Our weekly Chaps Choices article provides Fantrax managers with a Fantasy EPL Sleepers XI. These hints and tips will give you a better chance of picking up a victory each gameweek. Use our starting eleven of Premier League differential picks to find your golden ticket to a big score; one of our Gameweek 9 sleepers could easily make the difference in a Head-to-Head game!
We’ll be focusing on players that will bring us not only attacking returns or clean sheets, but also those players that score “ghost points” on the sophisticated and statistics based Togga scoring model!
*For this article, we use the ownership statistics from Fantrax. Our only rule is that each player we highlight is required to have ownership of 60% or below at the time of writing. This way there’s a good chance these players will be free agents in your Draft League!
Fantasy EPL Gameweek 9 Sleepers XI
**60% ownership or below**
GK: Paulo Gazziniga
Team: Tottenham
Opponent: Watford (Home)
Ownership: 45%
Average Points Last 5 Games: 4.12 PPG
Prospects: With Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris suffering a serious injury in Gameweek 8, Paulo Gazzaniga has a chance to establish himself in the side. The reserve goalkeeper has been an able deputy for Lloris in recent seasons, and he’s seen a fair amount of Premier League minutes. The former Southampton man should perform at a decent standard over the coming months. This weekend Tottenham faces a shocking Watford side in front of their own fans, and therefore have a great chance to put an end to their recent rut. A clean sheet may well be on the cards for Gazzaniga.
Alternative Choice: If you really don’t fancy backing the Tottenham defense, then Dean Henderson (36% ownership) is worth a look. The Sheffield United shot-stopper has been a regular in our Sleepers XI this season. Henderson probably won’t gain a clean sheet this weekend against Arsenal, but he is likely to make a fair few saves and earn a decent points score!
GW9 Points Scored: 0
DEF: Djibril Sidibe
Team: Everton
Opponent: West Ham (Home)
Ownership: 9%
Average Points Last 5 Games: -4 PPG
Prospects: Sidibe has had to wait on the sidelines since his summer loan move from Monaco. The French international right back is a talented player but has struggled to live up to the hype surrounding him a couple of years ago. With Coleman suspended for Gameweek 9, this is the perfect time for Sidibe to make his debut in our Sleepers XI! Everton has lost four games in a row, and have been playing very poorly. However, this weekend they face West Ham at home, and will hopefully be refreshed after some time away during the international break. If Sidibe puts in a good performance in Gameweek 9, he could well take over as first choice right back. It was around this time last season that Digne worked his way into the side, and he turned into an absolute machine on Fantrax!
Alternative Choice: If you can’t trust the Everton defense at the moment, then perhaps another right back would be an option. Calum Chambers (55% ownership) has recently established himself as the current first-choice Arsenal right back, and he’s scored pretty well on Fantrax. The Gunners face a trip to Sheffield United, and Chambers has a decent chance of picking up another double-digit return.
GW9 Points Scored: 14.25
DEF: Steve Cook
Team: Bournemouth
Opponent: Norwich (Home)
Ownership: 36%
Average Points Last 5 Games: 5.8 PPG
Prospects: There’s not too much to say here really. Steve Cook is a mainstay in the Bournemouth defense, and this weekend they face a Norwich side without an away goal since Gameweek 1! The Cherries aren’t the best in defence, but we simply have to back them based on Norwich’s inability to score away goals! Cook is usually a good Togga scoring defender, but he has struggled a little so far this season. This weekend is his chance to kick-start his Fantasy EPL season!
GW9 Points Scored: 13.75
DEF: Adam Webster
Team: Brighton
Opponent: Aston Villa (Away)
Ownership: 18%
Average Points Last 5 Games: 8.6 PPG
Prospects: We’ve been backing Adam Webster for weeks now, as he’s been performing very well for Brighton after working his way into the side. The Brighton defender gained 22.25 points in Gameweek 6, and 16.25 points in Gameweek 8. Somehow his ownership is still a lowly 18%, as Brighton is embarking on a very good short term fixture schedule. This weekend The Seagulls face a trip to Aston Villa, and we ranked Webster 6th overall for Gameweek 9 in our recent Sleepers Rankings article. Simply put, you won’t regret signing Adam Webster.
GW9 Points Scored: 12.75
DEF: Matt Targett
Team: Aston Villa
Opponent: Brighton (Home)
Ownership: 27%
Average Points Last 5 Games: 11.12 PPG
Prospects: Targett has gained 22.25 points from his two appearances so far this season. The young Englishman looks to have ousted Neil Taylor from the Villa side, and we couldn’t be happier. Targett is an excellent Togga scoring player, which he has proved during his two games so far. This week we’ve ranked him as the 84th best overall player for the rest of the season during our Top 100 Player Rankings article. If Targett is a free agent in your Draft League, he simply needs to be acquired! This weekend Aston Villa host Brighton, and we ranked Targett as the 3rd best low ownership player for Gameweek 9 during our Sleepers Rankings article. The Aston Villa left back looks set to score well this weekend!
Alternative Choice: If Targett isn’t available in your league, then don’t panic. Teammate and fellow full-back, Guilbert (27% ownership) is a very able alternative. Go ahead and pick up the Frenchman instead!
GW9 Points Scored: 27
Three defenders that we featured in our Top 15 under the radar players for Gameweek 9 last week have now exceeded our 60% ownership threshold. If any of Evans (73% ownership), Zouma (64% ownership) or Fredericks (64% ownership) are free agents in your Fantrax Draft League, they simply have to be acquired for this weekend!!
