Here at The Draft Society we’ve always said that what makes the draft game different is the community that is has fostered. It’s all love, baby. The support we get from each and every one of you every day of every week is beyond anything we could ever have imagined when we founded back in March of 2021. And whilst we’ll never be able to thank you all enough for this, we hope that we can give a little something back in the best way we know how: the Community Special.
Each week the_innergeek will write up a personalised article for the league of one lucky winner. It’s your call on the topic. Whether it’s a Trade-Maker Special, a Gameweek Preview, or The Crystal Ball Breakdown, the Inner Geek has you covered. A word of warning, though: no punches will be pulled when the Inner Geek gets to work! This week’s winner is Fantrax Mourinho, who chose to have their league’s rosters analysed and some trades proposed by the Inner Geek. A fair, honest, and impartial third party, think of the Inner Geek as everything that Mina Raiola is not. So Milner, are you and your rivals ready?
Whilst this article will aim to provide some legitimate trade suggestions for this specific league, it is very likely that you will be able to take some of the insights and advice and apply them to your own teams. And if not, well, you can always enter next time to try and get a personalised article for your own league. Make sure you follow us on Twitter and keep an eye out on Sunday evenings when the advertising post will go live.
Note: Numbers in brackets indicate the player’s position in our recent Consensus Ranks, published on Tuesday September 7th.
The Rosters
1. Cuddlestone FC trade Danny Ings (28) to Red Devil’s XI for Andros Townsend (80) and Marcus Rashford (54)
Cuddlestone could do with some help in midfield – the trio of Sancho, Saka, and Bowen, whilst decent, is not going to cut it (they do have three others, but they are so pointless I haven’t bothered to name them). Welcome, Andros Townsend. The Everton man has started the season on fire, with two assists, a goal, and 52 points in 263 minutes of football. But Townsend for Ings is clearly not on the table. Ings for a fully fit Rashford, pre-CR7 arrival, would cut it. But those two factors – the injury and the CR7 – make that a lopsided affair too. Therefore Ings for Rashford and Townsend feels right. Cuddlestone improve their midfield considerably (Townsend goes from being the number four MID at Red Devil’s XI to the number two MID here) and don’t lose out too much in the forward department long-term. Red Devil’s get an immediate upgrade up top, and, with a roster built to play 343, shouldn’t be too concerned about losing Townsend. Win-win.
2. Kashtapadra Club trade Mason Greenwood (67) to Snipers FC for Dwight McNeil (47)
What an enviable – and unlikely – position Kashtapadra Club find themselves in with regards to forwards. They have Harry Kane and Riyad Mahrez on the books – players ranked 6th and 16th overall pre-season – as well as Michail Antonio and Mason Greenwood – players currently ranked 1st and 4th for total points scoring forwards. This is a nice luxury to have, and one that I would be very tempted to cash in on. Whilst clearly strong up top, the midfield has some serious holes. If Pogba gets shifted back to accommodate Ronaldo – as gameweek 4 suggested – then the only attacking midfielders on their books are Jesse Lingard and James Rodriguez…I think I might start as many Premier League games this season as that pair. Hence, the arrival of Dwight McNeil. The Burnley man has been a ghost point magnet so far this season, so if he (/Burnley) can only find the net a bit more, he should make Kashtapadra a much better side.
The consensus ranks here would suggest that Snipers are losing out in this one, but you’ll see that yours truly had the two players much closer together, with Greenwood actually higher at 43, compared to McNeil’s 45. Even with Ronaldo, and even when Rashford is back, Greenwood has proven he is good enough to get in this United side. This trade works because Snipers need Greenwood more than they need McNeil. McNeil is the 4th choice midfielder on their roster, and with Martin Odegaard as number 5, it’s not exactly an area of weakness for them. But a forward line that has either Odsonne Edouard, Bryan Mbeumo, or Timo Werner as the number 2 is. Bring in Greenwood, problem solved.
3. DevilMayCry trade Seamus Coleman (137) and Stuart Dallas (112) to Winner Killer for John McGinn (90)
It’s not exactly a trade that will rock the fantasy world, but they don’t need all need to be blockbusters, as long as they fill a need. DevilMayCry have too many defenders, and not enough quality in midfield (they lack quality everywhere to be honest, but the rebuilding job must start with baby steps). Conversely, Winner Killer are one of the few sides to actually need a defender. Ezri Konsa is free agency material, and Japhet Tanganga likewise (whilst also being banned for the next game). Seamus Coleman will be a nice addition here – the Irishman is having a comeback season with a current FP/G of 7.8 despite Everton having conceded four goals. If they can tighten the ship – something that Rafa Benitez-led teams have a tendency to do – then the FP/G could easily creep up to the mid 8’s that Coleman achieved between 2017 and 2019.
