With the 2016/17 Premier League season kicking off this weekend, the time has come for Fantasy Premier League players to take stock of their options for the upcoming campaign as Fantasy Football makes it’s long overdue and welcome return!

In this article, we’ll take a look at a range of players who we believe make a good squad for the season, detailing our reasons as to why we have selected them. We’ll cast our eyes over proven fantasy assets, new signings, promoted players, and potential hidden gems.

These tips are applicable both for the FPL-game and FantasyBet’s game that introduces divisions to season long fantasy. You can enter for free and read more about the game here.

GOALKEEPERS

Starting in goal, we opt for a strategy of selecting, and having the ability to rotate, two £4.5m keepers.

Ben Foster – 4,5m

The first-choice between the sticks for a Tony Pulis West Brom side that we know will offer us one thing: defensive solidity. Add in the fact that Foster has averaged 3.75 points per 90 minutes over the last 6 seasons and his selection is a no-brainer given his price.

Tom Heaton – 4,5m

The Burnley player priced at £4.5m, completes our goalkeeping duo.

Heaton scored a monstrous 150 points (an average of 3.95 points per 90 minutes) in his only Premier League season to date (14/15) and we expect a similar output for him this time round. Whilst Burnley won’t be as defensively sound as West Brom, Heaton can expect to rely heavily on save and bonus points, as well as penalty saves (all areas in which he has outscored Foster’s average previously).

DEFENSE

Opting for a 3-4-3 formation, we select our defence from teams we expect to be defensively sound over the course of the season.

Luke Shaw – 5,5m

United’s first-choice left back suffered a horrific leg break at the start of the last campaign but is now back to full fitness and looking to show the world why the Red Devils forked out £27m for him. Priced kindly at £5.5m for fantasy managers, Shaw should benefit at both ends of the pitch this term: a strong defence under Louis van Gaal will either continue or improve under Jose Mourinho, whilst Shaw’s propensity for raiding down the wing means he should register some assists.

Cesar Azpilicueta – 6m

With last season considered an anomaly for Chelsea, many fully expect the Blues to return to the top echelons of the Premier League this term under the tutelage of new coach Antonio Conte. Tactically and defensively astute (as his time in charge of Juventus and Italy confirms), Conte’s appointment should see Chelsea tighten up significantly at the back and return to the days of old when their rearguard was a guaranteed source of fantasy points. Throw in no European competition this season for the South West Londoners, meaning less rotation, and Cesar Azpilicueta, priced at £6.0m, stands out as a solid pick, having registered 15 assists in his 4 Premier League campaigns to date.

Ramiro Funes Mori – 5m

Another side under new management is Everton. With Ronald Koeman, previously of Southampton, now at the helm, Toffees’ fans can also expect an uplift in defensive returns following the disastrous performances under Roberto Martinez.

Ramiro Funes Mori looks like a great pick at £5.0m, having scored 4 goals in 28 appearances last year.

George Friend – 4,5m

A solid budget option (£4.5m) from the promoted Middlesbrough. Boro conceded just 31 goals in the Championship last season, recording 22 shutouts. That confirmed the Teessiders as the best defence in the division and broke a 30-year club record for clean sheets. Assured of starts at left back, Friend, who scored once and provided two assists last term, should emerge as a handy budget defender for fantasy managers.

Brad Smith – 4m

To complete our defensive lineup we opt for Brad Smith of Bournemouth. Signed for £6m from Liverpool this summer, we aren’t initially expecting the Aussie to break into the Cherries starting XI, but given the amount spent on him, we do expect him to feature regularly later on in the season, as injuries, form and suspensions come into play. For a £4.0m defender, it’s the best we can ask for.

Introducing season long Fantasy with promotions and relegations – READ MORE

MIDFIELD

Eden Hazard – 10m

In midfield, we look first to the Belgian. Priced at £10.0m, he has showed flashes of returning to his mercurial best at the tail end of last season and at Euro 2016. With the aforementioned Conte-revolution expected to take place at Stamford Bridge, we are confident that Hazard will return to the 200-point club this term, having averaged 182 points per season over 4 Premier League campaigns (a huge average, despite last season’s poor return).

