Captain Sensible

The best FPL players to own, sign or captain for Gameweek 16

Liverpool, Leeds and Burnley are the key teams for the Gameweek 16 Scout Picks.

We have included a double-up from each of these clubs as they prepare to face Newcastle, West Bromwich Albion and Sheffield United between now and Thursday.

This team was chosen by Scout Squad pundits David, Neale, Tom and Andy – and includes a longer-than-usual captaincy segment considering the lack of turnaround time for one of Jan’s excellent Captain Sensible articles.

We line-up in the 4-3-3 formation, coming in £82.0m, £1.0m inside our budget of £83.0m.

Goalkeeper

Alex McCarthy (£4.7m) remains one of the best value assets in FPL this season, offering 13.2 points per million spent, third among goalkeepers. Fresh from a 0-0 draw with Fulham, Southampton host a West Ham side who, aside from Tomas Soucek, spent large parts of Sunday afternoon offering little going forward.

Defenders

Ahead of travelling to Newcastle, Andrew Robertson (£7.3m) is joint-top for chances created among defenders over the last four matches. Meanwhile, the Magpies have failed to score in each of their last two meetings with top-six opposition this season.

João Cancelo (£5.6m) looks likely to get another start for Manchester City as they face Everton at Goodison Park. Kyle Walker remains sidelined following a positive coronavirus (COVID-19) test while Guardiola hailed Cancelo’s “regeneration and physicality” as “incredible” in his pre-match press conference. Manchester City’s defensive capabilities continue to inspire confidence. Ahead of meeting an Everton side still without Richarlison and James Rodríguez, the Citizens have conceded just one goal since Gameweek 10.

Stuart Dallas (£4.7m) is another rather locked-in defender due to absences elsewhere in his team. Leeds are still without Liam Cooper (abdomen), Robin Koch (knee) and Diego Llorente (muscle), leaving Marcelo Bielsa no choice but to keep the Northern Ireland international at right-back. While West Bromwich Albion stifled Liverpool at Anfield, we expect them to come out of the traps a little more against Leeds, leaving more spaces for exploitation than we saw on Sunday. That should benefit Dallas, who sits behind only three defenders for attempts on goal in the last four matches.

The inclusion of Charlie Taylor (£4.5m) in the Gameweek 16 Scout Picks is a relatively routine one. Burnley have kept a clean sheet in each of their last three meetings with a bottom-eight Premier League side. Meanwhile, winless basement boys Sheffield United have the worst goals per game ratio in the division after 15 Gameweeks (0.5).

Midfielders

Salah building up massive power in top 10k after Gameweek 14 haul

Despite a reputation for only delivering at Anfield, Mohamed Salah (£12.6m) has registered either a goal, assist or both in each of his last six away matches. The Gameweek 2 win at Chelsea was the last time the Egyptian blanked on the road for Liverpool, averaging 9.8 points in that time. In fact, 62 of Salah’s 120 points this season (51.7%) have come away from Anfield. So facing a Newcastle outfit with one clean sheet since Gameweek 2 looks very favourable indeed.

Fresh from another away-day double-digit haul, Bruno Fernandes (£11.1m) retains his Scout Picks place despite the short turnaround. The Portuguese international is too pivotal to Manchester United’s fortunes for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to rest him for a big clash with Wolves and his posted a double-figure score in two of his last three home matches.

Jack Grealish (£7.8m) was desperately unfortunate not to get some assists against Crystal Palace as Aston Villa managed to roll the Eagles over despite the man-disadvantage. Seeing Chelsea crumble under an out-of-form Arsenal attack suggests Grealish can continue his decent form even at Stamford Bridge, where Frank Lampard will almost certainly have to break up the back-four that has provided so much defensive stability this season.

