AM’s Week 1 Player Picks

Welcome to another season of AM’s Player Picks. For those of you new to the Rotoworld PL site, each week you’ll find me here on a Thursday with a look at the Premier League weekend ahead, focusing on the fixtures and the players I feel you should be considering for your Yahoo Fantasy Premier League team.

Follow the Rotoworld Premier League team all summer for Transfer Analysis and Season Previews

This is my sixth season writing about the Yahoo fantasy game, and I always find the opening weekend the most difficult. Pre-season friendlies are glorified practice sessions, so we have no real idea of this weekend’s starting line-ups, nor do we have any true indications of the form or fitness of individual players. There’s also no way of knowing which of the new summer signings will adapt to the rigours of the Premier League, so it’s tough to produce a list of picks I have 100% confidence in. What I have done is analyse the fixtures and then taken a “safety first” approach, focusing on the teams from seasons past who rarely let us down. In addition, the tight budget means I’ve included plenty of cheaper options to help you round out your bench.

Here we go ...

Week 1 Fixtures
Arsenal v Crystal Palace
Burnley v Chelsea
Leicester v Everton
Liverpool v Southampton
Man Utd v Swansea
Newcastle v Man City
QPR v Hull
Stoke v Aston Villa
West Brom v Sunderland
West Ham v Tottenham

In terms of attractive match-ups it’s the big teams that draw the attention, especially when adopting the safety first approach. Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United versus Swansea at Old Trafford, Liverpool up against a depleted Southampton side at Anfield and big-spending Arsenal hosting Crystal Palace at the Emirates all look like comfortable home wins. It’s worth noting that Louis van Gaal first Premier League match as Manchester United manager has been chosen for TV coverage here in the UK, so it’s the early Saturday kick-off. This means there is a possibility we’ll get the line-up prior to the Week 1 Yahoo deadline.

Another side to splash the cash over the summer was Chelsea, and they will be massive favourites to get their campaign off to the perfect start by picking up three points at newly promoted Burnley’s Turf Moor. I’m tipping Stoke City to beat Aston Villa at the Britannia, while last season’s Premier League champions Manchester City will be expected to defeat Newcastle United at St James’ Park.

Everton have enough quality to pick up a win at Leicester City but it could be close battle, while West Brom against Sunderland and QPR hosting Hull are both too tough to call in either side’s direction, with score draws likely. I’ll be avoiding the potentially fiery London derby between West Ham and Tottenham, with tackles, fouls and cards galore to be expected at Upton Park.

With all that in mind, click over to the next page to view the Week 1 player recommendations.

Follow the Rotoworld Premier League team all summer for Transfer Analysis and Season Previews

KEEPERS
David De Gea - Manchester United are probably my favourite pick of the week given their home fixture against Swansea combined with the buzz of van Gaal’s opening game. De Gea looks like a decent bet to secure a win at worst, and quite possibly a clean sheet.
Asmir Begovic - Mark Hughes had Stoke playing some fine football last season and the club have invested cleverly over the summer, while Aston Villa look like they could struggle. As mentioned I’m tipping a home win for Week 1, and that makes Begovic an attractive option.
Rob Green - At the cheaper end of the scale is Green, who has a home fixture against Hull. A low scoring draw is the smart prediction and the ex-England man is a solid shot stopper, so a positive score is likely and you’d keep some funds in the bank over the two keepers above.

DEFENDERS
Steven Caulker - One of the highest scoring defenders in Yahoo’s game last season, Caulker is back in the Premier League with QPR after relegation with Cardiff and is priced very reasonably indeed, with a home game against Hull.
Mathieu Debuchy - Another player who succeed in 2013/14 despite a difficult campaign for his team, and earned a move away. Debuchy is capable of excelling both defensively and going forward, and Arsenal have one of the stand-out fixtures of the week.
Phil Jones - Something of a utility player in recent seasons, but Jones has been part of a three man central defence during pre-season and he looks set to start the league season in that position. The 22-year-old should benefit from this, and has an all-action style which results in solid returns in Yahoo fantasy football, Plus a clean sheet is on the cards.
Ryan Shawcross - Stoke’s captain has been a consistent fantasy performer for years and is well priced for his side’s winnable home game against Aston Villa.
Calum Chambers - If you’re unable to afford Debuchy but fancy an Arsenal defender to cover the potential clean sheet against Palace then look no further than young Chambers, who is expected to start and costs just over £5million.
Kieran Trippier - An attacking full back, Trippier should pick up plenty of fantasy points bombing down the right-flank for Burnley this season, again priced around the £5million mark.
Aaron Cresswell - One of the outstanding performers in the Championship over the past few years and named in last season’s team of the season, Cresswell left Ipswich Town to join West Ham in the summer and should start at left-back. An absolute steal at just £1million in the Yahoo fantasy game.
Neil Taylor - With Ben Davies moving to Tottenham last month it leaves the left back spot open, and Taylor is set to take back the position that was his own until he suffered a broken leg in 2011. At just a shade over £3million he’s a good filler option despite a difficult fixture.
Liam Moore - Another defensive option costing just £1million, Moore was an important part of Leicester’s Championship winning side and there’s no reason to expect him to be dropped from the back four. Perhaps not a man for your starting XI, but definitely a solid bench back-up.

