Dec 14

Fantasy Football: End of Season Bargain Buys & Differentials

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[fusion_dropcap boxed="no" boxed_radius="" class="" id="" color=""]W[/fusion_dropcap]ith this season rapidly drawing to a close there is a common terror hovering over fantasy football managers for the final few games. Whether your players belong to clubs in mid-table obscurity, are scrapping to avoid relegation, or making a push for a place in European football next campaign, there is a chance they could be rested, dropped or omitted completely from their respective squads. So, the key question is how to go about transfer strategy? In this article, we'll be following two big end-of-season traits from recent years: the promotion of young English players into starting XIs, and the upturn in form by experienced internationals returning from injury. Better still, following these trends will often identify a bargain buy with minimal ownership percentage � potentially giving your team an advantage over your rivals.

Jack Butland & Willy Caballero are solid goalkeeping options with low ownership and price tags.

England international Jack Butland quietly made his return to Premier League football last week following a lengthy ankle injury lay-off. Butland's 90 minutes last week were his first this season, ending an absence stretching back to England's 3-2 friendly win over Germany in March 2016. Just over 1,000 managers have transferring him in ahead of Gameweek 35, and priced at just £4.5m, he provides a good counter-option for those trying to gain on their mini-league rivals. Stoke play West Ham (H), Bournemouth (A), Arsenal (H) and Southampton (A) in their kind run of remaining fixtures, giving Butland the chance to shine ahead of the summer internationals. Willy Caballero has suddenly presented himself as an option after Claudio Bravo was taken off injured during the Manchester derby. With a low price tag of £4.7m and with City enjoying a favourable run-in of Middlesbrough (A), Crystal Palace (H), Leicester (H) and Watford (A), Caballero has a good chance of picking up a couple of clean sheets. In his previous eight starts the Argentine has kept four clean sheets and could add to that impressive tally following his teammates injury.

Ben Davies is a cheap route into the Spurs back line, whilst Jack Stephens is the perfect budget enabler.

As always at this time of year there are opportunities for players who are usually bench fodder. Since moving to Spurs from Swansea, Ben Davies has played second fiddle to Danny Rose at left-back. Now, with Rose's knee injury, Davies has performed a key role for the title-chasers with six clean sheets and an assist in a run of ten consecutive Premier League starts, notching 29 points. Indeed, according to our Form Tracker, Davies is the fourth most in-form defender from the last 10 weeks, however at £4.9m and given Spurs' 100% record in their last five games, he represents the best value too. Jack Stephens has started and finished Southampton's last ten Premier League games and has scored 23 points in his last five matches - including three clean sheets and an assist. He is one of the cheapest defenders in Fantasy Premier League at £4.1m and is owned by just 2.5% of players. Although Southampton have a tough run-in that includes Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United, they also have an extra match to play. With such a low price-tag, you'd expect his ownership to sky-rocket towards the end of the season as managers begin activating their wildcards.

Xherdan Shaqiri & Yohan Cabaye could turn out to be shrewd differentials in the closing weeks.

Like clubmate Jack Butland, Swiss international Xherdan Shaqiri is back for the final chunk of the season and has already made a mark just three games into his return from injury. The dextrous winger, available for £6m, has two assists and a goal since his comeback and lies seventh on our Form Tracker with 20 points between Gameweeks 32-34. Yohan Cabaye's quality has never been in question and after a difficult first half of the season, he's improved his form under Sam Allardyce, helping the Eagles soar up the table in recent weeks. The Frenchman's tally of 23 points in three gameweeks sees him claim fourth spot in our midfield Form Tracker, having scored two goals and providing an assist. Palace have crunch home games against Burnley and Hull plus a visit to both Manchester clubs in their run-in and Cabaye, marauding forward from midfield, will play a key role in their attacking moves, making him a calculated differential choice.

Manolo Gabbiadini is an absolute bargain, though Benik Afobe could prove a better differential.

A quick-fire start to life in the Premier League propelled Manolo Gabbiadini into many Barclays fantasy football squads with four goals in his first three Southampton games. Another brace against Manchester United in the EFL Cup final confirmed his proficiency on the big stage but his sparkling form was cut short by a groin injury. He is now back for the Saints and claimed an assist against Chelsea last gameweek. If he can rediscover a goalscoring touch during his club's final five matches, his meagre £6.4m price tag will have fantasy football managers salivating. Elsewhere, Benik Afobe has been in good form while escaping the attention of the majority of Premier League fantasy bosses. The Cherries striker has managed a solid three goals and three assists in his last seven Premier League games. The combination of his tally of 38 points in seven fixtures, a £5.6m valuation and a kind run-in featuring Sunderland (A), Stoke (H), Burnley (H) and Leicester (A) makes Afobe a very presentable points-scoring prospect at a bargain price and very low ownership (2.8%). Must Read Ahead of GW35: Fantasy Football: To What Extent Does the Europa League Impact Rotation [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type="1_6" layout="1_6" spacing="" center_content="no" hover_type="none" link="" mer_position="all" padding="" dimension_margin="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset="" last="no" element_content=""][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]