieces in his locker. If they can keep more clean sheets this season he’ll be a good pick with his attacking threat. In pre-season Sarpsborg have been struggling with injuries to their centre backs, so he’s been used in the middle of a three-man defence in the last two friendlies.
Sam Adekugbe (5,0) is the standout pick at 5.0 in my opinion. Vålerenga kept 10 clean sheets last year, only bettered by Rosenborg, Brann and Haugesund. They are expected to be one of the better teams in the league this season, and Adekugbe is an attacking minded full-back. Could be a solid pick, especially with their kind opening fixtures.
Dan Peter Ulvestad (5,0), Lasse Nilsen (5,0) and Lars-Christopher Vilsvik (5,0) come in with a lot of attacking threat, but there are question marks about the defences they play in. They might be three players to monitor, and Ulvestad could be a differential pick for the early Double Gameweek.
Joachim Olsen Solberg (5,0) might be a familiar name to returning players. Now playing for Mjøndalen, he still offers a great threat from set-pieces as well as potentially being used as a midfielder instead of a defender. There are question marks if he’s in Mjøndalen’s strongest XI, so he might be a risky pick from the start.
Christofer Aasbak (4,5) might be the best option from the 4.5s if he’s starting, because of a big share of set-pieces. In pre-season, he’s been getting a lot of competition from Erlend Sivertsen (4,0), and in the final friendly he had to walk off with an injury. Add in that Kristiansund have signed right-back Christopher Lindqvist (5.0) on loan from Strømsgodset he does look like a very risky pick.
It’s really hard to point out the best budget defenders. Fredrik Andre Bjørkan (4,5) might be a good pick if Bodø/Glimt can be as good defensively as last season, but there are big question marks after they lost Martin Bjørnbak (6,0) to Molde.
Simen Kind Mikalsen (4,5) and new signing Tobias Salqvist (4,5) could be good picks if Lillestrøm can find some defensive form.
Madis Vihmann (4,5) just joined Stabæk and comes with a great goal-scoring record as a centre back. Stabæk are expected to be one of the worst defensive teams in the league though. Lars Sætra (4,5) at Strømsgodset has very good underlying attacking stats, but again he plays for a very questionable defence.
Christophe Psyché (4,0) stand out as fairly nailed 4,0 pick at Kristiansund. With the early Double Gameweek, he should be a popular pick.
Ronald Hernandez (4,0) at Stabæk have a shot at the right-back spot, but based on the last few friendlies he might not be the first choice in Gameweek 1.
Willian Sell (4,0) is another popular man in drafts, having played the final friendlies for Mjøndalen as a right-winger. He’s done fairly well too, but sadly he’s a doubt for Gameweek 1 after picking up an injury at the weekend. There are also doubts if he’s in Mjøndalen’s strongest XI, but it’s hard to ignore a 4,0 defender that could start at right-wing in Gameweek 1 if fit.
MIDFIELD
The standout mid-range midfielder from the start is right winger Elba Rashani (8,0). He had a good season last year, he’s been on fire in pre-season and Odd start the season with three home games in the first four. He’s the standout attacker at the Skagerak Arena and is proven in this league. His underlying stats are also good.
Erling Knudtzon (7,5) is one of the biggest dilemmas Eliteserien managers face upon ahead of Gameweek 1. He’s played most of Molde’s friendlies this winter and is likely to start either up front or as a left winger. With Ohi (9,0) joining the team just a week before the season starts, and Eirik Ulland Andersen (10,0) missing most of pre-season there is a big chance Knudtzon might see a lot of minutes in the opening Gameweeks. If he gets a few starts he can off great value compared to the others.
Sarpsborg’s Kristoffer Zachariassen (7,5) stands out as one of the best players in Eliteserien. He attracted a lot of interest after his great performances in the Europa League and has picked up lots of bonus points in the last two seasons. He not the most exciting player in terms of goals and assists, but he’s a player I’ll expect to tick along with bonus points, goals and assists every now and then.
Petter Strand (6,5) might be the best pick from the Brann midfield. I’m still unsure how good of an option he is compared to similarly priced players, but he could be worth a punt for the early Double Gameweek. He should be nailed on in the team after being the team’s standout performer in pre-season, and he can play as a left-winger in addition to his preferred position as a box-to-box midfielder. He does have great bonus potential in his current form and has a big share of set-pieces when Fredrik Haugen (9,0) isn’t on the pitch.
