RADIO
Welcome to Gameweek 10 of the FPL season, RotoBallers! This is the third year covering FPL on the site, and we are bringing you more coverage than ever before. We will publish the Gameweek Preview, consisting of a Staff Roundtable and our weekly rankings every week. Then, once a month, we will publish our newest article, The Watchlist, a review of the previous month and a look ahead to the upcoming fixtures.
Nine gameweeks down, 29 more to go. Crystal Palace and Spurs kick us off on Friday night before a Saturday slate of slightly unspectacular games. Arsenal against Sheffield United is the big one to watch. Everything is an appetizer to the main course of the Manchester derby on Sunday afternoon as the Red Devils look to beat the Citizens at Old Trafford in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 2010/11 season.
The Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 10 deadline is 1:30 PM EST on Friday, October 27, for the London derby between Crystal Palace and Tottenham. Also, look out for the rest of our excellent soccer coverage as the squad gets you all set for every English Premier League, Major League Soccer, and UEFA Champions League slate from a DFS and betting perspective.
WHAT. A. WEEKEND. We end #EPL matchday 9 with a correct score and hit;
🤑BTTS parlay (+497)
🤑O/U parlay (+423)
🤑Results parlay (+297)A perfect 10-for-10 on match predictions which would have netted odds of +77811
Matchday 10 predictions come out Thursday on @RotoBaller.com https://t.co/MXqQoYK6UO
— Jamie Steed (@Baseball_Jimbo) October 23, 2023
Fantasy Premier League Staff Roundtable - Gameweek 10 Preview
The Staff Roundtable is an attempt to get you inside the mind of our FPL staff. Our top soccer writers 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 10!
Gameweek 10 is lining up to be a big week for Wildcards. Who would be your top three targets?
- Euan Leith: Looking at Fantasy Football Scout's Season Ticker, Crystal Palace, Brighton, West Ham, Aston Villa, and Burnley have the best schedules for the next five gameweeks. Thanks to that, I highly recommend grabbing Kaoru Mitoma, Ollie Watkins, and Jarrod Bowen. The latter two both returned in their Sunday matchup and face three bottom-eight sides each over the next three gameweeks.
- Jamie Steed: Given their upcoming schedule, Jarrod Bowen should be on your team. I’d be doubling up on West Ham players with Mohammed Kudus, who is in line for a run in the team. Aston Villa also has a nice run of games coming up so you want to ensure Ollie Watkins is paired with Moussa Diaby. Cole Palmer will be one of the most popular pick-ups in the next fortnight, so jump aboard the Palmer hype train now.
Jarrod Bowen (£7.4m) scored his sixth goal of 2023/24 on Sunday, equalling his tally from the whole of last season 📊
Ahead of an appealing run of fixtures, he ranks first among West Ham players for shots (26), shots in the box (20), and big chances (seven) 🔝#FPL #AVLWHU pic.twitter.com/aD3fDnu7Sz
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) October 23, 2023
Darwin Nunez was a substitute for the Merseyside derby but made an impact off the bench with an assist. Does the Uruguayan tempt you along the front line?
- Euan: Jurgen Klopp seems unwilling to give Darwin Nunez the start after these international breaks. With another one in November, I would hold off on bringing the in-form striker into your FPL squad. After that, it's game on, however. The 24-year-old has taken a step forward this season, and it only feels like a matter of time until he's a regular starter in the Premier League squad.
- Jamie: Not really, as I don’t want to run the risk of having a regular bench warmer in my squad. Despite starting just three EPL games this season, he does have seven goal involvements, but I want to maximize my returns from any player, especially a striker over £7m. If he gets a few starts, I’d buy in on the Liverpool striker.
Marcus Rashford has struggled through the first quarter of the season. Is there any reason for hope for the Man United midfielder?
- Euan: Nope. Marcus Rashford does not have the golden touch right now and is a bad FPL asset. After a purple match in the third quarter of last season, the England international has two goals since Gameweek 34. Managers have been putting off the transfer for several weeks because of the good Man United fixtures, yet Rashford still isn't returning. Too many majestic midfield options are available to wait out this cold spell. Get him out of your FPL squads!
- Jamie: There’s always reason for hope. And after this weekend, he has a nice run of games. Despite how things have been going for him, I wouldn’t be shocked if Rashford scores more points against Manchester City than he does against Fulham, Luton, and Everton combined. I’m still not rostering him, no matter what, as things currently stand.
#FPL Price Fallers 📉
Rashford - £8.7m 🔽
Trossard - £6.5m 🔽
Robertson - £6.5m 🔽
Barnes - £6.2m 🔽
Wilson - £5.3m 🔽
Muric - £4.3m 🔽
Patterson - £4.4m 🔽
E.Royal - £4.4m 🔽 pic.twitter.com/DLFtCIDJNN— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) October 22, 2023
European football returns this week. What is one thing FPL managers should look out for?
- Euan: Lineup sheets can tell FPL managers much about the sides that play on Thursday nights in the Europa League and Europa Conference League. The Champions League sides (Man City, Man United, Arsenal, Newcastle) play early enough in the week that plays get a suitable amount of rest. At least for Liverpool, most players who start on Thursday don't make the first 11 the following Sunday. Brighton, Aston Villa, and West Ham will also be subject to rotation.
- Jamie: It’s still too early in the campaign for managers to rest their players in the Champions League. But Brighton and Aston Villa are struggling in their European campaigns, so that they may play stronger sides midweek than in their first two European games. That could mean having one or two regulars missing from their EPL starting lineups.
