Our Fantasy EPL 21/22 Draft Kit promises to be the most comprehensive set of pre-season Draft Premier League articles ever produced! A key component of our Draft Kit will be the Team Preview articles which analyze key assets to sit alongside our all-important Draft Rankings. This article highlights three potential Fantrax Fantasy EPL Sleepers from Aston Villa!
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Aston Villa Sleepers
As noted above, these are potential Fantrax Sleepers from Aston Villa. These Fantasy EPL players are likely to be drafted in the later rounds. Read below for three under the radar players who could provide excellent value in your pre-season draft.
Anwar El-Ghazi (El-Messi)
Position: Midfielder
20/21 Points: 256.5 (70th overall)
20/21 Points Per Start: 13.6
Recommended Draft Pick: 100-120 (12 Team League: Round 10-11)
Overview: While I may - just may - be culpable for having overinflated El Messi's value, I fear he could be taken earlier than he should. When he starts, he's amazing. But I worry about his playing time in a loaded Villa attack.
I don't have the words for this man. A waiver wire pickup that casually drops over a century mark of points in one month? Unheard of. El Messi, in just 17 starts, took the Premier League and certainly Fantrax by storm (albeit in waves) last season. He posted an absurd 13.6 points per start and just under 10 ghost points per 90. He scored 10 goals (more than Firmino & many other starting strikers). Now on to the bad part...manager Dean Smith didn't start El Ghazi regularly when the team was fully healthy. And I don't see that changing this season, particularly with new boy Buendia providing even more depth on the wings. So don't get carried away in the draft and take Anwar the demigod too early. You'll want him on your roster but he only he starts becoming value after the 10th round.
Matt Targett/Matty Cash
Position: Defender
20/21 Points: 317.75 for Targett, 214 for Cash (34th/98th overall)
20/21 Points Per Start: 7.8 for Targett, 7.6 for Cash
Recommended Draft Pick: 90-100 (12 Team League: Round 8-9)
Overview: The Villa fullbacks were great value for money last season. And they should push on this campaign; DEF1 capability that should be available in the later rounds.
Villa got decent attacking width from their pair of fullbacks last season and the defenders also contributed to 15 clean sheets (3rd most in the Premier League). This should continue, making Targett (not Tango) & Cash attractive defensive assets. They were comparable in terms of scoring (their points per start disparity is negligible). While Targett was more durable, hence the bigger tally for total points, Cash had more ghosting capability (8.7 ghost points per 90 versus Targett's 8 gpp90). Cash might stay on the draft board a little longer given his lower total points last season but both are good value after pick 90.
John McGinn
Position: Midfielder
20/21 Points: 286.5
20/21 Points Per Start: 7.7
Recommended Draft Pick: 75-80 (12 Team League: Round 7-8)
Overview: As solid as you can get. He may not light it up much anymore. But if you need 7-9 points, he is your man. A solid MID3-4 that should be available later.
Steady as she goes. No one puts in a shift like the reliable Scotsman, McGinn. A few years back, he was more of a creator and attacking MID, which translated into more fantasy points. But McGinn has recently turned into more of a link-up man between the defense and the attack, acquiring both defensive (Tackles Won & Interceptions) and offensive stats (Key Passes & Successful Dribbles). A nailed on starter, McGinn finished with a respectable points per start of nearly 8 but a mediocre 6.5 ghost points per 90. No longer the fantasy asset he once was, McGinn is still worth rostering for his consistency and reliability. This makes him decent value around pick 80, particularly given the dearth of midfield depth in this draft.
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