CAPTAINCY HYPE 2018/19: FPL Gameweek 1
Picking a Captain to double down on in the Fantasy Premier League is the most important question asked ahead of each of the 38 Gameweek's in the Premier League season. There's a lot of self-help out there for FPL enthusiasts, with our Hype Team providing three major considerations for the armband for each and every Gameweek. We'll be detailing the Essential choice for captain, a popular alternative that's pushing the consensus, and a Wildcard pick to add to the chaos. Captaincy can make of break a Gameweek so strap in tightly, it's time to lose your marbles. All aboard.
Fantasy Premier League: Gameweek Deadline
For the 2016/17 Premier League season, the FPL deadline will be one hour before the commencement of the week's first game. The Premier League website lists each FPL deadline, you can always ask on social media, and you can also view a real time countdown on our Weekly Hype page
CAPTAINCY HYPE: THE ESSENTIAL PICK
Our Essential picks for captain are selected each and every week on our main Twitter account, @RealHypeTrain, with four highly selected FPL options battling it out for alpha status amongst fellow FPL players.
Gameweek 1: Essential Captain
Player: Mohamed Salah (LIV)
Position: Midfielder (RW)
GW1 Fixture: West Ham (H)
Player Price: £13.0 million
Player Selection %: 52.7%
The opening weekend of the season pits Liverpool against West Ham, which has provided the FPL's highest ever points scorer in a single season, Mohamed Salah (who nabbed 303 points last season), with massive ownership and potential.
There is most certainly an element of Déjà vu at Hype Train HQ betting against West Ham in the opening weekend, with Man United's Romelu Lukaku in this slot last season.
With a 70% margin of victory in our poll, Salah's selection as captain is a simple one this week. We don't need to go into the finite details of his potential, though it is worth mentioning that Salah's omission is likely going to have a negative connotation regardless. Keeping pace with over half the game will just not work if Salah starts the season in good form, and there are few detractors to suggest that the 32-goal FPL hero will do so after impressing in pre-season.
CAPTAINCY HYPE: THE ALTERNATIVE PICK
Our Alternative selection for captain typically commands a smaller FPL ownership percentage, but can be reserved for The Hype Train's own gut instincts on who could be captaincy inspiration.
Gameweek 1: Alternative Captain
Player: Sergio Aguero (MCI)
Position: Forward (CF)
GW1 Fixture: Arsenal (A)
Player Price: £11.0 million
Player Selection %: 25.6%
The FPL by its very nature is a very basic game. You score, you get points. You provide an assist, you get points. You keep a clean sheet, you get where I am going with this. Unlike games like Sky Fantasy, MLS Fantasy or Fantasy Bundesliga, which offers more complex (and rewarding scoring structures), FPL is about following the basics well, and that's why Man City's Sergio Aguero is the only real alternative to Mohamed Salah this week.
Instead of going further down the ladder of ownership, we feel it is right to go by with what we know for Gameweek 1, and what everybody witnessed was Man City at another level against Chelsea in the Community Shield last Sunday. Sergio Aguero was in fine form with two quality goals, and he's more than capable of taking that form into the new season by putting a damper on Unai Emery's curtain call at Arsenal.
Man City have tremendous fixtures and after Arsenal play each of the promoted clubs from the last two seasons in six consecutive matches, so if Aguero is able to stave off rotation, he could be the killer punch in the early part of the season for players to rue a potential omission.
CAPTAINCY HYPE: THE WILDCARD PICK
Our Wildcard selection is one of the ten differential picks that is featured in our Weekly Wildcards article. This captaincy selection has a very small percentage of owners in the FPL, and is our left field option.
Gameweek 1: Wildcard
Player: Alexis Sanchez (MUN)
Position: Midfielder (LM / CF)
GW1 Fixture: Leicester (H)
Player Price: £10.5 million
Player Selection %: 8.5%
As ever, there is a lot of talk around Manchester United going into the new season. Will Mourinho stay? Will he go? What about Paul Pogba? Will the Portuguese keep fat shaming Luke Shaw? Only time will tell, but there has been a consistent presence during Manchester United’s pre-season and their top scorer with a mighty two goals against Milan and Real Madrid.
Potentially leading the line in the Friday night game for United, the Chilean should be rested after not having an international competition for the first time in four years and should be hungry in front of goal again.
All eyes are firmly placed on the likes of Aguero, Salah, Kane, Aubameyang heading into the season, but nobody is talking about Alexis Sanchez. Just like last season he is under the radar and in the lights of Old Trafford could spark a surprise return to form.
Want to know more about The Hype Train?
The Hype Train is an entertainment website founded in 2015, specialising in the Fantasy Premier League (#FPL), providing beautiful graphics and weekly insight for hopeful players attempting to climb ranking tables. We are also occasional media reviewers, with a keen interest to review movies, live sport, and professional wrestling.
As well as providing FPL articles on our website, we are a founding Contributor to the new Fantasy Football Hub, where you can find more unique articles, including weekly Power Rankings, from The Hype Team. You can support us and read exclusive members only content for just £2 per-month by clicking here.
The Hype Train were nominated and shortlisted for the 'Best Football Blog 2016' by the Football Bloggers Association at their annual Football Blogging Awards (The FBA's), with the final presentation held at Old Trafford in Manchester.
You can follow us on Twitter, Like us on Facebook, subscribe to our YouTube channel, or visit our website here at www.thehypetrain.co.uk
All aboard.
