International breaks are often popular times for Wildcards in Fantasy Premier League (FPL).
That’s the case over the current fortnight, too, with just under 50% of site readers who are yet to use the chip saying they will activate it ahead of Gameweek 9.
With them in mind, we’ll be taking a position-by-position look at the best and most discussed options in each category.
You can read a rundown of the stand-out goalkeepers here and defenders here.
The numbers and visuals you see in this piece are from our Premium Members area, where you can access Opta player and team data for every single Premier League fixture.
MOHAMED SALAH
Mohamed Salah (£12.9m) hasn’t been at his best since the start of the season, at least by his usual high standards.
However, he has still managed two goals and three assists in six starts, averaging 6.3 points per match. For context, that’s only just behind Kevin De Bruyne’s (£12.3m) tally of 6.4.
It’s just the arrival of Darwin Nunez (£8.9m), plus the departure of Sadio Mane, has meant Liverpool as a collective are still adapting to a change of playing style, which has affected the Egyptian’s output.
Indeed, Salah has gone from averaging 4.47 shots per 90 minutes last season to averaging 2.83 in 2022/23 so far. He has also been more of a facilitator this term, creating 24 chances for his teammates, more than any other Premier League player bar De Bruyne, who he is level with.
The fixtures immediately after Brighton and Hove Albion aren’t great for Liverpool but do improve from Gameweek 12 onwards, with appealing matches against West Ham United, Nottingham Forest, Leeds United and Southampton before we pause for the winter World Cup.
Salah’s role may have changed, but he is still a key part of this Liverpool attack, and it seems premature to write him off, given that he has been the highest FPL points-scorer in three of the last five campaigns.
Luis Diaz (£8.2m), meanwhile, is a cheaper alternative in the Liverpool ranks, yet other mid-price midfielders perhaps have the edge, which we’ll discuss below.
WILFRIED ZAHA
After just five Premier League starts in 2022/23, Wilfried Zaha (7.2m) already has four goals.
As a result, he is averaging 6.2 points per match and looks to be an excellent pick from Gameweeks 10-16, when Crystal Palace sit top of our Season Ticker for fixture difficulty.
In that time, the Eagles won’t face a side currently ranked in the top half of the table, with particularly appealing fixtures against all of the bottom four.
After six Premier League games, Crystal Palace are in 16th with just one win. However, they’ve had a challenging run of opponents, and the schedule should allow them to create better chances so their attacking players can thrive.
Zaha, meanwhile, ended last season with nine goals in 15 Premier League starts. He has carried that goalscoring form into 2022/23, and with an ownership of just 15.1%, is one of the top midfield targets for those on a Wildcard.
KEVIN DE BRUYNE/PHIL FODEN
1 year, 7 months agoBeen a while since I’ve let Zaha troll me. Might be time. Are there any other Palace attackers worth a thought?