Jamie Vardy restarts the party; Wilfried Zaha sparkles to keep a sprawling Robert Snodgrass in check, Gylfi Sigurdsson remains relentless, while Theo Walcott and Mesut Ozil take their turn to shine for Arsenal. Here’s the Stock Check following Saturday’s action…
On The Rise
Wilfried Zaha
An outstanding display from the Crystal Palace winger saw him deliver his biggest return of the season and promote him as the top Fantasy Premier League (FPL) transfer target overnight.
Now priced at 5.5, Zaha nonetheless appears to offer superb value given his current level of confidence and form.
Incredibly, he has now delivered seven assists in his last seven Gameweeks, with his three goals lifting him to second only to Watford’s Etienne Capoue for value in midfield.
The latest in a line of fourth midfielder options to come to the fore, Zaha may have the staying power to see off the likes of Matt Phillips, Joe Allen and Robert Snodgrass.
However, with fixtures against Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal in the next four, Zaha’s ability to deliver consistently will be tested.
In addition, having recently declared himself available to the Ivory Coast for the Africa Cup of Nations, we need to consider that Zaha may be absent from Gameweek 21 for up to a month, missing some plum Palace fixtures.
Christian Benteke
It’s now four goals in as many Gameweeks for the Belgian, who stroked home his spot-kick at Hull City with the confidence of a player in form.
With Southampton’s Charlie Austin stricken by a shoulder injury and Sunderland’s Jermain Defoe producing a blank at Swansea City, Benteke’s stock as a third striker option has been boosted.
However, those forthcoming Palace fixtures provide an obvious need for caution.
Robert Snodgrass
A performance perhaps overshadowed by his apparent dive for his opening spot-kick in the 3-3 draw with Palace, Snodgrass nonetheless fetched 10-points to demonstrate his worth as a 5.5 midfield option.
The goal and assist returns ended a run of three blanks but with ties against Manchester City and Spurs in the next three Gameweeks, it remains to be seen if Snodgrass can follow it up.
Zaha’s performance in Saturday’s 3-3 KCOM stadium has, at least temporarily, also lifted the Eagles winger above Snodgrass in the low-to-mid price bracket.
Gylfi Sigurdsson
The Swansea City schemer underlined his value, both to Bob Bradley’s side and our Fantasy squads, with a second double-figure return of the campaign.
Sigurdsson has now delivered a goal or an assist in eight of his last twelve Gameweeks – an incredible consistency for an asset in a struggling side.
With the fixture list remaining strong over the coming month and further confidence gained by Saturday’s 3-0 victory over Sunderland, there appears to be little downside to Sigurdsson as an investment.
Fernando Llorente
The Spaniard followed up his brace against Crystal Palace in Gameweek 13 with a second double in Saturday’s vital victory over the Black Cats.
Priced at just 6.1, Llorente has immediately earned the attention of those still shipping the injured Charlie Austin, with the Swans striker second only to Zaha for FPL transfer traffic overnight.
Fixtures are certainly in his favour, although a starting role is still in question regardless of his form, with Bob Bradley still toying with Sigurdsson in the false nine for away matches.
Jordi Amat
While Bradley continues to shuffle his defence, Amat has now started the last four Premier League outings and helped the Swans to their first clean sheet since Gameweek 9 and only a third of the season.
Priced at just 4.1 and with fixtures falling kindly, if Saturday’s shut-out offers indication of Swans improvement at the back, Amat looks placed to provide great value. He does, however, remain a caution from a one-match ban.
Jamie Vardy
Without a goal since the Gameweek 4 tap-in at Anfield, Vardy returned to the scoresheet in spectacular style with his first ever Premier League hat-trick in the 4-2 win over Manchester City.
Owned by just 8.9% of FPL managers following his price hike and the severe dip in form, Vardy could now be set to enjoy a recovery as a differential asset for our forward lines.
That hefty price of 9.3 still dampens the enthusiasm, however.
Despite the stunning 17-point return, given the competition for funds in midfield and with the likes of Diego Costa and Harry Kane settled in our squads, Vardy remains on the periphery.
Theo Walcott
Overshadowed by Alexis Sanchez in recent weeks, Walcott delivered his seventh goal of the season to move third in the overall Fantasy Premier League standings. Only Sanchez and Eden Hazard have provided more points.
Walcott seemed rejuvenated by the introduction of Hector Bellerin, a factor which could go some way to explain his recent statistical slump in the Spaniard’s absence.
