The Premier League season is long, dark and full of terrors for draft fantasy soccer managers. The grind of staying current on injuries and anticipating squad rotation on a week-to-week basis is tedious, and often confusing thanks to a hefty dose of conflicting reports and misleading quotations. While flipping a coin to pick to decide between players is an effective strategy about 50% of the time, if you’re looking for long-term success in draft fantasy soccer, Fantrax has you covered 100% of the time.
This season, the Fantasy Premier League Planner will serve as your one-stop shop for everything you need to know going into each round of matches. Rather than telling you how to translate a Jose Mourinho press conference, FPLP does it for you. No need to guess on a rotating fullback, FPLP has the inside scoop. Unsure about a player with a knock? FPLP will touch on that too. Rather than pandering on and on with more examples, let’s get down to business.
Fantasy Premier League Planner – Week 2
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Cardiff City vs Newcastle United
Newcastle was unlucky to come away empty-handed in a 2-1 defeat at home against Tottenham. They hit the woodwork twice and showed no fear in the face of stronger opposition. The only concern on the injury front is DeAndre Yedlin, who hyperextended his knee towards the tail end of the loss. While the injury is not believed to be significant, Javier Manquillo could deputize at right-back this weekend. Joselu nodded home a cross from Matt Ritchie last time out and could be worth a look if you’re in need of a plug-in at forward. With only four regulars owned in more than 50% of Fantrax draft leagues, Newcastle offers streaming value against Cardiff.
Cardiff City fell 2-0 to Bournemouth on their Premier League return. The one Bluebird to keep an eye on is Bobby Reid. Reid started up front in a 4-1-4-1 formation and led Cardiff in shots and dribbles in Week 1. Given his classification as a midfielder, draft fantasy soccer managers in deeper leagues could find him useful. On the injury front, forward Kenneth Zohore is closing in on a return from a groin problem and could see minutes if manager Neil Warnock decides to inject another forward.
Everton vs Southampton
The Marco Silva era at Everton began with a hard-fought 2-2 draw at Wolverhampton. The Toffees’ marquee signing Richarlison validated his £44 million price tag with a brace and ensured a share of the points in a match where Phil Jagielka was dismissed just before halftime. With Jagielka unavailable to face Southampton, newcomer Kurt Zouma is the frontrunner to partner Michael Keane in central defence. Fellow newcomer Yerry Mina might not be ready for his debut whereas Mason Holgate would be the other option to alongside Keane. Leighton Baines should continue at left-back despite the arrival of Lucas Digne, who has been brought in as a long-term replacement. Deadline day signings Andre Gomes and Bernard will compete for places in midfield once match fit, although it seems unlikely either will be ready for Week 2. With that said, smart draft fantasy soccer managers would run to the waiver wire and add them if available.
Southampton is also coming off a draw, but their encounter with Burnley was a much less entertaining, goalless affair. Alex McCarthy got the nod between the sticks and didn’t disappoint. He made six saves and kept a clean sheet, making him the undisputed Man of the Match. The flow of the match saw Mark Hughes switch his formation to a 4-4-2 around the hour mark to bring on Danny Ings and Mohamed Elyounoussi. The substitute duo made a significant impact as proven by Ings’ four key passes and shunned penalty claim as well as Elyounoussi’s four accurate crosses from the wing. Ings should be handed his full debut if Hughes goes with that same 4-4-2. Elyounoussi, however, may need to wait for his chance from the start due to a minor calf issue.
Leicester City vs Wolverhampton
Despite suffering a 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford, Leicester City deserves some praise for their performance. Jamie Vardy came on late and provided a consolation strike, while the new faces in the starting XI looked worthy additions. Portuguese full-back Ricardo Pereira was deployed in an advanced role on the right side of midfield and assisted on Vardy’s tap-in. James Maddison was also lively playing underneath Kelechi Iheanacho and went close in the first period, forcing a diving save from David De Gea. Puel used his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation. The only real surprise was Daniel Amartey at right-back and Pereira on the right wing. Considering Puel has said Vardy has a “good chance” to start against Wolves, this could potentially spell trouble for Iheanacho. The Nigeria international will either partner Vardy up front or be dropped to the bench. Draft fantasy soccer managers looking at Iheanacho need to be aware of this situation.
