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Last season, I attempted a Fantasy Premier League preview to assess which Everton players fantasy football owners should buy, avoid, and keep an eye on. Here’s how I did:
* All rankings based on players who recorded at least one point last season—newly-promoted players not included *
Players to buy:
Richarlison - 123 points (7 goals, 6 assists) ranked 14th out of 45 forwards
Dominic Calvert-Lewin - 165 points (16 goals, 6 assists) ranked 5th out of 45 forwards
Lucas Digne - 120 points (9 assists, 9 clean sheets) ranked 16th out of 126 defenders
All-in-all, not too shabby. Richarlison struggled a bit during the season, along with Digne who didn’t provide quite the same firepower as he has in previous seasons. Unfortunately, effort on the pitch does not equate to Fantasy, or else I would expect their point totals to be much higher. Calvert-Lewin again put in a great shift.
Players to avoid:
Jordan Pickford - 114 points (10 clean sheets, 39 goals conceded, 89 saves) ranked 13th out of 30 goalkeepers
Séamus Coleman - 81 points (3 assists, 8 clean sheets) ranked 51st out of 126 defenders
No real surprise here. A strong Euros should help Pickford’s confidence a bit heading into the new season. Coleman doesn’t quite have the legs that he used to.
Players to keep an eye on:
Moise Kean - N/A
Anthony Gordon - N/A
James Rodríguez - 101 points (6 goals, 5 assists) ranked 42 out of 157 midfielders
James could have certainly doubled those numbers if it weren’t for injuries. Kean and Gordon will look to make an impact this season after loan spells.
With a new manager in charge and several players coming back from loans/injuries/international duty, it may take some time for the squad to rekindle their chemistry. Nevertheless, I’m back again to tell you which Everton players to buy, which to avoid, and which to keep an eye on for the upcoming FPL season.
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Players to buy
Dominic Calvert-Lewin - £8.0
This one is a no-brainer. DCL finished 3rd in goals scored out of all forwards, only behind Bamford and Kane. I think he’s a bargain at £8.0 and with Gray/Townsend coming in, I expect him to have better service as well.
Honorable Mentions - Jordan Pickford - £5.0, Lucas Digne - £5.5
As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t justify putting these two on my list. I believe there are much better value players out there. However, I believe a strong Euros performance will give Pickford a boost while Digne should remain consistent.
Players to avoid
Jonjoe Kenny - £4.5
The price tag looks tasty, however, it’s a surprise that Kenny hasn’t left the club yet. While featuring in pre-season action, it doesn’t seem like there is a future at the club for the 24-year-old. I really wanted to put Kenny as one of my players to keep an eye on, but I expect Everton to sign a rightback before the transfer window closes, and I still think Godfrey/Holgate would fill the void if Séamus Coleman doesn’t make the cut.
Jean-Phillipe Gbamin - £4.5
Another tempting price tag. While a big comeback season is expected from the 25-year-old, I don’t see much Fantasy value here.
Players to keep an eye on
Richarlison - £7.5
After competing in both the Copa América and Olympics for Brazil this summer, I am a bit skeptical as to how Richarlison will start the season. He could be full of energy after winning Gold in the Olympics, or he could be completely gassed after the first few weeks. Regardless, he is definitely one to keep an eye on, though I wish his price tag was just a tad lower.
James Rodríguez - £7.0
Frankly, it’d be a miracle if James stuck around before the end of the summer transfer window. There have been countless numbers of reports of him seeking a move elsewhere; however, if the Colombian were to stay, I believe he will have a great second season with the club. The only thing holding him back is his injury history, which kept him out for a good part of last season. If he does stay, I’d give it a few weeks to see where exactly he fits into the new manager’s plans.
Séamus Coleman - £5.0
If Everton’s transfer plans don’t work out and a new rightback is not brought in, I could see Coleman playing a part in the upcoming season. He isn’t getting any younger and a few defenders could fill in, but I think this is a wait-and-see kind of pick.
Moise Kean - N/A
While not yet in the game, I believe Kean will be a key component this season. Similar to James, there is speculation he may move on from the club, but if he doesn’t, I think he will make his impact after scoring 13 goals for PSG last season.
Andros Townsend and Demarai Gray - £5.5
Two new wingers brought in who I anticipate will fit into the team quite well. It’s not certain yet if they will both start together or if one will come off the bench, however, they both bring a liveliness to the wing that Everton have been lacking for years.
With the transfer window closing August 31st, a few more players could come and go. Be sure to stay up to date at Royal Blue Mersey for all the latest transfer news. But for now, this list should help lead you to Fantasy Premier League glory.
Best of luck this season,
Pat (team name: How You Lewin?)
Interested in playing Fantasy Football? Sign up for the Royal Blue Mersey League by clicking here to automatically join (or use code hu2v4y) and test your skills against fellow Blues. Best of luck!