Fantasy Football scout tips: 20 players you should definitely avoid picking for the 2017/18 campaign
Picking your team for the 2017/18 Premier League season? These are the big names you would do well to avoid selecting for the year ahead
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We’ve already told you which players to select in your Fantasy Football team for the 2017/18 season – but which Premier League stars should you avoid at all costs?
There are a number of expensive players in the game who aren’t guaranteed to score you points, and if you want to top your league, you’re best off avoiding wasting your cash on these big names.
But who are the players to steer clear of the season?
Find out below.
Francis Coquelin £4.5m
Coquelin is never likely to pick up that many points playing in defensive midfield. Plus his penchant for yellow cards is going to cost you precious points.
Jordan Pickford, £5m
A risk picking Pickford at this stage, with the Everton number one shirt still up for grabs.
Ilkay Gundogan, £5.5m
At £5.5m he’s reasonably priced, but there’s still no firm indication on when he will return from a long-time injury. Avoid.
Virgil van Dijk, £5.5m
One of the best defenders in the league … but crocked.
Danny Rose £6.5m
Carrying an injury. And will Mauricio Pochettino favour Ben Davies at left-back after the Yorkshireman’s ill-timed interview?
Cesc Fabregas, £7m
The Spanish midfielder is always a popular Fantasy Football pick. But will he lose his place in Chelsea’s starting XI to Tiémoué Bakayoko.
Santi Cazorla £7m
Will he ever return from injury? Until he does – don’t go near.
Ross Barkley, £7.5m
The England international is currently at loggerheads with Ronald Koeman over a move away from Goodison Park. Best left out of your squad until his future is resolved.
Adam Lallana, £7.5m
Lallana has been a solid Fantasy Football pick for the past two seasons now. But the midfielder has just been ruled out for three months, meaning you’d be a very silly billy to pick him.
Fernando Llorente, £7.5m
Expensive and injured. Not the wisest of picks.
Vincent Janssen £7.5m
Ludicrously overpriced considering that he scored just two goals in the Premier League last season. He’s never going to replace Harry Kane in Tottenham’s first-team, so avoid at all costs.
Wayne Rooney, £7.5m
Rooney doesn’t come cheap and is no longer the regular goal scorer he used to be.
Anthony Martial, £8m
Rather bizarrely, Martial costs the same as Paul Pogba, who is a guaranteed starter. Martial isn’t, and you’re probably best steering clear.
Bernardo Silva, £8m
Could prove a sensational signing for City, but will be an automatic starter under Pep Guardiola? The 23-year-old may take some time to bed into the first-team.
Son Heung-min, £8m
Unlikely to feature this weekend with an injury. Also a fairly expensive pick given that he’s a squad player.
Olivier Giroud, £8.5m
An expensive pick and likely to spend a lot of time on the bench now that Arsenal have signed Alexandre Lacazette.
Alvaro Morata, £10m
Is yet to start a game for Chelsea. The striker is one of the most expensive players in the game and simply isn’t worth the risk at this stage.
Eden Hazard, £10.5m
The Belgian is one of the best players in the Premier League, but could miss the whole of the first month of the season with an ankle injury.
Sergio Aguero, £11.5m
A proven goal scorer – but will he start every week? At £11.5m, picking Aguero is a big gamble.
Alexis Sanchez, £12m
He may have been one of the best picks last season, but Sanchez starts this campaign with an abdominal injury and with his future undecided.
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