John McGinn is a useful piece for Winner Killer, but he’s also expendable. Seamus Coleman strengthens the roster, and Stuart Dallas comes alongside him as someone that can be plugged in to fill a gap when need be. For DevilMayCry, the upgrade from Dallas to McGinn is enough to justify losing Coleman – particularly as they already own Ethan Pinnock, Joel Veltman, and Jannick Vestergaard, and where possible you should only really be starting three defenders. This roster requires a lot of work for it to become competitive, and I would be tempted to trade out the highest value forward (for me this is Ismaila Sarr but the consensus ranks have it as Patrick Bamford) to try and bring in two decent players. But Coleman and Dallas for McGinn is a start.
4. Crispy Beef FC trade Ben Chilwell (57) and Wilfried Zaha (81) to Shthred of Colomburg for Raheem Sterling (33)
Cristiano Ronaldo has achieved pretty much everything there is in football, but leading Crispy Beef FC to a fantasy championship alongside fellow forwards Neal Maupay, Wilfried Zaha, and Edinson Cavani may just be one bridge too far. He needs help. And that’s why Raheem Sterling is brought in. Yes, the England star has started just once for Manchester City this season, but that will change, and a look at his FP/G’s in previous years should tell you that when it does, rewards will be reaped (10.5, 13.7, 15.9, 15.3, 11.9, and 8.8 since joining City). He is a big upgrade on Zaha and whilst the cost is fairly steep, it is definitely worth it.
Ben Chilwell may have a Consensus rank of 57 (and Marcos Alonso’s is 92), but as a handcuff, the generic ‘Chelsea Left-Back’ would surely be ranked in the top 30, such is their level of production. I could genuinely argue that, because of this, a straight-up Chilwell for Sterling trade has merit. However, more realistic is throwing Wilfried Zaha into the mix. Shthred of Colomburg need a forward who is going to start every week, and whilst Zaha is still going to have far more gameweek 3 days (4.5 points scored vs West Ham) than gameweek 4 days (28.5 points scored vs Tottenham), his arrival alongside Chilwell improves the overall makeup of this roster.
5. The Nights Watch trade Trincao (43) and Ricardo Pereira (84) to You Know Nothing for Pierre Emerick Aubameyang (65) and Cesar Azpilicueta (60)
As fate would have it, we have the Game of Thrones named teams trading with each other in this one, and if the hit show taught us one thing, it’s that it’s best to go out on a high. Which is what The Nights Watch might try to do with Trincao. The Wolves man has started very brightly, and I’m actually still high on him, but it’s a little concerning that Hwang Hee-Chan came on in his place to such good effect in gameweek 4. Bringing in the frustrating figure of Pierre Emerick Aubameyang might not be the ideal scenario, but the Arsenal man does still have a big haul in his locker (as we saw last week); it’s just that they’re not as frequent any more.
Ricardo Pereira has had a busy season: a 21.25-pointer to kick things off, a -4, and now an injury. The Leicester defender may no longer be the top-5 defender that had double-digit hauls more often than not, but he has certainly improved on last year, and could be a solid 2nd or 3rd defender for most teams. Azpilicueta, however, is better. And he’s also more consistent – something that’s not always that important in fantasy but tends to come in handy for defenders. The Nights Watch have a solid roster, but with Mane, Jota, and Pepe up top, they can afford to downgrade Trincao in order to strengthen the defence. You Know Nothing’s roster isn’t as good, but their upgrade from Aubameyang at the cost of downgrading in defence definitely improves it overall.
6. Mazy Sharks trade Mason Mount (9) to Team Durant Tears ACL for James Tarkowski (20), James Ward-Prowse (55), and Chris Wood (74).
We’re saving the best to last with this one, as we see a certifiable first rounder involved in a trade. Mason Mount is one of the very best (9th to be specific), and it says something that despite having a current FP/G of 10.7, it still feels like he’s massively underperformed so far this season. It won’t stay that way though. He is to Chelsea what KDB is to City. Yes, there will be occasions when he is rested, but he’s as close to bullet proof as you can get in a Tuchel midfield. Team Durant Tears ACL have built a nice roster, but it has a glaring weakness in the midfield. Enter, last season’s second highest scoring midfielder, Mason Mount.
So with all that praise, why on earth would Mazy Sharks let the Chelsea man go? Well, quite simply because their roster is a mess. Mount, Richarlison, and the (potential) Havertz-Pulisic handcuff aren’t going to carry this team to enough wins to make them relevant. But Richarlison, Havertz/Pulisic, and three good players might do. James Tarkowski, James Ward-Prowse, and Chris Wood actually put some meat onto the bones of this roster. It will hurt to lose Mount, for sure, but these are three very dependable and very productive assets. Oh, and if you’re wondering about which two to drop to make room for the new additions, take your pick from Tyrone Mings, Andreas Christensen, Marc Albrighton, Allan, or Jacob Murphy.
Other Roster Moves
In leagues that play with a roster size of 16 players, a four defender, seven midfielder, four forward roster is what I’d aim for (with a five-six-four as plan B). This league follows that guideline probably more closely than I’ve seen before, with only one team having more than five defenders and all but one team having four forwards. Great news from each manager’s perspective, but it does mean that finding a trade is a little harder. As such, to go with the six suggestions above, I’ve added in 10 more names currently on the FA/WW that deserve consideration from a few teams.
