A Starting XI of Fantrax EPL Sleepers for 24/25

Sleepers are a very much hit or miss type game. As you approach the later rounds of the draft, every manager will have their list of preferred targets, but striking gold with even just 1 late round gem could be your ticket to a proper title challenge. This article will give you a full starting XI of sleepers to consider adding to your draft queue as you try to find the next Solly March! For more great analysis check out our 24/25 Draft Kit and our Pricing Plans.

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Fantrax Sleepers XI

The players below all have an Average Draft Position (ADP) of 140 or higher at the time of writing this article in order to qualify as a sleeper. This means they should still be available to draft after round 10 in most 12-team leagues, allowing you to get good value from some of the most underrated gems going into the 2024-2025 EPL Season. Hopefully this article leads you to drafting the next Cole Palmer, or at least 75% of 23/24 Palmer's fantasy production. While you will not be able to draft all of these sleepers, try to add 1 or 2 that interest you to to your draft queue.

GK: Guglielmo Vicario

Team: Spurs

ADP: 141

Recommended Round to Draft: 15

Prospects: Vicario should be available in the last 2 rounds of the draft given how many managers don't draft keepers and could be a sneaky pick up, especially early doors. Tottenham have a nice start to the campaign. Last season, Vicario averaged 7.6 ghost points per start through saves and other defensive actions. Spurs gave up a plethora of corners and free kicks and Vicario racked up aerials and high-claims as a result. In the first 5 games of this season, the schedule offers Vicario the chance to load up the defensive stats once again without conceding too many goals. There will be clean sheet potential in some of the games, and with the new scoring change conceding one goal only will still have him getting you a solid amount of ghosts. You should really look at GKs as short term pickups, with maybe Onana the only exception as a long term hold. With opening games vs. Leicester, Everton, Newcastle, Arsenal, and Brentford, Vicario could offer close to a double digit PPS. That would be great value in the last 2 rounds of the draft. Once the schedule turns after the Brentford game, you can drop Vicario for another GK, or if he is doing well, ride the momentum.

DEF: Lewis Hall

Team: Newcastle

ADP: 150

Recommended Round to Draft: 12 or 13

Prospects: Hall could become a very valuable DEF3 pick this season. Trippier has one foot out the door, and Hall has been praised for his efforts so far in pre season. Last season it took Hall until November 2nd to get his first start, and after that didn't start again until April 2nd. In his 8 starts he managed 8 PPS and 7.5 ghosts per start. He has already shown he can be a versatile asset for Howe playing in a defensive midfield and wing back role. While it was only vs. Hull City it is worth noting that Hall had 4 key passes, 7 tackles won, and 3 blocked shots in a defensive midfield role, in the recent friendly on July 27.

With Trippier ready to go, Howe will be looking to Hall to step in and potentially even get some set-pieces. On their day Newcastle are a top team, and one that should contend for the top 4 or better this year. Getting one of their assets, especially one who can be involved in all areas of the pitch, this late in the draft could be incredibly valuable. Hall has DEF1 upside especially with the new scoring not docking him 2 points for that first goal conceded. Depending on the position in which Hall starts, he could have more upside if he is indeed heavily involved in the attack. With potential clean sheets also thrown in, there is no reason to think that Hall cannot have a double digit PPS this year.

DEF: Wesley Fofana

Team: Chelsea

ADP: N/A

Recommended Round to Draft: 14-15

Prospects: Fofana is a forgotten man after missing the entire season with a knee injury. Under a new manager Fofana could start to live up to all the hype he built before his move to Chelsea. In pre-season so far Fofana has seen solid minutes in his CB role. Maresca has shown he wants to build up Fofana's fitness, hinting that he has a strong case to crack the opening day XI. While we have no stats from last season to use for Fofana, his best season at Leicester had him at a 9.4 PPG, showing he does have fantasy potential. While he hasn't scored many goals in his EPL career, he offers a towering presence in the box, and surely Maresca will look to utilize him in set pieces.

Chelsea will be looking to improve especially defensively, and based on raw talent Fofana has to be one of the go-to guys for Maresca. This is a very low-risk pick. If Chelsea improve defensively, and Fofana can stay healthy, you will have yourself a solid DEF2 drafted in the last few rounds of the draft. Worst case scenario, he is an easy drop if Chelsea show they will take awhile to adjust. I would not start him in the opening game vs. City, but if he is in the XI, he will be a good play in the games vs. Wolves, Palace, Bournemouth, and Saints after that.