Forwards

We expect an improved Fulham defence to park the bus at Spurs on Thursday night, but we also fancy Harry Kane (£11.0m) to make a breakthrough. He has scored or assisted in all six of Spurs’ meetings with bottom-eight sides this season. Crucially, Kane found the net in each of his last two at home against such opposition (Brighton and Arsenal).

As already mentioned, West Bromwich Albion are a lot more likely to venture forth at home against Leeds than they did at Anfield, opening up space for Patrick Bamford (£6.5m) to exploit. The Leeds forward has been excellent away from home this season, netting seven times on the road since promotion.

Chris Wood (£6.2m) is top of the league for expected goals (non-penalty) over the last four matches. That bodes well ahead of facing Sheffield United side that is yet to keep a clean sheet in 2020/21.

Substitutes

  • Sam Johnstone (£4.5m)
  • Serge Aurier (£5.2m)
  • Anwar El Ghazi (£5.7m)
  • Raphinha (£5.4m)

THE CAPTAIN

Who are the best captain options for FPL Gameweek 36+?

As there was no time for a Captain Sensible article between Gameweeks 15 and 16 today, we have condensed it into the armband section of this piece.

As this section uses data from the Fantasy Football Scout Premium Members Area, only those with a valid subscription can see it in full.

COMMUNITY CHAMPION

Each week, one of the Fantasy Football Scout community takes on the Scout Picks by pitting their chosen XI against ours.

The Community Member who beats our team by the largest margin will win a £100 Amazon Voucher and a place in our Moderators and Contributors League for the following season.

Rupert the Horse helped the Community Champions to their seventh victory of the campaign in Gameweek 15, winning by a 47-36 score-line. The Scout Picks lead 8-7 for the season.

Forever In Our Shadow takes us on for Gameweek 16 going with a 4-3-3 formation of Pope; Robertson, Alexander-Arnold, Tarkowski, Dallas; Salah (vc), Fernandes, Raphinha; Kane (c), Bamford, Wood.

AA33 is the current leader, defeating the Scout Picks by a 53-point margin in Gameweek 2.

4,776 Comments Post a Comment
  1. gellinmagellan
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    On a WC with TC 19

    A - McCarthy + Coufal + Raphinha
    B - Fabianski + Stones/Dier (have Cancelo) + Martinelli

    1. marcos11
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      A

    2. Mcster
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      A

  2. Bennyboy1907
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Johnstone
    Robbo, Dallas, Chillwell,
    Son, Salah(c), Bruno, Grealish
    Adams,Bamford,DCL

    Martinez, Coufal, Bissouma, Mitchell

    Bench and first 11 good?
    Always bench the wrong player

  3. Patson Dabaka
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Who should I bench?

    A) Reece James
    B) Aaron Cresswell

    I feel players don't get full named enough on here sometimes 🙂

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

      B
      I can see James bench for this one

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

        I mean play B

      2. Patson Dabaka
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        So bench James?

        1. Patson Dabaka
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Ok thanks man!

  4. ymx
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    McCarthy
    Zouma/Justin/KWP
    Salah/Bruno/Soucek/Podence
    DCL/Kane/Vardy

    Mitchell/Bissouma/Douglas
    2.3itb 2 ft

    A) Vardy-> Bamford + Podence -> Son
    B) Keep the same
    C) Kane -> Bamford + Podence -> Son

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

      B

  5. threeputt
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    My defence is in a real mess, I'm planning a FH in bgw18 and have a decent team (10 doubles so far) for the dgw19 if I were to keep Lindelof:

    I've already bought in Dier for Vestergard, but have no other Spurs cover for their fixtures, I'm tempted to bring in Son for Mane or Kane for Vardy but that means a -4 and less doubles for the dgw, or do I mend my defence further

    Vestergard,Gabriel, Lindelof, Phillips (Pool)

    Other defender is Justin

  6. thedarkhorse
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Seen a few posts on here about DCL being rested - surely this is nonsense?

    No chance they would rest him for this game.

