Following this international break is the big Double Gameweek 29, where a dozen teams are set to play twice. Therefore, the season’s biggest double will see a lot of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers activate their Bench Boost chip, hoping to gain points from all 15 squad members.
Using our Season Ticker, this is how Double Gameweek 29 looks, in order of perceived difficulty.
The Bench Boost is a valuable chip and FPL managers will aim to maximise its potential by ensuring all 15 players are strong picks. However, such squad depth could bring later problems when a large percentage of the budget will remain unused each week.
That’s why the perfect Bench Boost involves players with fantastic fixtures but at a cheap price that won’t require future transfers to be spent on downgrading them.
Here are some of the best and most discussed low-priced midfielders and forwards for a Gameweek 29 Bench Boost, with goalkeepers and defenders covered yesterday.
MIDFIELDERS UP TO £5.5m
Kaoru Mitoma (£5.5m) v Brentford (h) + Bournemouth (a)
With so much focus recently going on Brighton and Hove Albion’s trio of ‘M’ midfielders, let’s keep this brief. From the Gameweek 17 restart, the Seagulls have been scoring over two goals per game, with big wins over Everton, Liverpool and West Ham United making them serious contenders for a top-four finish.
Japanese international Kaoru Mitoma first started in Gameweek 14. Six goals and five assists have arrived in the subsequent 13 league appearances, making him a strong captain contender for this promising double-header.
Alexis Mac Allister (£5.5m) v Brentford (h) + Bournemouth (a)
Whilst Mitoma is ahead on penalty area touches and goal conversion rates since Gameweek 14, Alexis Mac Allister comes out on top for shots and expected goals (xG).
Things have further improved after moving into an advanced number ten role in Gameweek 23, as he’s the league leader for xG (3.94) in this time. Alongside penalty duties, this also makes the Argentine an option for captaincy.
Solly March (£5.1m) v Brentford (h) + Bournemouth (a)
It’s been a controversial time for the owners of Solly March, having been denied credit for his goal at Leeds United. Days later, he scored the winner against Crystal Palace – his sixth since the restart, following a goalless two years.
Like Mitoma and Mac Allister, March has his own strengths from Gameweek 14 onwards, beating the pair for big chances created, shots inside the box and expected goal involvement (xGI).
If FPL managers can successfully navigate Brighton’s Blank Gameweek 32 – either with a Free Hit or regular transfers – having at least one of this trio seems almost essential, as three future doubles are yet to be scheduled.
Said Benrahma (£5.5m) v Southampton (h) + Newcastle (h)
Away from the south coast, Said Benrahma scored a big goal versus Aston Villa last time out and is a cheap alternative to Jarrod Bowen (£8.0m) for West Ham United’s pair of home fixtures.
The 2021/22 campaign began with Benrahmania, quickly rising from £6.0m to £6.6m after three goals and two assists from the first five matches. Things fizzled out from that point but he’s quietly been returning to form of late.
With 12 starts from their last 15 league games, four goals and two assists have arrived in that time. In fact, since Gameweek 13, Benrahma ranks fifth in his position for shots on target – more than any Brighton or Arsenal midfielder.
Andreas Pereira (£4.3m) v Bournemouth (a)
Ditched by many in recent weeks, Andreas Pereira reminded managers how great of a cheap option he’s been by assisting twice at Brentford in Gameweek 26.
Those that still own the Fulham playmaker will see that he only plays once in Double Gameweek 29 but it’s away to Bournemouth. We’ve seen before how one-game options can still excel, although the lack of Aleksandar Mitrovic (£6.6m) and Willian (£5.5m) will weaken their attacking threat. Saying that, he should be on penalties in the Serbs’ absence.
Perhaps Manor Solomon (£4.9m) is a good idea, after netting in four successive games between Gameweeks 23 and 26, during just 153 minutes.
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FORWARDS UP TO £6.0m
Dominic Solanke (£5.5m) v Fulham (h) + Brighton and Hove Albion (h)
Based purely on having two home fixtures, Bournemouth forward Dominic Solanke could be worth a shout. His ten goal involvements are solid numbers but the 25-year-old is goalless from Gameweek 15.
They’re the lowest-scoring team after the festive resumption but sit joint-11th for big chances, suggesting a recent upturn in attacking capabilities.
Brennan Johnson (£5.7m) v Wolverhampton Wanderers (H) + Leeds United (a)
In truth, very few appealing forwards exist below £6.0m but Brennan Johnson is the top-scoring one and is fifth overall. It had been a slow start for the Nottingham Forest man, scoring just twice before Gameweek 20.
Yet five goals have arrived over the last five home games – including in the reverse fixture with Leeds – to make him an interesting option for such an appealing Double Gameweek 29.
Since Gameweek 17, Johnson’s shots on target (14) and chances created (14) rank fifth among all forwards.
Bryan Mbeumo (£5.9m) v Brighton and Hove Albion (a) + Manchester United (a)
Slightly behind Johnson is Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo. As a cheaper alternative to Ivan Toney (£7.9m), it removes penalty kicks but also takes away the threat of an impending ban, as Toney is on nine yellow cards and has an imminent FA disciplinary hearing.
From a defensive viewpoint, it’s not an attractive pair of fixtures for the Bees but remember that they beat Man Utd 4-0 in August and have since picked up a win at Man City and a draw at Arsenal.
Evan Ferguson (£4.6m) v Brentford (h) + Bournemouth (a)
Back to Brighton, Evan Ferguson is the one truly cheap forward that has appeal. The young Irishman is likely to begin at least one of these two outings, although he’s only had five league starts and has the threat of Danny Welbeck (£6.5m).
Two FA Cup strikes against Grimsby Town now put Ferguson on six goals and two assists from 13 post-World Cup appearances (in all competitions).
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