FPL Waiver Wire: Gameweek 14 Differentials

FPL Waiver Wire: Gameweek 14 Differentials

This article is part of our Fantrax Waiver Wire series.

The Premier League schedule is about to pick up in a big way. In addition to European fixtures, there will be midweek league matches in Gameweek 15 (and then more European matches the following midweek). That means three straight weeks of midweek matches for the top clubs and more injuries and players likely resting. The biggest injury from last weekend was to Sergio Aguero, whose ownership has dropped in the past six gameweeks, and yet he is the sixth-most popular forward as of writing. Ahead of Gameweek 14, you'll need to move your Aguero money elsewhere in addition to cutting any of your Everton players.

FPL DIFFERENTIALS

Outside of Gabriel Jesus, there isn't one player to add in place of Aguero unless you want to follow the sheep and ride Tammy Abraham, who is now on more than 50 percent of teams at the Premier League's official fantasy game (pending Wednesday's injury). As for Jesus, he's on fewer than two percent of teams and will surely be a regular over the next few weeks. However, Manchester City don't have the best schedule, and if you're worried about that, Alexandre Lacazette is similarly on almost no rosters. Arsenal may not be as reliable as City, but they face Norwich City, Brighton and West Ham in their next three matches. Lacazette is coming off a brace and has started the last four league matches.

Son Heung-Min has scored in his last two league starts and is no longer in

The Premier League schedule is about to pick up in a big way. In addition to European fixtures, there will be midweek league matches in Gameweek 15 (and then more European matches the following midweek). That means three straight weeks of midweek matches for the top clubs and more injuries and players likely resting. The biggest injury from last weekend was to Sergio Aguero, whose ownership has dropped in the past six gameweeks, and yet he is the sixth-most popular forward as of writing. Ahead of Gameweek 14, you'll need to move your Aguero money elsewhere in addition to cutting any of your Everton players.

FPL DIFFERENTIALS

Outside of Gabriel Jesus, there isn't one player to add in place of Aguero unless you want to follow the sheep and ride Tammy Abraham, who is now on more than 50 percent of teams at the Premier League's official fantasy game (pending Wednesday's injury). As for Jesus, he's on fewer than two percent of teams and will surely be a regular over the next few weeks. However, Manchester City don't have the best schedule, and if you're worried about that, Alexandre Lacazette is similarly on almost no rosters. Arsenal may not be as reliable as City, but they face Norwich City, Brighton and West Ham in their next three matches. Lacazette is coming off a brace and has started the last four league matches.

Son Heung-Min has scored in his last two league starts and is no longer in differential range, so I have to talk about someone else. Riyad Mahrez is a possibility in the midfield if you're looking for another City player, but even with Aguero out, his playing time isn't guaranteed. I'd rather turn to regulars at Wolverhampton, who face Sheffield United, West Ham, Brighton and Norwich within the next five gameweeks. Adama Traore and Joao Moutinho remain less popular than Ruben Neves for an unknown reason. Moutinho is probably the better play in the end because he's on corners and creates chances every match, while Traore provides a bit more excitement and has become a must for Wolverhampton due to his play on the wing. If you really want to swing for the fences, it may be time to consider Crystal Palace again due to their upcoming fixtures. They aren't playing well, but it wouldn't be surprising if Wilfried Zaha drew a couple penalties and Luka Milivojevic converted them in the next few weeks.

In terms of other schedules, Everton aren't an overly popular team in fantasy, but it's worth mentioning that their next five matches are against Leicester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal. While Lucas Digne may get an assist, there's almost no chance for a clean sheet in that period, while it's best to say goodbye to underperforming Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson. It's a similar situation for Aston Villa (at Man United, at Chelsea, v. Leicester, at Sheffield United) and Bournemouth (at Tottenham, v. Liverpool, at Chelsea), in case you thought about any of their players. While they're cheap and can sit on your bench the next few gameweeks, it's unlikely any of those players produce. If you drop Digne, the best place to look for clean sheets will be Leicester and Liverpool, though Chelsea and Crystal Palace aren't far behind in terms of favorable fixtures.

FANTRAX FINDS

It's a dire situation for owners who have been content with Aguero this season. Luckily, he hasn't started every match, so those owners hopefully have a backup plan. If not, David McGoldrick is widely available and has seven shots on target in his last four starts. It's also likely Oliver McBurnie, Billy Sharp or Callum Robinson moves into the starting XI because of Lys Mousset's hamstring injury. Following the trip to Wolverhampton, Sheffield United face Newcastle, Norwich and Aston Villa, so grabbing one of those forwards isn't a terrible idea.

Harry Winks isn't a regular goal scorer, but he should be on radars having started both of Tottenham's matches under Jose Mourinho. More enticing is that he's taken seven corners in those appearances. Sean Longstaff is back from suspension and will likely take over for Jonjo Shelvey, though a match against Man City isn't a great spot. It may be better to look at someone like Kenny McLean against Arsenal because you know he's going to play close to a full 90, and he does a little bit of everything in the midfield. Tom Trybull plays in more of an attacking role than McLean and has six shots in his last three starts. If you don't want to play games with Norwich, there will likely be a few new faces in starting XIs over the weekend, especially with the midweek fixtures ahead.

If you have room, I'd take a flier on Axel Tuanzebe, who returned from a hip injury last weekend and could find his way into the starting XI soon. If it's this weekend, a clean sheet is more than possible against Aston Villa. In place of the Newcastle defenders I usually write about, Southampton are home against Watford, which means Jan Bednarek and Jack Stephens (or anyone who starts) can be used.

CAPTAIN DEEP DIVES

Gameweek 14 is packed in terms of favorable matchups, meaning you'll be hard pressed to find a fantasy squad with a captain not from any of the big squads. But that's why I'm here. Jamie Vardy has scored in five straight starts and Everton have been a mess, most recently losing at home to Norwich. If that's not a big enough dive for you, Arsenal are giving up at least one goal every match and if Norwich score, Teemu Pukki will likely be involved. Dipping further, Watford gave up three goals at home to Burnley last match, so don't be surprised if Danny Ings found the back of the net. The same goes for Chris Wood against Crystal Palace, as he's scored in five of his last six starts. It seems like everyone is in a good situation, which means don't screw up your captain.

Want to Read More?
Subscribe to RotoWire to see the full article.

We reserve some of our best content for our paid subscribers. Plus, if you choose to subscribe you can discuss this article with the author and the rest of the RotoWire community.

Get Instant Access To This Article Get Access To This Article
RotoWire Community
Join Our Subscriber-Only Soccer Chat
Chat with our writers and other RotoWire Soccer fans for all the pre-game info and in-game banter.
Join The Discussion
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Adam Zdroik
Adam, a multiple-time finalist for FSWA's Soccer Writer of the Year, is RotoWire's soccer editor. He runs RotoWire's Bracketology and partakes in various NFL content. He previously worked at ESPN and Sporting Kansas City, and he is a former Streak for the Cash winner and Michigan State graduate.
Champions League Preview: Aston Villa vs. Juventus Predictions, Odds, & Notes
Champions League Preview: Aston Villa vs. Juventus Predictions, Odds, & Notes
Fantrax Premier League Player Rankings: Gameweek 13
Fantrax Premier League Player Rankings: Gameweek 13
Champions League Best Bets: Picks, Odds & Predictions for Wednesday, Nov. 27
Champions League Best Bets: Picks, Odds & Predictions for Wednesday, Nov. 27
Fantasy Premier League Player Rankings: Gameweek 13
Fantasy Premier League Player Rankings: Gameweek 13