Wolverhampton spent big in the summer transfer window, and it paid off in their season opener. Ruben Neves and Raul Jimenez each provided a goal as Wolves came from behind twice to draw 2-2 with Everton at Molineux. Neves was by far the top performer, scoring a beautiful free-kick in the 44th minute and later providing the assist on the second equalizer. Fantasy managers could find Helder Costa, who started on the right wing, useful with the winger set to see minutes until Adama Traore is fit. Manager Nuno Espirito Santo is poised to name an unchanged starting XI against Leicester City thanks to no new injury concerns.
Tottenham vs Fulham
Tottenham had more players than any other Premier League side at the World Cup. Although that would be a problem for most clubs, Mauricio Pochettino’s side coped well and came away with all three points against Newcastle. Jan Vertonghen and Dele Alli, who both returned to full training last week, got on the scoresheet in the 2-1 victory. Kieran Trippier and Danny Rose did not make the squad but will be back in contention to face Fulham. Heung-min Son is away on international duty with South Korea at the Asia Games, leaving Fantrax managers who own Lucas Moura set to benefit with the winger in line for a substantial chunk of minutes. Toby Alderweireld, however, remains a question mark with Davidson Sanchez and Vertonghen ahead of him in the pecking order.
Fulham had high expectations for their opener after spending £100 million in the summer transfer window. Fabri, Joe Bryan, Calum Chambers, Maxime Le Marchand, Jean-Michael Seri and Andre Schurrle all got their first competitive start, while Aleksandar Mitrovic played through the middle in a front three. Despite the new-look starting XI, the Cottagers come up short in a 2-0 defeat at home against Crystal Palace. Fulham is home to a decent amount of options in draft fantasy soccer but the result that the new arrivals are yet to settle. On the injury front, centre-back Tim Ream will be unavailable for Week 2. Compounding the issue is the absence of Alfie Mawson, who is out until at least September. As a result, Calum Chambers and Maxime Le Marchand should continue in central defense. Regardless, it would be bold to back them against Spurs.
West Ham United vs Bournemouth
West Ham was taken behind Anfield and thumped 4-0 by Liverpool in their opener. Manager Manuel Pellegrini used a 4-1-4-1 formation and handed five summer signings – Lukasz Fabianski, Fabian Balbuena, Ryan Fredericks, Jack Wilshere and Felipe Anderson – their competitive debuts. The tactical decision wasn’t a major surprise against Liverpool’s potent attack, but the result was no less deflating. Pellegrini will want to prove the performance was merely a hiccup and that could see the Chilean make a few changes. Tactically, a return to his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation is in the cards. Arthur Masuaku had a forgettable outing and could be displaced by Aaron Cresswell, who seems a better fit at left-back in a traditional back four. Jack Wilshere was sharp when he got time on the ball and should continue in midfield, but Carlos Sanchez could get a run at the expense of either Mark Noble or Declan Rice after were overrun at Anfield. The battle for supremacy on the wings is a three-horse race between Michael Antonio, Felipe Anderson and Andriy Yarmolenko. Robert Snodgrass made things a little less cut-and-dry after his substitute cameo, but the Scotsmen would need to produce heroics to move beyond a squad player role. Marko Arnautovic, who scored twice against the Cherries in their last meeting, should bounce back after blanking in the opener. Deadline-day signing Lucas Perez could see time off the bench as well.
Bournemouth got off to an ideal start with a convincing 2-0 victory over Cardiff City. Ryan Fraser swept home his first shot of the campaign and finished with three key passes. Despite winning and missing a penalty in the first-half, Callum Wilson still had an impressive outing. Wilson assisted on Fraser’s goal, tucked away a finish of his own late in the match and put three shots on target. Manager Eddie Howe should stick with the same starting XI for the trip to West Ham. Diego Rico is still missing through a three-man ban he picked up before his move from La Liga side Leganes and won’t be available until Week 4. Junior Stanislas, meanwhile, won’t be in contention until sometime next month. Club record signing Jefferson Lerma, who cost £25 million from Levante, is expected to displace Dan Gosling in central midfield once match fit. Draft fantasy soccer managers in need of a defender should find Charlie Daniel useful for the next few matches for the duration of Rico’s suspension. Ryan Fraser, though, is the best option after being one of the top midfielders in Week 1.
