With Sky Sports Fantasy Football’s Wildcard now enforced and the clock ticking for managers to overhaul teams however they like, let’s scrutinise the football calendar to determine the best players to select.
Sky Fantasy is a game that rewards some forward planning and fixture monitoring. This is because player prices are fixed, so individual players will never be priced out of future moves and therefore the focus can go on using the seasonal allocation of 50 transfers to maximise the number of games played.
Mid‑Gameweek transfers are critical because injured or suspended players can be removed immediately and, crucially, Sky Fantasy allows multiple captaincies per Gameweek. To succeed, managers should have a captain among their ranks on every possible gameday.
Once the game restarts after January’s transfer amnesty, the staggered layout of fixtures provides many opportunities for the armband. Active participants can use this to overtake their rivals.
Fixtures and fit-ins
The table above is a revamped version of Scout’s fixture ticker. A few caveats: gameweek numbering reflects the more familiar FPL gameweeks, and Sky gameweeks 23 and 24 have been merged into one (Gw 21 here). Specific to Sky Fantasy, fixtures that are unique on a given calendar day, and for which a captain can be selected in that game only, have been highlighted in yellow. Additionally, any fixture with a confirmed date and time has a coloured box to denote whether it is being played early (green), later (orange) or last (red) within a given gameweek. Boxes have a black border if teamsheets will be unknown before the daily fantasy deadline. Using this table, Sky Fantasy players can instantly see how to hop on and off players and captains, including midweek, from January onwards. This will be important as key personnel return from injury.
Gameweek 26 will see cancellations for games involving EFL cup finalists. Failure by Chelsea to overturn their narrow defeat to Middlesborough would be intriguing as their Gw26 fixture against Tottenham (a unique, captainable, fixture) would return to the schedules, following on from their unique Gw24 fixture against Crystal Palace.
We also know that there are two fixtures still to fit in, namely Bournemouth v Luton, and Man City v Brentford. These games are quite likely to be played relatively soon.
Wildcard, riches!
With Salah away at AFCON, and injuries piling up for popular options, funds instantly become less of a concern. Yet, Haaland’s bone stress has resulted in Sky Fantasy stress. Immediately, we must decide whether to include Erling Haaland (12.0m) from the get-go or wait for certainty of starts. From the calendar, we can see that Gameweeks 22 (BUR) and 23 (bre) allow us to wait before bringing in the Norwegian with the luxury of having already seen the teamsheet. Selecting an Arsenal player for two games, or a Chelsea player for three, is an option for a Haaland-shaped stop gap. With an xG underperformance of +2.73 so far, maybe Erling can be swerved…
… but with Kevin De Bruyne (10.9m) returning to fitness and the Man City machine showing ominous signs of clicking into gear, maybe not. Like serial winner Ferguson before him, Guardiola has previously managed to kick his team into gear around this time. City’s dismal spell of 10 points in 7 games around Christmas 2022/23, characterised by constant tinkering, preceded a steadfast belief in 3-4-2-1, a return for Ruben Dias, and only four points dropped from the subsequent 15 games to show their pedigree. With this in mind, plus a generous set of upcoming fixtures – including an early unique fixture versus Brentford and the return fixture that will result in a double gameweek – it’s no surprise to see Pep’s men feature heavily in my overhauled team.
As for the rest, the first gameweek back dictates selections to some extent — we need a player on each gameday of gameweek 21 as a minimum requirement, which means immediate representation from Burnley/Luton and a Brighton/Wolves player.
We also need a plan to bring in popular options who have suffered short-term injuries.
Between the sticks
James Trafford (6.6m) allows us to secure Burnley coverage right away. Conveniently the same price as Neto (6.6m), the ticker shows this is a swap that could be optimally carried out after one or three gameweeks — perhaps just ahead of a Bournemouth double gameweek that targets Luton again? Trafford is joint second for both Tier 1 and 2 saves, and Neto has recorded 11-point hauls in three of the past 5 games, so we should make their busyness our business.
At the opposite end of the scale, but similarly with an upcoming double gameweek in mind, is Ederson (7.8m). Up until last year, he was a goalkeeper who consistently had a positive PSxG-GA score. Manchester City are clearly capable of shutting out their next two opponents, Newcastle and Burnley, having done so already this season. Perhaps Ortega Moreno (6.6m) can share some tips?
With only one “early” fixture among his next six, which include a unique home fixture against Brentford in gw26, Alphonse Areola (6.6m) is another cheap option who can be switched in easily. He registered 35 points over the last three gameweeks, and has the same fixed price as Trafford and Neto, so using a transfer to rotate between the 6.6m-priced goalkeepers is something to consider.
Big at the back is back
Ostensibly a defender, Trent Alexander-Arnold (10m) has been making good on having the highest price tag in the game for a defender, so a plan for his reintegration in our Sky Fantasy team is paramount. Nobody has more avenues to points, as demonstrated by his exploits in December: 12 points against Fulham despite conceding three goals, followed by 11 points against Burnley despite no attacking returns. A likely non-fixture in gameweek 26 is offset by the Brentford game being one of the first games the week prior, which could also become a double.
