FPL Top Picks for Gameweek 17
For any Fantasy Premier League manager worth their salt, this week should be all about making sure that they secure a team that can stand the test of the winter.
Games are coming thick and fast across the Premier League and other domestic English football competitions, which means there could be lots of rotations across teams. Ensuring that your team has the right balance of premium, differential and mid-range assets should be top of mind for you as an FPL manager.
Making this decision is hard, which is why we here at EPLNews have come with this analysis as usual and a great piece of advice with which you can operate as you make your FPL squad picks.
Gameweek Analysis
With only three game weeks left in 2024, it is important to remind all Fantasy Premier League managers that the first wildcard chip has to be used before the gameweek 19 deadline. Failure to use it will mean a failure to capitalise on something that could haul in points that can help you in the global league, national league or your mini leagues.
There are also only three game weeks left before the mystery chip is finally revealed. For those who do not remember, the mystery chip is the game developers’ way of compensating for the drastic increase in player prices compared to the £100m game transfer budget. It is important that managers structure their teams in such a way that the mystery chip can augment their efforts, which is why we are calling for you to employ the wildcard chip NOW.
A good way to do this is to check out the official FDR (Fixture Difficulty Ratings) list and select assets from the clubs with the lowest ratings on the list. One such club is Chelsea, whose talisman, Cole Palmer (£11.2m) is already the second most captained player behind Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah (£13.4m). Check out the list on the official Fantasy Premier League website to learn more.
In the meantime, here are two matches where you can target assets of value as you choose your wildcard team.
Best Value Games for Week 17
Brighton and Hove Albion vs West Ham United
Julen Lopetegui’s side look to be waking up but they remain an FDR 2 (relatively easy) and 3 (balanced) for most teams they face. This is why managers can target assets from this game for week 17, especially from Brighton, who have five of their next eight matches rated as a 2.
Player to watch: João Pedro (£5.9m)
Fulham vs Southampton
Fulham have an even better run on the FDR list with seven of their next 10 matches rated as 2. One of those matches is Southampton for week 17, which is why this game could provide assets that you can select in your week 17 wildcard team.
Players to watch: Alexander Iwobi (£5.7m), Antonee Robinson (£4.8m)
Best FPL Players for Week 17
Alexander Iwobi (£5.7m) – Fulham
Having already mentioned Fulham vs Southampton as a game to watch for valuable assets selection and mentioning Iwobi as one of the players to watch from that game, you must be wondering why we still have him in our top three picks.
The reason is simple: the former Arsenal and Everton man is Marco Silva’s most trusted player and Fulham’s safest route into attack. It is likely that the Cottagers other two big hitters—Raul Jimenez (£5.5m) and Emile Smith Rowe (£5.5m)—will be rotated, so selecting Iwobi, who has averaged 86.9 minutes for Fulham this season and has started all 16 league matches this term for Silva’s team, is the best option that managers can go for this week. At £5.7m, he is a great value pick. Also, his total of 78 FPL points is more than any other £6.0m and under midfielder has managed this season.
Amad Diallo (£5.2m) – Manchester United
Ruben Amorim came to Manchester United and started tweaking with the aim of finding his best players and XI. From his experiments so far, Amad Diallo (alongside André Onana and captain Bruno Fernandes) has proven to be an untouchable. His heroics in the Manchester derby last week has made him the most transferred-in player ahead of game week 17 (400,000+ transfers). Also, the fact that United have four of their next six matches scoring a 2 on the FDR makes him a very attractive wildcard pick for week 17.
Matz Sels (£4.7m) – Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest are over performing this season thanks mainly to their defence, which Matz Sels is a key part of. However, we are suggesting him strictly as a wildcard option. The Tricky Trees’ next two fixtures scored a 3 and a 4 (relatively hard) on the FDR list, which means that starting Sels for weeks 17 and 18 may not be a great choice.
However, he is one of the best budget goalkeepers and will participate in all of their fixtures—of which three of their next six score a 2—thanks to his status as the club’s first choice. This makes him a great bench option to either replace your starting goalkeeper or to use your bench boost chip on, or even use the mystery chip on.