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Welcome to Gameweek 38, RotoBallers! This was our third year covering FPL, and we brought you more coverage than ever. We published two weekly articles: a staff roundtable preview and our weekly rankings. Don't forget to stick around for our Euro 2024 coverage starting shortly.
Thirty-seven gameweeks down, one to go. It’s the final countdown, FPL managers. After 10 months of injuries, hauls, and 59th-minute substitutions, we have reached the end of the road. Gameweek 38 is the final push, so don’t be afraid to take a final swing to reach your desired rank!
The Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 38 deadline is 9:30 a.m. EDT on Sunday, May 19,when all 10 games kick off at the same time. Also, look out for the rest of our excellent soccer coverage, as the squad gets you all set for every English Premier League, Major League Soccer, and UEFA Champions League slate from a DFS and betting perspective.
I seldom play #EPL #DFS. But when I do, I make sure I check out my @RotoBaller buddies @EuanFPL and @df_solutions
before creating my lineup https://t.co/rmQTeGmSRg pic.twitter.com/b0xGTcSxp4— Jamie Steed (@Baseball_Jimbo) February 10, 2024
Fantasy Premier League Staff Roundtable - Gameweek 38 Preview
The Staff Roundtable is an attempt to get you inside the mind of our FPL staff. Our top soccer writers will answer questions each gameweek to give you an idea of how they view the games. So, without further ado, let’s kick off Gameweek 38!
Traditionally, Gameweek 38 has one of the highest goal totals of the season. Which game do you back to have five-plus goals on Sunday?
- Euan Leith: Spurs versus Sheffield United will see fireworks. Tottenham will respond after a disappointing defeat to Man City in the middle of the week and the Blades will go on the all-out attack to give their fans something to cheer about on the final day.
- Tom Bellucco: Crystal Palace and Aston Villa has the makings of a shootout more than any other match. A close second might be Luton and Fulham, and perhaps Man City scores five on its own to celebrate yet another Premier League Title.
- Adewale Akin-Adesina (The FPL Manual): I like the Manchester City vs. West Ham match; the Cityzens have scored 26 goals in their last seven games, with at least four goals scored in four of those games. With the title chase prolonged to the final game, I expect Manchester City to go all out against West Ham on Sunday.
So, what does 9 years of GW38 data tell us?
⭐️GW38 has outscored the season average goals per game for 9 consecutive seasons
⭐️Home teams continue to score more than their fair share - in fact 60%+ of the goals in 7/9 seasons. pic.twitter.com/bgiHz4yA3o— FPL Discomfort (Kieran) (@FPL_Discomfort) May 13, 2024
There’s still a lot to play for in the league. Is there one team to target on Sunday?
- Euan: Newcastle has to win to keep its hopes of European football alive for next season. An away tie at Brentford isn’t the easiest of games, but I expect the Magpies to battle hard for all three points. Alexander Isak, Kieran Trippier, and Anthony Gordon are great picks for the final day of the season.
- Tom: Man City has a chance to pour it on against West Ham, who doesn't have much to play for. Meanwhile, City will want all three points as well as a cushioned goal differential to clinch its place at the top of the table for good.
- The FPL Manual: I'm putting my money on Crystal Palace as a team to target. Since the appointment of Oliver Glasner, the club has been quite phenomenal. Crystal Palace has gone unbeaten in its last six games, securing big results against Liverpool, Manchester United, Wolves, Newcastle, and West Ham. Set to face Aston Villa next, the Eagles will aim to finish their season on a high note with a victory against the Villans.
Would you try to bring in a Liverpool player for the last game of the Jurgen Klopp era?
- Euan: As a Liverpool fan, I would love it. However, as a FPL manager, it may not be the best move. If you are chasing down your mini-league rivals, then Liverpool players are fantastic differentials. However, if you are pleased with your rank and sit atop the pile, they aren’t on many teams and won’t do a lot of damage to your final-day standings.
- Tom: I will be steering clear of Liverpool. Something tells me Wolves wants to play spoiler to the Liverpool send-off, and the vibes in that squad have been strange of late, especially among the stars like Mo Salah.
- The FPL Manual: Regrettably, not really. While options like Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah, or Trent Alexander-Arnold could seem appealing for the final game against Wolves, there is a larger pool of in-form talents like Cole Palmer, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Michael Olise, or Josko Gvardiol who are more interesting options.
Who has been your fantasy hero of the 2023-24 FPL season?
- Euan: Any of the Arsenal defenders. Gabriel has been in my team all year, but Ben White and William Saliba have also been in and out of the squad. Ben White’s 26-pointer in Double Gameweek 34 will always have a special place in my FPL heart.
- Tom: It's a tie between Jarrod Bowen and Matheus Cunha.
- The FPL Manual: Cole Palmer is my fantasy hero this season. Signing him on a hit back in GW 9 proved to be a wise decision, as the then 4.9m midfielder is currently a fantasy football sensation with over 200 FPL points to his name. Thank you, "Ice Cold" Palmer. We'll do it all again next season.
Cole Palmer sits in esteemed Blues company 🔵
Will he move further up the ranks in #FPL Gameweek 38? pic.twitter.com/JrO66pBt2g
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) May 16, 2024
Who has been your fantasy nemesis of the 2023-24 FPL season?