DEF: Jarell Quansah

Team: Liverpool

ADP: 292

Recommended Round to Draft: 10-12

Prospects: Quansah currently has a surprisingly low ADP. He finished the season very strong, winning that starting spot over Konate, and could be a valuable player this season under Slot. There are very strong rumours of Konate negotiating with West Ham and other clubs, so the new manager may not have the Frenchman in his plans. Quansah has shown that he is a reliable CB and despite having little EPL experience he has looked like he's been playing at this level for years. He offers a calm presence on the ball and is a good partner for Van Dijk. There is no reason to think Quansah can't continue his growth under Slot and improve in all areas.

Last season, Quansah managed 13 starts, with the majority coming in the latter half of the season. He managed a solid 8.6 PPS, and an identical ghost point output. The scoring change should improve his PPS as well with defenders not getting docked for the first goal conceded. With Quansah only 27% reliant on goals assists and clean sheets, he could become a fantasy monster. He also has an eye for goal, finding the net twice last season in back to back games to close out the season. With more starts under his belt and a few more goals, there is no reason to think that Quansah can't manage a similar output to Van Dijk at a significantly lower draft pick! For reference, Van Dijk only managed 8.9 ghost points per start last season, just slightly better than Quansah. The youngster should be there in round 11-12, but if you want to guarantee that you roster him, you can reach in round 10.

DEF: Chris Richards

Team: Crystal Palace

ADP: 376

Recommended Round to Draft: 12-14

Prospects: Richards was discussed briefly in my Way Too Early Diamonds in the Rough, but is worth mentioning again given how late you can actually draft him. Richards will more likely than not start the season for Glasner, in a friendly series of opening few games. Initial matchups vs. Brentford and West Ham could have him starting the season with a double digit PPS. After that the schedule turns into a mixed bag, but that doesn't mean he won't be worth starting. Again I am highlighting the new scoring change where Richards will not be deducted for the first goal conceded. It is worth noting that Palace only conceded in two of their last 6 games, including clean sheets vs. Liverpool, Newcastle, and Manchester United. There is no reason to think that Palace will all of a sudden roll over and concede 3+ goals in any tough fixture now.

Why Richards and not another Palace asset? Well, Guehi may already be on his way out, and Glasner has already praised Richards before showing his love for him. Richards averaged 7.4 ghosts per game last season in his 23 starts, but if we look at how he fared with the new scoring system in his starts once Glasner took over...he averaged an incredible 11.4 PPS. Those are DEF1 numbers. While I don't expect him to finish the season with that kind of stat, it shows he has the potential to offer close to 10 PPS in this new scoring under his new manager. He would be a better draft than a lot of other defenders going around or before him such as: Saliba, Udogie, and Ait-Nouri.

MID: William Smallbone

Team: Southampton

ADP: 153

Recommended Round to Draft: 13-14

Prospects: Smallbone is more than worthy of a spot in this XI. While Saints will not be the most exciting team this season, Smallbone will most likely be their go-to guy on the ball. He will command a good amount of set-pieces and could offer a nice floor. He will have his work cut out for him in midfield, which could see him winning a decent amount of tackles and interceptions, as well as racking up a few key passes and shots on target. All this is a recipe for a consistent MID4-5. While this doesn't sound very exciting, this is something that you always need in your roster. Smallbone should see close to 90 minutes most games and offers some upside given his role in the team. While he may not replicate what legend JWP did for the Saints, if we can even get JWP lite stats from him, he will be more than worth his draft pick.

Saints are in the market for more attacking options to add to their roster, which will only help Smallbone's prospects. The better players around him, the more upside he has with those potential key passes turning into assists. He is projected to have a PPS of 7.4 this season, but I could see that creeping up to above 8. For reference, Ryan Christie averaged 8.7 PPS last season, and we saw how valuable an asset he became in Fantrax. If Smallbone can offer that kind of value, he will be a set and forget in most rosters.

MID: Jesurun Rak-Sakyi

Team: Crystal Palace/TBD

ADP: N/A

Recommended Round to Draft: 16

Prospects: Rak-Sakyi is someone who could have a bright future in the EPL, but also a draft pick that could flop. He is an exciting young talent that offers pace and directness when on the pitch. He has looked bright in his pre-season minutes for Palace, including a very good solo goal in the recent fixture. While he may have a tough time carving out a starting role for himself at Palace with the Kamada signing, and Eze most likely staying remaining in south London, there is hope he can still do a job in fantasy this season. If he does stay at Palace, it will likely not be as a backup. Glasner will have a plan to eventually use him in the XI, potentially involving a formation change in order to add an extra attacker.

