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Welcome to Gameweek 15, RotoBallers! This is our third year covering FPL, and we are bringing you more coverage than ever. We publish two weekly articles: a staff roundtable preview and our weekly rankings. Then, once a month, we have our newest report, The Watchlist, a review of the previous month and a look ahead to the upcoming fixtures.
14 gameweeks down, 24 to go. It's one of the season's quickest turnarounds, with Gameweek 14 ending on Sunday and Gameweek 15 starting Tuesday. FPL managers need to stay on their toes with any injury news and think of the long-term gains with so many game weeks happening quickly.
The Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 15 deadline is 1:00 PM ET on Tuesday, December 5, when Wolves and Burnley kick off three straight days of football. 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.
Fantasy Premier League Staff Roundtable - Gameweek 15 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 15!
Who is keeping a clean sheet in Gameweek 15?
- Euan Leith: Arsenal was in total control of their game against Wolves before an Oleksandr Zinchenko mistake left the door open for a clean-sheet wipeout. That won't happen against Luton. The Gunners own the best road defense in the league (5.4 expected Goals Allowed), while the Hatters have the third-worst attack (14.1 expected Goals) among the 20 Premier League squads.
- Jamie Steed: There isn’t a standout option, but I'd certainly consider a couple of plays. Newcastle United go to Goodison Park, where Everton has blanked four times in seven games. Newcastle’s 7.7 xGA on the road is fourth-best in the league. Fulham’s 9.0 xGA at home is only 10th-best, but they host a Nottingham Forest side that’s failed to score in three of their last four home games and will be without top scorer Taiwo Awoniyi.
- Tom Bellucco: Wolves is the only team I feel strongly about keeping a clean sheet. Burnley is due for a let-down spot coming off one of their easiest fixtures of the year. Meanwhile, Wolves had a strong showing at Arsenal despite narrowly missing a point. They'll be itching to win two or three goals to nil in this one.
A 12-point haul from Kieran Trippier (£7.0m) extends his lead at the top of the defender rankings to 20 points 🔝
No player has earned more than his 18 bonus in the current campaign 🔥#NEWMUN #FPL pic.twitter.com/mHwvbtUdH0
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) December 2, 2023
Which defensive player is providing an attacking return?
- Euan: If Kostas Tsimikas gets the start, he's got a great chance to grab another assist. Sheffield United has a terrible defense on set pieces and just lost 5-0 to Burnley. If the Reds can score early, we could look at a significant number after 90 minutes.
- Jamie: It’s an obvious pick, but Trent Alexander-Arnold is in a smash spot this week. Sheffield United’s six goals conceded from set-pieces are third-most in the league, and they’ll still be reeling from their 5-0 thumping at Burnley. Alexander-Arnold being on corners and free-kicks is appealing enough, but even from open play, he represents a fantastic option.
- Tom: I'll take the easy route here after narrowly missing on my Kieran Trippier free-kick call last week... Trent Alexander-Arnold gets to travel to Sheffield United, where he'll face a defense who will surely pack it in with hopes of limiting Liverpool to one goal or less. That sets up perfectly for TAA to pick out runners with through balls and take strikes when the ball comes back out. The red-hot, offensive-minded Englishman will have every chance to keep the production rolling on Wednesday.
Any surprises here? 😅
Trent Alexander-Arnold is an #FPL price riser after a 13-point haul in Gameweek 14 📈 pic.twitter.com/owNvK73oOz
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) December 4, 2023
Who's a midfielder or forward rostered on less than 10 percent of teams that will grab us those FPL points?
- Euan: Hwang Hee-chan (6.2 percent) has at least 0.26 xG in six of his last eight contests. He's also on penalties for Wolves and has six attacking returns in the previous eight fixtures. Hwang faces a Burnley side with the fourth-worst expected goal difference in the league on the road.
- Jamie: Matheus Cunha (1.4 percent) is quietly having a productive season for Wolves. His goal on Saturday was his third goal involvement in his last three games and his sixth of the season. He was Wolves’ only real threat at Arsenal and now gets to face a Burnley side that’s conceded two or more in four of their six away games.
- Tom: I'm sticking with one of my favorite players to watch in the Prem: Matheus Cunha. He's playing all the minutes he can handle for Wolves, his pace is unmatched, and he's always willing to take that vital strike for his squad. His role is much higher than that of a £5.6m player.
Who is one player you want but can’t have for the Gameweek 15 fixtures in Fantasy Premier League?
- Euan: Jeremy Doku looks electric for Man City. Every time I watch him, he creates an attacking opportunity. Unfortunately, he picked up a knock in Sunday's game versus Spurs and faced a decent Aston Villa defense. I'll hold off on that transfer for now, but Doku is on my Watchlist.
- Jamie: I’d like Arsenal's skipper, Martin Ødegaard. Luton away isn’t an easy game, but Ødegaard has looked back near his best following an injury layoff. A quiet return at Brentford was followed by a goal in the Champions League and again against Wolves on Saturday. It feels like he’s just about to peak at an ideal time.
- Tom: I'm a big fan of Kaoru Mitoma's game, and I think a home fixture against Brentford is precisely the type of environment in which he could thrive in transition. However, the minutes and production have fallen off a cliff. I will have to wait and see if this "doghouse" phase passes before I make the leap on Mitoma's return to form.
Who's getting the Captain's armband?
- Euan: Mohamed Salah needs one more goal to reach 200 for Liverpool. He couldn't get it done on Sunday versus Fulham, and I expect him to do more than make up for that against Sheffield United on Wednesday evening.
- Jamie: I’m tempted to put it on Cunha, especially as he’s my only starter with a home game as things currently stand. But I’m opting for safety and going with Bukayo Saka. The Arsenal winger made it a goal involvement in 11 of his 13 games this season when scoring on Saturday. Only Salah (8.2) and Haaland (7.9) have more points per game than Saka (6.6).
- Tom: Erling Haaland has played 90 minutes in three straight. Perhaps the quick turnaround these two weeks ruins that trend, but I don't want to be on the outside looking in once again. Aston Villa provides a perfect game environment for Haaland to find multiple chances in transition. He feels like a lock for a goal if he plays 60+ minutes again.
Yet another #FPL price rise for @Arsenal's Starboy ⭐
Are you tempted to hand Bukayo Saka the captain's armband in Gameweek 15? © pic.twitter.com/IwiLxl5VI6
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) December 4, 2023
Finally, what’s your bold prediction for Gameweek 15?
- Euan: Chelsea's recently been in the mood to give us fantastic games. They provide another must-watch contest against Man United with five goals. Elsewhere, Arsenal leaves it late but gets by a feisty Luton squad on Tuesday night with an injury-time winner. Oh, and Aston Villa beats Man City 3-1.
- Jamie: Brentford picked up at least a point at Brighton. With many tipping Aston Villa to shock Manchester City, the reigning champions remind everyone of their qualities by scoring four in a comfortable win. And Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise continues his impressive return from injury with a starring performance consisting of two-goal involvements.
- Tom: The late matches on Wednesday and Thursday will provide ALL the fireworks. I have a feeling there will be AT LEAST four goals in each of the three 5:15 PM ET matches on those two days (Aston Villa vs. Man City, Man Utd vs. Chelsea, and Spurs vs. West Ham).
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!
