CAPTAINCY HYPE 2018/19: FPL Season Performance
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, and right here we review the carnage of our armband choices. All aboard.
CAPTAINCY PICKS 2018/19: SEASON PERFORMANCE
In each Captaincy Hype article we track our progress throughout the 2018/19 FPL season. Below you can check how our Captaincy selections have performed week to week in the Fantasy Premier League.
Gameweek 1
Essential: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool 4-0 West Ham) - 8pts
Alternative: Sergio Aguero (Arsenal 0-2 Man City) - 2pts
Wildcard: Alexis Sanchez (Man United 2-1 Leicester) - 5pts
Gameweek 2
Essential: Sergio Aguero (Man City 6-1 Huddersfield) - 20pts
Alternative: Christian Eriksen (Spurs 3-1 Fulham) - 2pts
Wildcard: Raheem Sterling (Man City 6-1 Huddersfield) - 0pts
Gameweek 3
Essential: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool 1-0 Brighton) - 8pts
Alternative: Callum Wilson (Bournemouth 2-2 Everton) - 8pts
Wildcard: Troy Deeney (Watford 2-1 Crystal Palace) - 2pts
Gameweek 4
Essential: Sergio Aguero (Man City 2-1 Newcastle) - 5pts
Alternative: Eden Hazard (Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth) - 11pts
Wildcard: Cenk Tosun (Everton 1-1 Huddersfield) - 2pts
Gameweek 5
Essential: Sergio Aguero (Man City 3-0 Fulham) - 7pts
Alternative: Eden Hazard (Chelsea 4-1 Cardiff) - 20pts
Wildcard: Danny Ings (Southampton 2-2 Brighton) - 7pts
Gameweek 6
Essential: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool 3-0 Southampton) - 8pts
Alternative: Romelu Lukaku (Man United 1-1 Wolves) - 2pts
Wildcard: Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal 2-0 Everton) - 8pts
Gameweek 7
Essential: Sergio Aguero (Man City 2-0 Brighton) - 8pts
Alternative: Romelu Lukaku (West Ham 3-1 Man United) - 2pts
Wildcard: Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal 2-0 Watford) - 5pts
Gameweek 8
Essential: Harry Kane (Spurs 1-0 Cardiff) - 1pt
Alternative: Alexandre Lacazette (Fulham 1-5 Arsenal) - 12pts
Wildcard: Jamie Vardy (Leicester 1-2 Everton) - 2pts
Gameweek 9
Essential: Sergio Aguero (Man City 5-0 Burnley) - 6pts
Alternative: Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal 3-1 Leicester) - 2pts
Wildcard: Josh King (Bournemouth 0-0 Southampton) - 2pts
Gameweek 10
Essential: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool 4-1 Burnley) - 15pts
Alternative: Alexandre Lacazette (Crystal Palace 2-2 Arsenal) - 2pts
Wildcard: Anthony Martial (Man United 2-1 Everton) - 9pts
Gameweek 11
Essential: Sergio Aguero (Man City 6-1 Southampton) - 13pts
Alternative: Alvaro Morata (Chelsea 3-1 Crystal Palace) - 13pts
Wildcard: Jamie Vardy (Cardiff 0-1 Leicester) - 2pts
Gameweek 12
Essential: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool 2-0 Fulham) - 8pts
Alternative: Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal 1-1 Wolves) - 2pts
Wildcard: Alvaro Morata (Chelsea 0-0 Everton) - 1pt
Gameweek 13
Essential: Mohamed Salah (Watford 0-3 Liverpool) - 8pts
Alternative: Raul Jimenez (Wolves 0-2 Huddersfield) - 2pts
Wildcard: André Schürrle (Fulham 3-2 Southampton) - 7pts
