Captain Sensible

Who are the best FPL captain candidates for Gameweek 18?

Fantasy Premier League managers are set for perhaps the trickiest captaincy debate of the 2019/20 season so far.

Gameweek 18 features a blank for Liverpool while Manchester City and Leicester go head-to-head at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday evening.

That has all but ruled out most of the usual candidates for the captaincy, forcing Fantasy managers to look elsewhere for the armband.

With a whole host of options mentioned this week, the Captain Sensible article is here to help you work out who you should be backing.

We’ll be assessing the statistical form of Premier League players over their last four matches and will compare them against the defensive numbers posted by their upcoming opponents.

As this article uses data from the Fantasy Football Scout Members Area, only those who are signed up either through a monthly or season-long package will be able to access it in full.

Captain Poll

After weeks of domination by Jamie Vardy (£10.1m), the captain poll is topped by Marcus Rashford (£9.1m) for Gameweek 18, although it’s not a particularly large lead for him.

The Manchester United forward has earned backing from 18.1% of the voters ahead of a trip to Watford on Sunday afternoon.

Despite a blank against Everton last time out, Rashford has attacking returns in five of his last six Premier League outings, amassing a total of five goals and two assists in that time, helped, of course, by his role in Manchester United penalties.

Watford may have shown some defensive improvement against Liverpool, in their first match with Nigel Pearson at the helm, but they have still struggled against the so-called top-six this season.

In six matches against such opposition in 2019/20, the Hornets have conceded at least twice on five occasions, including most recently at Anfield in Gameweek 17.

Not far behind Rashford is Son Heung-min (£10.1m) ahead of Spurs’ meeting with Chelsea on Sunday afternoon.

Despite blanking at Manchester United and Wolves in his last two away trips, the South Korean has attacking returns in every home match under Jose Mourinho so far.

He registered two assists when Bournemouth came to north London in Gameweek 14 and got himself a goal and assist in the Gameweek 16 crushing of Burnley.

Chelsea make the short journey north in Gameweek 18 still without a clean sheet on the road this season. In fact, they have conceded 17 times on the road, only Everton (18), Watford (19) and Aston Villa (19) have let in more goals on their travels so far.

Kevin de Bruyne‘s (£10.3m) incredible 19-point haul against Arsenal means he is the only asset from Saturday evening’s hard to call clash between Manchester City and Leicester receiving much consideration for the Gameweek 18 captaincy.

13.6% of our voters have declared the Belgian the best candidate for the armband this week in spite of the Foxes’ defensive record.

Brendan Rodgers’ men will come to Manchester having still conceded the fewest goals this season (11) and the highest number of clean sheets (seven), three of which were secured in their last four away trips.

Raúl Jiménez (£7.5m) heads up the chasing pack as Wolves travel to Norwich. The Canaries have the second-worst defensive record this season, having conceded 35 goals in the first 17 matches of the campaign.

That said, Daniel Farke’s men did manage to restrict Leicester to a 1-1 draw last time out. Either way, Jiménez, backed by 7.9% of the voters, has attacking returns in eight of his last 10 Premier League outings, a fairly impressive level of consistency.

Richarlison (£7.9m) is not far off the Wolves man, with the support of 7.6% ahead of Arsenal’s visit to Goodison Park. The Gunners remain defensively poor while the Everton man has goals in four of his last six.

Jack Grealish (£6.2m) has certainly not alienated Fantasy managers after missing a penalty at Sheffield United last week. 5.4% of our voters have backed him for the Gameweek 18 captaincy as Southampton, without a clean sheet since Gameweek 5, come to Villa Park. The midfielder has four attacking returns in his last three home starts.

4.5% is where we find Vardy ahead of the clash with Manchester City. It is possible that the forward has been somewhat unfairly overlooked by voters this time around.

Vardy has attacking returns in each of his last nine outings while Manchester City have kept just one clean sheet at home since Gameweek 8, Wolves, Southampton, Chelsea and Manchester United all finding the net at the Etihad Stadium between then and now.

Dele Alli (£8.7m) and Harry Kane (£10.9m) are both backed by 3.8% ahead of facing Chelsea. The midfielder has proved more reliable under Mourinho, returning in all but one match, while Kane has blanked three times.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£10.8m) has four attacking returns across his last two away matches (Norwich and West Ham), which has encouraged 2.9% of our voters to back him for the captaincy when Arsenal travel to Everton.

Danny Ings (£6.4m) was arguably unfortunate not to get a hat-trick against West Ham so has been handed the backing of 2.9% in the poll for a meeting with Aston Villa, who have conceded more penalty box shots than any other side this season.

Raheem Sterling (£11.8m), John Lundstram (£5.2m), James Ward-Prowse (£5.9m) and Tammy Abraham (£8.0m) are the only other options with more than 1% support in the poll.

Player statistics – Last four matches

1,007 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Godfrey
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    I want Maddisson and Mousset out but I can't find good replacements 🙂

    1. Fit_to_drop
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      I saw a similar theme. Lots of 'mid-priced' midfielders either flatlining or faced with bad fixtures. Id still keep Madds, think he is about the best of that lot.

    2. CONNERS
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Grealish and Maupay?

    3. LochineFDC
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Fleck and Rashford

    4. oyabbat247
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      consider richarlison for madisson. good upcoming fixtures but on four yellow cards.

