WEEKLY WILDCARDS 2016/17: FPL Gameweek 37
Every week The Hype Train analyses the best wildcard options for your Fantasy Premier League teams. Historically weekly FPL Dream Team’s comprise of mostly wildcard players whose selection falls with a low selection % of overall players, to which there is no doubt that their influence cannot be ignored. With such an abundance of points coming from the FPL’s hidden gems The Hype Train selects one player from each Premier League match in the upcoming Gameweek to decide who could be the differential that sets your team apart. All aboard.
Weekly Wildcards: 2015/16 Season Review
The pursuit of Fantasy Premier League glory never hinges on the success of key 'essential' players, instead finding a differential with very little player ownership can help drive your team up mini-leagues and the global points ladders. The Hype Train invested a great deal of time last season trying to unearth the FPL gems that lay just beneath the surface of our thinking, and we have taken the journey to review our efforts from the 2015/16 season. We're reviewing what worked, what didn't, the teams and players to rely on, and those to avoid. All aboard as we review a season of Weekly Wildcard picks.
To read the full Wildcard Season review, click here, or on cover stars Troy Deeney and Gylfi Sigurdsson below.
DIFFERENTIALS: GAMEWEEK PERFORMANCE (GW36)
Our scoring procedure is exactly the same as the FPL's, and each week a good barometer of success is whether or not our weekly selections outscore the average points for a Gameweek. Each week the results vary due to rotation, and unpredictable scorelines, which applies more so to differential players. We have an invested interest each and every week at finding the different players to make a difference, especially since it is easy to say Aguero or Kane will get on the score sheet.
See below for how our wildcard selections got on this past Gameweek.
Gameweek 36 Average Points: 46pts Gameweek 36 Wildcard Points: 31pts
DIFFERENTIALS: SEASON PERFORMANCE
To help track our progress throughout the 2016/17 season, below you can check how our wildcard selections have done by week to week in the Fantasy Premier League.
Best Wildcard Week: GW27 - 72pts, 9 player returns
Worst Wildcard Week: GW10 - 24pts, 2 player returns
Average Points: 44 (1), 57 (2), 42 (3), 43 (4), 48 (5), 45 (6), 42 (7), 39 (8), 42 (9), 58 (10), 52 (11), 40 (12), 46 (13), 50 (14), 46 (15), 48 (16), 47 (17), 54 (18), 45 (19), 49 (20), 56 (21), 46 (22), 35 (23), 51 (24), 47 (25), 45 (26), 44 (27), 19 (28), 47 (29), 40 (30), 45 (31), 56 (32), 46 (33), 56 (34), 46 (35), 46 (36) = 1,672pts
Wildcard Points: 25 (1), 25 (2), 26 (3), 57 (4), 37 (5), 32 (6), 46 (7), 36 (8), 35 (9), 24 (10), 39 (11), 57 (12), 42 (13), 55 (14), 45 (15), 41 (16), 42 (17), 44 (18), 50 (19), 63 (20), 65 (21), 46 (22), 39 (23), 29 (24), 43 (25), 38 (26), 72 (27), 32 (28), 46 (29), 40 (30), 52 (31), 33 (32), 45 (33), 44 (34), 32 (35), 31 (36) = 1,508pts