Arsene Wenger opted to give Walcott the full 90 minutes having used him from the bench in the Champions League in midweek. It remains to be seen if that leads to the winger being rested at Everton on Tuesday.
Mesut Ozil
There should be no such issues surrounding Ozil, who remains an assured starter following a second successive goal, taking him to five for the season.
While Sanchez mustered just a single assist, Ozil and Walcott took their opportunity to remind us of the quality elsewhere in Wenger’s midfield.
Hector Bellerin
Back in the matchday squad following an ankle injury, the Spanish full-back was introduced early for the hamstrung Shkodran Mustafi.
He immediately resumed his raids down the right, contributing the assist for Walcott’s goal.
While Arsenal conceded and now boast just a single clean sheet in their last eight Gameweeks, Bellerin offered a reminder of his attacking qualities.
Gabriel
Despite Bellerin’s return, the injury to Mustafi, which could sideline him until the New Year, now elevates Gabriel further in our thinking.
The Brazilian moved alongside Laurent Koscielny in central defence on Mustafi’s withdrawal and, should he cement that role for the next month, he would undoubtedly offer the optimum route into the Arsenal rearguard at just 4.8.
At that price, it makes it far more palatable to gamble on the Gunner’s current defensive form, particularly with favourable fixtures to come.
Nathan Ake
Extending his run to four consecutive starts, the Chelsea loanee may just have cemented himself in Eddie Howe’s plans.
A major threat at set-pieces, Ake has risen in price to 4.3 but could still represent value if we can be totally convinced on the security of his starts.
While both Charlie Daniels and Simon Francis offered attacking returns in the defeat to Burnley, Ake’s price currently gives him the edge when considering the Cherries backline.
Adam Smith is the other variable. He was deployed on the right side of midfield as a result of Daniels’ return to the side. That saw Jack Wilshere drop to the bench.
Priced at 4.8, Smith’s potential as an out of position prospect requires monitoring.
Romelu Lukaku
Back on the scoresheet after four successive blanks, this time the Everton striker managed to overcome another abject display from the Toffees to deliver points.
However, with Arsenal and Liverpool up next, it seems unlikely that confidence in the Belgian will recover just yet. Those short-term fixtures, plus the loss of penalties to Leighton Baines, remain factors that damage Lukaku’s status against rival striker assets.
Jose Holebas
Without attacking returns since his goal in Gameweek 8 at Middlesbrough, the Greek wing-back delivered on his set-piece promise with two dead-ball assists.
While Watford face tests against Manchester City and Spurs over their next four, Holebas’ contribution offered a reminder that he can offer handy returns regardless of clean sheet potential.
Stefano Okaka
A brace in just his second start for the Hornets, the 5.3 Italian is now another to monitor in the budget striker bracket.
In Decline
Leroy Fer
Dropped to the bench as one of five changes from Bob Bradley, Fer’s recent ascent following his two-goal haul against Palace has hit the buffers.
There is no doubt that Sigurdsson presents the key option in Bradley’s midfield contingent and, in a week where Zaha and Snodgrass produced, Fer’s stock as a low-to-mid price option suffers a severe blow.
Kelechi Iheanacho
Acquired by more than 200,000 FPL managers ahead of Manchester City’s trip to the King Power Stadium, Iheanacho replaced Sergio Aguero in the starting line-up as expected but was hooked before the hour-mark after an ineffectual display.
The Nigerian suffered from a bitterly disappointing City performance but would now seem at risk for the midweek home encounter with Watford, with Pep Guardiola perhaps considering Nolito or even Kevin De Bruyne in a false nine role.
Kevin De Bruyne
Currently being left behind in the battle of the midfield big-hitters, De Bruyne last found the net back in Gameweek 5 and has struggled to justify his lofty 10.8 price tag as a result.
The Belgian continues to provide regular assists but that is hardly enough to turn heads given the stronger recent output of Zaha in that area.
Laurent Koscielny
With Bellerin now returned and Gabriel perhaps emerging as a budget route into the Arsenal defence in Mustafi’s absence, there are increasing question marks over Koscielny’s 21.4% ownership.
One clean sheet in the last eight Gameweeks has limited the Frenchman’s returns and, given his 6.6 price tag, Koscielny is becoming increasingly difficult to justify.
Troy Deeney
The Watford striker has now gone eight Gameweeks without a goal and spurned several chances against Everton, while Okaka took his opportunity to impress.
Deeney’s status, even as Watford’s forward of choice, is now in question.
