During intense footballing periods, Fantasy Premier League managers often find themselves juggling a whirlwind of developments while striving to make smart decisions for their teams.
With just three gameweeks left until the season reaches its halfway mark, there’s plenty to evaluate in the dynamic world of FPL.
This article focuses on FPL advice for game week 16, diving into key discussion points and essential statistics to help you make confident, informed choices.
FPL Gameweek 16 Fixtures
Everton travel to the Emirates to face Arsenal.
Liverpool will host Fulham.
Newcastle welcomes Leicester.
Wolves play at home against Ipswich.
Aston Villa will visit Nottingham Forest.
Brighton are hosting Crystal Palace.
The Manchester derby will be held at the Etihad.
Chelsea have a home game against Brentford.
Spurs travel to Southampton.
Bournemouth are at home to West Ham.
FPL Assets Leading On Form For Gameweek 16
Let’s start by looking at the current form amongst FPL assets for match week 16.
Goalkeepers:
- Caoimhin Kelleher is first with 5.3
- Mark Flekken is tied for second with 4.2
- Dean Henderson rivals him with 4.2
Defenders:
- William Saliba jumps to first with 8.0
- Ashley Young stays second with 7.7
- Daniel Muñoz comes in at third with 6.2
Midfielders:
- Mohamed Salah is still far ahead with 14.7
- Cole Palmer moves to second with 10.2
- Bukayo Saka drops to third with 9.0
Forwards:
- Jamie Vardy is first with 5.8
- Alexander Isak remains tied for second with 5.5
- Ollie Watkins rivals him with 5.5
Selections Soar For Saliba
Since the beginning of last season, Fantasy Premier League managers have maintained a strong interest in Arsenal's defensive assets, thanks to their impressive resilience at the back.
However, this season, Arsenal's threat from set pieces has been remarkable.
They’ve already scored six headed goals, doubling the tally of Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Tottenham, who each have three.
Gabriel, Arsenal’s primary aerial threat from corners, has been sidelined with injury, leaving the rest of the backline options to fill the void.
William Saliba has risen to the occasion spectacularly, scoring two goals in his last two matches—both from corner kick situations.
These crucial contributions have not only earned valuable points for Arsenal but also delighted FPL managers who invested in him.
With upcoming home fixtures against Everton and Ipswich Town and an away trip to Crystal Palace, Saliba has become a hot commodity among FPL managers.
His impressive recent form, combined with favourable fixtures, has made him the most transferred-in player ahead of Gameweek 16.
Managers Part Ways With Emile Smith Rowe
Since leaving Arsenal, Emile Smith Rowe has become a regular feature in Fulham's starting lineup, with the team currently sitting in 10th place in the Premier League standings.
After making the move to the west London club, the English midfielder seemed to hit the ground running, scoring twice and providing one assist in his first five matches of the season.
With 14 starts already under his belt, Smith Rowe is enjoying far more game time than he has in recent years, particularly with his struggles for consistent minutes at Arsenal.
The extra minutes on the pitch, along with a good attacking output, made Smith Rowe an appealing option for FPL managers.
However, his recent performances have raised concerns.
After four consecutive matches without a goal contribution, many FPL managers have lost patience with the former Arsenal man.
The upcoming fixtures also do him no favours, as Fulham are set to face two tough away games against Liverpool and Chelsea in the next three gameweeks.
These fixtures, coupled with his recent lack of output, have caused Smith Rowe to become the most transferred-out midfielder ahead of the weekend.
FPL Defenders Who Are Expected To Score
In Fantasy Premier League, goals coming from defenders are immensely valuable, as they earn more points than goals from players in other positions.
While most managers focus on securing clean sheets at the start of each gameweek, those lucky enough to have a defender who finds the back of the net are always extra pleased.
Predicting which defenders are most likely to score can be challenging, but looking at the expected goals (xG) rankings for defenders, three names stand out above the rest.
Daniel Muñoz
Playing for a Crystal Palace side currently one spot above the relegation zone, Daniel Muñoz has started every single game.
With two goals so far this season, just one less than the defender with the most goals, Muñoz has an xG of 2.53.
To put this into perspective, Muñoz has a higher xG than players like Martinelli, João Pedro, and Cody Gakpo.
Nikola Milenković
The Nottingham Forest defender has started 14 games so far this season.
Forest have been in great form, currently sitting just one spot below the Champions League qualification zone.
Although Nikola Milenković has scored only one goal so far, he has an xG of 2.05.
To put this into perspective, Milenković has a higher xG than players like Martin Ødegaard, João Félix, and Rasmus Højlund.
Nathan Collins
The Brentford player has started every game for his club so far this season.
Sitting in 9th place in the table, Brentford will be aiming to climb the rankings in the second half of the season.
Only three Brentford players have scored more goals than Nathan Collins, who has an xG of 1.90.
To put this into perspective, Collins has a higher xG than players like Marcus Rashford, Dejan Kulusevski, and Phil Foden.
Cole Palmer Promising Points
Chelsea are sending a strong message about their intentions to challenge league leaders Liverpool.
Currently just 4 points behind the Merseyside giants, who have a game in hand, Chelsea’s position would likely not be as strong without the contributions of their star player.
It’s no secret that Cole Palmer is one of the most reliable assets in the Fantasy Premier League, already registering 17 goal contributions in 15 games this season.
Despite his impressive tally, things might be about to get even better for the young forward.
Chelsea have faced some of the league’s toughest opponents in their last 8 fixtures, including Tottenham, Aston Villa, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Liverpool.
Even during this challenging stretch, Palmer has averaged an impressive 7.25 points per game.