Best Gamweek Wildcard Player(s)
GW1: Lukasz Fabianski (Burnley vs. Swansea) - 8pts
GW2: Michel Vorm (Spurs vs. Crystal Palace) - 7pts
GW3: John Terry (Chelsea vs. Burnley) - 6pts
GW4: Romelu Lukaku (Sunderland vs. Everton) - 17pts
GW5: Manuel Lanzini (West Brom vs. West Ham) - 7pts
GW6: Hueng-Min Son (Middlesbrough vs. Spurs) - 15pts
GW7: Troy Deeney (Watford vs. Bournemouth) - 9pts
GW8: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Arsenal vs. Swansea) - 9pts
Callum Wilson (Bournemouth vs. Hull) - 9pts
GW9: Winston Reid (West Ham vs. Sunderland) - 14pts
GW10: Claudio Bravo (West Brom vs. Man City) - 6pts
Yannick Bolasie (Everton vs. West Ham) - 6pts
GW11: Marcos Alonso (Chelsea vs. Everton) - 13pts
GW12: Harry Kane (Spurs vs. West Ham) - 13pts
GW13: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea vs. Crystal Palace) - 10pts
GW14: Christian Eriksen (Spurs vs. Swansea) - 18pts
GW15: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea vs. Sunderland) - 13pts
GW16: Divock Origi (Middlesbrough vs. Liverpool) - 11pts
GW17: Patrick van Aanholt (Sunderland vs. Watford) - 15pts
GW18: Andy Carroll (Swansea vs. West Ham) - 8pts
Troy Deeney (Watford vs. Crystal Palace) - 8pts
GW19: Andre Gray (Burnley vs Sunderland) - 17pts
GW20: Leighton Baines (Everton vs. Southampton) - 15pts
Dele Alli (Spurs vs. Chelsea) - 15pts
Olivier Giroud (Bournemouth vs. Arsenal) - 15pts
GW21: Marcos Alonso (Leicester vs. Chelsea) - 21pts
GW22: Andy Carroll (Middlesbrough vs. West Ham) - 13pts
GW23: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea vs. Southampton) - 13pts
GW24: Troy Deeney (Watford vs. Burnley) - 7pts
GW25: Manolo Gabbiadini (Sunderland vs. Southampton) - 13pts
GW26: Patrick van Aanholt (Crystal Palace vs. Middlesbrough) - 15pts
GW27: Fernando Llorente (Swansea vs. Burnley) - 13pts
GW28: Josh King (Bournemouth vs. West Ham) - 18pts
GW29: Manuel Lanzini (West Ham vs. Leicester) - 10pts
GW30: Heung-Min Son (Burnley vs. Spurs) - 7pts
Leroy Sane (Arsenal vs. Man City) - 7pts
GW31: Mesut Ozil (Arsenal vs. West Ham) - 14pts
GW32: Jan Vertonghen (Spurs vs. Watford) - 6pts
Eric Bailly (Sunderland vs. Man United) - 6pts
GW33: Phil Jagielka (Everton vs. Burnley) - 11pts
GW34: Phil Jagielka (West Ham vs. Everton) - 7pts
GW35: Christian Fuchs (West Brom vs. Leicester) - 8pts
Wayne Rooney (Man United vs. Swansea) - 8pts
GW36: Christian Fuchs (Leicester vs. Watford) - 8pts
Gameweek Wildcard History
GW1: 25 points, 2 player returns
Fabianski (8), Townsend (2), Deulofeu (3), Friend (2), Tadic (2), Nolito (1), Callum Wilson (2), Lovren (0), Diego Costa (5)
GW2: 25 points, 1 player return
Targett (1), Kolarov (2), Lallana (2), Llorente (2), Vorm (7), Deeney (1), Rondon (2), Cazorla (3), Defoe (2), Kouyate (3)
GW3: 26 points, 2 player returns
