This weekend’s action delivered plenty of drama for Fantasy Premier League managers — injuries to key assets, breakout performances from potential differentials, and early warning signs for some highly owned players.
It’s still early days, but these moments are crucial in shaping our squads for the weeks ahead.
Newcastle United host Liverpool tonight in the final game of Gameweek 2, but we already have plenty to discuss. Let’s take a look at the standout stories and how they could impact your transfers, captaincy picks and long-term strategy.
Cole Palmer’s injury raises midfield questions
A shock absentee after picking up an injury in the warm-up before Chelsea’s 5-1 win against West Ham United, there’s no clear timeline for the return of Cole Palmer (£10.5m). Keeping a close eye on team news and press conferences is crucial before making any transfers.
If Palmer is out for more than one game, then he’s most likely a sell. There is a case to keep him if he’s only out for one game and you have a good player who can cover.
There is an international break after Gameweek 3, leaving plenty of recovery time.
If Palmer is out for a while, then Joao Pedro (£7.5m) could become a standout pick. He delivered a huge 15-point haul and played the full 90 minutes against Graham Potter’s side. His minutes seem secure and he could be next in line behind Palmer for penalties.
Against West Ham, he started just behind striker Liam Delap (£6.4m), showing how head coach Enzo Maresca is willing to use him in a variety of positions.
Tottenham Hotspur’s stock continues to rise
Continuing their impressive form under Thomas Frank, Spurs kept another clean sheet to round off a solid performance against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
Their upcoming fixture run looks excellent too as they come up against Bournemouth (H), West Ham (A), Brighton & Hove Albion (A), Wolverhampton Wanderers (H), Leeds United (A) and Aston Villa (H).
This is a great time to invest in their assets. On the attacking side, Mohammed Kudus (£6.6m) continues to look like the best option — he seems likely to play regularly and is taking corners, too, which could help his assist numbers.
Brennan Johnson (£7.0m) is also looking good, with two goals in his first two games. Although his minutes are not as secure, he should continue to start unless Spurs sign another left-sided attacker.
There’s still reason to be cautious on Richarlison (£6.6m), despite plenty of praise from Frank after two goals and an assist in his first two games. With Dominic Solanke (£7.4m) in the squad, Richarlison is at risk of being benched or losing his place.
If you are looking to make a defensive transfer this week, Spurs have excellent options at different price points. Pedro Porro (£5.5m) comes at a premium but takes set pieces. Cristian Romero (£5.0m) should rack up defensive contribution points — he hit the threshold against Manchester City, bagging himself a total of seven points. Micky van de Ven (£4.5m) represents great value and is nailed-on to start.
Aston Villa’s struggles and what to do with Ollie Watkins
After failing to score in their opening two games, Aston Villa have been a major disappointment. Watkins (£9.0m) has been sold by more than 431,000 FPL managers but is still the game’s fourth-highest owned forward.
Two blanks will raise questions over his place in FPL squads.
However, with an appealing home fixture against Crystal Palace next up, selling him this week might be premature. At this early stage of the season, owners should give him at least another week. Accumulating free transfers can be valuable and Watkins is, historically, a very reliable asset.
Patience could pay off, as we saw with the hauls from Joao Pedro and Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres (£9.0m) this week.
Adding to the points in Watkins’ favour, there doesn’t seem to be any standout replacements this week. After his two goals in the 5-0 win against Leeds, Gyokeres faces Liverpool (A) next — not a great entry point — and switching for Joao Pedro, who has Fulham at home, could be a sideways move.
Chris Wood (£7.6m) has a fine fixture against West Ham (H) up next, but then Nottingham Forest travel to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal in Gameweek 4.
Arsenal’s injury concerns
The celebrations after thrashing Leeds were dampened by injuries to Bukayo Saka (£10.0m) and Martin Odegaard (£8.0m).
Mikel Arteta’s post-match comments and the nature of Saka’s hamstring issue strongly suggest he will miss at least a few weeks, which would make him an easy sell for managers.
I would wait for further updates during the week before you make any moves.
One name quickly rising in popularity is Gyokeres, who opened his Premier League account and looks set to be Arsenal’s primary penalty taker, potentially even when Saka returns.
With Liverpool up next, waiting a week before bringing him in makes sense.
(Top photo: Brennan Johnson and Micky van de Ven; Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)