Chelsea vs Arsenal
New manager Maurizio Sarri said before the Premier League opener against Huddersfield that it will take time for his Chelsea side to be comfortable with his style of play. And while there were a few nearly moments in defense during the opening stages of the match, the starting XI didn’t take long to adjust. N’Golo Kante was the unlikely source of the first goal. Midfield maestro Jorginho converted a penalty in extraordinarily cool and confident fashion just before halftime and Pedro wrapped things up late, finishing after a scintillating run by substitute Eden Hazard. The new-look defense of Marcos Alonso, Antonio Rudiger, David Luiz and Cesar Azpilicueta, operating at right-back, has essentially nullified the value of former fantasy draft stand out Victor Moses. Andreas Christensen and Gary Cahill also now appear on the outside looking in. Jorginho and N’Golo Kante are nailed on, meaning Ross Barkley, Mateo Kovacic and Cesc Fabregas (ruled out this week) are vying for the final spot in the midfield trio. The Blues have a much more onerous task against Arsenal in Week 2, so expect Hazard to start if deemed fully fit.
Arsenal suffered a 2-0 defeat against title-holders Manchester City in manager Unai Emery’s first competitive match in charge. Recapping Emery’s debut could be a stand-alone piece. However, we will stick with the pressing matters. In between the sticks, Petr Cech was selected over Bernd Leno. Cech made some excellent saves but struggled with the ball at his feet and nearly sliced a pass into his net. Emery has backed Cech as the number one, at least for now. Matteo Guendouzi got the nod over Lucas Torreira in midfield and validated his inclusion. The 19-year-old is far from a finished product, but his range of passing and defensive work rate are two traits needed in the middle of the pitch. From a tactical perspective, the issues would appear tied to a lack of familiarity with Emery’s overall style of play. Emery could combat the transition process by affording Aubameyang and Lacazette more time together on the pitch, though that would come at the expensive of either Mesut Ozil or Henrikh Mkhitaryan. The first Premier League clash between Sarri and Emery should help fantasy Premier League managers figure out which fringe players to target on the waiver wire.
Burnley vs Watford
Draft fantasy soccer managers have been coy on Burnley for obvious reasons. Most notably, the Clarets have a thin squad and an expanded schedule with the Europa League. The lack of depth and list of injured key players aside, manager Sean Dyche has somehow managed to keep his side firing on all cylinders. Burnley held a clean sheet at Southampton on Sunday and secured passage to the next stage of Europa League qualification with a 1-0 win on Thursday. Ben Gibson, Stephen Ward, Kevin Long, Aaron Lennon and Sam Vokes all started at mid-week which is good news for fantasy managers. Outside of Lennon and Ward, all signs point towards the same XI that drew Southampton getting the nod against Watford this weekend.
Watford got their season underway by beating Brighton 2-0 at Vicarage Road. Roberto Pereyra led the way scoring a sweet volley in the first half and adding a well-curled finish shortly after the restart, making him undoubtedly the Man of the Match. Boom-or-bust fullback Jose Holebas also had an excellent outing, assisting on both goals and whipping in 11 crosses. After a strong team effort, manager Javier Garcia should stick with that starting XI for the trip to Burnley. Regarding streaming options: Andre Gray, Troy Deeney, Ben Foster and Daryl Janmaat are available in most leagues, while Gerard Deulofeu remains the only relevant fantasy asset unavailable.
Manchester City vs Huddersfield Town
Manchester City was dealt its first significant injury blow of the season on Wednesday when Kevin De Bruyne suffered a knee injury in training. While the extent of the damage isn’t yet clear, we expect the Belgian could be sidelined for at least two months. Pep Guardiola will cope by relying heavily on Bernardo Silva and a rotating committee comprised of Gundogan and David Silva. As for the rest of City’s lineup, John Stones and Aymeric Laporte have started both of the club’s competitive matches this season and should continue in central defence against Huddersfield. Benjamin Mendy and Kyle Walker are also locked out wide. Leroy Sane and Gabriel Jesus could start after substitute cameos last week, but Riyad Mahrez, Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero are still viable even if they come off the bench.
