Pro Pundits

The best FPL players to buy ahead of Blank Gameweek 31

Six-time top 5k finisher Utkarsh Dalmia – aka Zophar –  highlights some of the leading Fantasy Premier League candidates for a Free Hit squad.


Fantasy Premier League managers are just picking up the pieces from what was supposed to be a Double Gameweek 29 but we can waste no time brooding, with the season-defining run-in approaching and Blank Gameweek 31 looming large.

I’m not going into chip strategy too much in this piece, with that topic having already been discussed in a recent article.

Instead, I’m focusing on players who I believe are good picks for a Free Hit squad in Gameweek 31 or for you to acquire now.

Most of you will know this by now but the Premier League fixtures going ahead in Gameweek 31 are:

Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Bournemouth
Liverpool vs Crystal Palace
Burnley vs Watford
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham

First off, let’s have a look at the xGOT (expected goals on target) non-penalty data from the last four Gameweeks to see which of these teams are showing form in attack:



In terms of my own team, Ayoze Pérez (£6.2m) is likely to make way for Sarr ahead of Saturday’s deadline.

I’m unsure if I’m going to use the Free Hit chip in Gameweek 31 as I only have four active players right now (Alexander-Arnold, Salah, Doherty and Jimenez) but with the Sarr transfer this week, I can get to seven by subsequently transferring in Jota and Mané for a hit.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.1m) and Harvey Barnes (£6.1m) are the candidates to drop out.

The only players I would likely miss out on would be Pope, Antonio, Wood and another defender, so that’s a decision I’ll be making closer to the date.

Hope you enjoyed reading and good luck with whatever strategy you decide.


An FPL veteran of 10 seasons, Utkarsh Dalmia has been a member of the site right since 2009 and has finished in the top 5k in six of those campaigns, with a best finish of 17th in 2010. A Chelsea fan based in India, he relies heavily on statistics for his FPL decision-making process.

1,044 Comments Post a Comment
  1. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Wow what a finish that was

    1. DMP
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Sory. What a pass from Félix.

  2. Yank Revolution
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    O M G Llorente

  3. Colonel Shoe 肝池
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    thank feck

  4. Gnu
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Trollboy calls Firmino rubbish.
    Firmino scores.
    Not the quickest of learners is he.

  5. FOO FIGHTER
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    OMG

  6. Niho992
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Adrian you idiot

  7. Tasty Jerk
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Yeessssssssssssssssss! Get in!

  8. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    What a clown adrian

  9. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    FECK OFF

  10. Tinmen
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Does away goals count in extra time folks ?

    1. Yank Revolution
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Yes

  11. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Adrian LMAO. Pool supporters with flash backs about Karius

    1. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Could not put it better myself 😀

  12. FOO FIGHTER
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Adrian, WTF 😀

  13. Stoic
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Wow Adrian can get more and more shocking

  14. KGFC
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Lovely assist by Adrian 😆

    1. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      He really is rubbish

      1. KGFC
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Even that’s an understatement for him

  15. Cok3y5murf
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Klopp gonna spank Adrian in the dressing room

    1. Stoic
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      He's been a bad boy

  16. Yank Revolution
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Plenty of time for a third Liverpool...

    1. Epic Fail
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      And another Adrian mess up.

  17. nerd_is_the_werd
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    That's Gomez and TAA clean sheet both gone, fu Adrian!

  18. KGFC
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Klopp should try Milner as a keeper... surely he’ll be better than Adrian!!

  19. Syd.
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Where is Rocky when you need him?

  20. The Mandalorian
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Adrian had nothing to do goes and kicks the ball at three Madrid attackers.

  21. Elly88 > KTR (Kevin The …
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Trst me Mane or Salah will settle this...

  22. Now I'm Panicking
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Morata coming on just to rub in how bad they are

  23. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Official: Daniele Rugani has Coronavirus

    https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comments/fh5arr/_/

    😮

    1. Hotdogs for Tea
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      who ?

      1. jason_ni
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Pretty decent Italian cb for Juventus.

  24. Hotdogs for Tea
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    OMG Liverpool out of CL and having PL stolen from them by CR19 😉

    1. Gnu
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Buggu'd

  25. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Good news for Liverpool. Atletico going down to ten men now as morata subs on

    1. EmreCan Hustle
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      They have Adrian. 10 vs 10.

  26. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Morata 😆

  27. FOO FIGHTER
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Would be terrible to go out winning the match.

    1. Epic Fail
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Champions doing what the champions do best.

      1. _Ninja_
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        😀

  28. KGFC
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    IF a Morata goal, what scenes!!

  29. woodsy1970
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Adrian on par with Roberto as worst goalkeeper in premier league. Darlow also poor.

  30. aborg
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Adrian is just another Karius. Full of stupid mistakes. We can lose this because of him.
    Liverpool need Alisson badly.

    1. Hotdogs for Tea
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      you pay for what you get