Based on the ticker, differentials Antonee Robinson (7.7m) and Vitaliy Mykolenko (7.6) could be temporary cover, as could Joachim Andersen (7.8m) if looking longer term — to hit Crystal Palace’s successive unique fixtures in gameweeks 24 and 25 (CHE + eve). Sky Fantasy bonus monster Lewis Dunk (8.3m) and Pervis Estupiñán (8.1m) will be popular alternatives with clean sheets no longer a distant memory.
Dunk and budget enabler Jan Paul van Hecke (6.7m) are Sky FF pass masters, and Dias (9.7m) completes the top three defenders for Tier 2 passes in 2023 (11 games, out of just 14). Should he feature as heavily as he did at this point last season, when he was ever-present for 11 undefeated games and led City’s turnaround to the title, the premium price could be a snip.
The next highest Tier 2 passing defender is William Saliba (9m). Although points have dried up recently, the early fixtures mean he can be an early captain and swapped in gameweek 22 to Kyle Walker (8.6m) or another Man City defender if Arsenal’s anaemic performances continue. Saliba continues to offer a high floor in Sky Fantasy and security of starts.
Middling and best
Sky Fantasy transfers will be finite soon again so in step super glue guys, Rodri (9.4m) and Pascal Groß (8.2m). These midfielders are locked tight in the team due to their strong upcoming fixtures and ability to make a mockery of Sky Fantasy’s scoring system, evidenced by Rodri’s recent 8 points against Crystal Palace. Though a modest return, it is notable that it included 3 points each for Tier 2 passing and Tier 2 tackles. Against the lesser teams, who Man City soon face in abundance, Rodri can keep the points ticking over simply by turning up. Similarly, Groß has scored 5 points in each of his past three games, which includes points for passes, tackles and an assist.
Groß’s points per million score of 13.05 may be… big, but is trumped by the 15.08 of Cole Palmer (6.5m). It’s a price that won’t change and is simply too good to pass up. Nevertheless, one option for those with transfers burning a hole in their pocket could be to select Lyle Foster (CF-6.6m) instead, if confirmed to start, now that Burnley’s game against Luton has been rearranged for Friday. The non-AFCON bound striker can be captained and then palmed off for Palmer immediately, thanks to his bargain price.
Injury news permitting, Jarred Bowen (8.8m) is another player who has been kind to owners, due to the 6 point premium for goals in Sky Fantasy. Despite sustaining an injury that blocks his inclusion in the overhaul team, five of West Ham’s next six games are played later or last in the gameweek, providing multiple opportunities to go in on Bowen when we see him on the teamsheet (so we can ignore Moyes’ lies). Bowen successfully registered an attacking return in all six of the corresponding fixtures earlier in the season (SHU, bou, MUN, ars, NFO, bre).
Temporary options while awaiting the return of Bowen, Haaland and Alexander-Arnold include Phil Foden (9.5m) who has successive double-digit hauls after failing to register a single one before Christmas. It’s the kind of blistering form that currently evades Bukayo Saka (10.4m), although he does have relatively kind fixtures and five double-digit hauls for those with good memories.
You have to be positively nostalgic to remember De Bruyne’s hauls, but his cameo cup performance against Huddersfield suggests he’s back. Sporting a jazzy new barnet, he is curiously owned by 6.5% of teams in the top 1k despite overall ownership of just 6.83%. Engaged managers have decided Kevin can’t wait.
Another player with new hamstrings who is ready to assist risk-taking owners is Neto (7.6m). Wolves have two unique fixtures among the first six gameweeks, including a home game against Sheffield Utd for which a captain is required. With another assist in the FA Cup to add to his EPL tally of seven, it could be a sound strategy to bring him in well before it becomes a necessity.
My only regret… is that he has… boneitis
Haaland has registered the highest number of points for Tier 2 shots on target (15), if you somehow still need to be convinced. Naturally, it’s a case of when to own the City star, not if. The games against Burnley and Brentford are played later in their respective gameweeks so would enable an extra fixture to be squeezed out of certain temporary stand-ins, such as Saka.
Arguably just as pivotal is Dominic Solanke (7.8m), who enjoyed the highest PPM score of all players until Palmer’s sub-zero performance against Luton. Bournemouth’s outstanding fixture run begins in gameweek 27 and their Luton game is also to be rearranged. Even before then, looking at his next five opponents, Solanke managed to bag an impressive seven goals and an assist in the corresponding games earlier this season. A potential set-and-forget option, he is a reliable captain against even league leaders Liverpool.
Ollie Watkins (9.3m) completes the team. His fixtures in the short and medium-term look promising, and although he registered only one goal and two assists against his next six opponents in corresponding fixtures in 2023 (as did Douglas Luiz (MID-8m)), his 26pt haul against Brighton is a reminder of how devastating he, and differential captain picks, can be.
Floating just outside the top 100 in my debut Sky season, my Overhaul plan is to go as heavy as possible on Manchester City due to their fixtures and history. Subject to information and injuries, I will use the 8.8m in the bank to gradually replace Lyle Foster, Cole Palmer and William Saliba with Erling Haaland, Jarred Bowen and Trent Alexander-Arnold, with 0.1m to spare. Using the ticker, I should be able to replace players that have already played, and make these transfers when the returnees are actually confirmed as starting, against weaker opposition.