    1. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Ancelotti said they would not rest for the shu game but would for the game after. DCL was a player being talked about as being rested.

      However, I don't think he'll be rested. There's no one in the squad who can play upfront. They aren't seriously gonna play Tosun upfront against City...

    2. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Ancelotti hinted he would rest players this game and also hinted he would rest DCL over the Christmas period

    3. Zimo
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Makes no difference anyways. 2 or 1 if he starts or comes off bench. Everton aren't scoring.

    4. thedarkhorse
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Cheers both. I’m sure they can’t rest him against City though, would show a complete lack of ambition

  7. OLEgend
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    So my captain picks for the last 4 weeks were Mane , Bruno,Kane,Salah all scored 2 points each and Iam captaining Salah this week, that's a warning. All the best

  8. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    G2G guys? All in order? 🙂 Going to be sleep faith in Kev roll my FT.

    McCarthy
    Robbo, Dias, C.Taylor
    Salah(C), KDB, Bruno(v), Raphinha
    DCL, Bamford, Adams
    (Johnstone, Dallas, Soucek, Coufal)

    1. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Keep* haha

  9. Footieboot
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Struijk vs Rhys Williams as a budget enabler?

    1. OLEgend
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Struijk more nailed imo

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

      Struijk

    3. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Klopp Will do everything he can to avoid playing Williams

    4. valurth
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      What about west ham Ben Johnson? Otherwise Struijk

  10. LewanGOALski
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    start:
    A) Dallas (wba)
    or
    B) Coufal (sou)
    ..?

    1. OLEgend
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Dallas

    2. Gandalf
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Dallas, more likely to get a clean sheet

  11. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    G2G guys? All in order? 🙂 Going to be keep faith in Kev roll my FT.

    McCarthy
    Robbo, Dias, C.Taylor
    Salah(C), KDB, Bruno(v), Raphinha
    DCL, Bamford, Adams
    (Johnstone, Dallas, Soucek, Coufal)

  12. Pep’s little spit bal…
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    If I use / confirm 2 free transfers in GW18 but then free hit will my GW19 team have the transfers made or revert to team I had end of GW17

    1. cigan
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      it will have them made if you confirm them before activating free hit

    2. Gobigorgohome
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      17

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

      Reverted to end of GW17 team

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

      i think it will revert.... could be wrong though

    5. Pep’s little spit bal…
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Ok thanks all

    6. CAP
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Pretty sure it reverts them

    7. AllGonePozzo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Definitely reverts

  13. MattysFantasyFooty
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Adams or Wood for DCL?

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

      Adams

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

      I went Adams

  14. 03farmboy
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Would you make any changes to this wildcard team?

    McCarthy, Sanchez
    Chilwell, Justin, Kwp, Targett, balbuena
    Salah, bruno, Son, soucek, Saka
    Kane, bamford, Calvert-Lewin

    1. tom2224
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Chilwell to Dias

    2. Shineonme
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      I'd rather Adams over DLC . Easier games and Adams had DGW in gw19

    3. Cabra
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Raphina instead of Saka.
      Saka plays wingback for a bus-parking team out of form.
      Raphina plays in an attacking position for Leeds.
      You can Also pick Klich or any of the other Leeds midtfielders.

  15. Halftime
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    I'm benching Cancelo in favor of Dallas, Chilwell and Dier this GW. Does that seem like a good idea? I know Villa will probably score against Chelsea but Chilwell does offer a threat going forward.

    1. Dannyb
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      No way I'd bench Cancelo mate

      1. Halftime
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Who would you swop out for him?

    2. thegaffer82
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Did u watch Cancelo last game?

      He’s the last player I’d bench

      1. Halftime
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        I didn't actually, that's interesting

        1. Gandalf
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Pep loves him at the moment also

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

      Cancelo involved in most of City's attacks last games, looks set to explode at some point soon, I wouldn't bench

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

      Thanks all, I'll definitely play him in that case.

