Fantasy EFL Gameweek 1 – Top Picks for Saturday

Four matches kicked off the EFL season with a bang yesterday, and not without some controversy… The game’s top picked player Sammie Szmodics (M) of Blackburn Rovers was benched for their game against newly promoted Derby County! However those managers who didn’t spot this news, or just those of a super-calm persuasion, were still rewarded, as a 25-minute cameo from the OOP midfielder led to a goal, an assist and a 10-point haul as Blackburn romped to a 4-2 win in which eight Rovers players returned 5-point or more! Those who backed Derby’s Nathaniel Méndez-Laing (F) were also rewarded with 9-points for two assists and two key passes, whilst Curtis Nelson (D) secured eight for a goal and five clearances and fellow defender Kane Wilson’s (D) goal also earned him a solid seven.
Elsewhere in the Championship, Sheffield United’s defensive assets (including most backed Anel Ahmedhodzic (D) rewarded their backers with a clean sheet and 7-points in a 2-0 win vs Preston North End, whilst those 7.9% who selected Gustavo Hamer (M) or 0.6% for Oliver Arblaster (M) were both rewarded with a goal and 8-points a-piece, although much fancied Callum O’Hare (M) blanked for his 22% ownership.

In League One, newly promoted Mansfield Town upset the odds to beat Barnsley 2-1 away, with goalscorers Stephen Quinn (M) and Lee Gregory (F) delivering 8 points and 6 respectively and Keanu Bachus (F) picking up 5 points for an assist. Notably this game showed the power of bonus in Fantasy EFL with various other players on 3-4 points after collecting bonuses for clearances, interceptions and key passes, whilst Adedeji Oshilaja (D) weighed in with 3 tackles, 3 clearances and 2 blocks to net 5 points. However it was actually a Barnsley player who topped the points table after the first day’s games, Luke Connell (M) delivering a 12-point haul thanks to a goal (+6), aninterception (+2) and 5 key passes (+2) on top of his appearance points. Matthew Craig (M) (two interceptons) and Max Watters (F) (assist and two key passes) also returned 6-pointers for The Tykes.

The final match of the day, and the opener for the EFL League Two competition, saw much fancied Chesterfield share the spoils in a 1-1 draw with Swindon Town. Whilst most backed player Cheyenne Dunkley (D) did hold true to his reputation for clearances (with three in this game), he could only offer a 3-pointer to his 3.7% backers. Will Grigg (F) and Michael Jacobs (M) did better with 6-pointers (due to assist and interceptions respectively), whilst the rest of the midfield waded in with fours and fives (interceptions again proving key), but it was Armando Dobra (F) who proved pick of the bunch for The Spireites with 8-points thanks to a goal and two key passes. Swindon’s Will Wright (D) went one better with 9-points, thanks to a goal and four clearances, whilst his fellow defender Miguel Freckleton (D) chipped in with 7, via an assist, two tackles and three clearances and Grant Hall (D) also added 5 thanks to 6 clearances and 3 blocks – illustrating that under pressure defensive assets (Swindon faced 13 shots here and had just 37% of possession) have many routes to points in Fantasy EFL).

Don’t panic if your opening day didn’t quite go to plan though, or if you’re starting to realise something about the point scoring that makes you want to tweak selections – in this game you can change as much as you like until the respective matches kick-off – for the Championship games that’s 12:30 BST, for League Two 15:00 BST and League One 17:30 BST.

SATURDAY SELECTION SUGGESTIONS

Today, we have various ‘big hitters’ featuring, including: Leeds United, Birmingham City, Huddersfield, Wrexham and MK Dons. Let’s dive into Saturday’s EFL action and highlight some potential stars to watch, as well as players who could switch into your Fantasy EFL squad with our Top Picks!

Don’t forget, you can make changes to your Fantasy EFL team, including player/club picks and captaincy right up until kickoff. For further insight and top tips, check out our comprehensive Gameweek 1 guide.

JOIN OUR MINI-LEAGUE: We’ve also set up our own Fantasy Football Scout mini-league. Head to this link here to join or use the code JFV419AC after hitting ‘Join a league‘ in the Leagues section.

GOALKEEPERS:

Illan Meslier (Leeds United vs Portsmouth)

the obvious choice for a goalkeeper would be Illan Meslier. The Frenchman started 44 matches last season, conceding only 40 goals; averaging at 0.92 goals conceded per match. He also made 83 saves, giving him an overall save percentage of 67.8%. With their opening game being against a newly promoted side in Portsmouth, the Whites are expected to dominate their opening clash against newly promoted Portsmouth. However, expect Pompey to test Meslier throughout the afternoon, which could provide opportunities for save points.