Gameweek 14
Essential: Sergio Aguero (Man City 3-1 Bournemouth) - 0pts
Alternative: Raheem Sterling (Man City 3-1 Bournemouth) - 9pts
Wildcard: Jamie Vardy (Leicester 2-0 Watford) - 8pts
Gameweek 15
Essential: Harry Kane (Spurs 3-1 Southampton) - 12pts
Alternative: Raheem Sterling (Watford 1-2 Man City) - 0pts
Wildcard: Javier Hernandez (West Ham 3-1 Cardiff) - 2pts
Gameweek 16
Essential: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal 1-0 Huddersfield) - 5pts
Alternative: Richarlison (Everton 2-2 Watford) - 7pts
Wildcard: Salomon Rondon (Newcastle 1-2 Wolves) - 5pts
Gameweek 17
Essential: Harry Kane (Spurs 1-0 Burnley) - 5pts
Alternative: Eden Hazard (Brighton 1-2 Chelsea) - 13pts
Wildcard: Javier Hernandez (Fulham 0-2 West Ham) - 5pts
Gameweek 18
Essential: Raheem Sterling (Man City 2-3 Crystal Palace) - 2pts
Alternative: Eden Hazard (Chelsea 0-1 Leicester) - 2pts
Wildcard: Danny Ings (Huddersfield 1-3 Southampton) - 8pts
Gameweek 19
Essential: Harry Kane (Spurs 5-0 Bournemouth) - 6pts
Alternative: Marcus Rashford (Man United 3-1 Huddersfield) - 2pts
Wildcard: Danny Ings (Southampton 1-2 West Ham) - 2pts
Gameweek 20
Essential: Harry Kane (Spurs 1-3 Wolves) - 6pts
Alternative: Eden Hazard (Crystal Palace 0-1 Chelsea) - 3pts
Wildcard: Gerard Deulofeu (Watford 1-1 Newcastle) - 5pts
Gameweek 21
Essential: Eden Hazard (Chelsea 0-0 Southampton) - 3pts
Alternative: Marcus Rashford (Newcastle 0-2 Newcastle) - 12pts
Wildcard: Marko Arnautovic (West Ham 2-2 Brighton) - 13pts
Gameweek 22
Essential: Mohamed Salah (Brighton 0-1 Liverpool) - 11pts
Alternative: Raheem Sterling (Man City 3-0 Wolves) - 6pts
Wildcard: Troy Deeney (Crystal Palace 1-2 Watford) - 2pts
Gameweek 23
Essential: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool 4-3 Crystal Palace) - 15pts
Alternative: Marcus Rashford (Man United 2-1 Brighton) - 8pts
Wildcard: Salomon Rondon (Newcastle 3-0 Cardiff) - 5pts
Gameweek 24
Essential: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool 1-1 Leicester) - 2pts
Alternative: Sergio Aguero (Newcastle 2-1 Man City) - 9pts
Wildcard: Christian Eriksen (Spurs 2-1 Watford) - 2pts
Gameweek 25
Essential: Sergio Aguero (Man City 3-1 Arsenal & Everton 0-2 Man City) - 19pts
Alternative: Mohamed Salah (West Ham 1-1 Liverpool) - 2pts
Wildcard: David Silva (Man City 3-1 Arsenal & Everton 0-2 Man City) - 8pts
Gameweek 26
Essential: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool 3-0 Bournemouth) - 8pts
Alternative: Heung-Min Son (Spurs 3-1 Leicester) - 6pts
Wildcard: Michy Batshuayi (Crystal Palace 1-1 West Ham) - 1pt
Gameweek 27
Essential: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal 2-0 Southampton) - 1pt
Alternative: Heung-Min Son (Burnley 2-1 Spurs) - 2pts
Wildcard: Miguel Almiron (Newcastle 2-0 Huddersfield) - 2pts
Gameweek 28
Essential: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool 5-0 Watford) - 3pts
Alternative: Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal 5-1 Bournemouth) - 5pts
Wildcard: Nathan Redmond (Southampton 2-0 Fulham) - 6pts
Gameweek 29
Essential: Paul Pogba (Man United 3-2 Southampton) - -1pts