  2. FC Hakkebøf
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    GTG? Surely nothing worth a hit here?

    Gazza
    Soy Lundstram Aurier
    Sterling (C) KDB Son Pulisic
    Vardy Rashford Abraham
    _____
    Button; Hayden TAA Reid

    0.4 itb

    Got enough ITB to get one of Salah/Mane if my Sterling punt fails

    1. Soto Ayam
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Puli for greals if FT?

      1. FC Hakkebøf
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Don't have a FT :/

    2. Kaiser123
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Solid team. Think the average this week will be 35-45 points.

  3. The Colonel
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    2 FTs.

    1) TAA + Pulisic > Targett and Son
    2) TAA + Tammy > Targett and Kane

    1. Soto Ayam
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      1

    2. FC Hakkebøf
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      1

    3. CC22
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Definitely 1.

  4. Fit_to_drop
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    What are the chances that Greenwood will start for MU this weekend? At a minimum I expect him to get a half an hour (which might be a reason to select him as a 3rd striker - over a so/so defender say)

    1. FC Hakkebøf
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      He will see gametime over Christmas but whether or not it will be this week is uncertain

  5. The Colonel
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Get rid of Madisson or Pulisic?

    1. DycheDycheBaby
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Pulisic

    2. Fit_to_drop
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Yes to latter, No to former

  6. Tinmen
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Anyone going Sterling captain?

  7. Kaiser123
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    GTG me thinks 0.8ITB
    Gaz
    Lund Kelly Rico
    KDB Alli Mad Grealish
    Vardy Tammy Ings

    Soy TAA Mane

  8. LochineFDC
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Any one going for lundstram captain this week?

    1. MaSt1989
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      yep 😉 no risk no fun

  9. DycheDycheBaby
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    What would you do?
    1) Get Son for -4 (double up with Alli)
    2) Play Hayden (Home vs CRY)

    1. Kuzser
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      2

    2. Kaiser123
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Go fo Son. Think Spurs will want to kill Chelsea. Spurs at home since Mou took over have been really good.

  10. Flynny
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Sorry....bottomed....really stuck here on best option.. 3.6m itb Thanks

    Pope
    Aurier lunds kelly Rico (soy)
    Kdb Alli Madison (mane nakamba)
    Vardy abraham jiminez

    A......madison to son (c)

    B.......mane to son (c).... and prob get Salah in a week or 2

    Thanks

    1. cheese XL
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      B

  11. Ole.
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Not much talk of the winter break here yet, going to throw the cat amongst the pigeons!

    1. SADIO SANÉ
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      It will be borderline irrelevant

  12. Kane Train
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Best replacement for TAA?

    Already have Rico, Soy & Lundstram

  13. The 12th Man
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Anyone else think Magnus Carlsen might be Free Hitting this week?

    1. Fit_to_drop
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      He could get away with it if he had 1/2 FT's in the bank. To change Simpson and Dendo. Even 1 would get him by probably as he has the big Spurs pair and two good strikers.

    2. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Selling a Pool player should get him 11

    3. Fit_to_drop
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      I think he will keep it until the DGW's

    4. Pinturicchio10
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Couldn't care less.

    5. Lionac
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Would you rather consider Kane or Alli to double up on Spurs attack ?

      1. Pinturicchio10
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Alli. Kane is a waste of funds.

        • ljuta zena
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Kane captaining increase my rank 900.000 up in two weeks, actualy

      2. EL tridente
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Best transfer to make?
        A) Diop to Kelly
        B) Diop to Fernandez
        C) Robbo to Maguire
        D) Salah to KDB

      3. Kane Train
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Best replacement for TAA?

        Already have Rico, Soy & Lundstram.

      4. Bouncebackability
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        That’s killed the Otamendi reunion then

      5. AbsolutelyNoIdea
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Play Mousett or Chilwell

      6. iL PiStOlErO
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        In top 5 transfers out this gw three of them are Che boys (Mount, Tammy and Puli). I also sold Puli this week but will monitor Che(especially Tammy) against Spurs cause next game they have Sout at home.

        So everyone losing faith in Che? Or will you bring them back if they do good against Spurs?

        1. Twisted Saltergater
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Great fixtures after Spurs. Just own Tammy for now.

      7. Twisted Saltergater
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Pep Guardiola: "Both [Aguero and Stones] had training sessions, they made two training sessions with the team. David Silva, no."

        KdB(c)

        1. Edwardio
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          will Aguero start ??

          1. Longlatini
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 6 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            No

      8. Threat Level Midnight
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Do we expect Pieters to hold his place this GW?

      9. Dirty Harry
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        GTG lads?

        Guaita
        Lund Aurier Rico
        KDB Son(C) Alli Grealish
        Vardy Rash Mousset

        Subs: Soyu Tomori Mane

      10. paul1964
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE CAPTAIN POLL - it is coming up as UNTITLED POLL and I can't vote for anyone as there are no players to vote for.

        1. Holmes
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Issue on your side I guess

      11. Grounderz
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Start Kelly or Rico?

        1. Longlatini
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Rico

      12. BATISTUTA ®
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Any brave Aguero(C) ?????? 😀

      13. gonzalocampos
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        HELP: Heading to the UK from Miami for Liverpool vs. West Ham on Feb 24. The game is sold out already, I called the club for hospitality but 1 ticket is €460. I am willing to pay but...any advice to get tickets at Anfield?

      14. sthelenslad92
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Feeling good about captaining Grealish!

      15. CroatianHammer
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Tammy (C)? Sterling (C)?
        GW19 not so easy.