MIDFIELDERS
Aaron Ramsey - The Arsenal midfielder was the stand-out fantasy player in the first half of last season, before a serious injury led to him missing most of the second half. Ramsey is back to full fitness now and showed his quality and sharpness in the Community Shield, so should be high on your agenda for the home game against Crystal Palace.
Yaya Toure - Last season saw Toure become about as close to the complete midfielder as you’re likely see in the Premier League. 20 goals was a staggering effort and he helped drag Manchester City through a number of games with his non-stop drives forward. He should dominate Newcastle, he’s well priced and will be on penalties if Sergio Aguero is not yet ready to start.
Ander Herrera - Manchester United’s central midfield has been crying out for a player like Herrera for years, and the position has finally been filled. Many have suggested the Spaniard is the man to replace Paul Scholes’ class and composure on the ball and at a fantasy price of £7million he’s worth including in your line-up given the match-up.
Robert Snodgrass - Hull have completed some decent business over the summer, none more so then securing Snodgrass from relegated Norwich. The Scottish international looked a class apart last season and will be a constant danger from corners and free-kicks around the area. At a fantasy price of £7million it’s hard to think of a reasons not to pick him.
Raheem Sterling - The winger was sensational for Liverpool last season with frightening pace and plenty of end product. A decent showing at the World Cup and some exciting pre-season performances suggest Sterling will pick up where he left off, which is bad news for Southampton.
Juan Mata - Never really settled under David Moyes but is likely to find things a lot easier with a manager who uses him correctly to make the most of his talent. Yahoo have reclassified Mata as a midfielder which is great news for fantasy managers, and he’s expected to play in an advanced midfield role just behind the strikers.
Gylfi Sigurdsson - While I don’t expect Swansea to get anything from Old Trafford you cannot completely ignore Sigurdsson for his Swansea return. Like Snodgrass he’ll take the majority of set pieces and is roughly the same price. Everton’s Ross Barkley, QPR’s Joey Barton and Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse also deserve honourable mentions for similar reasons.
Erik Lamela - Branded a £30million flop last season, Lamela only featured in six Premier League games due to poor form and injury, but is now fit and has stated he is enjoying working under fellow Argentinian Mauricio Pochettino. Two man-of-the-match performances and three goals in pre-season, the winger is looking quick, sharp and confident, creating chances and shooting plenty. At a price of less than £3million in the Yahoo fantasy game he should be under consideration for your squad.
Jack Rodwell - A transfer to Sunderland is exactly the sort of move Rodwell needed to make to reignite his career which had completely stalled at Manchester City. Priced at just £1million and fit enough to feature in pre-season, he could be perfect for your bench.

STRIKERS
Wayne Rooney - The top pick for the first week. Rooney is looking trim, he’s been playing well in pre-season and has the motivation of being handed the captain’s armband by van Gaal. In Robin van Persie’s absence he’ll take penalties and many of the set pieces, so that should lead to the striker being well worth the £16million investment. Swansea could be in for a tough time.
Daniel Sturridge - With Luis Suarez gone the pressure is on Sturridge as Liverpool’s lead striker, and he has the talent and self-confidence required to have a really big season. It starts against Southampton and I’d be surprised if he doesn’t get himself on the scoresheet.
Diego Costa - Disappointing performances in the World Cup for Spain took some of the gloss off Costa’s move to Chelsea, but he has all the attributes to succeed in England and the Burnley defence will find him difficult to deal with.
Alexis Sanchez - Mixed performances by Sanchez in pre-season but the quality shown in the World Cup can’t be far away, and it would be typical if he turned it on in the opening game in front of full Emirates stadium.
Stevan Jovetic - Manchester City’s forgotten man at times last season but Jovetic will need to stand-up in the absence of the injured Alvaro Negredo and with Aguero not fully fit. He’s been in excellent form in pre-season, scoring goals for fun, and is priced at an absolute bargain price of under £6million for City’s trip to Newcastle.
Charlie Austin - QPR’s player of the season on the way to promotion, scoring 17 goals, and Austin will lead the line again in the Premier League. The striker is on penalty duty and is well priced for the opening game against Hull.
Bojan Krkic - One of the most unexpected transfers of the summer was Bojan’s move from Barcelona to Stoke, and it will be interested how the forward adapts to the Premier League. Undoubtedly talented, he’ll kick things off against Aston Villa and could prove a good pick to separate you from the crowd.

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So those are the players I’m considering for Week 1 of the 2014/15 Yahoo Fantasy Premier League season. I’m currently on holiday in Australia so haven’t actually started finalising my own team, but if you follow me on @nikarg I’ll ensure I get a possible line-up tweeted out on Friday.

How’s your team shaping up for the opening weekend of the campaign?