The sixth season of Norway’s Eliteserien Fantasy is nearly upon us; managers will hope to emulate last season’s overall winner Jørgen Elnan and cup winner Raymond Pedersen. As ever the game is almost identical to FPL, with the key differences being bonus points being awarded by a “man in the stands”, and the different chips available to use throughout the season. Two Captains is self-explanatory, while Attack! Attack! allows managers to captain all of their strikers in a gameweek. Rich Uncle is similar to FPL’s Free Hit, giving the ability to make unlimited transfers that only last for one week, with the added bonus of an unlimited budget. Lineups for the opening fixtures of each gameweek are generally available 15 minutes before the deadline via social media or the Norwegian FA website.
A hugely useful resource at this time of year is a spreadsheet of pre-season minutes compiled by @Stat_Sloth on Twitter, which is particularly useful when trying to gauge the impact new signings might have early on. This article will detail the key transfers and fantasy assets of the teams that finished last season in the top half, and may or may not help you to identify the next Erling Håland.
Bodø/Glimt
The two-time champions continue to enjoy an unprecedented European run in the Europa Conference League. In Kjetil Knutsen’s 4-3-3 they are clever in possession, dangerous on the counter, aggressive when defending and undaunted by big names. They’re the first Norwegian team to reach a European quarter-final this century and could become the first ever to reach a semi-final if they beat Roma – who they dispatched 6-1 in the group stage. As such, their players are more expensive than ever in Eliteserien Fantasy. The highest scoring keeper last season, Nikita Khaykin is now appropriately priced at 6m. Brice Wembangomo (6m) joins from Sandefjord, with the right footer lining up at left back in his time at Glimt so far. With Marius Lode at Schalke, Brede Moe and Marius Høibråten (both 5.5m) are the established duo in central defence. At the time of writing, right back Alfons Sampsted (6m) is the most popular defender in the game.
Ulrik Saltnes has scored over 100 fantasy points in all four seasons since Glimt’s last promotion, earning him his highest ever price tag of 11.5m – but like the team as a whole, his attacking output regressed in the league last season, registering 8 goals and 7 assists compared to 12 goals and 18 assists in 2020. Sondre Sørli (9.5m) began last season well, but his injury meant Ola Solbakken (11m) cemented his place on the right wing. Amahl Pellegrino (11.5m) scored a hat-trick on his Glimt debut and has supplied a steady stream of goals in cup competitions, but endured a run of 10 games without a goal until the final day of last season.
Hugo Vetlesen (8.5m) has slotted effortlessly into midfield and has so far offered a more reliable attacking threat than Sondre Brunstad Fet (7m). Elias Hagen (5m) has taken over the mantle from Patrick Berg in the third central midfield spot; kind on the budget, a similar supply of bonus points to his predecessor to tempt fantasy managers. Glimt’s improved depth is evidenced by established Eliteserien players such as midfielder Anders Konradsen (7m) and winger Gilbert Koomson (8.5m) expected to be squad players.
Tromsø ran in the family for Runar Espejord (11.5m), but now the striker will lead the line for their northern rivals. Goalless in 800 minutes last season, Espejord has already opened his Glimt account with goals against Celtic in the Europa Conference League and Lillestrøm in the cup. Victor Boniface is priced at 10m, despite missing the entirety of last season through injury – seemingly in anticipation of Espejord’s own injury record resurfacing.
Molde
With Andreas Linde’s seven-year tenure in goal at an end, 6’6″ Jacob Karlstrøm joins from Tromsø, receiving a price hike from 4.5m to 6m.
With Erling Moe currently favouring a 3-4-3, Kristoffer Haugen (7.5m) could provide value if he can match last season’s tally of 6 goals. Haugen’s fellow left back Birk Risa (6m) has featured as a left-sided centre back when the two are on the pitch together. With Kristoffer Haraldseid (6m) having missed two full seasons through injury, Martin Linnes (7m) has strong claims to start at right wingback. Benjamin Tiedemann Hansen (5.5m) and Erik Haugan (5m) are new options at centre back, and both have played in the recent cup games with Sheriff Sinyan and Martin Bjørnbak (both 5.5m) unavailable. Once a fantasy midfielder who offered out-of-position appeal as a forward, Erling Knudtzon (7m) is now classified as a defender but has competition in any position he might play.
Despite his minutes on the pitch being well managed, Magnus Wolff Eikrem is the joint most expensive player in the game at 12m. A creative force who picks up bonus points for fun, Eikrem looks set for a role in the front three. Fitness permitting, he’s tailor-made for weeks where the Rich Uncle chip is in play. Ola Brynhildsen’s continued improvement at left wing earns him a sizeable price rise to 10.5m. Eirik Ulland Andersen (8.5m) played more minutes in 2021 than the previous two seasons put together and has emerged unscathed from a productive pre-season.