- Euan: Darwin Nunez. He’s the most frustrating FPL asset I’ve ever had the pleasure of selecting. You never know what he’s going to do, but it’s usually bad for your FPL squad. It will be interesting to see his role in the Liverpool team under a new manager next season.
- Tom: I've seemingly struggled to get my defensive projections correct most of the year, so I'll go with the likes of Kieran Trippier as my nemesis.
- The FPL Manual: Jarrod Bowen has elevated his status to FPL "terror." It just never worked out; anytime Bowen was in, he went on a blank streak, and once I sold, he returned an attacking return almost immediately. I'm still not sure if Bowen will be on my next draft team, but I hope the Englishman is in my good books next season.
Who is keeping a clean sheet in Gameweek 38?
- Euan: Chelsea can lock-in European football with a win over Bournemouth. A 97th-minute goal ruled out a deserved clean sheet on Wednesday against Brighton. The Blues make up for it with a spotless football match on Sunday afternoon against the Cherries.
- Tom: Arsenal keeps a clean sheet at home against Everton in a must-win match.
- The FPL Manual: Having blotted out many teams from scoring this season, Arsenal comfortably sits on top of the charts with 18 clean sheets thus far. I back the Gunners to do so in their next matchup against Everton.
What defensive player is providing attacking returns?
- Euan: Daniel Munoz from Crystal Palace is practically playing in the front three for the Eagles and gets a weary Aston Villa to end the campaign. He’s averaged 4.8 FPL PPG over the last six contests and his attacking threat is well worth a gamble.
- Tom: Heck if I know! (See my comments above in the nemesis section). I'll go with Kieran Trippier one last time in a must-win spot for Newcastle.
- The FPL Manual: After scoring an unlikely brace against Fulham in the previous weekend, Josko Gvardiol is the only name that comes to mind. The Croatian international always seems to find his scoring boot when he approaches box 18 and has been a threat against opponents. I expect Gvardiol to contribute again in the season's last game.
After a slow start to the season 🐢
Josko Gvardiol has turned things around in the last few Gameweeks 🚀#FPL pic.twitter.com/DhuPqU1QKv
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) May 15, 2024
Who's a midfielder or forward rostered on less than 10 percent of teams that will grab us those FPL points?
- Euan: Jean-Philippe Mateta (6.0 percent) has six goals in his last five games. The French striker is in sizzling form to end the season. Aston Villa has been partying all week after securing Champions League forward, so I’m not expecting a ton of resistance along the Villans back line.
- Tom: Eberechi Eze is back (for now), and hopefully he can send us off on a high note with another goal!
- The FPL Manual: My differential of the week is Michael Olise. The Crystal Palace attacking winger has amassed 28 FPL points in his last two games and has been a solid impact player for the Eagles this season. With less than 3% ownership under his belt, Olise is one to watch out for in Gameweek 38.
Who is one player you want to have but can’t for the Gameweek 38 fixtures in Fantasy Premier League?
- Euan: For sentimental reasons, it’s Mohamed Salah. The reports say he’s staying at Anfield for another season, but things can change over the summer. He’s become one of the best players in the world under Jürgen Klopp, and it would be great to have him in my FPL squad when he bangs in a goal at Anfield on Sunday.
- Tom: Not much jumped out here, so I'll give a shout-out to Evan Ferguson, who I'm very excited to bet on next season in what will hopefully be a more reliable offensive role for Brighton.
- The FPL Manual: That'll be Kai Havertz. Havertz has provided seven attacking returns in his last four games, totaling 38 FPL points. However, since doubling up on Arsenal defenders, I do not have room for the German attacker in my team, leaving only one spot for Bukayo Saka. Best of luck, Kai Havertz.
Who’s getting the Captain’s armband?
- Euan: I am in a Madden-like prevent defense mode for my overall rank and mini-league tables, so it’s going on Erling Haaland. However, if you are chasing, I like any of the Arsenal attackers, Cole Palmer or Mohamed Salah.
- Tom: Erling Haaland one last time!
- The FPL Manual: It looks like a no-brainer this week to give the armband to Erling Haaland. The 23-year-old forward is focused on winning the Golden Boot and helping Manchester City win another Premier League title. Haaland will be keen to score again, making him a more viable option to captain.
Selected by 7,953,038
Captained by 4,977,849
Triple-Captained by 458,751Erling Haaland, who else? 😅#FPL #TOTMCI pic.twitter.com/WiabYJeYY7
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) May 14, 2024
Finally, what’s your bold prediction for Gameweek 38?
- Euan: Man United ends up on the outside looking in for a European spot and ends up relying on an FA Cup win to get a shot at a continental cup next year. Elsewhere, we have three games with a clean sheet and three games with at least five goals. Jean-Philippe Mateta and Son Heung-min bag hat tricks.
- Tom: Brighton tries to take some momentum into the summer and it takes all three points from Man United to keep it out of Europe. Meanwhile, Bournemouth fights hard to draw 1-1 with Chelsea. That leaves Newcastle in sixth place for the final spot in Europe next season. Howay the Lads!!
- The FPL Manual: Burnley will go out with a bang, getting a victory against Nottingham Forest. Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise produces another double-digit haul for his FPL owners.
Is there a question you would like to have answered every week? Hit us up on X @RotoBaller. We would love to hear your feedback and ideas!
