Following this international break is the big Double Gameweek 29, where a dozen teams are set to play twice. Therefore, the season’s biggest double will see a lot of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers activate their Bench Boost chip, hoping to gain points from all 15 squad members.
Using our Season Ticker, this is how Double Gameweek 29 looks, in order of perceived difficulty.
The Bench Boost is a valuable chip and FPL managers will aim to maximise its potential by ensuring all 15 players are strong picks. However, such squad depth could bring later problems when a large percentage of the budget will remain unused each week.
That’s why the perfect Bench Boost involves players with fantastic fixtures but at a cheap price that won’t require future transfers to be spent on downgrading them.
Here are some of the best and most discussed low-priced goalkeepers and defenders for a Gameweek 29 Bench Boost, with the midfielders and forwards to follow in a separate piece.
GOALKEEPERS UP TO £4.5m
Jason Steele (£3.9m) v Brentford (h) + Bournemouth (a)
Those who used a Gameweek 26 Wildcard to purchase Brighton and Hove Albion’s Robert Sanchez (£4.6m) were immediately shaken by Roberto De Zerbi’s decision to switch goalkeepers.
Bargain stopper Jason Steele has since started all three league outings and delivered a pair of clean sheets, although Sanchez played in the Seagulls’ FA Cup quarter-final.
Assuming Steele is still in pole position, he has two superb fixtures against Brentford and Bournemouth – two of the season’s four worst sides for goal attempts – yet is so cheap that he can remain untouched post-Bench Boost, even if Sanchez returns between the sticks.
Daniel Iversen (£3.8m) v Crystal Palace (a) + Aston Villa (h)
Even less spending is needed on Leicester City’s Daniel Iversen. He is the joint-cheapest player throughout the whole FPL game, yet was eventually given a try in Gameweek 28 versus Brentford.
Speaking after the 1-1 draw, Brendan Rodgers confirmed that the Dane will get a run of starts.
“I’ve seen him in training, he’s a brilliant shot-stopper and he’s good on crosses. He has a calmness. Daniel will come in and play and we’ll go from there. He’ll get a run of games. It’s important he feels he’s not just judged on this performance. I thought he did really well.” – Brendan Rodgers
That rules out Danny Ward (£4.0m) as our default backup goalkeeper, although Iversen’s Bench Boost appeal may be dented by the Foxes being the only side yet to keep a clean sheet since Gameweek 17’s restart.
Keylor Navas (£4.5m) v Wolverhampton Wanderers (h) + Leeds United (a)
The experience of Keylor Navas can play a big role in Nottingham Forest’s survival quest. After over 260 appearances for Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, the 36-year-old arrived to keep a clean sheet on his debut against Leeds.
He has the chance to repeat that in Double Gameweek 29, alongside a meeting with notorious low scorers Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Illan Meslier (£4.5m) v Arsenal (a) + Nottingham Forest (h)
However, Forest are also stuck on 22 league goals, giving opposing Leeds stopper Illan Meslier potential on the night of a crucial bottom-of-the-table clash that could be ugly and nervy.
The other match at Arsenal is poor though, especially considering Leeds have conceded at least twice in nine of their last 15 outings. Meslier ranks fifth for saves but that’s because only Fulham have handed out more big chances over the season.
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DEFENDERS UP TO £4.5m
Rico Henry (£4.5m) v Brighton and Hove Albion (a) + Manchester United (a)
Brentford are the only team to play in Blank Gameweek 28 whilst also having Double Gameweeks 27 and 29, so most managers have already collected at least one defensive asset from the team that recently went 12 league matches unbeaten.
Ben Mee (£5.1m) has scored three times but costs more than Rico Henry and Ethan Pinnock (£4.4m). Only five defenders have had more big chances than the latter two, with Henry’s creation of big chances bettered by just six.
The main problem is that, although they play twice, neither Brentford match looks attractive. Trips to Brighton and Manchester United have minimal clean-sheet potential.
Sven Botman (£4.5m) v Manchester United (h) + West Ham United (a)
It’s a similar issue with Sven Botman, although the second half of their Double Gameweek could bring success at West Ham United. Furthermore, this Dutch centre-back plays for the team with the most clean sheets and fewest goals conceded so far in 2022/23.
The Magpies held Man Utd to a 0-0 draw in Gameweek 11 but recently lost 2-0 to them in the EFL Cup final.
This might be a stretch but – when Newcastle lost 4-0 to Man Utd at Wembley in the 1996 Charity Shield – they quickly gained revenge on the Red Devils with a memorable 5-0 league win, capped off by their left-footed centre-back gloriously chipping home a fifth. Step forward Botman.
Timothy Castagne (£4.4m) v Crystal Palace (a) + Aston Villa (h)
For managers wanting to back Leicester but not rely on their shaky clean-sheet ability, attacking full-back Timothy Castagne could pay dividends.
Although his only strike of this campaign arrived on the opening weekend, an expected goals (xG) tally of 1.75 ranks ninth amongst defenders. As a bonus, he has great fixtures beyond Double Gameweek 29, facing Bournemouth (h), Wolves (h), Leeds (a) and Everton (h) by Gameweek 34.
Lisandro Martinez (£4.5m) v Newcastle United (a) + Brentford (h)
Seven of Man Utd’s last eight league matches have brought starts for Lisandro Martinez, making him a good option for those unable to afford Luke Shaw (£5.2m).
Erik ten Hag’s side reacted to the 7-0 humiliation at Liverpool by successfully keeping out Southampton but the Saints did amass 17 goal attempts and an xG of 1.11.
Also, Brentford humbled the Red Devils in August with a 4-0 win and have since picked up four points on the road at Manchester City and Arsenal.
Emerson Palmieri (£4.0m) v Southampton (h) + Newcastle United (h)
Usually a rotation risk with Aaron Cresswell (£4.7m) around, Brazilian left-back Emerson Palmieri has started six of West Ham’s last seven and scored past Chelsea in Gameweek 23.
For a side battling relegation, consecutive home games against two of the lowest-scoring sides since Gameweek 17 present a great opportunity for some differential points.
Team-mates Vladimir Coufal (£4.0m) and Kurt Zouma (£4.4m) are also cheap options, although both have had recent injury struggles.
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