The Perfect XI format of Fantasy EPL on Fantrax is going to take the community by storm. Fact. Our good friends at DPLCommLeague have brought the concept over to Fantrax, and it is sensational. We're here to provide Draft Premier League managers with our very own Perfect XI tips for each gameweek. Details of the concept and rules can be found here!
Check out DPLCommLeague for further information on the format, regular updates on the latest standings, as well as information on how you can enter.
Fantasy EPL Gameweek 7 Perfect XI
So, what is Perfect XI? Similar to Official Fantasy Premier League game, all managers have full access to the entire player pool each week, meaning multiple teams within the league could be completely identical. The main departures from OFPL are the Fantrax Default Scoring, unlimited transfers each week, no budget/salary cap, and live lineup changes available. This means that each week you can select a dream team of Fantrax assets who you think will score the most points on a given gameweek, and have the added bonus of being able to see the real life lineups before your players lock in. Magic.
Check out our Gameweek 7 Perfect XI tips below. These are our recommendations for the best eleven players this weekend! Picks are now accompanied by our weekly projections, which our Inner Circle members can exclusively access.
GK: Edouard Mendy
Team: Chelsea
Opponent: Southampton (Home)
Projected Fantasy Points: ~7.0 (GK projections coming soon)
The Thought: Playing Mendy this week is chasing a clean sheet without a doubt. But there's not a lot of good chances for a clean sheet this week and, picking between Chelsea and Man United, my faith lies in the Blues and their French stopper. Chelsea have a 52% chance of keeping a clean sheet and have only conceded twice this season. Pivot: Jose Sa
DEF: Ben Chilwell/Marcos Alonso
Team: Liverpool
Opponent: Southampton (Home)
Projected Fantasy Points: 11.7/11.9
The Thought: Let the Chelsea defensive stack week commence. As previously mentioned, Chelsea have the best clean sheet odds of the week, but when playing Alonso or Chilwell, you're bound to score plenty of offensive stats as well. Regardless of who starts at LWB (and I'm predicting Chilwell based on Alonso's poor midweek showing) plug them and play them with confidence. Both have around 20% chances of assisting and 15% chances of scoring according to the oddsmakers.
Pivot: Each other or Thiago Silva
DEF: Reece James/Cesar Azpilicueta
Team: Chelsea
Opponent: Southampton (Home)
Projected Fantasy Points: 13.2/11.5
The Thought: I'm very much doubling down this week. Reece James's injury status is up in the air, but yesterday England manager, Gareth Southgate, was quoted saying that James had a good chance to feature this weekend despite the doubts. If the highest projected defender does not start, Azpi has a good chance of starting instead at RWB. Even if neither feature at RWB (and CHO does instead perhaps), I think Azpi is worth a play from CB given his ghost-point scoring abilities and high chance of a clean sheet. With Reece, you get set pieces and attacking and defensive stats. Pivot: Each other or Antonio Rudiger
DEF: Alex Telles
Team: Manchester United
Opponent: Everton (Home)
Projected Fantasy Points: 11.2
The Thought: My tactical punt of the week is the Portuguese attacking left-back. He scored a screamer during United's midweek UCL match and played well. Luke Shaw, who would otherwise start over him if fit, was not even present on the bench on Wednesday, and while Ole said it was possible he'd be ready for the weekend, Shaw hadn't trained at the time so he seems highly doubtful. In his stead, you get the more attacking, also set-piece taking, shot hungry Alex Telles coupled with the second best clean sheet odds of the slate at 46%. He plays the early game too so there's no risk (outside of not waking up to my Americas friends). Pivot: Luke Shaw/Liam Cooper
MID: Bruno Fernandes
Team: Manchester United
Opponent: Everton (Home)
Projected Fantasy Points: 14.0
The Thought: Bruno continues to be a lock in every gameweek of Perfect XI when he starts for United, and this week is no exception. Fernandes may have opened the season a little slowly and United have looked a bit shaky at times, but this is a man who had 10 Key Passes last gameweek. As usual, Bruno has the highest goal and assist odds of any midfielder at 34% and 38% respectively. Don't overthink it.