Alternative: Raul Jimenez (Wolves 2-0 Cardiff) - 12pts
Wildcard: Gonzalo Higuain (Fulham 1-2 Chelsea) - 8pts
Gameweek 30
Essential: Sergio Aguero (Man City 3-1 Watford) - 5pts
Alternative: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool 4-2 Burnley) - 1pt
Wildcard: Gonzalo Higuain (Chelsea 1-1 Wolves) - 2pts
Gameweek 31
Essential: Mohamed Salah (Fulham 1-2 Liverpool) - 2pts
Alternative: Jamie Vardy (Burnley 1-2 Leicester) - 2pts
Wildcard: Ayoze Perez (Bournemouth 2-2 Newcastle) - 1pt
Gameweek 32
Essential: Sergio Aguero (Fulham 0-2 Man City & Man City 2-0 Cardiff) - 10pts
Alternative: Marcus Rashford (Man Utd 2-1 Watford & Wolves 2-1 Man Utd) - 7pts
Wildcard: Gonzalo Higuain (Cardiff 1-2 Chelsea & Chelsea 3-0 Brighton) - 2pts
Gameweek 33
Essential: Eden Hazard (Chelsea 2-0 West Ham) - 16pts
Alternative: Jamie Vardy (Huddersfield 1-4 Leicester) - 16pts
Wildcard: Salomon Rondon (Newcastle 0-1 Crystal Palace) - 2pts
Gameweek 34
Essential: Heung-Min Son (Spurs 4-0 Huddersfield) - 4pts
Alternative: Jamie Vardy (Leicester 0-1 Newcastle) - 2pts
Wildcard: Romelu Lukaku (Man United 2-1 West Ham) - 2pts
Gameweek 35
Essential: Raul Jimenez (Wolves 0-0 Brighton & Wolves 3-1 Arsenal) - 4pts
Alternative: Sadio Mane (Cardiff 0-2 Liverpool) - 3pts
Wildcard: Andre Gray (Huddersfield 1-2 Watford & Watford 1-1 Southampton) - 11pts
Gameweek 36
Essential: Sadio Mane (Liverpool 5-0 Huddersfield) - 13pts
Alternative: Jamie Vardy (Leicester 3-0 Arsenal) - 13pts
Wildcard: Ryan Babel (Fulham 1-0 Cardiff) - 9pts
Gameweek 37
Essential: Sergio Aguero (Man City 1-0 Leicester) - 2pts
Alternative: Jamie Vardy (Man City 1-0 Leicester) - 2pts
Wildcard: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton 2-0 Burnley) - 2pts
Gameweek 38
Essential: Sergio Aguero (Brighton 1-4 Man City) - 6pts
Alternative: Sadio Mane (Liverpool 2-0 Wolves) - 15pts
Wildcard: Nathan Redmond (Southampton 1-1 Huddersfield) - 10pts
Season Totals
Essential Total: 8 (1), 20 (2), 8 (3), 5 (4), 7 (5), 8 (6), 8 (7), 1 (8), 6 (9), 15 (10), 13 (11), 8 (12), 8 (13), 9 (14), 12 (15), 5 (16), 5 (17), 2 (18), 6 (19), 6 (20), 3 (21), 11 (22), 15 (23), 2 (24), 19 (25), 8 (26), 1 (27), 3 (28), -1 (29), 5 (30), 2 (31), 10 (32), 16 (33), 4 (34), 4 (35), 13 (36), 2 (37), 6 (38) = 273 points
Alternative Total: 2 (1), 2 (2), 8 (3), 11 (4), 20 (5), 2 (6), 2 (7), 12 (8), 2 (9), 2 (10), 13 (11), 2 (12), 2 (13), 9 (14), 0 (15), 7 (16), 13 (17), 2 (18), 2 (19), 3 (20), 12 (21), 6 (22), 8 (23), 9 (24), 2 (25), 6 (26), 2 (27), 5 (28), 12 (29), 1 (30), 2 (31), 7 (32), 16 (33), 2 (34), 3 (35), 13 (36), 2 (37), 15 (38) = 237 points
Wildcard Total: 5 (1), 0 (2), 2 (3), 2 (4), 7 (5), 8 (6), 5 (7), 2 (8), 2 (9), 9 (10), 2 (11), 1 (12), 7 (13), 8 (14), 2 (15), 5 (16), 5 (17), 8 (18), 2 (19), 5 (20), 13 (21), 2 (22), 5 (23), 2 (24), 8 (25), 1 (26), 2 (27), 6 (28), 8 (29), 2 (30), 1 (31), 2 (32), 2 (33), 2 (34), 11 (35), 9 (36), 2 (37), 10 (38) = 175 points
CAPTAINCY PICKS 2018/19: APPEARANCE AND POINTS TOTALS
Below, we break down the week-to-week performance, and chart our top captaincy picks throughout the season.