Ben Mee – The Burnley centre-back may play second fiddle to Fantrax favourite James Tarkowski but he’s a model of consistency and definitely deserves to be rostered somewhere. In five of his last six seasons his FP/G has sat between 9.0 and 9.9 – not many defenders can say that! I’d certainly have him over Ezri Konsa (Winner Killer), Romain Perraud (Red Devil’s XI) and Junior Firpo (Kashtapadra Club).
Cristian Romero – Tottenham’s new arrival has yet to start for various reasons, and whilst Spurs do look shaky at the back (7th worst xGA), Romero should eventually become a good DEF 2/3 given his numbers at Atalanta. A team that has defenders currently overperforming could be a good fit here, as Romero may not nail down a place for a while…Mazy Sharks? Cuddleston FC? Looking at you both here.
Max Aarons – Norwich defenders have the 5th best upcoming schedule, but even ROS, Aarons could provide some good value. The fullback has scored 5.75, -6.25, 11.25, and 10.25, but that second score was against Manchester City, which is a fixture that you obviously bench him in, so the early signs are promising. He is currently the 8th ranked defender for Ghost Points per Start. Again, some of the teams previously mentioned should take a look at him, but in particular Winner Killer, who are without Tanganga this weekend – a weekend where Norwich have a nice matchup against Watford.
Marc Cucurella – A quiet debut for Brighton’s new man, with 9 points scored but only 3 ghost points. The Seagulls aren’t going to keep clean sheets on the regular, so this number will need to increase, but the left wing-back has decent potential to come in as a DEF 3/4 for someone. Shthred of Colomburg may want to act quickly as it’s possible that he becomes a replacement for Solly March, who they also have rostered.
Alexis Mac Allister – A very unusual stat-line to start the season for Mac Allister, with two starts (average points scored of 6.25) and two sub appearances (average points scored of 11.50). Brighton are a good team and Mac Allister flashes moments that make you think he can be a solid midfield option in fantasy. Cuddlestone FC should swap him in for Naby Keita; likewise DevilMayCry (for Ayoze Perez), Mazy Sharks (for Marc Albrighton), or Shthred of Colomburg (for Vitaly Janelt).
Nathan Redmond – Southampton’s Nathan Redmond started his first game this season in the 0-0 draw with West Ham and not surprisingly scored just 4 points. But history tells us that Redmond can be a more than serviceable fantasy asset (FP/G of 9.6 in 2018-19 and 9.2 in 2019-20). Again, I’d prefer a player like him with proven, consistent fantasy value over the likes of Keita, Perez, and Albrighton, and even over newcomers who are likely to be rotation pieces (e.g. Nikola Vlasic or Saul Niguez).
N’Golo Kante – Whilst Mac Allister and Redmond are players with high-ish upside, Kante is one of those with a high-ish floor. When he’s back and fully fit, he’s certainly more rosterable than many of the midfielders previously discussed. In his final six starts last season he scored 1 (67 minutes), 7.5, 18, 13, 13, and 11 and though this purple patch shouldn’t be expected often, in his five seasons at Chelsea he’s had FP/G’s of 8.0, 9.5, 8.0, 8.5, and 6.4. DevilMayCry are the obvious candidates for a Kante-type figure.
Ashley Westwood – Arguably one of the least fashionable players in unarguably the least fashionable team. But Westwood can provide a reliable stream of points and has had previous season FP/G’s of 8.0, 7.9, and 7.2. He’s basically a poor man’s Kante, but with the advantage of being as close to a 90-minute guaranteed starter as you can get when fit.
Rodrigo – Risky one here as the Leeds man has had a very poor start to the season despite a bit of hype over the summer. What’s more, with Dan James’ arrival, his place in the side could come under even more threat (he’s already been subbed off at half-time in two games and after 72 minutes in the other). But – at this moment in time – I still prefer his upside over Ashley Barnes (Red Devil’s XI) or even Edinson Cavani (Crispy Beef FC), or as a fourth forward for Mazy Sharks.
Joshua King – Finally, new Watford man Joshua King could provide provide some real value for a team in the near future. The hornets have the second best upcoming schedule for forwards and that starts with a trip to Norwich this weekend. Shthred of Colomburg may want to get in there fast as it’s conceivable that all four of their forwards fail to start in gameweek 4.
So there we have it. The Trade-Maker's suggestions for Fantrax Mourinho's league courtesy of The Inner Geek. Some food for thoughts for all managers and hopefully enough to kick-start a few negotiations at the very least! If you want a Community Special article written about YOUR league – whether it’s a Gameweek Preview, a Trade-Maker Special, or The Crystal Ball Breakdown – then make sure you follow The Draft Society on Twitter and keep an eye out on Sunday evenings when the advertising post will go live.
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