If he leaves, it could be even better for his fantasy prospects. Teams like Ipswich and Southampton are eyeing him up on loan - clubs that could use a RW player like Rak-Sakyi and could offer him 25+ starts. While these loans sometimes don't work out, it is worth gambling on Rak-Sakyi with your last pick of the draft over a DEF4 or a GK. He is an easy drop if there is no sign of a move or cracking the Palace XI within the first 2 gameweeks. But if a move does happen or he is given a chance on the right side for Palace, he could offer MID4 or better upside. Players such as Elanga have shown sometimes all you need is a chance to show you can cut it in the EPL, and Rak-Sakyi seems more than ready to take his.

MID: Emiliano Buendia

Team: Aston Villa

ADP: 342

Recommended Round to Draft: 13+

Prospects: Buendia is back after almost a year out with a serious knee injury. He recently got 30 minutes in a pre-season friendly and Emery noted how impressed he is with him. While it is wishful thinking to think that Buendia will be in the opening day XI, he could slot in not too far after that. Diaby and Luiz leaving has left a bit of a creative hole for Emery, and Buendia could be the player to step in to fill it. Buendia could play both centrally and out wide, taking starts from one of Onana/Barkley or Morgan Rogers. On a creativity level, he is the best player of the 3 mentioned above, and I believe his talent will win out.

Based off mock drafts, he is usually undrafted or taken late in round 15 or 16. You will need to judge your league here to see how far you can let him fall. If you have a Villa or Norwich fan in your league, you may need to aim to grab him in the 13th or late in the 12th. These rounds are good for taking DEF3s or punts, which Buendia certainly is. Back in the 22-23 season, the Argentine managed 27 starts with 5 goals, 2 assists and 6.8 PPS. While these numbers aren't exactly great, Villa are a much better side now, and Buendia could see his returns improve with some set-pieces coming his way now that Luiz is gone. This pick has little risk given his ADP, but if it pans out, you could find yourself a sneaky MID3. One word of warning if you plan to draft Buendia - don't give him more than 5 GWs to show he can crack the XI before dropping.

FWD: Luis Sinisterra

Team: Bournemouth

ADP: 332

Recommended Round to Draft: 13-15

Prospects: This late in the draft you should have two to three guaranteed starting forwards in your roster. After round 11 is when you look to take those high upside forwards who, if they win a spot, they will offer some really good value. Sinisterra perfectly fits this description. He was recently brought in full-time after being on loan last year. He was injury prone last year, but that didn't stop him from showing glimpses of potential. In his 7 starts, he averaged 9.7 PPS and 8 ghost points per start. He had 2 goals and 2 assists last year, both goals came off the bench, and both assists came from starts. It is not a question of talent with Sinisterra, it is just a matter of him getting into the XI. The likes of Tavernier and Semenyo are ahead of him in the wing spot, but we could see an interesting shift with Tav moving to the 10, Kluivert dropped, and Sini starting on the left. But it is more likely than not, Sinisterra starts the season on the bench.

If you draft Tavernier, I consider Sinisterra a must draft. Tavernier has been known to disappear at times, and if so, I see no reason why Iraola wouldn't change things up. Also, injuries seem more common than not in this Bournemouth team, which could see Sini start more often. If Sinisterra is on your radar, try to bring him in as a FWD4. This will allow you to keep him on your bench for a few weeks without scrambling for starters. I am a huge fan of Bournemouth wingers, and taking Sinisterra with your 14th rounder can offer incredible value.

FWD: Iliman Ndiaye

Team: Everton

ADP: 148

Recommended Round to Draft: 13

Prospects: New signing Ndiaye is going under the radar, and I believe that has a lot to do with the team for which he signed. Ndiaye is coming from Marseille, where his stats were very respectable. He managed 8.2 PPS, 6.2 GPPS, and 6 G/A for the French club. These numbers do not scream FWD1, but they make him more of a solid FWD3-4 type of player with some upside. In the Championship 2 seasons ago for promoted Sheffield United (before teasing us pre-drafts) he was far more prolific with 11.2 PPS and 7.3 GPPS. Ndiaye should start in either the 10 role or as a winger. Onana leaving could see Doucoure pushing back into a more defensive midfielder role, leaving Ndiaye to pull the strings in the midfield behind DCL. It seems Dyche is going to be moving away from McNeil and inshallah, and that could see Ndiaye take a bigger creative role. If DCL stays at Everton and keeps fit, we could see Everton become a slightly more attacking side. It is worth noting that Garner will also compete for an attacking midfield spot, but I would back Ndiaye to win out in the longer term.