With a host of cheaper options operating in central midfield, including Etzaz Hussain and the newly signed Markus Kaasa (both 6m), and the younger Sivert Mannsverk and Emil Breivik (both 5.5m), Molde’s mid-price midfielders like Magnus Grødem (8m), Rafik Zekhnini (7.5m) and Mathis Bolly (7m) seem short-term options.
Still only 19, Datro Fofana (10.5m) scored against Hoffenheim in the Europa League early in 2021 and made his Ivory Coast debut in 2019. He’s yet to make his breakthrough in the league, but after a solid pre-season can he kick on in 2022?
Viking
Defender and captain Viljar Vevatne (5m) had a truly impressive ability to avoid keeping clean sheets last season, playing more minutes than anyone else in Viking’s back line but only coming up with 2 shutouts. The team as a whole kept 4 clean sheets, all of which came on the road in the second half of the season, after bringing in Gianni Stensness and David Brekalo (both 5m). Shayne Pattynama (5.5m) has played more pre-season minutes than anyone else at the club, suggesting he can make the left back spot his own this season. It remains to be seen which goalkeeper will be the last line of defence; Arild Østbø and Patrik Gunnarsson shared playing time down the stretch last season and are evenly priced at 5m. Zlatko Tripic (9.5m) picked up where he left off, returning to Viking after a year in Turkey. The early signs suggest similar good things for Niklas Sandberg (9m) on the opposite wing, after 6 pre-season goals. Sandberg’s arrival means an understandable drop in price for Kevin Kabran (7m), who may struggle for attention given the cheaper fantasy midfielders here. Harald Nilsen Tangen (6.5m) heads the pack after an impressive breakthrough season. Samuel Kari Fridjonsson (5.5m) began last season in fine goalscoring form and is cheaper this time around. For those really on a budget, Kristoffer Løkberg (5m) is a known quantity and Markus Solbakken (4.5m) was a regular in a relegated Stabæk side.
Veton Berisha (12m) has 38 goals, 15 assists, and 50 bonus points over the last two seasons and despite being the joint most expensive player in Eliteserien Fantasy is owned by more than half of managers at the time of writing. His pedigree may count for even more as he’s the only player to score more than 11 Eliteserien goals last year who is still plying his trade in the league. Under joint head coaches Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim and Morten Jensen, Viking outscored the much vaunted Bodø/Glimt attack.
Lillestrøm
Rebounding from relegation to secure their best top flight finish since 2007 under Geir Bakke, there are no shortage of price rises for Lillestrøm players, starting with goalkeeper Mads Hedenstad Christiansen (5.5m). Velte Dragsnes (5.5m) scored in their recent cup loss to Bodø/Glimt to highlight his attacking threat from left wingback. Lars Mogstad Ranger (5.5m) should be favoured at right wing back, while Eskil Edh (5.5m) can play on either side. Tom Petterson’s (5m) 3 goals were the most among LSK defenders last season despite joining halfway through the season.
Gjermund Åsen (9m) notched a personal best 12 fantasy assists in 2021, the second best in the league. Pål Andre Helland’s (8m) minutes only seem more at risk with the signing of Ylldren Ibrahimaj (7.5m). Ifeanyi Mathew (5.5m) is a mainstay in the centre of the park and could be partnered by new signing Frederik Holst (5m). LSK are clearly taking the task of replacing Thomas Lehne Olsen’s 26 goals seriously. Holmbert Fridjonsson (9m) was last seen in Eliteserien leading Aalesund’s ill-fated battle against relegation – he bagged 11 goals in the first half of 2020 but doesn’t have a competitive goal since. Akor Adams (8m) has more recent form, scoring 10 goals for Sogndal in last season’s OBOS-ligaen. Adams has also outscored Fridjonsson over pre-season, although Fridjonsson was handed the start in the cup exit in Bodø.
Rosenborg
Kjetil Rekdal led HamKam to promotion in 2021, Vålerenga to their last title in 2005 and twice enjoyed cup success with Aalesund, but there’s work to be done to take Rosenborg back to the top, as evidenced by five pre-season losses to Norwegian teams who finished below them in the pyramid. A stern test awaits on the opening weekend in the form of a trip to the reigning champions.
Andre Hansen and Julian Faye Lund (both 5.5m) look set to compete for the goalkeeping spot, having equally shared minutes over pre-season.
Erlend Dahl Reitan (7m) could build on his 10 assists in the previous campaign as Rosenborg have employed a 3-4-3 in pre-season. Adam Andersson (6.5m) featured heavily last season but Adrian Nilsen Pereira (7m) looks ready to stake his claim on the left side. Experienced midfielder-turned-defender Markus Henriksen (6m) will have youthful company in the back three in Pavle Vagic (5.5m), Renzo Giampaolo (5.5m) and Sam Rogers (6m), the latter reuniting with his manager from Hamkam but set to miss the opening month of the season.