Erik Lamela – 7m

Having now spent over two seasons at Tottenham, the Argentine trickster will be tasked with improving both his productivity and consistency this term. 7 league goals during his time at White Hart Lane is a poor return for a player of Lamela’s quality, but Mauricio Pochettino has kept faith in his fellow countryman and now could be the time for that faith to be repaid. Pre-season has resulted in 2 goals in 3 outings for Lamela with pundits praising his performances. Could a return to his best form, where he scored 15 league goals in 33 appearances for Roma back in the 2012/13 season, be on the cards? If so, a price of £7.0m will prove to be a bargain.

Roberto Firmino – 8,5m

A total of 155 points from 31 outings in his debut season, an average of 5 points per game, is enough to convince us that Roberto Firmino, priced at £8.5m, represents good value. Under Jurgen Klopp, the Brazilian excelled, averaging 5.8 points per game with the German at the helm – only Riyad Mahrez (6 points per game average) outperformed Firmino among fantasy midfielders. Playing in a fluid attacking unit, sometimes as a false 9 or out-of-position striker, and without European distractions, Firmino has the chance to further boost his reputation at Anfield this season.

Andre Ayew – 7,5.

A £20m club record fee was required for West Ham to prise Andre Ayew, another Premier League debutant last term, from Swansea. The Ghanaian forward hit 12 goals and 5 assists, accuring 25 bonus points, last season for the Swans to finish on 171 fantasy points, the same total as Dimitri Payet, but at a price of £7.5m, Ayew comes in a full £2.0m cheaper than his teammate. Also able to play up front should injury or poor form befall Andy Carroll, the Hammers’ latest signing looks to have all of the characteristics required to push on and become a real fantasy force.

Etienne Capoue – 4,5m

Completing our midfield is Etienne Capoue of Watford. New Hornets’ boss Walter Mazzarri has afforded Capoue more attacking freedom in the centre of the park in pre-season, faith which the Frenchman has repaid with 2 goals in 6 games. If Capoue is given licence to attack in the league this term, anything close to his best season for Toulouse in Ligue 1, where he bagged 7 goals in 34 appearances prior to a move to Tottenham, will be a substantial return on a £4.5m fantasy investment.

FORWARDS

Up front, we pick a potent attacking trio that cover a range of valuable price points.

Sergio Aguero – 13m

What can you say about this man? The most explosive and deadliest striker in the division, playing for the highest-scoring team (71 goals in the 15/16 campaign), and now under Pep Guardiola’s tutelage. The diminutive Argentine has averaged over 20 goals a season in his 5 years in the Premier League, notching 24 last term from 4 shots per game. With a wealth of creative talent behind him (see De Bruyne, Kevin, and Silva, David), penalty duties in his lockers, and Pep expected to take City to the next level, all the signs point to another 20 goal plus season for Sergio. Despite costing £13.0m, ignore him at your peril.

Romelu Lukaku – 9m

Fresh off of his best Premier League campaign to date (18 goals), Romelu Lukaku has now hit double figures in each of the last four seasons. Rumours persist regarding a big-money return to former club Chelsea, where, should that move were to materialise, his goalscoring prospects would be boosted even further. However, even if he remains at Everton, a new era under Ronald Koeman holds promise and the big Belgian, still only 23 years of age, can undoubtedly continue to fulfil his enormous potential. £9.0m for a proven, if at times frustrating, fantasy football striker? Yes please.

Andre Gray – 6,5m

Rounding off our squad, the Burnley hitman finds himself at the forefront of our thinking following a scintillating pre-season. A hat-trick against Rangers recently and a goal against Real Sociedad last Friday made it 9 goals in 6 outings for the Clarets’ striker. Having scored 23 goals in The Championship last season to fire Sean Dyche’s to promotion, Gray, will be hoping to successfully make the step up to the top level and make a mockery of his £6.5m price tag. If Burnley are to stay up, Gray’s contribution is likely to be key.

Our full-season recommended squad can be seen below, fitting the £100m budget exactly.

Daniel Victory is a Fantasy football and anytime goalscorer betting enthusiast. Enjoys SSS – statistics, strategising and spreadsheets. Follow his great tips on Twitter. He will be back with Bookie’s Advantage articles this season!