Everton's first 5 games include matches vs. Brighton, Spurs, Bournemouth, Villa, and Leicester. While Everton may not win many of these, none of these teams are defensive juggernauts and Ndiaye could take advantage. If that is the case, he would be the perfect trade high asset to bring in either a bigger name, or an asset that is a proven FWD2.

FWD: Yankuba Minteh

Team: Brighton

ADP: 164

Recommended Round to Draft: 11

Prospects: Minteh seems like one of two million Brighton signings this summer in that wing position. But he could be the one to win the starting role. The 20 year old signed from Newcastle after spending last season on loan with Feyenoord, where he scored 10 goals in his 27 appearances. And Minteh has already made his mark in early pre-season games for Brighton. We have seen in the past that Brighton attackers who are drafted late and win starting roles turn out to be true gems. Minteh is slowly creeping up everyone's draft board, which had me change the recommended round to draft.

In those rounds, he will be your FWD3-4. But based on what we have seen from Brighton wingers in the past, he has the potential to become a FWD2. The question remains whether that will be this season or next. Minteh will hope to hit the ground running as Brighton have a ton of competition for wing spots. Don't be surprised to see him only play 60ish minutes in many of his early starts as he gets acclimatized to the EPL and his new team. He may require some patience if he is rotated out of the side, but as long as you are not struggling for starters, he is worth holding based off what we have seen in pre-season. DraftLad spoke more on the excellent statistical side of his game in the transfers piece.

Honourable Mentions:

Reiss Nelson (FWD - Arsenal) - Nelson has shown in pre-season he may be ready to gain a starting role, but it won't be at Arsenal. This punt is based solely on a potential move to a mid-table or newly promoted club where he will start 25+ games (Leicester City is reportedly interested). If he does not get a move, he is an instant drop. Look to punt on him in round 15. If a move is confirmed before your draft, you may need to reach as high as round 10 if you want him.

Kamaldeen Sulemana (MID - Southampton) - Sulemana is making a case to be the starting RW for the Saints. He has had his injury woes and inconsistent patches, but he is off to a good start in pre-season. He also looks to be 2nd in line for penalties for the Saints. No new winger signings would only help his value. Don't reach on him, but look to draft him in rounds 15-16.

Kevin Schade (MID - Brentford) - Schade was really starting to show he could be a starting winger for Brentford before his basically season ending injury in September. He managed back to back double digit outings before his injury, and now will be looking to gain a starting spot for the upcoming season. Toney may be on his way out, and Igor may be struggling with an injury. Schade could be worth a pick in the 13th round or later as a MID6.

Amadou Onana (MID - Aston Villa) - Onana had a PPS of 5.9 last year, but had purple patches where he was a solid MID4. On a better attacking team he could see an improved PPS. It is very unclear what his role will be at Villa. But as a round 16 pick you could do a lot worse than punting on him racking up both attacking and defensive stats.

Liam Delap (FWD - Ipswich) - Highly touted City youngster has signed for Ipswich. He seems to be starting in a duo with Chaplin, and could also play on the wing. City youngsters have proven to do well at other clubs, so punting on Delap as a FWD4-5 in the last 2 rounds could be worth the risk.

Adama Traore (FWD - Fulham) - Can Adama finally win a starting spot? In the last game of the season he showed just why he could deserve one. With Willian and Bobby Decordova Reid both likely gone (BDR definitely), there are more minutes up for grabs. Smith-Rowe, Wilson, and Iwobi will be competing as well, but all those players can play in the midfield as well. If you believe in Adama as I do, then look to take him in round 14.

Jacob Greaves (DEF - Ipswich) - Greaves is more on the watch list than a must draft, given Ipswich start the season with games vs. Liverpool and Manchester City. The new signing from Hull should be a starting CB at Ipswich and he could be a strong ghoster in the mould of some of our Luton Town heroes from last season. The new scoring change makes him an even more exciting prospect, given he will at least not be penalized for the first goal. He could be an aerial monster as shown in preseason having won 4/5 of his aerials in the first half of his latest pre-season game. He will be a set-piece threat as well.

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