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Welcome to Double Gameweek 22, RotoBallers! Just like the previous campaign, we are continuing our soccer coverage to include the great game of the Fantasy Premier League. So, even if you are a seasoned veteran or a rookie navigating your first 38 gameweeks, we will set you straight. We're here to provide advice to help you snag those weekend-making green arrows and avoid the doom and gloom of a red arrow.
A weekend of FA Cup action allowed FPL managers to catch their breath before a few turbulent weeks. Gameweeks 22 and 23 are both double gameweeks. Manchester United and Leeds take center stage in this gameweek before Manchester City and Arsenal enters the spotlight next week. Many managers will be tempted to play a chip in the next few weeks, and we will break down all your options in this week's roundtable.
The Gameweek 22 deadline is 1:30 pm Eastern on Friday, February 3. Also, check out the rest of our excellent soccer coverage as the team gets you all set for every English Premier League and UEFA Champions League slate from a DFS and betting perspective.
RotoBaller FPL Staff Roundtable - Double Gameweek 22
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 22!
Manc United and Leeds have a double Gameweek on the horizon. So which players should FPL managers look to have in their squad?
- Euan Leith: No disrespect to Leeds, but they are a classic double gameweek trap side, which means that I'll bring them in for one week and instantly want to lose them the next. However, for the Red Devils, Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw are already on many teams. Bruno Fernandes is a standout differential for me in this double gameweek and a vital part of the Man United triple-up.
- Jamie Steed: Given Manchester United is home for both games this week, I’m stacking them more than Leeds United. Marcus Rashford is a must-start, and I’m also playing two of their defenders, as no team has conceded fewer goals at home than Manchester United, and neither opponent is proficient in scoring goals.
Triple Captain will be a popular chip this week. Will you use it on a Man United player? If so, who?
- Euan Leith: Sadly, I've already used my Triple Captain chip on Erling Haaland in DGW20. Still, if I could use it again, I would slap it on Bruno Fernandes. Everyone is trending toward Marcus Rashford, and listening to that advice is becoming tiresome. It's the sensible play, but you won't make up a lot of ground on your rivals. So I would be willing to take a swing with the Portuguese midfielder and live with the consequences, good or bad.
- Jamie Steed: Rashford makes a lot of sense with two home games against sides in the bottom half of the league table. It’s unlikely you’ll have a more in-form player with a double gameweek against lesser opposition, so this might be your best option this season.
Blank and double gameweeks are starting to take shape for the back half of the FPL calendar. Do you have a plan to deal with these scheduling headaches?
- Euan Leith: I want to keep two free transfers before each gameweek. That's not possible every week, but there are ways around it. This week, I'm likely taking a hit to set myself up for DGW22 and DGW23 for Arsenal and Man City. The four points I lose this week should be gained over the next two. Then, I can sit back and roll another transfer in DGW23 to have two frees for GW24. It's about leaving as much flexibility as possible for unknown problems.
- Jamie Steed: I’ve kept all of my wildcards for this very reason and will look to use them when a gameweek is heavily lopsided. I’m also looking to use my weekly free transfers as a necessity to try and keep two available for the random double gameweeks that pop up (like this week).
Joao Cancelo is now with Bayern Munich and is no longer an option for our fantasy teams. Are there another City defender FPL managers should flock toward?
- Euan Leith: Rico Lewis is a budget option and one of the catalysts of this Cancelo to Munich deal being completed. Pep Guardiola seems comfortable with Lewis, Nathan Ake, and others along his backline. So much so that he felt one of the best FPL assets in the game was surplus to requirement.
- Jamie Steed: Nathan Ake will be the popular choice, but I’m going all in on Rico Lewis. At just £3.9M, even if he doesn’t play regularly, you’ve just saved yourself £3.1M swapping him in for Cancelo, and it is clear Pep rates him highly given he’s kept faith with Lewis regularly starting in a bid to get out of their recent rut. The fact he’s a natural midfielder playing at full-back also should make it easier to fill in the Cancelo role of roaming across the midfield and linking attacks.
The January transfer window has come and gone. Who was your favorite addition to the FPL pool for the second half of the season?
- Euan Leith: This went under the radar, but Danny Ings' move to West Ham United caught my eye. Not only for Ings to play with Jarrod Bowen, but for Ollie Watkins to become the focal point of the Aston Villa attack. They've gotten in each other's way over the last two seasons, and now they can both spread their wings. We are always looking for the flavor of the month as our third striker, and these former teammates could become the answer to that question at some point.
