Team-by-team previews: Hunting for gems in the remaining 13 Premier League teams

We’re now hours away from the Gameweek 1 deadline (reminder: you need to get your final tweaks completed by 6.30pm UK time on Friday) and in all likelihood you’ve got a least a skeleton draft of your team in place. More prepared Fantasy Premier League managers have probably been tinkering with different versions of their opening squad for weeks.

Our team-by-team guides are designed to help you separate the wheat from the chaff as we close in on the start of a new Premier League season. We’ve already cast our eye over the three promoted sides (here) and assessed the merits of last season’s top four (here).

There are still 13 (THIRTEEN) teams to get through, and it’s vital to properly consider all the potential assets - including any plying their trade at unfashionable clubs. Picking out a diamond in the rough can go a long way to buffeting your FPL season - not to mention providing valuable savings which can be ploughed into higher-quality players elsewhere. 

Squad rotation, such a big factor at the top four clubs, is also less likely to be an issue among many of these teams.

Thirteen is a big number, so we’ll keep it snappy. First up, let’s head to the north of England and a team with high expectations in 2023/24.

Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp’s men are well-placed to resume their role as title contenders, with quality added in the form of midfielders Alexis Mac Allister (MID, £6m), Dominik Szoboszlai (MID, £7m) and, it now seems, Moises Caicedo (MID, £5m). If Luis Diaz (MID, £7.5m) and Diogo Jota (MID, £8m) can stay fit, they will feel like new signings too. Don’t sleep on Jota, who might be less heralded than Mohamed Salah (MID, £12.5m) but isn’t miles away based purely on his expected goals (xG) figure per 90 minutes last season (0.51 for Jota versus 0.57 for Salah). Darwin Nunez (FWD, £7.5m) had a hit-and-miss first campaign and will be hoping to kick on in his second year, although he faces competition for minutes from Cody Gakpo (FWD, £7.5m). Trent Alexander-Arnold (DEF, £8m) is an assist machine but his asking price demands regular clean sheets too. 

Brighton

Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton side are one of the most intriguing in FPL this season. Kaoru Mitoma (MID, £6.5m), a top performer on Impect’s data measures last season, is surprisingly reasonably priced given his exploits in 2023/24. Pervis Estupinan (DEF, £5m) offers serious attacking upside as a defender – albeit with genuine questions over whether Brighton keep the ball out at the other end after centre-back Levi Colwill (DEF, £4.5m) returned to parent club Chelsea. As Graham noted in his article on mispriced players, whoever of Joao Pedro (FWD, £5.5m) or Evan Ferguson (FWD, £6m) establish themselves as weekly starters will likely be extremely good value in FPL. Pedro appears to have the upper hand in that battle at the moment and has also been on penalty duty in pre-season friendlies.

Aston Villa

After a strong end to last season under Unai Emery, Villa are many people’s dark horses to gate-crash the top four this season. Pau Torres (DEF, £4.5m) is a high-class addition at the back and strengthens the case of attacking full-backs Matt Cash (DEF, £4.5m) and Alex Moreno (DEF, £5m). The latter is injured, so Lucas Digne (DEF, £4.5m) – a defender with a nine-assist season on his CV – could be an attractive early-season pick at £4.5m if Emery opts for him at left-back. Moussa Diaby (MID, £6.5m) and Youri Tielemans (MID, £6m) add quality to the midfield, although the talented Emiliano Buendia (MID, £6m) and Jacob Ramsey (MID, £6m) are sidelined. Ollie Watkins (FWD, £8m) will miss the service both provide but remains well-placed to push towards his first 20-goal Premier League campaign.

Tottenham Hotspur

Huge uncertainty at Spurs could yet present big opportunities in fantasy football. With Harry Kane (FWD, £12.5m) set to leave, Richarlison (MID, £7m), classed as a midfielder in FPL, could get an extended run as a striker in a team likely to be much more exuberant in attack under Australian manager Ange Postecoglou. Son Heung Min (MID, £9m) could also benefit, and while his £9m price tag feels steep given he scored just 10 goals last season, this is a player with a 23-goal, 10-assist campaign to his name. James Maddison (MID, £7.5m) is a proven Premier League performer and £1.5m cheaper, although FPL managers may want to see how he settles in his new surroundings. Dejan Kulusevski (MID, £7m) could also prove a bargain at £7m. At the back, Pedro Porro (DEF, £5m) offers a genuine attacking threat (three goals and three assists in just over 1,000 minutes of football last season), although we don’t know yet how this new Spurs side will look defensively. Destiny Udogie (DEF, £4.5m) looks set to get the nod at left-back and offers a cheaper alternative at £4.5m.

Brentford

Ivan Toney’s (FWD, £8m) absence until January opens the door for Bryan Mbeumo (MID, £6.5m) to build on his excellent form at the back end of last season. Kevin Schade (MID, £5.5m) is a cheaper alternative and should be in line for an extended run, possibly alongside Mbeumo. Brentford were solid defensively last season and the departure of David Raya (GK, £5m) to Arsenal opens the door for Mark Flekken (GK, £4.5m) to establish himself as No.1 at the west London club.

