RADIO
Welcome to Gameweek 26, RotoBallers! This season, we are expanding our soccer coverage to include the great game of Fantasy Premier League. So, if you are a seasoned veteran, or a rookie navigating your first campaign, we will set you right as we look to acquire those weekend-making green arrows and avoid the doom and gloom of a red arrow.
Gameweek 26 is one we've all been waiting for. After so many postponements during the Winter months, we are starting to see those games rescheduled and have four bonus matches this week. Tottenham, Liverpool and Arsenal are the headline teams with two matches this week, with the latter pair both having two somewhat juicy home games. Gameweek 26 kicks off on Saturday at 7.30 am Eastern and lineups will lock at 6.00 am Eastern so be sure to get your lineups in place early, ideally by Friday night unless you want to get up before the roosters awaken.
Also, be sure to check out the rest of our excellent soccer coverage as the team gets you all set for every English Premier League and UEFA Champions League slate from a DFS perspective.
RotoBaller FPL Staff Roundtable - Gameweek 26
The Staff Roundtable is an attempt to get you inside the mind of our FPL staff. Our top soccer writers - Euan Leith, Jamie Steed, Brandon Wampler, and Phil Goyette - will answer questions each Gameweek to give you an idea of how they view the games. So without further ado, let's kick off Gameweek 26!
How did Gameweek 25 work out for you?
- Brandon Wampler: Luckily Tariq Lamptey and Alisson carried the team past the finish line, otherwise not great at all.
- Jamie Steed: An above-average 56 points which was made all the more remarkable given I had five outfielders not play so fielded a team of just nine.
We have our first significantly lopsided Gameweek with four additional midweek games. How are you attacking things differently with regards to wildcards and captaincy?
- Brandon Wampler: I am considering stacking a game or two to provide an extra edge with less ownership since there are so many choices to begin with.
- Jamie Steed: I was holding on to my remaining wildcard for later in the season but due to numerous injuries, I’ve bitten the bullet and rolled with it this week, making a total of nine transfers which prioritized the teams playing two games.
As we alluded to last week, Manchester City did rest some stars in their EPL game prior to their Champions League encounter in midweek. How will this impact you rostering any City players moving forward?
- Brandon Wampler: Just have to be smart about it and know the clubs' upcoming fixtures.
- Jamie Steed: I’m still fine rostering any Manchester City player but it’ll be increasingly difficult to predict their starting XI. Given they do not have any additional games needing to be rescheduled, I’m fine with pivoting away from them.
Newcastle United’s resurgence has seen them climb out of the relegation zone and many of their players are featured in the “most in-form players lists”. Which Newcastle player(s) are you most likely to have rostered for the remainder of the season?
- Brandon Wampler: Kieran Trippier (when he returns from injury) is at the top of my list while I already have Allan Saint-Maximin.
- Jamie Steed: I actually have Allan Saint-Maximin and Dan Burn. Burn is a cheap option who can fill in when I need him to and should play regularly for an improving defense. Saint-Maximin is finally starting to provide some end product to his exciting play with a goal or assist in three of his last five games.
Who's keeping a clean sheet this week?
- Brandon Wampler: Edouard Mendy and Alisson have the best chances of a clean sheet by a mile.
- Jamie Steed: Aaron Ramsdale is in a good spot this week with home games against Brentford (two goals in their last five games) and Wolves, who have been scoring more frequently lately but failed to find the net against Arsenal in Gameweek 24. Ramsdale has kept a clean sheet in six of his ten home EPL games this season. I'd expect him to keep one from those two games.
Which defensive player is providing an attacking return?
- Brandon Wampler: Lucas Digne, Lamptey and Trent Alexander-Arnold are there of the top options to surely bring an attacking return this Gameweek.
- Jamie Steed: The Liverpool full-back pair of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson are in smash spots, facing a Norwich City team that just conceded four against Manchester City (despite star duo Kevin de Bruyne and Joao Cancelo not playing) and they face a Leeds United team that’s conceded the second-most goals (46) this season and the third most set-piece goals (11). Alexander-Arnold and Robertson take corners and free-kicks so there's a very real chance both end up getting an assist this Gameweek.
- Brandon Wampler: Mo Salah is going to shine at the top of the list with a premium matchup against Norwich City.
- Jamie Steed: Easily Mo Salah for the same reasons as above. Two premium match-ups, both at home. You can’t ask for anymore. All you can do is hope and pray he starts both games.
What are your transfer plans heading into this Gameweek, with a view to things returning to normality over the next fortnight?
- Brandon Wampler: I need to start planning further out to catch price drops before they shoot up.
- Jamie Steed: As mentioned, I’ve already used my Wildcard due to a necessity more than anything. I’ll be prioritizing bringing in players in future weeks that have games in hand to try and eke out every point I can.
Who's getting the Captain's armband?
- Brandon Wampler: Salah without a doubt.
- Jamie Steed: Mo Salah, although I am considering a contrarian play with either of the Liverpool full-backs. If you don't use your wildcard this week, I'd strongly consider using the triple-captain option on Salah this week as it's unlikely you'll get a better situation to use it this season.
Finally, what's your bold prediction for this week?
- Brandon Wampler: Wolverhampton beats Leicester City 2-1 and Newcastle United beats West Ham United 2-0.
- Jamie Steed: Crystal Palace will hold Chelsea to a draw and Liverpool will score a total of seven or more goals in their two games.
Is there a question you would like to have answered every week? Hit us up on Twitter @RotoBaller. We would love to hear your feedback and ideas!