Huddersfield travels to Manchester City coming off the back of a 3-0 defeat to Chelsea. Town boss David Wagner went with Ben Hamer in goal and a five-man defence, comprised of Terence Kongolo, Mathias Zanka, Christopher Schindler and two wingbacks – Chris Lowe and Florent Hadergjonaj. Aaron Mooy and Philip Billing operated in the middle of the park ahead of Jonathan Hogg while Alex Pritchard supported lone striker Steve Mounie. Hamer made one excellent save but struggled with his distribution. He will need to come up big with Jonas Lossl closing in on full fitness. If Wagner does decide to change the shape, then Laurent Depoitre or summer signing Adama Diakhaby come in for Alex Pritchard. Steve Mounie is top of the pecking order up front and was unlucky to not get on the scoresheet when he headed against the post in the first half. However, the defense will be shuffled with Zanka ruled out. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues should note that Town’s players are readily available and their schedule opens up after Week 2.
Brighton vs Manchester United
Brighton manager Chris Hughton should turn to his new summer signings after his side looked flat in their opening match. Red Bull Leipzig left-back Bernardo was the only new signing in the XI, so winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh and 21-year-old midfielder Yves are itching to make their full debuts after coming off the bench. Glenn Murray, last season’s top scorer, was rendered ineffective in the 2-0 defeat against Watford but should continue with Jurgen Locadia having just recovered from injury. With Liverpool to come after this weekend’s match against Manchester United, only Jahanbakhsh should be considered a viable pick up for draft fantasy soccer managers. On the injury front, Jose Izquierdo, Florin Andone, and Bruno Saltor are all viewed as doubtful.
Paul Pogba was a surprise starter against Leicester City having had little time off after his World Cup triumph with France. Nevertheless, Pogba returned a goal, six successful take-ons and even some defensive actions to the delights of both fantasy managers and Jose Mourinho. Often criticised left-back Luke Shaw also put in a sharp shift with the first senior goal of his career. Mourinho revealed after the match that he would field a similar lineup for the trip to Brighton. Victor Lindelof, who started against Leicester, represents a good add for draft fantasy soccer managers in need of a defender. Matteo Darmian could also see another with Antonio Valencia still in doubt.
Crystal Palace vs Liverpool
Crystal Palace began last season with seven straight defeats. During that run of matches, they conceded 15 goals and failed score. This season, however, the Eagles soared in their opening match. Roy Hodgson’s side scored twice, put 10 of their 12 shots on target and left Craven Cottage with all three points. Wayne Hennessey was tested throughout the match but rose to the occasion, making six saves including a pair of vital stops in the first-half. While Jeffrey Schlupp and talisman Wilfried Zaha provided result-worthy goals, it was England Under-21 right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka that stole the headlines. Wan-Bissaka made six clearances, four tackles, four interceptions and played a crucial role in Zaha’s goal. The youngster is one to target on the waiver wire. A performance like this would ordinarily position any club for success in their next match, especially when playing at home. Palace, though, returns to Selhurst Park for a daunting matchup against Liverpool.
Liverpool started the season by putting four past West Ham at Anfield. Mohamed Salah showed why he was a near consensus number pick in fantasy soccer draft leagues by scoring the opener after just 19 minutes. Sadio Mane notched another just before the break and added his second early in the second half, burying a low strike beyond the reach of West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski. Forgotten man Daniel Sturridge came off the bench and capped the scoring, netting the fourth with his first touch. New number one Alisson needed just two saves for a clean sheet on his debut and fellow newcomer Naby Keita was crisp in midfield. Jurgen Klopp’s starting XI performed well enough to go unchanged for the trip to Crystal Palace, but summer signing Fabinho is primed for his debut after going as an unused substitute. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues looking to get Liverpool coverage should run the rule of defenders Nathaniel Clyne and Joe Gomez.
If you’re ready to add soccer to your fantasy repertoire head on over to Fantrax to start or join a league today! Fantrax can meet virtually any league setup, offering an unmatched level of customization.