If you are the sort of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) manager who enjoys going against the grain – or takes satisfaction from finding hidden gems before the crowd – then lowly selected players (differentials) can often provide value and offer a source of points which won’t be shared by many other managers. As long as the player picks are justifiable, differentials can give you an edge over your mini-league rivals.

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In this article we look ahead to Gameweek 9 and find players from each position who are currently selected by less than 10% of managers, but could reward their owners in the upcoming Gameweeks.

DEF: Konstantinos Tsimikas

• Cost: £4.4m
• Selected by: 0.4%
• Next Fixture: EVE (h)

Every now and then, the FPL gods send us a gift and this one has a familiar feel about it. In the 2021/22 season, Andrew Robertson (£6.6m) became suddenly unavailable, having picked up an injury during Liverpool’s pre-season campaign. As Liverpool’s only available left-back, Konstantinos Tsimikas (£4.4m) – who was then just £4.0m – stepped in to plug the gap. Those who brought in the Greek international were rewarded with 17 points in two Gameweeks, although Robertson’s return rendered him obsolete thereafter.

With rumours circulating that Robertson’s shoulder issue could require surgery and/or see him out for around 10 weeks, then FPL managers potentially have a nailed Liverpool full-back for just £4.4m, and with no short-term concerns about his game time.

Keep your eyes peeled at the press conferences for more information, because this could be a great value asset to have in your squad.

MID: Mathias Jensen

• Cost: £5.5m
• Selected by: 2.6%
• Next Fixture: BUR (h)

Brentford midfielder, Mathias Jensen (£5.5m), has gone largely under the radar this season; FPL managers may be surprised to learn that he is the 7th top scoring midfielder in the game so far. With 25 points in the last three Gameweeks, he is currently averaging 8.3 points per game.

With a home game against Burnley in the offing for Gameweek 9, Jensen could be a smart punt for FPL managers looking to differentiate themselves from the pack.

A word of warning for managers, however, is that Jensen has been identified as the 2nd most over-performing player this season. According to Opta Stats Sandbox, he is currently 14.24 FPL points over his xFPL score. Only Ollie Watkins (£8.2m) can top that. Whether this over-performance is sustainable is a decision FPL managers need to make.

FWD: Chris Wood

• Cost: £4.9m
• Selected by: 0.5%
• Next Fixture: LUT (h)

With Taiwo Awoniyi (£6.6m) sidelined with a groin injury, it seems very likely than Chris Wood (£4.9m) will be given a start when Nottingham Forest plays Luton at the weekend.

According to the Fixture Planner, Forest are second best in terms of attacking difficulty. A home game against Luton is about as good as it gets. The newly promoted side is ranked 17th for Expected Goals Conceded (xGC) and has already conceded 15 goals so far this campaign.

Wood offers Premier League pedigree and, at £4.9m, could offer exceptional value for Gameweek 9.

By Matt Whelan

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