Janssen (2), Terry (6), C. Benteke (2), Lukaku (2), Huth (4), Fonte (2), Holding (2), Abel Hernandez (2), Stuani (2), Otamendi (2)
GW4: 57 points, 5 player returns
Nolito (2), Mustafi (2), C. Wilson (6), Heaton (2), G. Ramirez (0), Bony (2), Antonio (13), Wijnaldum (5), Sigurdsson (8), Lukaku (17)
GW5: 37 points, 5 player returns
Oscar (2), Monreal (2), Huth (6), Bravo (6), Lanzini (7), Stekelenburg (-1), Rooney (1), Benteke (2), Tadic (6), Lloris (6)
GW6: 32 points, 2 player returns
Huth (-1), Bolasie (2), Matip (2), Hueng-Min Son (15), Chadli (1), Mandanda (1), Kolarov (1), Walcott (8), Lanzini (1), Deeney (2)
GW7: 46 points, 5 player returns
Christian Benteke (5), Karius (2), David Luiz (6), van Aanholt (7), Deeney (9), Downing (2), Rashford (2), Austin (2), Dele Alli (8), Iwobi (3)
GW8: 36 points, 4 player returns
Slimani (1), Sigurdsson (9), Callum Wilson (9), Nolito (6), Arnautovic (5), Danny Rose (0), Christian Benteke (-1), Deeney (2), Forster (2), Milner (3)
GW9: 35 points, 2 player returns
Dele Alli (2), Mustafi (5), Stekelenburg (1), Joe Allen (2), Huth (2), Sigurdsson (2), Reid (14), Matip (2), Austin (2), Moses (3)
GW10: 24 points, 2 player returns
Monreal (0), Smalling (0), Adama Traore (3), Alli (2), Deeney (2), Bravo (6), Christian Benteke (2), Bolasie (6), Redmond (2), Pieters (1)
GW11: 39 points, 3 player returns
Wilshere (2), Keane (1), Gundogan (3), Bony (2), Alonso (13), Kane (8), Fonte (1), Matip (2), Sigurdsson (5), Zieler (2)
GW12: 57 points, 6 player returns
Monreal (2), Zaha (6), Coleman (9), Karius (6), Martins Indi (2), van Aanholt (10), Musa (1), Kane (13), Alonso (6), Vokes (2)
GW13: 42 points, 5 player returns
Yaya Toure (2), Phillips (5), Simpson (4), Matip (6), Sigurdsson (10), Alonso (2), Deeney (2), Mustafi (1), Mata (2), Soares (8)
GW14: 55 points, 5 player returns
Pedro (1), Zaha (2), Eriksen (18), Glen Johnson (7), Anichebe (2), Phillips (9), Lanzini (2), Origi (6), Coleman (2), Valdes (6)
GW15: 45 points, 5 player returns
Deeney (2), Monreal (2), Ake (1), Benteke (6), Sigurdsson (13), David Silva (5), Alonso (6), Rose (1), Bertrand (0), Origi (9)
GW16: 41 points, 5 player returns
Slimani (1), Gabriel (1), Origi (11), Alonso (7), Randolph (8), Zaha (2), Iheanacho (0), Lloris (8), Arnautovic (-2), Phillips (5)
GW17: 42 points, 4 player returns
Alonso (6), Llorente (2), Glen Johnson (0), van Aanholt (15), Cresswell (7), Phillips (2), Boufal (1), Oxlade-Chamberlain (1), Lloris (2), Mignolet (6)
GW18: 44 points, 5 player returns
Deeney (8), Monreal (1), Andre Gray (7), Alonso (6), Slimani (2), Phil Jones (2), Carroll (8), David Silva (6), Mignolet (2), Jay Rodriguez (2)
GW19: 50 points, 5 player returns
Mirallas (6), Gray (17), Alonso (3), Ayew (2), Jones (0), Forster (1), Ake (8), Milner (3), Lloris (2), Giroud (8)
GW20: 63 points, 5 player returns
Valdes (0), Baines (15), David Silva (0), Klavan (1), Brunt (8), Carroll (1), Giroud (15), Townsend (1), Pieters (7), Alli (15)