Essential Captains
Sergio Aguero (MCI): 12 appearances, 9 returns (11 goals, 8 assists), 101 points
Mohamed Salah (LIV): 12 appearances, 9 returns (10 goals, 2 assists), 96 points
Harry Kane (TOT): 5 appearances, 4 returns (3 goals, 2 assists), 30 points
Eden Hazard (CHE): 2 appearances, 1 return (2 goals), 19 points
Sadio Mane (LIV): 1 appearance, 1 return (2 goals), 13 points
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (ARS): 2 appearances, 1 return (1 assist), 6 points
Heung-Min Son (TOT): 1 appearance, 1 return (1 assist), 4 points
Raul Jimenez (WOL): 1 appearance, 0 returns, 4 points
Raheem Sterling (MCI): 1 appearance, 0 returns, 2 points
Paul Pogba (MUN): 1 appearance, 0 returns, -1 points
Essential Analysis:
Our essential captains were all popular picks that won a poll over on our Twitter account. What was quite apparent this season that of our 4 weekly selections, Mohamed Salah or Sergio Aguero conquered the polls 24/38 times.
Both of the FPL juggernauts appeared 12 times each, returned in 9 of those, with Aguero shading Salah with 19 attacking returns, compared to Salah's 12.
Our essential picks, believe it or not only blanked 12 times this season, with 6 from Salah and Aguero, and the other 6 from 5 of the other 7 poll victors.
Of those 6 that failed to return, 3 were 1-time only picks. Paul Pogba's Gameweek 29 was the worst of those, with the Frenchman missing a penalty and registering negative points in his only headline appearance.
Raul Jimenez is the next big offender, being given the ultimate captaincy honour during the last Double Gameweek of the season (GW35). Jimenez blanked in back-to-back home games against Brighton (0-0) and Arsenal (3-1 win for Wolves).
Raheem Sterling was chosen during Man City's shock 3-2 home loss to Crystal Palace, a game remembered for a brilliant Andros Townsend volley.
Only Sadio Mane and Heung-Min Son have perfect return rates, though Son is fortunate to be in this list as the South Korean registered an assist against Huddersfield during Gameweek 34 having only played 3 minutes as a substitute.
Alternative Captains
Eden Hazard (CHE): 5 appearances, 3 returns (5 goals, 1 assist), 49 points
Jamie Vardy (LEI): 5 appearances, 2 returns (4 goals, 1 assist), 35 points
Marcus Rashford (MUN): 4 appearances, 3 returns (3 goals, 1 assist), 29 points
Alexandre Lacazette (ARS): 5 appearances, 2 returns (2 goals, 1 assist), 23 points
Sadio Mane (LIV): 2 appearances, 1 return (2 goals), 18 points
Raheem Sterling (MCI): 3 appearances, 2 returns (1 goal, 1 assist), 15 points
Raul Jimenez (WOL): 2 appearances, 1 return (1 goal, 1 assist), 14 points
Alvaro Morata (CHE): 1 appearance, 1 return (2 goals), 13 points
Sergio Aguero (MCI): 1 appearance, 1 return (1 goal), 9 bonus
Callum Wilson (BOU): 1 appearance, 1 return (2 assists), 8 points
Heung-Min Son (TOT): 2 appearances, 1 return (1 goal), 8 points
Richarlison (EVE): 1 appearance, 1 return (1 goal), 7 points
Romelu Lukaku (MUN): 2 appearances, 0 returns, 4 points
Sergio Aguero (MCI): 1 appearance, 0 returns, 2 points
Christian Eriksen (TOT): 1 appearance, 0 returns, 2 points
Mohamed Salah (LIV): 1 appearance, 0 returns, 2 points
Virgil van Dijk (LIV): 1 appearance, 0 returns, 1 point
Alternative Analysis:
Our alternative captaincy picks more than anything is a reflection of our gut instinct call on a week-to-week basis. If we didn't like the winner of the captaincy poll, we'd like to talk about another route to points that might have been missed.