- Jamie Steed: If (and it’s a big if), Wolves’ style becomes more attack-minded, Pablo Sarabia could be a great option and someone I’m keeping an eye on in the coming weeks. My under-the-radar pick is Alex Moreno, who could be Aston Villa’s regular starting left-back and was one of the best-attacking threats in La Liga over the last couple of seasons before the move.
Who's keeping a clean sheet in Gameweek 22?
- Euan Leith: With eight days of rest since the F.A. Cup defeat to Manchester City, I expect Arsenal to come out strong versus Everton. Aaron Ramsdale and co play in the early Saturday game and can open up an eight-point gap over Manchester City with a win at Goodison. The blue side of Liverpool hasn't scored multiple goals at home since October, and Arsenal's defense is stout enough to keep the ball out of the net for another 90 minutes.
- Jamie Steed: Newcastle’s Nick Pope hasn’t conceded a goal in what seems like an eternity, and at home to a struggling West Ham team, he will look to extend that run. I’ve already mentioned Manchester United, too, who I expect to keep at least one clean sheet this week.
Which defensive player is providing an attacking return?
- Euan Leith: Brentford is a different beast at home. The Bees have defeated Man United and Liverpool at the Community Stadium this year, and a game versus Southampton should be easier. Ben Mee has excellent odds at picking up a clean sheet against a soft Southampton attack (fourth fewest goals in the league) and could add an attacking return. In his last eight games, Mee has three clean sheets, a goal, and an assist for his new club.
- Jamie Steed: I’ve been keeping tabs on Pervis Estupiñán and might be a week late, given he picked up two assists last game and now gets to face a Bournemouth side that’s conceded more goals this season than any other team. The aforementioned Alex Moreno is a great play, too, given he meets Leicester City, the team against which Estupiñán picked up his two assists last time out.
Who's a midfielder or forward rostered in less than 10 percent of teams that will grab us those FPL points?
- Euan Leith: Rodrigo is on 8.7 percent of FPL teams. The Leeds United midfielder leads his position with 10 goals this season and has a double gameweek. I wouldn't count on him to grab a return against Man United, but the Nottingham Forest fixture is promising. He will only cost you £6.4 million this week and is worth a punt if you want to say adios to Miguel Almiron after his poor run of form.
- Jamie Steed: Eddie Nketiah is still only rostered by 6.1 percent of teams and has scored seven goals in eight games (four in six EPL games) since Gabriel Jesus went down with his injury. Someone who is more matchup dependent and rostered by just 0.5% of teams is Morgan Gibbs-White. He just so happens to rank inside the top 15 for shot-creating actions and shot-creating action/90 minutes.
If you could bring in any player you don't have on your team for this gameweek, who would it be and why?
- Euan Leith: I don't have him on my team... yet. Martin Odergaard has been performing at a sensational level since the World Cup, and I dread not having him on the Leithal Weapons. However, with a double gameweek in 23 coming up, I'm tempted to take a hit and get him in a week early for that Everton fixture and give myself three Arsenal players before GW22 is over.
- Jamie Steed: In terms of someone I’ve yet to mention, Kaoru Mitoma is someone I’ll be having FOMO over. With two injuries and a suspension in my squad, I couldn’t bring in the Brighton man. He has three goals and an assist in his last four EPL games, plus the game-winner against Liverpool in the FA Cup at the weekend. Mitoma will likely be involved in a goal or two against Bournemouth this week.
Who's getting the Captain's armband?
- Euan Leith: I hate playing this way, but it'll go on Rashford. So many people will use the Triple Captain chip that it's scary to think what will happen if you don't know at least Captain, the superstar. However, managers shouldn't be afraid to slap the Triple Captain on minutes-monster Bruno Fernandes if they want to get different.
- Jamie Steed: Rashford is the most obvious play this week, and even if I don’t pull the trigger on using the triple captain this week, the England international is still 99% sure to be my captain.
Finally, what's your bold prediction for this weekend's slate of games?
- Euan Leith: As a lost season finds new lows, Liverpool finds itself in the bottom half of the league after the weekend. Meanwhile, Brighton closes the gap on Spurs to two points with a win over Bournemouth and a Tottenham defeat to Man City.
- Jamie Steed: Everton will open the door for Manchester City by taking at least a point against Arsenal, but then the league leaders are done a favor by their neighbors as Tottenham avoids defeat against City a day later.
Is there a question you would like to have answered every week? Hit us up on Twitter @RotoBaller. We would love to hear your feedback and ideas!