Luc Kassi (6,0) is a player to monitor closely at Stabæk. He didn’t play a single minute in 2018 due to injuries, but he’s a proven player in this league with both goals and assists in his locker. With the departure of Ohi, there could be room for him in the supporting striker role. If he gets that role he would be a great pick.
Ola Brynhildsen (5,5) was a popular budget player early on last year, although he struggled to convert his good underlying stats into goals and eventually lost his place after new manager Henning Berg arrived. This season I expect the 19-year-old to take new steps, and he seems to be back into the starting XI for the 2019 season. He’s another player that could take the supporting striker role behind Boli (10,0), but I would expect him to start as a left-winger.
Mikael Ingebrigtsen (5,5) had a good 2017 for Tromsø, scoring eight goals in 1,700 minutes. He moved to Sweden ahead of the 2018 season but returned to Tromsø during the summer. He was occasionally used up front, but he didn’t score more than two goals after returning to Norway. Ingebrigtsen has been looking very good so far in pre-season as a right-winger, scoring quite a few goals. I think he has the potential to be one of the best budget picks.
It’s impossible not to mention Vegard Leikvoll Moberg (5,0) who’s been one of the hottest players in pre-season. From his box-to-box centre midfield position, he’s scored seven goals and assisted four times in nine games, and is probably second in line for penalties. Moberg did very well in OBOS-ligaen in 2017 but failed to replicate that form in Eliteserien in 2018. Maybe this is his year?
Patrick Berg (5,0) at the same club plays in a deeper midfield role but does have a very big share of set-pieces as well as penalties. He has our goals and four assists in nine games in pre-season.
The best bench-fodder options seem to be Amidou Diop (4.5), Tobias Børkeeiet (4.5), Hugo Vetlesen (4.5) and Eirik Valla Dønnem (4.5). Vetlesen is probably the one with the best offensive potential, but also the one that’s least nailed in the starting XI. Diop might be a cheap pick for the early Double Gameweek, but I wouldn’t expect much.
FORWARDS
Ibrahima Wadji (8,0) enjoyed a great second half of last season after joining Haugesund on loan. They have now made the move permanent, and he’s set to continue up front in the lone striker role. He should be a solid pick at 8,0.
Steffen Lie Skålevik (8,0) is a good goal-scorer, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him do well after moving to Sarpsborg. I’m not sure he’s the best pick from the start. You can find the reason why just below this.
Jørgen Strand-Larsen (6,5) has been on fire this winter, scoring in almost every single game he’s played. He’s now scored 13 goals in pre-season for Sarpsborg, as well as netting a brace and assisting an own-goal for Norway under-19s against Croatia just a few days before Gameweek 1. He’s just 19 years old and spent the 17-18 season on loan at AC Milan so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him have a breakthrough season similar to what Erling Braut Håland had last year.
Tommy Høiland (6,5) is the first choice striker at Viking, coming from a great season in OBOS-ligaen. He’s done well this winter and is his teams first choice penalty taker. There are question marks about how Viking will do this year, but their final friendly against Haugesund ended with an impressive 4-0 win. Høiland has the potential to be a solid budget pick.
Bryan Rojas Jimenez (6,0) should be the starting striker at Tromsø. He’s done fairly well in pre-season and could be a differential budget pick. For now, I’ll wait and see, but his price is nice. Sadly it looks like he lost penalty duties in the final pre-season friendly.
Thomas Amang (6,0) was a popular pick early on last season, playing for Molde. Sadly he didn’t live up to the hype at all. Just a few days ago he joined Kristiansund. He is a player with decent potential, but he’s not been close to getting it out at Molde. Maybe the move to Kristiansund can make him a good Fantasy pick again?
Right now there are no 4,5 forwards that are starters for their team, but Ivar Sollie Rønning (4,5) is probably the closest one. He’ll get some minutes off the bench, and during the season I can’t rule out him grabbing the starting spot.
READ MORE: A guide to every team in Eliteserien Fantasy 2019
READ MORE: The best premium defenders in Eliteserien Fantasy 2019
READ MORE: The best premium attacking players in Eliteserien Fantasy 2019