Having been rested for most of Chelsea's Conference League matches, Palmer is primed for a crucial run in the Premier League.
With upcoming fixtures against Brentford, Everton, Fulham, Ipswich, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, and Wolves, FPL managers are expecting Palmer to be one of the very top points earners in the coming weeks.
The Penalty Takers
FPL managers know that owning a player who regularly takes penalty kicks is a major advantage.
The obvious reason for this is that it gives these players the chance to earn points from an attacking situation they might not have been directly involved in.
Knowing which players may be asked to take penalties is essential for making smart FPL decisions.
Let’s take a look at those players below.
Aston Villa - Watkins, Tielemans
Bournemouth - Kluivert
Brentford - Mbeumo
Chelsea - Palmer
Crystal Palace - Mateta
Everton - Calvert-Lewin
Liverpool - Salah
Manchester City - Haaland, De Bruyne
Manchester United - Fernandes
Newcastle - Gordon, Isak, Wilson
Nottingham Forest - Wood
Southampton - Armstrong, Archer
Tottenham - Son, Solanke, Maddison
Darwin Núñez Justifies Miniscule Global Ownership
Diogo Jota started six of Liverpool’s first seven games of the season before an injury left him sidelined.
Uruguay’s Darwin Núñez has stepped in in his absence, starting six Premier League matches so far this season.
In a team where FPL points come from all areas, how do Núñez’s minutes on the pitch translate to his FPL value and performance?
So far, Núñez has scored two goals and provided one assist, gaining a total of 27 FPL points.
There are 13 Liverpool players who have earned more points than him, including some who have been sidelined by injury or have struggled to secure a regular starting spot.
In fact, even Southampton's frontmen, Cameron Archer and Adam Armstrong, have accumulated more FPL points than Núñez, despite the fact that Southampton have scored the fewest number of goals in the league.
Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye has also outperformed Darwin in FPL.
At the same time, his teammate Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who is often criticized for his lack of finishing, has nearly doubled Núñez’s points tally this season.
Currently priced at £7.1m, Darwin is considerably more expensive than players like Archer (£5.0m), Armstrong (£5.1m), Ndiaye (£5.4m), and Calvert-Lewin (£5.5m).
Despite these underwhelming statistics, Núñez is a player known for frequently getting into promising attacking positions and working tirelessly for his team.
It remains to be seen if he can find the scoring form that Liverpool fans have been hoping for and whether his global ownership of 2.2% will rise as he continues his time at the club.
Jarrod Bowen Beating Some Of The Best
West Ham are currently sitting in 14th place in the Premier League table.
While the Hammers will certainly be looking to improve their position as the season progresses, one bright spot has been the impressive performances of Jarrod Bowen.
The talented forward has consistently been a key player for the club, contributing both creatively and in attack.
FPL managers who have invested in Bowen have been rewarded.
With 8 goal contributions so far, Bowen has outperformed some of the league’s top assets.
He has accumulated a total of 73 points, which is bettered by only 11 players in the entire game.
Bowen has outperformed high-profile players like Son Heung-min, Bruno Fernandes, Virgil van Dijk, and Alexander Isak, among many others.
Priced at £7.4m and owned by just 6.8% of managers, Bowen presents a unique opportunity for those seeking an undervalued asset with the potential to deliver more than expected.
With upcoming fixtures against Bournemouth, Brighton, and Southampton, Bowen owners will be hoping he continues to be a major attacking threat for his club during this period.
Differential Captain Pick Of The Week:
Alexander Isak
After scoring 2 goals and providing 1 assist in his last 2 matches, Alexander Isak is definitely a player to consider for captaincy this weekend.
While reliable options like Salah, Saka, and Palmer will remain the safer choices for most managers, those looking for a differential captain may find Isak to be an excellent alternative.
With a home fixture against 16th-placed Leicester, Isak will be eager to continue his strong form against a team that has kept just 1 clean sheet all season.
This could be a great opportunity for him to add more attacking returns and deliver big points.
Playing Your Free Hit?
Most managers will be saving their free hit for double gameweeks later on in the season.
Those who are tempted to use their free hit this weekend might find some value below:
GK: Verbruggen (£4.5m)
DEF: Colwill (£4.5m)
DEF: Saliba (£6.2m)
DEF: Robertson (£5.9m)
MID: Palmer (£11.1m)
MID: Saka (£10.6m)
MID: Salah © (£13.3m)
MID: Kluivert (£5.5m)
FWD: Cunha (£7.1m)
FWD: Pedro (£5.9m)
FWD: Isak (£8.6m)
BENCH: Cahill (£3.9m)
BENCH: Enzo (£5.0m)
BENCH: Quansah (£3.9m)
BENCH: Thomas (£3.9m)
Final Thoughts
As Gameweek 16 draws near, it’s important to take a moment to pause and reflect on your FPL strategy.
One the best FPL tips I ever received is that there’s no need for drastic changes every week seeing as sometimes the best course of action is to stay patient and trust the players who have been delivering consistent returns.
Fantasy Premier League is as much about managing expectations as it is about making the right moves, and as the season progresses, small adjustments will often lead to big rewards.
Looking ahead, it's clear that the road to success in Fantasy Football requires a balance of foresight and flexibility.
While it’s easy to get caught up in the rush of weekly decisions, taking the time to plan for upcoming fixtures, monitoring player form, and staying on top of injuries will help set you up for the second half of the season.
As always, the unpredictability of football will throw curveballs, but that's part of the fun.
Whatever happens in Gameweek 16, don’t forget that FPL is about enjoying the process and learning as you go.
Here’s to making smart moves, staying ahead of the curve, and keeping the excitement alive throughout the season!
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