As Fantasy Premier League managers can now select their 15-man squads, The Scout analyses standout budget and premium players in each position.
Illan Meslier (LEE) £5.0m
Leeds United’s short-term schedule has deterred many managers from investing in their goalkeeper.
Only 6.0 per cent currently own Meslier, with three of his first four matches scoring four in the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR).
Beyond that, however, their run of opponents looks far more encouraging.
Indeed over the opening 10 Gameweeks, six of Leeds’ matches score just two in the FDR.
Leeds’ first 10 Gameweeks
| GW | Opponent | FDR | GW | Opponent | FDR |
| 1 | MUN (A) | 4 | 6 | WHU (H) | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | EVE (H) | 4 | 7 | WAT (H) | 2 |
| 3 | BUR (A) | 2 | 8 | SOU (A) | 2 |
| 4 | LIV (H) | 4 | 9 | WOL (H) | 2 |
| 5 | NEW (A) | 2 | 10 | NOR (A) | 2 |
Meslier enjoyed an outstanding first season in Fantasy last term thanks to his multiple routes to returns.
He finished as the third top-scoring goalkeeper in the game on 154 points, combining 11 clean sheets with 20 bonus and 36 save points.
His total was just six points behind Manchester City‘s Ederson (£6.0m), whose 19 clean sheets helped claim the Golden Glove award.
Despite Meslier’s exploits in the previous campaign, he has risen in price from £4.5m to just £5.0m this season.
Meslier’s key save in Spurs win
The 21-year-old’s appeal is further boosted by a change of position in Fantasy for his team-mate Stuart Dallas (£5.5m).
Dallas was the top-scoring defender in 2020/21 with eight goals and three assists.
But with the Northern Ireland international now listed as a midfielder, Meslier can emerge as the go-to pick in the Leeds backline.
Indeed his potential for saves and bonus points along with clean sheets, could make him a big favourite for managers who prefer a “set and forget” pick between the posts.
Tomorrow: Lamptey provides major value
Also in this series
Part 1: Sanchez has attractive price and fixtures
Part 2: Early schedule key to Bachmann appeal
Part 3: Save points raise Henderson potential