Stefano Vecchia (10.5m) showed his quality with 10 goals in his debut season for RBK and threatens to be a real fantasy force if he can handle playing more minutes. Carlo Holse’s (9.5m) stock continues to rise and, based on previous evidence, his durability and cheaper price could give him the edge over Vecchia. On-loan Ajax product Victor Jensen (8.5m) can feature on either wing, but given the presence of Vecchia and Holse a central midfield role looks more likely. Formerly of Stabæk, Tobias Børkeeiet (5m) could slot straight into midfield, but offers limited attacking appeal.
A young striking corps will be led by Noah Jean Holm (9.5m) and Chelsea loanee Bryan Fiabema (9m), aged 20 and 19 respectively.
Kristiansund
Continuity is the word for Kristiansund – manager Christian Michelsen has been in charge since 2014 – and at the club in some capacity since 2008. The overachievers have finished in the top half in every season since their Eliteserien debut in 2017. They can always be expected to put in some good performances against the big boys, but often fall short when it comes to the teams below them – most pointedly in a 5-0 loss to Mjøndalen, who went on to be relegated.
A reliable source of save points in previous seasons, Sean McDermott (5.5m) returned to the starting lineup in the final game of pre-season. Snorre Strand Nilsen’s swashbuckling performances which saw him score 6 goals from right back see him priced at 6m. Perhaps surprisingly, his price is matched by Christoffer Aasbak, who has a quality left foot but whose playing time was hampered by injuries. Andreas Hopmark (5m) should offer solidity of starts, either at the heart of defence or in defensive midfield, while Aliou Coly (4.5m) should be a cheaper route into this defence and at the time of writing is the most popular defender in the game at his price point.
2021 saw Torgil Gjertsen (8m) enjoy his best season since 2017 when he averaged nearly a goal a game. Like Gjertsen, KBK’s mid-price midfielders Bendik Bye (7m), Agon Muçolli (7m), Liridon Kalludra (6m) and Sander Kartum (6m) failed to play even 2000 of a possible 2700 minutes. From a fantasy point of view, Bye’s ability to lead the line could give him the edge. Budget favourite Amidou Diop (4.5m) featured more regularly, but his propensity to pick up bonus points deserted him last time out.
All 5 of Moses Mawa’s (8m) goals last term came after joining the Owls from Strømsgodset mid-season.
Vålerenga
Three clean sheets after taking over the gloves were enough to see goalkeeper Christian Kjetil Haug priced at 5.5m.
With both Christian Borchgrevink and Vegar Eggen Hedenstad costing 6m, a knee injury for the former will see the new signing stake a claim at right back in the early stages of the season. Intriguingly priced at 5m, captain Jonatan Tollås Nation could be the value pick in defence if he can hold off the challenge of Ivan Näsberg and Brynjar Ingi Bjarnason (both 5.5m).
Already a bonus points magnet and a reliable assister, if Osame Sahraoui adds more goals to his game he could make a mockery of his 8.5m price tag. For the same amount, you could back Amor Layouni, who couldn’t recreate the heights we saw at Bodø/Glimt in his first season at Enga. 8m gets you Henrik Bjørdal, who earned a very respectable 22 bonus points last season. Elsewhere, winger Taofeek Ismaheel (8m) scored 13 goals for Fredrikstad in the first division, while Petter Strand (7m) is a mid-price fantasy option at a third different club.
Early visits to last season’s top two might put managers off the premium strikers here. Vidar Kjartansson (10.5m) had a huge impact in the second half of 2020, but was outscored by Henrik Udahl (8.5m) in 2021.
Sarpsborg 08
Steffan Billborn, winner of Hammarby’s first even Swedish Cup, has an experienced squad to work with at Sarpsborg. Captain Joachim Thomassen is priced at 5.5m for the sixth successive season; despite never being shy to venture forward from left back, he’s yet to break the 100-point barrier in a season, and the cheaper Bjørn Inge Utvik (5m) has earned more bonus points over the years. Able to play at centre back, right back and right wingback, Magnar Ødegård (4.5m) offers some versatility on a budget. Jonathan Lindseth exploded into life in the second half of 2021, scoring 8 goals over the course of 6 games to match his tally from the prior two-and-a-half years. Can Lindseth show more of that form to justify costing 8.5m? Anton Saletros (6.5m) will play a deeper role but has delivered 12 assists over the last two campaigns, although his share of set pieces could limit the appeal of Mikkel Maigaard (8m). Now 34, Ole Jørgen Halvorsen’s (6.5m) playing time took a bit of a nosedive last season and fantasy managers might have more luck with Rashad Muhammed (6m) or, returning for his third spell at Sarpsborg, Tobias Heintz (7.5m).
At 33, Guillermo Molins’ (8m) best form has all come at Malmö, but a cup hat-trick against Åsane, combined with Steffen Lie Skålevik’s (6m) suspension for the opening game, gives him the chance to start the season well. Kristian Fardal Opseth (7.5m) struggled for playing time but still grabbed 5 goals last season.
Part 2 to follow.