The EPL season began with an unpredictable opening weekend that featured plenty of scoring. Suspensions and injuries have already taken their toll in fantasy so you will want to do the necessary research in order to prepare for Week 2. Here is a look at the top fantasy options at each position for Week 2 of the Premier League season.
Forwards
Romelu Lukaku, Manchester United @ Swansea City
Lukaku wasted little time rewarding Manchester United for their investment in him with a pair of goals in a 4-0 win over West Ham United. He might have a tougher time versus Swansea City, but Lukaku should live up to his billing as one of the top forward plays on the board for Week 2.
That four-goal output by Manchester United tied them for the highest scoring total of the week. Only Arsenal managed as many tallies. We’ll see if they’re able to keep it up this week at Swansea City.
Jamie Vardy, Leicester City vs. Brighton ($7,500)
Vardy wasted little time getting on the board with a pair of goals on three shots in last week’s loss to Arsenal. There is no reason to expect any less of a performance from him against Brighton this week. The combination of his scoring potential and a relatively low price tag makes Vardy a strong option once again on Saturday.
Sam Vokes, Burnley vs. West Brom ($6,100)
Vokes led the way for Burnley in its shocking 3-2 win over the defending Premier League champions Chelsea in Week 1. He scored twice in the first 40 minutes of action and fired three shots in total. The matchup looks even better for Burnley on paper this week and considering his price tag in daily fantasy leagues, Vokes might be worth taking a chance on this Saturday.
Olivier Giroud, Arsenal @ Stoke City ($7,300)
Giroud played the hero in Arsenal’s comeback win over Leicester City, coming off the bench to score the game-winning goal in the 85th minute. Giroud should be rewarded for his efforts with more opportunity this week and he should be one of the better forward options on the board.
Midfielders
Sadio Mane, Liverpool vs. Crystal Palace ($8,600)
Mane opened the scoring for Liverpool in last week’s draw with Watford, but his fantasy point total took a hit when he was assessed a yellow card. If Mane can find the back of the net this week and avoid any discipline, he will be a decent option for fantasy owners.
Roberto Firmino, Liverpool vs. Crystal Palace ($9,100)
Firmino also found the back of the net for the Reds before substituting out of the game for Divock Origi. He is a little bit more expensive than Mane in daily fantasy leagues but he is still a decent option for those that feel Liverpool can beat up on Crystal Palace this weekend.
Alexander Lacazette, Arsenal @ Stoke City ($9,000)
Lacazette made his mark in Week 1 with a goal and two shots on target. He will need a similar performance at the very least in order to live up to his price tag in daily fantasy leagues this week. Lacazette has the potential to put together a strong performance against Stoke this week so he will likely be worth the investment.
Riyad Mahrez, Leicester City vs. Brighton ($8,400)
Mahrez is a little expensive in daily fantasy leagues this week but he might be worth taking a chance on. He fired two shots and registered an assist versus Arsenal. Mahrez will need to do more this week in order to justify his price tag.
Defenders
Ahmed Hagazi, West Brom @ Burnley ($3,100)
Hagazi led all Premier League defenders in fantasy points in Week 1 of the Premier League season. Hegazi scored a goal and fired three shots on goal against Bournemouth. He will have a difficult time duplicating that production against Burnley but at such a low price tag he is still worth taking a chance on in fantasy competitions.
James Milner, Liverpool vs. Crystal Palace ($7,400)
Milner is the highest-priced defender eligible player in Premier League fantasy leagues. The fact that he will contribute at the offensive end of the pitch makes him worth taking a chance on this week if you can find some strong sleeper options at other positions to help balance the books.
Charlie Daniels, Bournemouth vs. Watford ($4,800)
Daniels is a solid option in fantasy competitions this week in large part because of his price tag. Daniels also has the potential to jump up in to the attack and contribute at the offensive end as well so he is worth the investment for those that are looking for a decent value on the back end.
Goaltenders
Tom Heaton, Burnley vs. West Brom ($4,900)
Heaton turned aside four of the six shots he faced versus Chelsea to help preserve the 3-2 win. Nobody expected Burnley to upset the defending champs and now that they did there are a lot of people wondering what Heaton can do as a fantasy goaltender in Week 2. Considering his low price tag, Heaton is worth taking a chance on this week.
Petr Cech, Arsenal @ Stoke City ($5,500)
Arsenal’s season got off to a wild start in their 4-3 win over Leicester City. There is a good chance their Week 2 matchup with Stoke City isn’t as high scoring. Cech didn’t make a single save against Leicester last week. He might not need to make one to pick up a clean sheet win this Saturday.
David de Gea, Manchester United @ Swansea City
United’s goalkeeper needed to make just one save to preserve the clean sheet victory against West Ham United. He might be a little busier this week but de Gea should still be an excellent option to pick up a win with the clean sheet also a realistic expectation this week.
Rob Elliott, Newcastle @ Huddersfield
Elliott was busy in Newcastle’s 2-0 loss to Tottenham, stopping four of the six shots he faced. He shouldn’t be nearly as busy against Huddersfield this week. If he plays at a high level once again then he should have a good chance at registering a better fantasy score in Week 2.
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