GW21: 65 points, 6 player returns
Vertonghen (6), Gray (2), Stanislas (7), Grant (2), Sigurdsson (2), Deeney (1), Carroll (5), Alonso (21), Barkley (9), Milner (10)
GW22: 46 points, 5 player returns
Mignolet (1), Stanislas (2), Barkley (3), Carroll (13), Arnautovic (2), Dawson (6), Wimmer (0), Yoshida (6), Mustafi (7), David Luiz (6)
GW23: 39 points, 4 player returns
Ozil (2), Stanislas (2), Gray (2), Brunt (2), Lloris (0), Sigurdsson (13), Milner (4), De Bruyne (8), Phil Jones (1), Coleman (5)
GW24: 29 points, 3 player returns
David Luiz (2), van Aanholt (0), Tom Davies (1), Milner (1), Jack Stephens (1), Deeney (7), Chadli (6), Ben Davies (6), Sane (2), Schmeichel (3)
GW25: 43 points, 4 player returns
Rannochia (0), Mkhitaryan (3), Robles (7), Crouch (2), Gabbiadini (13), Chadli (6), Wijnaldum (7), David Luiz (2), Llorente (2), Gabriel Jesus (1)
GW26: 38 points, 4 player returns (from 8 matches)
David Luiz (1), van Aanholt (15), Robles (6), Markovic (0), Chadli (5), Deeney (9), Heung-Min Son (1), Matip (1)
GW27: 72 points, 9 player returns (from 11 matches)
Bailly (0), Fuchs (9), Martins Indi (6, 6), Llorente (13), Gabbiadini (5), Chadli (2), Wijnaldum (8), Davies (5), Sane (10, 2), Pedro (6)
GW28: 32 points, 3 player returns (from 4 matches)
Josh King (18), Robles (6), Llorente (1), Wijnaldum (7)
GW29: 46 points, 5 player returns
Mustafi (1), Mamadou Sakho (9), Robles (6), David Luiz (7), Andre Gray (2), Lanzini (10), Josh King (8), Mkhitaryan (0), Gabbiadini (1), Wijnaldum (2)
GW30: 40 points, 6 player returns
Wijnaldum (2), Rojo (5), David Luiz (0), Carroll (6), Deeney (0), Fuchs (5), Son (7), Tadic (3), Mawson (5), Sane (7)
GW31: 52 points, 6 player returns
Keane (9), Fuchs (7), Holebas (6), Robles (1), Ozil (14), Niasse (6), Bertrand (0), Vertonghen (2), Sane (2), Wijnaldum (5)
GW32: 33 points, 4 player returns
Vertonghen (6), De Bruyne (0), Keane (5), Origi (2), Redmond (3), Lanzini (2), David Luiz (2), Bailly (6), Barkley (5), Ozil (2)
GW33: 45 points, 5 player returns
Vertonghen (6), Christian Benteke (6), Jagielka (11), Berahino (1), Carroll (5), Niang (2), Sane (8), Wijnaldum (3), David Luiz (1), Monreal (2)
GW34: 44 points, 5 player returns (from 11 matches)
Afobe (6), Niasse (-2), Shaqiri (2), Jagielka (7), Bailly (6, 6), Wijnaldum (3), Pedro (4), Ozil (3), Barragan (0, 0), Townsend (2, 2), De Bruyne (3)
GW35: 32 points, 3 player returns
Gabbiadini (1), Arnautovic (3), Afobe (1), Fuchs (8), Townsend (2), Rooney (8), Barkley (2), Sane (3), Ozil (2), Deeney (2)
GW36: 31 points, 2 player returns
Vertonghen (2), Jesus (5), Artur Boruc (1), Keane (0), Markovic (3), Fuchs (8), Jagielka (2), Wijnaldum (3), Ozil (3), Pedro (3), Ryan Bertrand (1)
WILDCARDS: HALL OF FAME
To honour the exceptional diamonds in the rough, below is a a Hall of Fame highlighting last season's top performing wildcards, as well as the best individual points returners from this season.