Pivot: Paul Pogba
MID: Raphinha
Team: Leeds
Opponent: Watford (Home)
Projected Fantasy Points: 13.9
The Thought: The Brazillian winger for Leeds has been on a bit of a tear lately, scoring goals and 20+ fantasy points in his last 2 games. This week he plays Watford at home in a game Leeds will be gunning for goals. Raphinha has a 33% chance of scoring and a 34% chance of assisting (Bruno-like!) and will be sure to get you plenty of ghost points regardless of his attacking returns. This is one of the best weeks to play Raphinha so don't miss it. Pivot: Jack Harrison
MID: Kevin De Bruyne
Team: Manchester City
Opponent: Liverpool (Away)
Projected Fantasy Points: 13.8
The Thought: You may notice that I've fully dodged picking any other Liverpool or City players in this lineup (or even alternatives). The two heavyweights facing each other leaves almost all of their players unpredictable and generally not worth the risk this week. KDB is the exception and the numbers back it. One of the top two midfielders while starting, even when facing Liverpool, the Belgium maestro is still the third highest projected midfielder. He also still happens to have over a 45% chance of an attacking return. If you want be to different and avoid KDB, this is certainly the week to do it, but leaving one of the best midfielders in the world on the bench has high risk for post-game regret. Pivot: Jack Grealish/Phil Foden
MID: Ademola Lookman
Team: Leicester City
Opponent: Crystal Palace (Away)
Projected Fantasy Points: 11.4
The Thought: The 3rd and 4th midfielders for this Perfect XI were more difficult than usual. You could opt to play Mount or Ziyech, but respectively they're coming off an injury and a terrible midweek performance so my trust levels are low, even if I'm selecting many other Chelsea options. You could double up on City options with a Grealish or Foden (in addition to KDB) but that could be a dangerous move if City fail to score vs Liverpool at home. Well, Lookman is here to save the day. After an impressive 15 ghost point performance in GW6 vs Burnley, the Englishman has a similarly friendly matchup vs Palace. While this is predominantly a ghost point floor play, Lookman's ceiling is there as well with a 35% chance of an attacking return. Pivot: Mason Mount/Harvey Barnes
FWD: Romelu Lukaku
Team: Chelsea
Opponent: Southampton (Home)
Projected Fantasy Points: 15.2
The Thought: Will I ever pick a Perfect XI team that's not a 343? Unlikely, you just have to get as many goal scorers as you can. Well, Lukaku certainly fits that bill. The Belgian has the highest goal odds of anyone this week with a whopping 55% chance of scoring. He should fill the stat sheet plenty regardless, but this is the sort of upside play you need to attack in Perfect XI. Pivot: Jamie Vardy
FWD: Adama Traore
Team: Wolves
Opponent: Newcastle (Home)
Projected Fantasy Points: 16.7
The Thought: Will he or won't he start is certainly the question. Well despite the win last week, Wolves looked generally uninspiring, particularly Traore and Trincao's replacements Podence and Hwang. I reckon Traore has a great chance to return to the side and wreak havoc on Newcastle at home. The Spaniard is the single highest projected player this week in terms of fantasy and ghost points (by 2+ ghost points)! If he starts, I think you have to play him. Maybe, just maybe you get an attacking return against Steve Bruce's woeful side. Pivot: Trincao/Son Heung-Min
FWD: Ismaila Sarr
Team: Watford
Opponent: Leeds (Away)
Projected Fantasy Points: 13.8
The Thought: I must admit, I fully regret not playing Sarr the last two weeks in Perfect XI. 32 and 14.5 fantasy points later, I'm finally ready to recommend the Senegalese forward against a porous Leeds side. Watford may not score a ton of goals but Leeds concede a lot as well as generally just giving up a ton of offensive fantasy stats to opponents. The projections and odds reflect that this week, and Sarr has about a 35% chance of an attacking return. Pivot: Michail Antonio
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