With over 313,000 Fantasy Premier League managers activating their wildcards, it's time to consider some differential picks to boost your rank.
Yesterday, we analysed the top forwards to go for on Wildcard. Today, we’ve put together a team of 11 players, all owned by less than 10% of FPL managers, who could make a big impact in the upcoming gameweeks. Let’s explore these hidden gems and their potential for Gameweeks 6-8.
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Robert Sánchez has made an impressive start to the season, keeping 2 clean sheets in his first 5 games. With 30 FPL points already, he's proving to be a reliable budget option between the sticks.
Chelsea's Spanish goalkeeper, Sánchez (12.1), is expected to rank fourth for saves over the next three gameweeks, according to the Predicted Points & Stats tool. With an upcoming fixture against Nottingham Forest, the Blues have strong clean sheet potential, making Sánchez a standout differential option in goal.
Andrew Robertson has been a consistent performer for Liverpool this season. With 4 clean sheets in 5 games, he's proving to be a defensive stalwart.
His attacking potential is clear with an xA of 0.61 and one big chance created. As shown in the Fix Comparison Matrix, Robertson’s teammate Alexander-Arnold (£7.1m) is outperforming him in FPL points, attempted assists, and shots. However, at £1.1m cheaper, managers could argue that the savings justify opting for the Scottish international and using the funds elsewhere.
With upcoming fixtures against Wolves and Crystal Palace offering solid clean sheet potential, Robertson presents an excellent differential pick.
Manuel Akanji has been a consistent starter for Manchester City, playing all 450 minutes this season. According to the Opta Stats Sandbox, he is the only City defender to have played every minute, with Gvardiol following behind with 403 minutes.
Although City's defence has only managed 1 clean sheet so far, Akanji's consistent game time makes him an appealing option—if it continues. However, with the return of Champions League football, his minutes may not be guaranteed. That said, upcoming fixtures against Fulham and Wolves could see a marked improvement in City's defensive performance.
Kristoffer Ajer presents an interesting budget option in defence. Despite Brentford's shaky start defensively, Ajer has shown attacking potential with an xG of 0.36 and an xA of 0.33.
Brentford's upcoming matches against West Ham and Wolves offer potential for both defensive and attacking returns. The Bees are ranked third for defensive fixtures over the next three gameweeks, according to the Fixture Planner, making Ajer a consideration.
Jarrod Bowen has made a strong start to the season, registering 1 goal and 2 assists despite West Ham’s underwhelming performances. He is slightly overperforming his underlying stats, with an xG of 0.59 and an xA of 1.18.
With Antonio struggling and new signing Füllkrug injured, Bowen started as a forward against Chelsea, as shown in the Match Centre feature. If this out-of-position role continues in upcoming fixtures, including a favourable match against Ipswich in GW7, Bowen could become an appealing option to showcase his attacking prowess.
Man City's new signing has shown glimpses of his potential in the opening gameweeks, registering 3 FPL assists—more than any other City player. However, this significantly exceeds his expected assists (xA) of 0.77.
As highlighted in the Opta Heatmaps tool, he's not shy to take shots, with 7 attempts in 283 minutes of play. For comparison, Haaland has taken the most shots (26), followed by De Bruyne (14), averaging one every 25 minutes. Sávio has taken 7 shots, averaging one every 40 minutes, more than Bernardo Silva's 7 shots, which average one every 52 minutes.
As with any Man City player, rotation and minutes are a concern, but Sávio has started every Premier League match when fit, making him an intriguing option.
Fábio Carvalho could be a great budget enabler in midfield. Despite limited minutes (143), he may now become a starter due to Wissa's injury.
As shown in the Opta Heatmaps feature, Carvalho played in an advanced role against Spurs last gameweek, registering four touches in the opposition's box.
The summer signing has created one big chance and an xA of 0.32 in Gameweek 5. With upcoming fixtures against West Ham and Wolves, Carvalho could have opportunities to impress.
Antoine Semenyo has been a standout for Bournemouth this season, scoring 2 goals and providing 1 assist.
His underlying stats are strong, with an xG of 2.64 and an xA of 1.67. Notably, only Haaland (26) has taken more shots than Semenyo (24) so far, as highlighted in the Opta Stats Sandbox tool. Bournemouth's upcoming fixture against Southampton in GW6 presents a great opportunity for Semenyo to extend his good form.
Chris Wood has made an excellent start to the season with Nottingham Forest, scoring 3 goals in 5 games. His xG of 2.81 suggests his goal-scoring form is sustainable. With favourable fixtures against Fulham and Crystal Palace in the next three gameweeks, Wood would be an excellent differential forward option.
🆚 DCL vs Wood
— Fantasy Football Fix (@FantasyFootyFix) September 24, 2024
📈 Ownership: 4.6% vs 8.3%
💰 Cost: £6.0m vs £6.1m
⚽️ Goals: 2 vs 3
📊 xGnp: 1.83 vs 2.81
🤝 FPL Assists: 1 vs 0
🟰 FPL Points: 24 vs 29
Is either in your #FPL Wildcard draft? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/MEivbbedT8
As shown in the X (formerly Twitter) post, both Wood and Calvert-Lewin could be excellent picks for the upcoming games. You can check projected player points on the official Fantasy Premier League website, as illustrated above, by using the FPL Plus browser extension.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin appears to be regaining his form for Everton, with 2 goals and 1 assist so far this season. His xG of 1.83 suggests he is getting into promising scoring positions.
Everton's upcoming fixtures against Crystal Palace, Newcastle, and Fulham present opportunities for Calvert-Lewin to continue his goal-scoring run, as the Toffees are ranked fifth for attacking fixture difficulty in the Fixture Planner tool.
Dominic Solanke has had an average start to the season with Tottenham, scoring 1 goal so far. His xG of 2.31 indicates he has been somewhat unlucky not to score more. While Spurs face some tough fixtures ahead, Solanke's potential for returns against West Ham in GW8 makes him an intriguing differential pick.
He has made it into several Elite XI: Team Reveal managers' Wildcard teams, including Tim Walpole's. However, the eight-time top 10k finisher has mentioned he is tempted to choose Watkins first and switch to Solanke when his fixtures are more favourable. You can read his full Wildcard notes here.
Using ChatFPL, the first AI assistant dedicated to Fantasy Premier League, we asked, "Which three players, owned by less than 10% of managers, would you recommend for Gameweeks 6 to 8?"
ChatFPL has also opted for Calvert-Lewin as one of its recommendations, but has also suggested the premium midfielder Son and Man City's Gündogon.
These differential wildcard suggestions include a mix of established performers and hidden gems, all with ownership below 10%. Choosing any of these players can help you quickly rise in the rankings if they perform well. However, keep in mind that highly owned players are often popular for a reason.
Consider blending differentials with template picks and think about your overall team structure and balance when integrating these players into your wildcard plans. Good luck with your selections!
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