Each week, FPL managers react to the events of the preceding weekend through buying and selling players in the transfer market. Player price rises and falls may occur depending on the volume of transfers made.
In this article, I’ll take a look at the key men in the Fantasy Football spotlight in terms of the top 3 players being bought and sold to give a judgement for managers looking to make a move: buy, wait, or sell?
Who to buy ahead of Gameweek 3
Gabriel Martinelli, Arsenal (£6.2m)
Almost 900k managers have brought in the midfield representative from Arsenal’s trio of Brazilian Gabriels right now. And why not?
Advert
As I wrote in preseason, Martinelli’s very kind pricing alongside his strong points per 90 record from last season commended him to managers ahead of Gameweek 1.
He’s recorded a goal in each of his games thus far, and Arsenal’s fixtures are only getting better from here with Bournemouth away followed by two home games against Fulham and Aston Villa next up in the schedule.
I’m not surprised he’s now nearing the 40% ownership mark at the price and with his potential.
His fellow Gabriel, Jesus, is also in the top 3 for transfers in this week with almost 700k managers buying him following his 19 point haul against Leicester and is a potential captain choice for the next game.
Advert
Both Gabriels make total sense to get in on given the fixtures ahead and the growing ownership – these are players where you limit exposure to them by owning them; try to make the difference elsewhere in your team.
Verdict: Buy
Rodrigo, Leeds (£6.1m)
Leeds’ record signing seems to be finally finding his feet with a seemingly impressive three goals in two games to open the season.
Advert
With Patrick Bamford still beleaguered by injury issues, it seems like the Spaniard has stepped up to the plate after an indifferent start to his career with the Whites; with three goals so far, he’s almost halfway to matching last season’s tally after just two matches.
He remains kindly priced and Leeds have a nice run of games between Gameweeks 4-7 (Brighton away, Everton at home, Brentford away, Nottingham Forest at home) to capitalise on, but one spanner in the works is the next game, Chelsea, which would mean I would be inclined to wait and see on him.
Verdict: Wait
Josh Dasilva (£4.6m)
At the time of writing, nearly 575k managers have bought the cut price Brentford midfielder following two goals in his opening two games.
Advert
I can see why it makes sense to do so, given their upcoming fixtures. It also frees up cash to use elsewhere in your team.
However, I’ve got a few worries on Dasilva and the midfield in general at Brentford.
Dasilva himself has scored two goals from an xG of 0.1. That’s unsustainable.
The midfield at Brentford is heavily congested, with 7-8 players competing for just three slots. That also worries me if you were planning on starting him.
Advert
So it’s a case of horses for courses with Dasilva; if you’re buying him as an enabler and not counting on him to start, it makes sense to me. If you are planning to start the guy, just go in with eyes wide open that you may not always get your wish week to week.
Verdict: Buy if enabling and you’ve nothing better to do, otherwise wait
Who to sell ahead of Gameweek 3
Darwin Nunez, Liverpool (£9.0m)
It was something of a quick fall from grace for Liverpool’s new Uruguayan frontman this week, following his mass adoption last week – over 250k managers signed him ahead of the Gameweek 2 deadline following an impressive 9-point cameo against Fulham on the opening weekend.
But a petulant headbutt against Crystal Palace’s Joa Andersen on Monday night has seen Darwin’s fortunes turn and managers begin to evolve away from him in their sides due to his suspension for three games off the back of his straight red.
An easy sell due to that upcoming absence, as nearly 900k managers have already done.
Verdict: Sell
Phil Coutinho (£6.9m), Matt Cash (£4.9m), Leon Bailey (£4.9m), Aston Villa
Three Villa players are in the top four for sales this week, and with good reason.
Coutinho and Cash have both disappointed in the first couple of weeks while also seemingly carrying injuries, and Bailey has failed his early audition as the cheap enabler in many teams
In the case of Cash and Coutinho, a sale decision is straightforward; there’s many options in the price bracket to replace either and that should be done soon (if it hasn’t been done already) – over 900k managers have already disposed of these players’ services.
Bailey should also be a sell, but that obviously depends on if you have bigger fish to fry; if you have bigger issues, stick him on your bench and just accept the drop if you haven’t sold already. A player like that should never be a priority but if you have nothing better to do join managers like yours truly in moving him on too.
Verdict: Sell, Sell, Sell
Marcus Rashford, Man Utd (£6.3m)
All round good guy Rashford started the season in quite a few teams (especially in Man Utd fans’ sides) in the hope that Erik Ten Haag would turn around the juggernaut.
Sadly, that hasn’t come to pass and the England forward (midfielder in FPL) hasn’t produced against expectation.
He joins a small band of other players who have suffered the indignity of a 0.2m price drop in just two weeks – and I can’t say I blame any managers leaping off the Red Devils’ players given their abject start to the campaign.
Verdict: Sell
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Fantasy Football, Marcus Rashford, Darwin Nunez, Liverpool, Manchester United, Aston Villa
