With many Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers planning to Bench Boost in Double Gameweek 33, we’ve picked out some of the best budget options on offer in each category.
Not far off 20% of the site readers in our sidebar vote said they are planning to activate the Bench Boost chip this week, making it the second-most popular option behind Double Gameweek 36.
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GOALKEEPERS AND DEFENDERS (sub-£5.0m)
Kasper Schmeichel (£4.8m) is an appealing goalkeeper for those activating their Bench Boost chip in Double Gameweek 33, with Leicester City scheduled to play twice against Newcastle United and Everton. Brendan Rodgers’ side aren’t exactly in stellar defensive form, but have kept a couple of clean sheets in their last six outings, conceding just five goals. Across the season, it’s also worth noting that Schmeichel ranks fourth for saves (103) and joint-fifth for bonus (10) among ‘keepers. Another appealing factor is that he is nailed, which given the Foxes’ European schedule, isn’t the case for budget defender picks like Wesley Fofana (£4.3m) and Daniel Amartey (£4.0m).
Martin Dubravka (£4.4m), meanwhile, is a solid alternative in goal, and injury permitting someone we can rely on for two starts in Gameweek 33. In his last 11 appearances, he has kept four clean sheets, averaging 4.1 points per match, while his +1.40 xG prevented figure only trails three other goalkeepers in that time. Following Friday’s clean sheet against Wolverhampton Wanderers, which notably saw Dubravka collect bonus, Newcastle United have now conceded only 13 goals in their last 13 outings, and five of those arrived in the heavy defeat at Tottenham Hotspur in Gameweek 31, highlighting the defensive improvements made under Howe. Fabian Schar (£4.4m), Dan Burn (£4.4m) and Matt Targett (£4.7m) are alternative cheap options at the back, with the former taking on a share of free-kicks of late.
Budget defender Ben White (£4.6m) is another appealing option at the back, despite Arsenal faltering in their last couple of games. Luckily for the Gunners, it’s Southampton up first in Gameweek 33 – and they seem like the perfect opposition for rediscovering form. White’s partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes (£5.4m) has gone from strength to strength in recent months, with the duo keeping their 13th clean sheet in 27 league starts together at Villa Park in Gameweek 30, both collecting bonus points in the process. White has proven to be one of the bargain FPL buys of the season, too: his total of 105 points is only beaten by Max Kilman (£4.6m) among the sub-£4.9m options in any position.
Diogo Dalot (£4.2m) feels a little risky with Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£5.1m) lurking, so a better bet may be Charlie Taylor (£4.4m) or Tino Livramento (£4.3m), both of whom ‘double’ in Gameweek 33. Of the single Gameweek options, Emerson Royal (£4.5m) is worth considering in light of Matt Doherty’s (£4.9m) injury in Gameweek 32. The former Barcelona man bagged a goal in Gameweek 31 and has an appealing home match against goal-shy Brighton and Hove Albion in Saturday’s early kick-off.
MIDFIELDERS (sub-£6.0m)
Following damaging defeats against Crystal Palace and Brighton, cut-price midfielder Gabriel Martinelli (£5.3m) probably isn’t at the top of many FPL managers shopping lists, but he does present an intriguing differential to the more popular (and expensive) Bukayo Saka (£6.8m), not least because his minutes-per-expected goals (xG) figure is better than all of the other Arsenal midfield regulars in 2021/22:
It has been a case of one step forward, one step back for Leicester this season, but they are now starting to get into their stride. Following Sunday’s 2-1 win against Crystal Palace, they have now lost just one of their last six Premier League matches, winning four. It is no coincidence that form has coincided with a number of Brendan Rodgers’ big-hitters returning, although Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (£4.4m) has remained first-choice, and has now started the last 15 Premier League matches in a row. The 23-year-old bagged his first double-digit haul of the season in Gameweek 31, while only James Maddison (£6.9m) has created more chances amongst team-mates in the last six matches, which isn’t bad for just £4.4m.
Maxwel Cornet (£5.9m), meanwhile, is the pick of the Burnley attackers given the uncertainty around who starts up front in Gameweek 33, while Bruno Guimaraes (£4.9m) is a cheaper ‘doubler’ at Newcastle. The Brazilian’s stats aren’t anything to shout about – he has managed five shots in the box across his last six appearances – but he is one of the more advanced midfielders in Eddie Howe’s 4-3-3 formation.
Of the ‘single’ Gameweek options, you could do a lot worse than consider Christian Eriksen (£5.6m) – or cheaper still Bryan Mbeumo (£5.2m) – at Brentford. Since making his return against Newcastle in February, the former has scored three goals and registered one assist across seven appearances for club and country, while Mbeumo has racked up one goal and four assists in his last three outings. With a trip to Watford in Double Gameweek 33, plus an appealing run-in which sees the Bees finish up with Southampton, Everton and Leeds United, the duo might just be worth considering.
FORWARDS (sub-£6.0m)
This is where it gets tricky, with a real lack of appealing budget forwards on offer, especially those who play twice in Gameweek 33.
If you can stretch to an Allan Saint-Maximin (£6.8m) or Chris Wood (£6.7m) that is probably advisable, although that of course won’t be possible for everyone.
That leaves Armando Broja (£5.5m) as one of the better options, who will at least be fully-rested as he was ineligible to face his parent club Chelsea in Gameweek 32. A decent run to follow against Brighton, Crystal Palace and Brentford is also worth factoring in, for those eyeing up the Albanian international.
However, a ‘single’ Gameweek option might just be the best bet.
Jean-Philippe Mateta (£5.3m) is an intriguing budget differential, and despite not ‘doubling’ in Gameweek 33, faces Newcastle United, with appealing matches to follow against Leeds United, Southampton and Watford. The Frenchman produced his fourth goal of the campaign against Arsenal in Gameweek 31, with three of those strikes arriving in his last six appearances. In that time, he is averaging 5.2 points per start, with his tally of 12 shots in the box only one behind Wilfried Zaha (£6.8m) among team-mates. Minutes remain a bit of a concern: he has started five of the last six but has passed the 70-minute mark on just two occasions. However, if he continues to deliver, it’s hard to see him being dropped anytime soon, and given Palace’s schedule, he stands out as one of the best budget forwards on offer in FPL right now.
Finally, an alternative to Matata could be Emmanuel Dennis (£5.9m), who may come back into Roy Hodgson’s starting XI if Cucho Hernandez (£5.1m) is ruled out through injury.