MID: Aaron Mooy
Team: Brighton
Opponent: Aston Villa (Away)
Ownership: 27%
Average Points Last 5 Games: 5.62 PPG
Prospects: Aaron Mooy has finally arrived this season! The former Huddersfield man has always been a consistent points scorer on the Togga scoring system. Up until now though, he’s been struggling to make his mark at Brighton this season. This all changed in Gameweek 8, as Mooy was instrumental during their amazing 3-0 victory over Tottenham. The Australian gained 13.5 points without any attacking returns. Mooy was on most of the set pieces and was generally at the center of everything good The Seagulls were doing. Brighton also have a good short term fixture list, and we ranked Mooy second overall in our Sleepers Rankings for GW9 to GW13. An essential signing if you can! He was also featured in our Gameweek 9 Waiver Wire Targets article. Mooy is the most essential pick up of this Gameweek 9 Sleepers XI article!
GW9 Points Scored: -3
MID: John Fleck
Team: Sheffield United
Opponent: Arsenal (Home)
Ownership: 18%
Average Points Last 5 Games: 8.75 PPG
Prospects: Fleck is a great under the radar midfield pick at the moment. The Sheffield United man has been putting in some great performances, as he’s averaging 8.75 points per game from the last five games. If Fleck can start adding goals or assists to his already good base level of points, he could really turn into a gem! This weekend The Blades host Arsenal, but considering how well they’ve been playing, coming away with a result wouldn’t be surprising! Fleck was recently ranked in 12th place in our Gameweek 9 Sleepers Rankings.
GW9 Points Scored: 8.5
MID: Marvelous Nakamba
Team: Aston Villa
Opponent: Brighton (Home)
Ownership: 18%
Average Points Last 5 Games: 7.38 PPG
Prospects: Nakamba makes another appearance in our Sleepers XI, as he continues to play very well for Aston Villa. And more importantly for us, he continues to carry low ownership. The Zimbabwe midfielder has been an essential cog in the Aston Villa lineup in recent weeks, as he happily undertakes the thankless task of being a Premier League defensive midfielder. Check out these statistics if you’re interested in the particulars! Nakamba will continue to pick up consistent Fantrax scores, as long as he continues in the same vein with his performances. We ranked him in 7th place during our Gameweek 9 Sleepers Rankings, as Villa entertain Brighton. Nakamba also featured at 89th place in our rest of season Top 100 Player Rankings. We’re big fans of him, and he just has to be signed if he’s a free agent in your Draft League!
GW9 Points Scored: 3
MID: Marc Albrighton
Team: Leicester City
Opponent: Bunrley (Home)
Ownership: 0%
Average Points Last 5 Games: 6.83 PPG
Prospects: We’re taking a bit of a punt with this Gameweek 9 Sleepers XI pick. A midfielder who has only played 77 minutes of football in the last four Gameweeks. We bring to you, Marc Albrighton! The English veteran has been slowly working himself back in favour under Rodgers, after struggling with fitness earlier in the season. Albrighton gained 13 points during a 32 minutes appearance in Gameweek 7, and followed this up with 45 minutes from the bench in Gameweek 8. We’re backing Albrighton to earn a start this weekend, which is right in time for Leicester’s great run of fixtures. If he starts against Burnley in Gameweek 9, you could have a great asset on your hands!
Alternative Choice: Albrighton’s teammate Harvey Barnes (36% ownership) is also worth a mention here, as he could easily earn another start for The Foxes this weekend. If Barnes starts against Burnley, he could score big! Worth a punt bringing the youngster into your squad if you still have the chance.
GW9 Points Scored: 2.5
FWD: Aaron Connolly
Team: Brighton
Opponent: Aston Villa (Away)
Ownership: 45%
Average Points Last 5 Games: 7.1 PPG
Prospects: Aaron Connolly certainly made the most of his first Premier League start in Gameweek 8!! The Brighton youngster was a surprise inclusion, but his man of the match performance was pretty sensational. A young player to scoring two goals against the European Cup runners up on his first EPL start. Incredible. Connolly’s ownership has shot up from 4% to 45%, ahead of a good short term Brighton fixture schedule. The forward also made his international debut for Ireland over the break! This weekend he faces a trip to Aston Villa, which is a winnable game for The Seagulls. Connolly will start up front alongside Maupay, and there’s a decent chance he’ll score again. Certainly worth a punt from these Gameweek 9 Sleepers XI picks!
GW9 Points Scored: 5
FWD: Dominic Solanke
Team: Bournemouth
Opponent: Norwich City (Home)
Ownership: 9%
Average Points Last 5 Games: 3.8 PPG
Prospects: Solanke has started the last four games for Bournemouth, although his Fantrax Fantasy EPL points scores have been fairly poor. There is also a risk that King will be moved up front to replace Solanke, and Fraser is stationed on the left wing. However, Bournemouth hosts a very leaky Norwich defense this weekend, so we think it’s worth taking a punt on Solanke!! The young forward featured in 10th place in our Gameweek 9 Sleepers Rankings. If he earns a start, then he could score big. If Fraser is preferred in the side, then simply drop Solanke to the free agent’s pool for an alternative once the lineups are announced.
GW9 Points Scored: 4
Gameweek 9 Sleepers XI:
Team Points – Gameweek 9: 87.75
Team Average Score – Gameweek 9: 7.98
Average Ownership – Gameweek 9: 23% Fantrax ownership
Previous Sleepers XI Editions: Gameweek 1 | Gameweek 2 | Gameweek 3 | Gameweek 4 | Gameweek 5 | Gameweek 6 | Gameweek 7 | Gamweek 8 |
Looking for a better way to play Fantasy Soccer? Our Fantasy EPL 101 looks into the world of ‘Draft’ Fantasy EPL, providing details of how it works, and why it is the best version of the game!
Wondering who the best low ownership players to target are? Look no further than our Fantasy EPL Sleepers Rankings for Gameweeks 9 to 13!
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