Fulham

There’s a bit of a pound-shop Harry Kane situation going on with Aleksandar Mitrovic (FWD, £7.5m) at Fulham, meaning one of Raul Jimenez (FWD, £5.5m) or Carlos Vinicius (FWD, £5m) should start most weeks and will therefore be underpriced in FPL. The former once bagged 17 goals and seven assists in a Premier League season - although that was in 2019/20. There is enough uncertainty here to keep a watching brief on talented midfielders Andreas Pereira (MID, £5.5m), Harry Wilson (MID, £5.5m) and Willian (MID, £5.5m), who has also been linked with a Saudi move, while Fulham’s defenders lack the attacking upside to appeal in FPL.

Crystal Palace

Under the management of Roy Hodgson and without Wilfried Zaha, Palace are an intriguing proposition. Eberechi Eze (MID, £6.5m) is an epic talent who got 10 goals and 5 assists last season. He could be ready to explode in the 2023/24 season. However, there is also a scenario where Palace are just really bad and Eze is dragged down with a sinking ship. Michael Olise (MID, £6m) is a wonderful player on his day, if a little hit and miss, and could come to the fore if he stays in south London. Defensively Palace are OK but, like Fulham, their assets lack the attacking upside to appeal in FPL. 

Chelsea

Chelsea simply have to be significantly better all over the pitch under Mauricio Pochettino. If they are in and around the Champions League places – which they should be based on spending alone – then the west Londoners should be a source of serious FPL bargains. Raheem Sterling (MID, £7m) is a proven fantasy football performer and is still only 28. The departures of Mason Mount (MID, £7m), Kai Havertz (MID, £7.5m) and Christian Pulisic mean he should have the chance to rediscover his best form and make a mockery of his £7m price tag this season. Mykhailo Mudryk (MID, £6.5m) became a symbol of the problems at Chelsea under Lampard but he’s a big talent and has the potential to be a must-pick at just £6.5m in FPL. Forwards Nicolas Jackson (FWD, £7m) and Christopher Nkunku (FWD, £7.5m) have both impressed in pre-season and should be monitored closely given their relatively low FPL prices – although the latter is injured at the moment. At the back, Levi Colwill (DEF, £4.5m) should start at a bargain £4.5m, while recently appointed captain Reece James (DEF, £5.5m) is one of the best attacking full-backs in world football (when fit).  

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Chaos. Do not even consider picking any Wolves players until things have settled down following the exit of Julen Lopetegui and the appointment of Gary O’Neil as manager

West Ham United

Significant turnover at West Ham means there is plenty of uncertainty ahead of their curtain-raiser against Bournemouth. Declan Rice (MID, £5.5m) is clearly a huge loss, although the addition of James Ward-Prowse (MID, price TBC) in midfield and Harry Maguire (DEF, £4.5m) at centre-back adds some much-needed Premier League experience. However, with Lucas Paqueta (MID, £6m) also potentially on his way to Manchester City, the Hammers look to be starting the season on the back foot. Jarrod Bowen’s (MID, £7m) price-tag is appealing given his central role in David Moyes’ attack but we’ll need to see how fluent they look in the opening few fixtures before considering him.

Bournemouth

Bournemouth are under new management and there’s a crackle of expectation following the appointment of former Rayo Vallecano manager Andoni Iraola. Iraola is a favourite of football hipsters and is expected to bring a high-octane, high-pressing style to the south coast. That should be good news for Bournemouth’s attackers, in particular the underrated Dominic Solanke (FWD, £6.5m), but the uncertainty of implementing a new way of playing means it’s a watching brief for now.

Nottingham Forest

Steve Cooper confounded the doubters last season by getting a reasonable tune out of the plethora of players he signed and, in the end, avoiding relegation fairly comfortably. There is hope of an improved showing now things are more stable at the City Ground and in Morgan Gibbs-White (MID, £6m), Forest have a player who could be ready to join the superstar club. Gibbs-White was exceptional as the England Under 21 side won the European Championships over the summer and comes off the back of a quietly impressive Premier League campaign, when he registered five goals and 12 assists. Winger Anthony Elanga (MID, £5m) has also joined from Manchester United and could be a steal in FPL at £5m if he nails down a first-team position.

Everton

Any Sean Dyche-managed defensive asset is worthy of consideration in FPL, especially when they’re available at less than £5m. This team don’t look to have many goals in them, however, so the full-backs are unlikely to supplement clean sheets with attacking returns. Jordan Pickford (GK, £4.5m) who scored more fantasy points than Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson (GK, £5.5m) last season, will be a popular option among managers opting for a budget option between the sticks. Dominic Calvert-Lewin (FWD, £6m) is keenly priced and is the profile of a striker who should thrive in a Dyche system – but only if he can stay fit and receives adequate service from the wings. The expected addition of Wilfried Gnonto from Leeds United should help in this regard.

Thanks, as always, for reading

Cheers

Tom