  16. Tsparkes10
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Worth doing Taylor to Lowton or Dallas to Alioski incase antonio is fit... (need money for adams to Antonio )

    1. OLEgend
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      No..wait

  17. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Play one:

    A) Coufal vs Southampton
    B) Ampadu vs Burnley

    A looks easier and the more obvious pick but a player from a relegation battling team against a team that is less attacking than Southampton can prove to be good.

  18. Ten Season Wonder
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Which two please? (I’m on wildcard)

    A). Trent & Sonny
    B). Balbuena & Manè

    1. cigan
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      A

    2. tom2224
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      A

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

      A

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

      A

    5. Boxwoods
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Prefer A long term, but if you will FH 18 and BB 19, B could work in the short term.

      Probably still A, though.

  19. Yozzer
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Final touches

    A Raphinia Rodrigo
    B Wood Anguissa
    Cheers

    1. cigan
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      B

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

      Got both this morning

  20. gstegnar
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Used my WC

    Fab - Button
    Dias - Coufal - Dier - Taylor - Justin
    Son - Bruno - Salah - Soucek - Alzate
    Kane - Bamford - Wilson

    What do you think? Can any further improvements be made? this lineup suugest FH in GW18

    1. MattysFantasyFooty
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Wilson pick doesn't make much sense

    2. tom2224
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Goalkeepers look weak

    3. cigan
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Wilson > Adams/Wood + upgrade Alzate

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

      Adams over Wilson for the dgw in 19

  21. Mattymo23
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Any reason why people aren't captaining Son? Seems like a great shout for me.

    1. cigan
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Looked tired, Spurs playing like Stoke atm

    2. tom2224
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Unnecessary risk when Bruno and salah in better form

    3. Lord.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Fulham have tightened up. I like his chances against Leeds though.

  22. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    BGW18: Free Hit
    DGW19: Bench Boost

    What a play!

    1. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Maverick

  23. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    20 points on my bench this week! Dam

    1. Danno - Emre Canada
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Beat you by one

  24. JBG
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Martinez-4.0
    Robbo-Justin-Dallas-(Nkounku-Dias)
    Kdb-Salah-Fernandes-Bowen-(Bissouma)
    DCL-Bamford-Adams

    2ft 0.8itb

    What the f... do I do with my fts?? I wanted Son and Vardy for Kdb and DCL but very unsure now, might go for Martial for DCL as a differential. And do I start Dias over any of the other defenders?

  25. FPL Touches
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Question to all the people stacking up on DGW players:

    What's your chip/WC strategy for GW18?

    I'm thinking I'll try to navigate GW18 with 8 or so players and hit the TC or BB in 19, saving the 2nd WC. GW18 looks like a low scoring week to me anyway, doesn't seem worth burning a FH if it can be avoided.

    1. jomikijiq
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      FH18

      WC24/25 probably

    2. Yankee Toffee
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Gonna navigate 18 and then FH or TC in 19. Save the BB for 26 (WC25).

  26. LanMi
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    My defence looks like this:

    Zouma-Dias-Dallas

    I have Coufal on my bench. Should I replace someone, and if yes please provide some reasoning.

    1. OLEgend
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Save

  27. Pi
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    I see mass seeling. What happened to DCL?

    1. Pi
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      *selling

    2. MattysFantasyFooty
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Stats fell off

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

      Rumors of him being bench...

    4. Gandalf
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Off form, struggling without Rich/Rodriguez, probs will start against city and then benched, no double gameweek etc.

  28. Blens
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Bench one?

    1) DCL
    2) Soucek
    3) Raphina

    (Already have Saiss and Struijk on bench)

    1. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      They say play the fwd??

  29. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Can Johnson nail down a spot in the West Ham team? Be ideal to have a 3.9 starter for the dgw!

  30. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Bench 2?

    Robbo, Dallas, Zouma, Stones, Coufal