2015/16: Top 5 Wildcards 1 - Troy Deeney (WAT) (P15) (77pts) 2 - Christian Fuchs (LEI) (P10) (48pts) 3 - Gylfi Sigurdsson (SWA) (P6) (43pts) 4 - Nicolas Otamendi (MCI) (P9) (39pts) 5 - Daniel Sturridge (LIV) (P5) (38pts)
FPL Wildcards: Our Best Individual Wildcard Points Returns
1 - Marcos Alonso (Chelsea): 21pts (GW21)
2 - Christian Eriksen (Spurs): 18pts (GW14)
2 - Josh King (Bournemouth): 18pts (GW28)
4 - Romelu Lukaku (Everton): 17pts (GW4)
4 - Andre Gray (Burnley): 17pts (GW19)
6 - Hueng-Min Son (Spurs): 15pts (GW6)
6 - Patrick van Aanholt (Sunderland): 15pts (GW17)
6 - Leighton Baines (Everton) - 15pts (GW20)
6 - Dele Alli (Spurs) - 15pts (GW20)
6 - Olivier Giroud (Arsenal) - 15pts (GW20)
6 - Patrick van Aanholt (Crystal Palace): 15pts (GW26)
FPL DREAM TEAM ANALYSIS: GAMEWEEK 36
Wildcards: Forster, Holding, Jones, Otamendi, Gibbs, De Bruyne, Xhaka, Fabregas, Vokes
Non Wildcards: Alonso, Sanchez
Points achieved by Wildcards: 130pts
Points achieved by Non-Wildcards: 28pts
GAMEWEEK WILDCARD DIFFERENTIALS
For each FPL Gameweek we select a wildcard player from each game.
We do not select a back-up player for the differentials we bank on – that’s the whole point, being a wildcard.
The selection percentage and player price is accurate with the posting of the article.
Our rundowns of player selections are representative of the Premier League’s TV fixture list.
Gameweek 37 Fixtures: EVE/WAT: Heurehlo Gomes (WAT, GK, £4.9mil, 1.7% ownership) / (insert)
WBA/CHE: David Luiz (CHE, DEF, £6.2mil, 4.7% ownership) MCI/LEI: Gabriel Jesus (MCI, FOR, £8.9mil, 7.9% ownership) (C) BOU/BUR: Adam Smith (BOU, DEF, £4.5mil, 6.5% ownership) MID/SOU: Maya Yoshida (SOU, DEF, £4.3mil, 5.2% ownership) SUN/SWA: Fernando Llorente (SWA, FOR, £6.1mil, 6.1% ownership) STK/ARS: Nacho Monreal (ARS, DEF, £5.8mil, 5.3% ownership) CRY/HUL: Patrick van Aanholt (CRY, DEF, £4.9mil, 3.7% ownership) WHU/LIV: Daniel Sturridge (LIV, FOR, £9.6mil, 0.8% ownership) TOT/MUN: Jan Vertonghen (TOT, DEF, £5.8mil, 6.9% ownership) Double Gameweek 37 Differential Picks: CHE/WAT: Heurehlo Gomes (WAT, GK, £4.9mil, 1.7% ownership) WBA/CHE: David Luiz (CHE, DEF, £6.2mil, 4.7% ownership) ARS/SUN: Nacho Monreal (ARS, DEF, £5.8mil, 5.3% ownership) MCI/WBA: Gabriel Jesus (MCI, FOR, £8.9mil, 7.9% ownership) (C) SOU/MUN: Maya Yoshida (SOU, DEF, £4.3mil, 5.2% ownership) LEI/TOT: Jan Vertonghen (TOT, DEF, £5.8mil, 6.9% ownership)
Double Gameweek Teams: Chelsea Watford Arsenal Sunderland
Man City
West Brom
Southampton
Man United
Leicester Spurs
Weekly Wildcards: Gameweek 37
One final crazy week before the final week of the season, and there are ten key differentials. Before we start, we are alerting you to the fact that we have only selected five double gameweek players because the only real options are from Chelsea, Arsenal, Man City, Southampton, Spurs, Leicester, and potentially Gomes from Watford. Sure-bets are only good enough for double gameweek picks, so that is why we have one goalkeeper (Gomes), four locked defenders (Luiz, Yoshida, Vertonghen, and Monreal), and forward Gabriel Jesus (locked due to Aguero's doubt for the gameweek) selected. We still wanted to represent the other fixtures of the gameweek as we are not blinded to know that just because there could be ten players playing twice that means nothing if they all blank. There are some amazing options over the remaining fixtures that still peak our interest.