Kieran Trippier came away with another points haul in Gameweek 9. Would he be third on the must-have list behind Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland this season?
- Euan: I don't think the list extends past Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland this season. Last year, Kieran Trippier was on the list because he was such a bargain, but he's now £6.9 million and takes a big chunk out of our squads. Congratulations to those managers who jumped on him a few weeks ago, but he's not at the top of my transfer target list moving forward. I will try to make up Trippier's points in my seven attacking spots.
- Jamie: A defender priced at ~£7m is not someone I’d consider a must-have. I’d certainly look at having Trippier in my squad, but Newcastle’s fixtures aren’t appealing over the next few weeks, and I’m worried I’d have missed the boat and am chasing points. Something I wouldn’t say I like doing in most situations.
Just look at those #FPL returns 😅
Did you stick with Kieran Trippier after just 5 points in the first four Gameweeks? 📈 pic.twitter.com/BCx97KKjat
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) October 22, 2023
Who is keeping a clean sheet in Gameweek 10?
- Euan: Arsenal welcoming Sheffield United is a fixture to target. The Blades have only scored three goals on the road this year, and Arsenal is tied fifth for the least expected goals conceded this year. The only question will be whether David Raya or Aaron Ramsdale gets the start in this contest. Therefore, the safer option would be to bring in or play a defender for the Gunners.
- Jamie: Liverpool at home is always appealing. They face a Nottingham Forest side without top scorer Taiwo Awoniyi, who has only scored once in their last three away games. It gives a recipe for an Alisson Becker clean sheet.
Which defensive player is providing an attacking return?
- Euan: Assuming he keeps his starting spot, Kostas Tsimikas will have plenty of attacking opportunities against Nottingham Forest. The Greek defender led Liverpool with eight crosses attempted against Everton and created one chance. At £4.5m (for now), Tsimikas is a terrific and cheap way to gain extra Liverpool exposure during their upcoming easy run of fixtures.
- Jamie: I’m going a little away from the consensus, but I fancy an Arsenal center-back as a factor from a corner this weekend. Sheffield United’s four goals conceded from set-pieces are the second most, while Arsenal’s four goals scored from set-pieces are the second most in the league. In a game Arsenal should dominate, expect plenty of corners, and one to find the head of William Saliba or Gabriel.
Who's a midfielder or forward rostered on less than 10 percent of teams that will grab us those FPL points?
- Euan: In Gameweek 9, Gabriel Martinelli returned to the Arsenal starting lineup for the first time since Gameweek 5. After grabbing the game-winning goal against Man City in Gameweek 8, Martinelli followed it up by producing 0.21 xGI (expected Goal Involvement) against Chelsea. He's in 4.6 percent of FPL squads and is the cheapest route into the Arsenal attack.
- Jamie: Philip Billing picked up his first assist of the season in a losing effort on Saturday. Bournemouth desperately needs a win, and a home game against a Burnley side fresh off a second three-goal losing margin should be a tonic for The Cherries. Even with Burnley needing a win as well. Billing was Bournemouth’s top scorer last season with seven goals, and I fancy he will break his duck this season.
Who is one player you want to, but can’t, have for the Gameweek 10 fixtures in Fantasy Premier League?
- Euan: It will come down to whoever I decide to transfer between Jarrod Bowen and Bukayo Saka. I can't get both in my squad without taking a four-point hit, and I'm trying to avoid those as much as possible this season. If both players get through their European matches without a knock (looking at you, Saka), then I'm likely rolling with Bowen and trying not to be too scared of Saka.
- Jamie: Mo Salah now leads FPL with 75 points, has 11 goal involvements in nine games, and is again at home with a fantasy-friendly matchup. Unless I dump Erling Haaland and then another midfielder, taking a minus, I can’t bring him in. I’ll need some longer-term planning to incorporate the Egyptian into my squad.
Who's owned Mohamed Salah since the start of the #FPL season? 😎 pic.twitter.com/6X2xw1NurU
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) October 22, 2023
Who's getting the Captain's armband?
- Euan: There are several options this week. Mo Salah, Son Heung-min, Bukayo Saka, and Ollie Watkins are all worth a look. Even Erling Haaland, with a tough fixture, isn't a terrible option. Still, Salah has Nottingham Forest at home and scored two goals despite a quiet performance in the Merseyside derby. I won't overthink this one like I did in Gameweek 9. I'm sticking to my gut and giving Salah the armband.
- Jamie: Early doors, I’m looking at Bukayo Saka at home to Sheffield United. However, I switched it up at the last minute last week, going from Ollie Watkins to Bryan Mbuemo. That netted me an extra three points, so I’m not setting it in stone yet.
Bukayo Saka takes the armband at Arsenal for the first time 🫡
With Sheff Utd (H) up next, will you consider making Saka your captain in Gameweek 10? 💭#FPL https://t.co/WvhK9piFKy
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) October 23, 2023
Finally, what’s your bold prediction for Gameweek 10?
- Euan: After conceding four goals to Newcastle, Crystal Palace slams the door on Tottenham in a dull 0-0 draw on Friday night. Pedro Neto continues his renaissance with another attacking return. And six players score at least 15 FPL points in Gameweek 10.
- Jamie: It feels like Manchester United either get a result against Manchester City or whomped by four goals. I also think Wolves get something from their game against Newcastle United. From a player standpoint, Everton’s Jack Harrison gets a goal involvement at West Ham United.
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!
