Fantasy football scout tips: 30 players you should pick during 2018-19 season

Struggling to pick a squad? Here are our tips for each position...

Goalkeepers

David de Gea (Manchester United, £6.0m)

The most expensive goalkeeper available but the most reliable route into Manchester United’s defence. De Gea’s 172 points last season placed him in the top 20 highest-scoring players, which is excellent for a goalkeeper.

Ederson (Manchester City, £5.5m)

The other option as a ‘set-and-forget’ goalkeeper, Ederson is £0.5m cheaper than De Gea and offers just as much clean sheet potential. Save points may, at times, be harder to come by behind the Manchester City defence.

Lukasz Fabianski (West Ham United, £4.5m)

The third highest-scoring goalkeeper of the season last year, courtesy of plenty of save points at relegated Swansea City. Will he be as busy with Manuel Pellegrini’s West Ham United? At Anfield this weekend, almost certainly.

Ben Foster (Watford, £4.5m)

Rotates well with Fabianski for those who are happy chopping and changing in goal. An opening fixture at home to Brighton and Hove Albion, who struggled to score on the road last season, bodes well.

Rui Patricio (Wolverhampton Wanderers, £4.5m)

How Wolves' defence shapes up in the top-flight remains to be seen but in Rui Patricio, Nuno Espirito Santos has a high-quality goalkeeper who will help the newly-promoted club pick up points.

Defenders

Andrew Robertson (Liverpool, £6.0m)

Robertson emerged mid-way through last season but starts the new campaign as Liverpool’s undisputed first-choice left-back. His potential for assists in an excellent, attacking unit makes him hard to look past.

Benjamin Mendy (Manchester City, £6.0m)

Another who was out of contention for a long period last season, Mendy is set to be City’s main outlet down the left flank and, again, carries an alluring potential for assists.

Seamus Coleman (Everton £5.5m)

An old fantasy favourite, Coleman is an attacking option in a defence that has a favourable start to the season fixture-wise. Marco Silva’s Hull and Watford were not, however, always sound at the back.

Ben Mee (Burnley, £5.0m)

Burnley enjoy a favourable start to their schedule and offered excellent value in the defence during the first half of last season. Mee, who has just signed a new contract at Turf Moor, is equally as good a pick as James Tarkowski.

Sead Kolasinac (Arsenal, £5.0m)

Much depends on whether he nails down a spot in Unai Emery’s system and how his attacking abilities are used, but if he starts regularly and Arsenal shore up then Kolasinac is sure to become a popular pick.

James Tomkins (Crystal Palace, £4.5m)

A late star of last season, Tomkins has nailed down a starting spot alongside Mamadou Sakho and proved to be a danger from set-plays in an increasingly resolute Crystal Palace side under Roy Hodgson.

Matt Doherty (Wolverhampton Wanderers, £4.5m)

A right wing-back, Doherty was not quite as adventurous as the now-departed Barry Douglas but still offers enough attacking intent in Nuno’s 3-4-3 to justify our attention. Popped up with four goals and five assists in the Championship last term.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Crystal Palace, £4.0m)

A 20-year-old who looks set to start the season at right-back for Crystal Palace having won the favour of Hodgson. At £4.0m and confident of a starting place, Wan-Bissaka is virtually a must-have.

Jan Bednarek (Southampton, £4.0m)

Not certain of starts at St Mary’s under Mark Hughes, especially since the arrival of Jannik Vestergaard, but Hughes’ 3-5-2 could lead to opportunities and Bednarek’s low price makes him an enabler.

Lee Peltier (Cardiff City, £4.0m)

Another £4.0m ‘enabler’, former Liverpool youth Peltier appears to have secured the right-back berth under Neil Warnock. If Cardiff can stay relatively solid, especially at home, Peltier will be a useful fantasy substitute.

Midfielders

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, £13.0m)

An obvious choice and captain. His price-point makes him the most expensive player available but not owning him could set you off on the wrong foot. At £13.0m, the highest-scoring Fantasy Premier League player of last season is always easy to replace.

Christian Eriksen (Tottenham Hotspur, £9.5m)

A creator of the highest calibre, Eriksen will be ready from the off and central to everything Mauricio Pochettino’s men do this year. For now, stay clear of team-mate Heung-Min Son, who will soon travel to the Asian Games.

Sadio Mané (Liverpool, £9.5m)

Significantly cheaper than Salah for those who wisely want to invest in Liverpool’s attack but baulk at the Egyptian’s price. May bring the added-on bonus of penalty-taking duties too, having stepped up in pre-season.

Bernardo Silva (Manchester City, £7.5m)

So impressive in pre-season, Pep Guardiola has said: “It’s him and 10 others.” Bernardo Silva is priced modestly - a snip at £7.5m - and given Guardiola’s praise should be a safe pick for City’s excellent set of opening fixtures.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Arsenal, £7.0m)

If Emery hits the ground running at Arsenal, Mkhitaryan is likely to have much to do with it. Began brilliantly before tailing off last season, the Armenian could prove a steal at a modest £7.0m.

Richarlison (Everton, £6.5m)

Another who started last season brilliantly before seeing his form fall off a proverbial cliff, Richarlison is at Everton under the stewardship of Marco Silva. His finishing was erratic at the best of times but the number of shots he takes makes him tempting.

Pedro (Chelsea, £6.5m)

Easily overlooked, Pedro could benefit hugely if Chelsea adapt quickly to Maurizio Sarri’s style. The Spaniard is likely to start on the right of a three-pronged attack under a manager whose side scored 77 league goals last season.

James Maddison (Leicester City, £6.5m)

Something of an unknown quantity after stepping up from the Championship, where his chance creation and shot-taking numbers were superb. Maddison is likely to dominate Leicester’s corner and free-kick taking duties.

Diogo Jota (Wolverhampton Wanderers, £6.5m)

Central to much of Wolves do, if Nuno’s side live up to expectations this season then Jota will have played an important and productive part. Scored 17 goals in last season’s Championship, as well as claiming six assists.

Tom Cairney (Fulham, £5.0m)

Another to come up from the Championship and probably the best of some limited budget options, Cairney posted better basic numbers and disciplinary figures than fellow £5.0m midfielder Ruben Neves and could claim set-pieces.

Forwards

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal, £11.0m)

Quietly lethal following his arrival from Dortmund, Aubameyang threatens goals and assists at new-look Arsenal. The Gabonese should come into his own once a tricky pair of opening fixtures are out of the way but could trouble City and Chelsea still.

Sergio Aguero (Manchester City, £11.0m)

Once the essential fantasy selection, Aguero is declining in power but not necessarily influence. Though there is a question mark over his playing time, he often produces in the minutes he is given regardless.

Marko Arnautovic (West Ham United, £7.0m)

Blossomed in a new role under David Moyes and new manager Manuel Pellegrini appears to be convinced Arnautovic is best up front too. Pre-season has yielded five goals and one assist as a centre-forward.

Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace, £7.0m)

Reclassified like Arnautovic after being deployed up front last season, Zaha appears set to stay at Selhurst Park and will most likely operate as the focal point again. Allows money to be spread into midfield.

Josh King (Bournemouth, £6.5m)

Briefly prolific as a centre-forward towards the back end of the 2016-17 season, King appears to be back up top and comes in at a helpful £6.5m. The Norway international scored twice and assisted once in Saturday’s win over Marseille.