Pras’s three Gameweek 6 Wildcard drafts – including no Raya

Our team of Hall of Famers and guest writers continue to pore over Gameweek 6 Wildcard options. Here, Pras discusses three possible drafts – including a contingency plan for no David Raya (£5.6m).

I have bittersweet feelings about this week. The excitement of being on a Wildcard is obviously there – but the fact that we have landed on a week with such a strong fixture swing for Arsenal, Brentford and Manchester City, and some emerging great picks (data + eye test) like Luis Diaz (£8.0m) and Antoine Semenyo (£5.6m), means that there is an inevitable same-ness about the drafts.

That’s not a bad thing, of course. It’s a long game and with short-term picks like Diaz and Semenyo, the divergence will be quick. Notwithstanding the unexpected injuries that have now become a common theme over the last two seasons.

I will share below three drafts that I really like. I am close to certain (save for any new spanners in the press conferences) that I will be on one of these come the deadline on Saturday.

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FPL pre-season: Palmer uncertain for Gameweek 1, Saka returns 3

Starting with the high level. There are few picks that feature in all three drafts, so let me talk about them:

Bukayo Saka (£10.0m) and Gabriel Magalhaes (£6.1m)

Not much to say here. There are the top two picks from Arsenal and I want them long-term. David Raya would have been in here as well, but more on him later.

Bryan Mbeumo (£7.2m)

The standout pick again from Brentford. Long-term really great fixtures, a no-brainer pick for most.

Luis Diaz (£8.0m) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.1m)

At the moment, these two are the best two Liverpool picks after Mohamed Salah (£12.8m). While budgetary constraints mean I can’t go for the Egyptian, I think there is value in the other two. I do think the Diaz pick is short term, though. I’ll be looking to ship him out either in Gameweek 7, if leaked not to start (they are the early kick-off), or possibly after the international break.

Erling Haaland (£15.3m) and Rico Lewis (£4.7m)

I think there is a small boost to Lewis’ minutes from Rodri’s (£6.4m) injury – more need for inverting in midfield. Kyle Walker’s (£5.3m) form isn’t the best either. For £4.7m, Lewis is in as the third defender with adequate cover from playable and rotating fourth/fifth defenders. Haaland needs no explanation.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£6.0m)

I don’t have a lot of conviction on this one but he is a cheap striker, on penalties and playing for a team with good long-term fixtures. He’ll probably become Joao Pedro (£5.6m) in Gameweek 12/13.

Jacob Greaves (£4.0m)

The cheapest playing £4.0m defender, who actually rotates really well with Everton or Brentford. One of these two teams will likely supply my fourth defender.

That’s nine plus a £4.0m ‘keeper who are pretty much locked in. So, let’s see areas where I can be creative with five other picks below:

A warning: my team value is reasonably high. Look away now if that triggers you.