Ryan Allsop/ Bailey Peacock-Farrell (Birmingham City vs Reading)

The obvious contender for the goalkeeper spot is Ryan Allsop, with the Blues opening their campaign with a home tie against Reading. The Bluenoses are serious title challengers in League One, looking to make a winning start to the season in front of a packed St Andrew’s. Last season, the goalkeeper kept 10 clean sheets and made 100 saves for Hull City last year, a key figure between the sticks. However, keep an eye on team news; if boss Chris Davies opts for [fellow] new signing Peacock-Farrell between the sticks, a quick swap will be needed!

DEFENDERS:

Junior Firpo (Leeds United vs Portsmouth)

While his teammate Ethan Ampadu boasts 38% ownership, Firpo offers excellent value at just 8.7% selection. With seven assists in 29 appearances last season, he’s a hidden gem with significant point-scoring potential. Don’t sleep on Firpo – he could be a hidden gem for your Fantasy EFL team this weekend.

Ricardo Santos (Leyton Orient vs Bolton Wanderers)

Bolton’s skipper is a hot pick (14.7%) among Fantasy EFL managers, with many backing the Portuguese defender.His impressive stats, including 56 tackles, 30 blocks and 165 clearances would have netted him crucial bonus points Expect more of the same this season, with added potential for attacking returns. A clean sheet could be on the cards as Bolton travel to Brisbane Road.

Mickey Demetriou (Barrow vs Crewe Alexandra)

Demetriou was one of Crewe’s standout players last season. The centre-back made a significant attacking contribution, netting eight goals and creating six assists in 46 games. Alexandra’s captain recorded 14 clean sheets, 38 tackles, and an impressive 271 clearances (5.81 per 90 minutes) in League Two. This number of clearances would have meant 90 extra bonus point for his Fantasy EFL backers. Certainly, a favourable pick for the first gameweek.

MIDFIELDERS:

Elliot Lee (Wrexham vs Wycombe Wanderers)

Lee has the potential to pose a huge threat from the middle of the park and is likely to be the main man in the opening fixture at the Racecourse Ground, with talisman Paul Mullin (23/24 Player of the Year) ruled out through injury. Lee scored 16 goals and provided five assists last season, including two penalties. With Mullin, the usual penalty taker, absent for the first match, Lee could be a valuable points contributor if Wrexham are awarded a spot-kick.

Siriki Dembele (Birmingham City vs Reading)

Despite limited game time last season with just 23 starts [33 appearances], Dembele managed an impressive six goals and one assist for Blues. Expected to feature prominently from the off this season, a drop in division could see the winger flourish. Dembele’s potential as a differential pick is intriguing, especially when compared to heavily owned team mate Alfie May (33.7%).

Luke Molyneux (Doncaster Rovers vs Accrington Stanley)

The midfielder provided nine goals and eight assists last season for Donny, featuring in 45 of their 46 matches. After setting up a goal in last season’s 4-0 thrashing, Molyneux could be instrumental in another goal-fest at the Eco-Power Stadium in League Two.

Alex Gilbey (MK Dons vs Bradford City)

Gilbey concluded the previous campaign with an impressive tally of 23 goal contributions – netting 13 times and providing 10 assists. The midfielder will be determined to help propel the Dons back into League One. He’ll be aiming to replicate his goalscoring form, having found the net in the Dons’ emphatic 4-1 win over Bradford last season.

FORWARDS:

Emmanuel Latte Lath (Middlesbrough vs Swansea City)

Lath enjoyed a prolific campaign last season, scoring 16 goals and providing one assist in 30 matches. His impressive average of 0.69 goals per 90 minutes placed him in the top 99 percentile of Championship forwards. The team’s star man netted twice against Swansea City last season and will be looking to repeat the feat this Saturday.

Georginio Rutter (Leeds United vs Portsmouth)

Rutter had an excellent campaign last season with six goals and 16 assists. He continued his impressive form throughout the Whites pre-season, scoring a screamer against Spanish giants Sevilla in their friendly match. He will certainly be one to include, especially with only 4.7% of Fantasy EFL managers currently opting for the Frenchman.

Alfie May (Birmingham City vs Reading)

May is the clear front-runner amongst Fantasy EFL managers for Gameweek 1 (33.7%). The forward was excellent last season with Charlton Athletic, winning the League One Golden Boot with 23 goals. His eye for goal has not stopped with the forward displaying some strong performances during pre-season. With fellow League One star Paul Mullin out injured, his case to be selected is even stronger.

Jodi Jones (Tranmere vs Notts County)

Jones is an obvious League Two option for Saturday, with Notts County facing Tranmere Rovers away from home. He racked up 28 goal contributions last season, scoring five goals and providing a phenomenal 23 assists. Even if he doesn’t find the net or assist a goal on Saturday, his ability to create chances means he’s almost certain to rack up points!

Kickstart your Fantasy EFL season with our Gameweek 1 guide. We’ve got you covered with Scout Picks, team reveals, captaincy tips, and further Top Picks. Fancy making some last-minute changes to your Fantasy EFL team? You’ve got until kickoff today at 12:30 BST! Decisions will be locked-in once the deadline passes.