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 8 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 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: Zack Steffen
Team: Manchester City
Opponent: Burnley (Home)
Projected Fantasy Points: ~7.0 (GK projections coming soon)
The Thought: I'm chasing a clean sheet once again this week, but its about the best possible situation for it. City have a 62% chance of keeping a cleanie this week, the highest I believe we've seen all season. In Ederson's likely absence, Steffen will start but likely won't get many saves this match, but maybe a few high claims from desperate balls over the top/in the air. Pivot: Kelleher
DEF: Trent Alexander-Arnold
Team: Liverpool
Opponent: Watford (Home)
Projected Fantasy Points: 16.0
The Thought: Once again: The best scoring fantasy defender in the game, averaging an impressive 25 points a game, don't overthink this one. This week he has a 48% chance of keeping a clean sheet, 32% chance of assisting, and 13% chance of scoring. Plug Trent into your lineup and let the points flow in, regardless of how they come.
Pivot: Andrew Robertson, Konstantinos Tsimikas
DEF: Joao Cancelo
Team: Manchester City
Opponent: Burnley (Home)
Projected Fantasy Points: 16.8
The Thought: Like the aforementioned Liverpool RB, its hard to bench Cancelo, and there's really no reason to do so this week. He scores phenomenally well offensively, and has a 62% chance of keeping a clean sheet this week vs. Burnley. Pivot: Oleksandr Zinchenko
DEF: Andrew Robertson
Team: Liverpool
Opponent: Watford (Home)
Projected Fantasy Points: 13.0
The Thought: After the 2 defenders listed above, there's a large drop off to the next optimal option. This week I've opted with another Liverpool defender, thus having a double defense stack(including the goalkeeper). Of likely starters Robbo does have the 3rd highest projection though and it makes sense against Watford. I'm not particularly scared of a Ranieri, new manager bump here, and neither are the oddsmakers, who give Liverpool a 48% shot at a clean sheet. Robertson also has a very respectable 30% chance of coming away with an assist. Pivot: VVD
MID: Kevin De Bruyne
Team: Manchester City
Opponent: Burnley (Home)
Projected Fantasy Points: 18.8
The Thought: You know the drill by now. If KDB plays, you start him. If he doesn't you can easily pivot to another high upside City midfielder. Last time City played Burnley at home the score was 5-0 and I expect this one to be a similar bloodbath, so KDB will be the first of many City attacking players I'm stacking this week. He has 43% goal odds and 38% assist odds. For a midfielder, you may never see a higher combination (higher even than when they play Norwich)
Pivot: Ilkay Gundogan
MID: Phil Foden/Jack Grealish
Team: Leeds
Opponent: Burnley (Home)
Projected Fantasy Points: 16.6/18.1
The Thought: Whoever starts of these 2 I'm going with this week. If they both start I might just play both of them. City are expected to score on average of nearly 3 goals this week and these 2 Englishmen will surely be involved. Ghost points galore and around 45% chances of scoring each, I'm hitting the upside hard this week. Pivot: Each other or Bernardo to be differential
MID: Allan Saint Maximin
Team: Manchester United
Opponent: Leicester (Home)
Projected Fantasy Points: 14.3
The Thought: "Bruno continues to be a lock in every gameweek of Perfect XI when he starts for United..." Well this is the week I pivot off of Bruno and go with 2 non-big 6 players instead. The numbers don't like Bruno this week only projecting him for 12 points. Instead we go with our resident favorite ASM. He's been on a tear, and despite an off game last week, we expect him to bounce back against Nuno's underperforming and banged-up Spurs side. 25% chance to score, but 100% chance to rack up some serious ghost points.
Pivot: Bruno Fernarndes
MID: Pascal Gross
Team: Leeds
Opponent: Norwich (Home)
Projected Fantasy Points: 11.4
The Thought: Another differential pick, this week in the Brighton mid Gross. With a near monopoly on set pieces and creative play on the Brighton side, a tasty matchup vs Norwich is the perfect time to abuse this underrated fantasy start. He should rack up the key passes this week and provide one of the best floor plays in all of Fantrax. Pivot: Mason Mount/Paul Pogba
FWD: Riyad Mahrez
Team: Manchester City
Opponent: Burnley (Home)
Projected Fantasy Points: 15.2
The Thought: Ah Mahrez. Frustrating many Fantrax managers this season, this might finally be the week the Algerian pays off the patience. Will fellow (and usual starting) RW Gabriel Jesus out for GW8 post international travels, Mahrez looks likely to start (or at least as likely as one can be with Pep as their manager). Against a Burnley defense, Mahrez should rack up the Key Passes and Successful Dribbles. He's also got a 44% chance of scoring and similar to assist. Be happy you can play him in Perfect XI and not have to worry about him starting every week. Pivot: Raheem Sterling
FWD: Mohamed Salah
Team: Liverpool
Opponent: Watford (Home)
Projected Fantasy Points: 16.7
The Thought: You just got to keep playing Salah, its as simple as that. Rarely is there ever a player that you'll feel worse about not playing when given the opportunity than Salah. His multiple goal upside against a changed Watford side leaves him with the highest goal odds for the weekend at 52%. Just play him. Pivot: Sadio Mane
FWD: Adama Traore
Team: Wolves
Opponent: Aston Villa (Away)
Projected Fantasy Points: 13.8
The Thought: Another potential benefactor of a teammate not being available. Previous RW starter Trincao is out after testing positive with COVID-19. Traore looks likely to start in his absence (please no Podence). If he starts, we all know how good he is and he should be able to terrorize Villa's defenders, particularly if he gets behind the wing backs. Outside of KDB, Traore has the most predicted ghost points this week, and if he can manage to get an attacking return you'll be sitting pretty Pivot: Romelu Lukaku
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