Take Adam Smith, Bournemouth's right back, he has three straight FPL returns and the Cherries host Burnley this week, there is potential for both attacking and defensive returns at a budget price. Smith is being overlooked because he isn't a budget Southampton option, it makes sense though why he is being ignored, but one reliable performance can outweigh two blanks, so we are very much in the corner of accepting that some of the players in the dream team won't be playing twice come the end of the gameweek. Another pick, this one from Palace, is also in the same category...Patrick van Aanholt, the pacey defender has an eye for goal and in a crunch match against Hull a player of his quality could unlock the Tigers defence. Llorente for Swansea could also prove to be the difference against relegated Sunderland in their pursuit of Premier League football next year.
Arguably our biggest wildcard pick of the season goes to Daniel Sturridge, striker for Liverpool, and also descendant of Mr. Glass from the film Unbreakable. Sturridge has looked sharp and ready for starts in recent weeks with Origi's form dipping in 2017, so expect a change up-front for the Reds as they look to shake things up and win their last two matches against West Ham and Boro to keep their Champions Leagues hope alive. Such is the way of Daniel's injury record there is no certainty that he will play, but this is the right time to put him in the starting eleven and his inclusion could help baffle teams who expect to see Origi wandering around up front for the Reds. Sturridge is Liverpool's big wildcard and this week we believe he will make the difference in Liverpool's performance against a resurgent West Ham.
Meanwhile, back on planet earth we discuss two wildcards from the upcoming double gameweek.
Key Differential: Gabriel Jesus (MCI)
The Brazilian is in a great position for a massive impact in gameweek thirty-seven with the Citizens hosting both Leicester and West Brom. Doubts over Aguero due to an injury have meant that Jesus is in the starring role for Man City, and even if Aguero does play the summer signing will be deployed on the left-wing or just ahead of Aguero who tends to drop deeper and influence the play more with a strike partner. Jesus proved that he can be in and among the goals without scoring after registering an assist for KDB's powerful strike against Crystal Palace last week, so all eyes will be on the team sheets for the weekend with a huge conversion of fantasy managers believing that Jesus can elevate their teams.
Man City have the advantage of two home games against teams who can't keep clean sheets on their travels. Leicester will be the trickier opponent for obvious reasons, but if Man City show up like they did against the Eagles then it could be an easy six points for Pep's team moving into the final day of the season. Gabriel Jesus is an incredible differential option that could surprise even more people to his growing potential as a Premier League asset.
Key Differential: Nacho Monreal (ARS)
Another team who could have a good set of fixtures is Arsenal, the Gunners have had a horrid time of things that ArsenalFanTV has verbally decimated for in the past few months, but a win against Manchester United to end Arsene Wenger's torrid run against Jose Mourinho teams is a highlight to an otherwise poor season (to their standards, of course). Three wins from their last four games, and keeping two clean sheets is a good sign that Arsenal are getting back on track to finish the season strongly, mostly in part to the new system deployed by Wenger. Nacho Monreal nicely fits in on the left side of a back-three with cover from Kieran Gibbs, and he is the marauding defender given licence to join the attack.
Arsenal's two opponents this gameweek are Stoke City and Sunderland; teams that are both under-performing, the latter to the point of their relegation. Fantasy managers are looking at cheap defensive options to bolster a heavyweight attack with the likes of Alli, Kane, Jesus, Costa, Hazard, and Sanchez all potential captaincy options...but they might be missing a trick with some of the defensive options on offer with Monreal incredible value for money as he is a lock for the Arsenal team in this moment. The fresh look squad is grinding out results, and that also increases the chances of clean sheets, so expect many managers to be snapping their fingers in the regret of not including any Arsenal defensive assets for this week.
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For all FPL Gameweek build up, check out the Weekly Hype page now.
All aboard.