Our alternative picks as a result were more subject to the elements, with 19/38 returns showing that our judgement outside of the essential pick blew hold and cold over the course of the season.
What is notable for us is our reliance to pick representation from 'Top 6' clubs (Man City, Man United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs), with 4 players outside of that bracket across 10 appearances.
Leicester's Jamie Vardy appeared 5 times, returning twice, whilst Raul Jimenez (WOL) was banked on twice with a 50% success rate, whilst Callum Wilson (BOU) scored in his only feature of the season. We also backed Richarlison (EVE) so score against Watford at home this season, with the Brazilian returning our faith with a goal against his former club.
Wildcard Captains
Nathan Redmond (SOU): 2 appearances, 2 returns (1 goal, 1 assist), 16 points
Alexandre Lacazette (ARS): 2 appearances, 1 return (1 goal, 1 assist), 13 points
Marko Arnautovic (WHU): 1 appearance, 1 return (2 goals), 13 points
Jamie Vardy (LEI): 2 appearance, 1 return (1 goal), 12 points
Gonzalo Higuain (CHE): 3 appearances, 1 return (1 goal), 12 points
Salomon Rondon (NEW): 3 appearances, 2 returns (2 assists), 12 points
Andre Gray (WAT): 1 appearance, 1 return (1 goal), 11 points
Danny Ings (SOU): 2 appearances, 1 return (1 goal), 10 points
Anthony Martial (MUN): 1 appearance, 1 return (1 goal), 9 points
Ryan Babel (FUL): 1 appearance, 1 return (1 goal), 9 points
David Silva (MCI): 1 appearance, 1 return (1 assist), 8 points
Danny Ings (SOU): 1 appearance, 1 return (1 goal), 7 points
André Schürrle (FUL): 1 appearance, 1 return (1 goal), 7 points
Javier Hernandez (WHU): 2 appearances, 1 return (1 assist), 7 points
Alexis Sanchez (MUN): 1 appearance, 1 return (1 assist), 5 points
Gerard Deulofeu (WAT): 1 appearance, 1 return (1 assist), 5 points
Miguel Almiron (NEW): 1 appearance, 0 returns, 3 points
Troy Deeney (WAT): 1 appearance, 0 returns, 2 points
Romelu Lukaku (MUN): 1 appearance, 0 returns, 2 points
Cenk Tosun (EVE): 1 appearance, 0 returns, 2 points
Josh King (BOU): 1 appearance, 0 returns, 2 points
Troy Deeney (WAT): 1 appearance, 0 returns, 2 points
Christian Eriksen (TOT): 1 appearance, 0 returns, 2 points
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (EVE): 1 appearance, 0 returns, 2 points
Alvaro Morata (CHE): 1 appearance, 0 returns, 1 point
Michy Batshuayi (CRY): 1 appearance, 0 returns, 1 point
Ayoze Perez (NEW): 1 appearance, 0 returns, 1 point
Raheem Sterling (MCI): 1 appearance, 0 returns, 0 points
Differential Analysis:
Our differential picks all featured in our Weekly Wildcards differential article, with @HypeTrainSam picking his favourite captaincy pick of our 10 picks (1 player-per-game).
Left-field picks won't score more than our essential or alternative picks, a trend which is 3 year-old now at The Hype Train, though our differentials did manage returns in 18/38 games this season.
The returns in question though weren't generous though. with a broad spectrum of 28 players gaining less than 10 points 11/18 times they returned for us.
We also picked captains in this bracket just 12 times that played for Top 6 clubs, with 26 representatives from the lower reaches of the Premier League.
Due to 28 players appearing in this season, with 24 picks appearing in a standalone week, no player achieved more than 20 points, with Nathan Redmond (SOU) snatching top spot due to his 10-point haul against Huddersfield in a 1-1 draw during Gameweek 8, adding to the 6 points he gained in a 2-0 home win against Fulham during Gameweek 28.
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All aboard.
