The first seven weeks of the Serie A 2020-21 season have been a highly entertaining, albeit surprising, affair for Fantasy Football players. It’s left us with plenty of questions.
Which of the teams has the strength to challenge for the title? What important sides may be heading towards Serie B by the end of the campaign? Any tips for the players we can choose each week for our Fantasy Football draft?
Based on the information we have so far, we’ve assembled a short guide with some tips that may just make your Fantasy Football selection easier. Here are some of the players you want in your fantasy football team, and some of the ones that it may be better to avoid for now.
Players to Consider for Your Fantasy Football Draft
Heroes of the Serie A
Let’s look at some of the players that everyone is talking about and for good reason. They may set your budget back a bit, but their points tally make them a good investment.
Robin Gosens set Serie A on fire last season. Atalanta has been less convincing this time around, but the German player is a consistent performer usually. A match against Spezia seems like the perfect opportunity to show off his considerable skill set. If you’re looking for a defender capable of creating goal chances, look no further.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan is enjoying a full-blown resurgence at Roma. He scored a hat-trick in his team’s last match against Genoa. His form may well continue against a similarly sized opponent, Parma.
Cristiano Ronaldo is an obvious choice, of course. He’s the league’s best-known player for a reason. With not much left on his career, the Portuguese will be anxious to add to his impressive resume. He should start in the match against Cagliari and this may be the perfect opportunity to grab some goals that should help in his quest for the capocannoniere trophy.
Undervalued Gems
Here are some of the players flying just below the radar of many football fans. They shouldn’t cost you too much, and they’ve known to score plenty of points.
Emil Audero has had a rough couple of weeks, but this could change against Bologna. The keeper is a bargain buy. We predict that the Italian could earn some points by keeping a clean sheet and even getting around to saving some shots.
Kalidou Koulibaly is criminally undervalued this year, in spite of being on the transfer target of many major European teams. He’s back to playing 90 minutes for Napoli, and big matches, like the one against Milan, are exactly the kind of occasions that he needs in order to shine.
Leonard Spinazzola is also undervalued in spite of having had a good season for Roma so far. The defender could earn a good amount of points if the Giallorossi manage to keep a clean sheet against Parma and if the player gets involved in attacking plays. Both scenarios seem likely.
Players to Avoid
Overpriced Players
These are some of the players from whom better performances are expected because of their status. They tend to cost a lot and, for the time being, haven’t really justified their price tag through consistent performances.
Many are expecting the circumstances for Fiorentina and Erik Pulgar to change soon. However, the player’s current run of form offers no guarantees. Pulgar has been involved in La Viola’s last four matches, but largely failed to make an impact. Might not be worth spending a big chunk of the budget on him just yet.
Arturo Vidal added Inter to an already impressive resume, but his performances haven’t been quite top-notch. He hasn’t managed a goal or an assist yet. Sure, he’s not a bad player. And, while he is likely to start against Torino, his recent performances don’t justify his selection either.
Josip Ilicic had a memorable 2019-20 campaign. Things have ground down to a halt in the new season and his form has, largely, mirrored that of his team, Atalanta. Yes, he starts against the newly-promoted side Spezia. However, considering the fact that Spezia has played decently this year while Ilicic has failed to score so far, you may want to look elsewhere.
Poor Performers
Whether through bad luck or simply due to having a few off-days, these players simply do not justify selection at the moment. Things could change for them, of course, but we’re unsure their resurgence is going to occur this week.
Simone Iacoponi is a veteran player. Normally, he’s someone with plenty to offer. However, little has gone his way this season, and Parma’s shaky defensive form is largely to blame. He’s likely to play the full 90 minutes against Roma, but unless things change for the better, he may turn out to be a liability for your draft.
José Callejon hasn’t played many minutes for Fiorentina. When he did get the chance to take to the field, he hasn’t been of much help. He’s available for the match against Benevento but is unlikely to start. His performances and lack of playing time do not make him a sensible choice at the moment.
We know that there’s a lot more to come from Arthur. However, so far he has not been involved in a single Juventus goal in spite of being given opportunities to play for the Italian champions. He’s likely to be back in the starting 11 against Cagliari, but he may struggle to find his form for a while longer.
3 Simple Tips When Choosing Your Fantasy Football Draft
- Evaluate Clean Sheet Odds
It takes a great goalkeeper to maintain a clean sheet, but, generally, it also takes for him to be up against poorer opposition. Make sure you choose keepers that are likely to make saves, but not face some of the best strikers in the league during the week in which you’ve selected him.
- Great Passers Are Game-Winners
Generally speaking, midfielders who have a passing accuracy rate of around 90%, are involved in most of their teams’ goal opportunities. Choosing reliable midfielders throughout the season is bound to increase your fantasy drafts’ chances.
- Look Out for the Wonderkids Trying to Make a Name for Themselves
Sure, some attackers, like Cristiano Ronaldo or Quagliarella, have never seemed to slow down and keep scoring important goals. However, those are well-established players and likely to be chosen by most fantasy football participants. Instead, look towards some of the youngsters that are hungry to get their name in print. They’ll usually be undervalued and anxious to take every opportunity that they’re given.