Our Gameweek 34 Hot or Cold article is here to outline the current prospects of key Fantasy EPL players. The 'Hot' or 'Cold' status will help take away your emotional attachment to certain Draft Premier League players and help you bring in the players that you need to help you dominate your Fantrax Draft League!
These Hot or Cold ratings are based on the data contained within the Weekly Rest-of-Season Rankings produced by The FF Chaps. The Draft Society's exclusive weekly refresh of Fantasy EPL prospect rankings!
Gameweek 34 Hot List
These are Fantasy EPL players that have risen in our Weekly ROS Rankings! Keep an eye on these Draft Premier League players, and bring them into your Fantrax squad if you can.
Matt Targett
Position: Defender
Team: Newcastle United
GW33 Rank: 48
GW34 Rank: 33
What's Changed?: I moved Matt Targett up to 50th overall prior to GW30, and I was confident he wouldn't be able to rise any further up my rankings. But after scoring 44 points during his last 3 outings, I've got to move the Aston Villa loanee up once again. Targett now finds himself at 33rd overall, higher than the likes of Reece James and James Tarkowski. Newcastle are on really strong form, and the English left-back is a genuine contender for the best defensive option in the whole of Fantrax based on the GW in question (v Norwich). Burn (68th) and Schar (82nd) are also very good options if you're looking to get a piece of the Newcastle backline.
Teemu Pukki
Position: Forward
Team: Norwich
GW33 Rank: 145
GW34 Rank: 86
What's Changed?: Teemu Pukki is a man on fire. Ignore the fact that Norwich are getting relegated and have lost all but one of their last ten games. Pukki is the 8th highest scoring player on Fantrax since GW28. Let that sink in. More points than Trent, Cancelo, Raphinha, Maddison... Salah. More points than Mo Salah! 6 attacking returns in 6 games will do the trick, and I'm backing Pukki to continue his good form through the end of the season. At this stage, you've got to back the players in form, and the Finnish forward is certainly that. The Canaries face Newcastle at home this week. Kieron Dowell is another Norwich player on the rise, as he enters my ranks at 105th.
Thiago
Position: Midfielder
Team: Liverpool
GW33 Rank: 118
GW34 Rank: 52
What's Changed?: Thiago is a big riser for me this week, after another excellent display for Liverpool in GW33. The Spaniard had been ranked 100+ for the last couple of months due to his constant injury troubles. But at the moment he's at the top of his game, and is scoring very well in Fantrax. Thiago has started four games in a row, and gained 51.5 points across this period. With Liverpool chasing trophies across the board, Klopp will need to rotate at times, but I'm still backing Thiago to get a fair amount of starts and to perform well in the EPL over the next month.
For the full list of all the Gameweek 34 risers, check out the Weekly ROS Rankings page!
Gameweek 34 Cold List
These are Fantasy EPL players that have fallen in our Weekly ROS Rankings. This may be due to poor form, they have been dropped from the best 11, they have suffered an injury, or received a suspension. It's time to consider trading out these Draft Premier League players from your rosters!
Alexis Mac Allister
Position: Midfielder
Team: Brighton
GW33 Rank: 80
GW34 Rank: 125
What's Changed?: Since the start of February Alexis Mac Allister has started 9 of Brighton's 11 games, and he gets the full 90 minutes more often than not. But during this period the Argentinean has only scored 47 points on Fantrax. That's an average of 4.27 points per game. I've been ranking Mac Allister fairly high during this period (as well as rostering him myself in the DPL Community League) because I do like him, and I've been hoping for an upturn in his fortunes. After a measly 0.5 points during his Double GW33, enough is enough.
Recommendation: Mac Allister is droppable for me. He's been on poor Fantrax form for a while, and the Seagulls have no remaining double gameweeks.
Alexandre Lacazette
Position: Forward
Team: Arsenal
GW33 Rank: 38
GW34 Rank: 72
What's Changed?: Next up is a man I don't know what to make of right now: Alexandre Lacazette. The Frenchman's attacking returns have dried up over the last month, he's been suffering with illness, apparently he's already talking to other clubs about a summer move, and now Eddie Nketiah has started scoring goals! I've moved Lacazette down to 72nd overall due to this uncertainty over his playing time rest-of-season.
Recommendation: I would hold on to Lacazette in the hope that he returns to the starting line-up, and regains those all-important attacking returns. Personally I think he's worth keeping through this rough patch in the hope that he rewards Fantrax managers with a few decent scores over the next month.
Mohammed Salisu
Position: Defender
Team: Southampton
GW33 Rank: 79
GW34 Rank: 127
What's Changed?: Mohammed Salisu scored minus 8.25 points against Chelsea in GW32, and was subsequently dropped for both of Southampton's Double GW33 fixtures. I do think the Ghanaian defender gets back into the team before the season is over, but he's not worth rostering anymore in Fantrax. His scores over the last couple of months haven't been great, making Salisu an easy drop right now. Chase defenders on form at this point in the season; Schar, Collins or Cooper will serve you much better.
Recommendation: As I've said above, an easy drop whilst he's riding the bench. Perhaps give him a chance if he does start again soon, but there are better players and better teams to target at the moment. The Saints have little to play for.
For the full list of all the Gameweek 34 fallers, check out the Weekly ROS Rankings page!
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