This article is part of our Mondogoal Fantasy Soccer series.
Most successful fantasy Premier League teams blend a combination of high-priced star players with undervalued bargain options to maximize production while balancing cost.
With MondoGoal's Gameweek 6 contests coming up, let's highlight three attackers and three defensive-minded players that all boast favorable matchups and can either be categorized as an expensive fantasy star or brilliant bargain buy.
Goalkeeper: Tim Krul (£4.0M)
To this point in the season, only Manchester City's Joe Hart and Arsenal's Petr Cech have averaged more than Krul's 7.55 points per game at the goalkeeper position. However, with a salary for just £4.0M, remarkably no keeper on MondoGoal costs less than Krul. That eye-opening reality makes Krul a perfect bargain example, and this weekend he's gifted with a home matchup against Watford, whose three goals are tied for second-fewest this season.
Defender: Simon Francis (£8.6M)
Although only two teams have surrendered more goals than Bournemouth this season, Francis has still managed to make a considerable fantasy splash, justifying his steep price tag. In fact, with two assists, 235 passes completed, 11 passes intercepted and 17 tackles won, Francis has accumulated 38.30 points on MondoGoal, the fourth-best total among defenders. All Francis is missing is his first clean sheet of the campaign, which could come at home in Gameweek 6 against a Sunderland outfit that failed to score last weekend and currently sits at 19th on the table.
Defender: Vincent Kompany (£6.9M)
The captain of first-place Manchester City, Kompany has impressively led his team to five consecutive clean sheets out of the gate. Additionally, the Belgian center-half has scored two goals in attack, tying for the Citizens' team-high at the moment. With that haul, only teammate Aleksandar Kolarov claims more MondoGoal points among defenders. Nonetheless, 66 defenders cost more than Kompany's £6.9M valuation. Even though he'll face in-form West Ham this weekend, Kompany has done plenty to prove his stock heading into Saturday's matchup.
Midfielder: Riyad Mahrez (£10.6M)
A top 20-priced midfielder on MondoGoal, Mahrez has arguably been the Premier League's best player through five matchweeks. Four goals, two assists, nine shots on target, three single goal matches and 12 fouls won by Mahrez puts him on 74.06 points, the highest total of any player in England's top-flight. Simply in stunning form, Mahrez has fueled Leicester City's fabulous start to the campaign, as they enter Saturday's match at Stoke City in second place. Conversely, the Potters are ahead of merely two teams, creating a matchup that favors the magnificent Mahrez.
Forward: Alexis Sanchez (£10.2M)
Despite still agonizingly waiting on his first goal of the season, Alexis still ranks 12th among MondoGoal forwards with 33.72 points. That standing evidences the significant impact Alexis can have without scoring, as his 216 passes completed and 13 fouls won lead players at his position. Furthermore, his eight shots on target trail just two forwards, and this weekend's matchup at Chelsea comes with a surprisingly positive outlook for Alexis. Believe it or not, Jose Mourinho's men have shipped a league-high 12 goals thus far, creating what could be a grand occasion for Alexis to open his account Saturday.
Forward: Steven Naismith (£5.3M)
Placed just behind Alexis at 13th in points among MondoGoal forwards, Naismith's tally of 30.33 basically all came in Gameweek 5, when he registered a hat-trick as a substitute against Chelsea. After scoring with his left foot, right foot and head throughout that sensational display, Naismith figures to earn a starting place for this weekend's trip to Swansea City. With his confidence brimming, Naismith's stock is soaring, at least for the coming round, which makes his small salary of £5.3M well worth a punt.
