This article is part of our Mondogoal Fantasy Soccer series.
As the Premier League season edges closer to its halfway point, Mondogoal offers a plethora of contests for fantasy owners to enter this weekend.
With aims of maximizing points and earnings, here are a few player suggestions that could bank palatable profits in Week 16:
David de Gea (£10.7M)
Despite the massive expenditures manager Louis van Gaal has made since joining Manchester United, the Red Devils still go through scoring lulls, but fortunately, de Gea has been there to anchor what's been the Premier League's best defense. The Spaniard has six clean sheets through 11 appearances, helping him to Mondogoal's highest point average among goalkeepers at 7.30 per game. While his hefty salary reflects such value, de Gea has a good matchup this weekend at Bournemouth, who despite beating Chelsea last weekend, have scored the fourth-fewest goals at home this season.
Eric Dier (£9.0M)
Thriving at the base of Tottenham's midfield, Dier has become a fantasy starlet this season, averaging 6.86 points per game on Mondogoal. Furthermore, Dier has exceeded that average in six of his past seven games, evidencing a stock on the rise. The youngster ranks second on Tottenham in tackles won (30) and third in passes intercepted (33), yet he has also scored two goals already. This weekend, a Spurs defense that has allowed the second-fewest goals hosts a Newcastle outfit that's scored just three on the road, the Premiership's worst mark.
David Silva (£11.5M)
Although he's only played in seven games this season, Silva has been his usual stellar self when in action. The Spaniard boasts the fifth-highest points per game average on Mondogoal among midfielders available Saturday, and he celebrated his latest return to fitness with a 16.65-point display in the Champions League this week. Compared to their current ninth-place position from road games, Man City is dominant at home, as their plus-13 goal difference suggests. That should provide confidence for Silva and company ahead of this weekend's visit from Swansea City, whom the Citizens have scored 12 goals from their last four games against.
Aaron Ramsey (£11.2M)
Speaking of returning to life, Ramsey not only came back from an injury stint recently, but in wake of teammate Santi Cazorla's knee injury, Ramsey returned to his preferred central midfield position last weekend against Sunderland. That deployment resulted in a whopping 25.00 fantasy points from Ramsey, who provided a goal and an assist. With Arsenal still missing key pieces on the sidelines, Ramsey becomes an even more important figure this weekend's match against Aston Villa, who were destroyed 12-0 on aggregate from last season's three meetings with Arsenal.
Troy Deeney (£10.1M)
With the help of strike partner Odion Ighalo, Deeney has pushed promoted side Watford into the Premier League's top half, as the Hornets have won four of their last six matches. Over that incredible span, Deeney has been particularly impressive, scoring in all but one game. Such production has led to 10.31 points per game on Mondogoal across those appearances, making Deeney's £10.1M salary worth the investment. That could prove especially true this Saturday, when Watford travel to take on Sunderland, whose 29 goals conceded this season are fewer than merely two teams.
Romelu Lukaku (£12.0M)
Still only 22 years old, Lukaku has been around the Premier League since 2011 and is clearly a top level talent, but he has rounded into the best form of his career this season. Coming off Monday's goal against Crystal Palace, Lukaku has now scored in six consecutive outings, bringing his season tally to 11 already. That figure only trails Leicester City's Jamie Vardy, and since his game Monday excludes him from Mondogoal's weekend contests, Lukaku is the star striker in Week 16. That status comes ahead of Everton's game at Norwich City, the Premiership's fifth-worst defense.
