The Scout assesses the best players for managers to consider for opening Fantasy Premier League squads, according to price, position and early schedule.
David Raya (BRE) £4.5m
Brentford's No 1 can emerge as the go-to budget goalkeeper in Fantasy this season.
Raya’s average of 4.0 points per match last term was bettered by only three other players in his position.
Brentford’s early schedule further strengthens his appeal for managers' opening squads.
According to the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), five of the Bees' first seven matches score only two.
Brentford's first seven Gameweeks
| GW | Opp | FDR | GW | Opp | FDR |
| 1 | LEI (A) | 4 | 5 | CRY (A) | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | MUN (H) | 3 | 6 | LEE (H) | 2 |
| 3 | FUL (A) | 2 | 7 | SOU (A) | 2 |
| 4 | EVE (H) | 2 | - | ||
Raya combined eight clean sheets with 20 save points and five bonus points over his 24 outings in 2021/22, underlining his many routes to returns.
Robert Sanchez (BHA) £4.5m
The Spaniard is the most-popular budget ‘keeper in Fantasy, found in over 14 per cent of squads.
Sanchez’s 126 points last term were joint-top with wing-back Marc Cucurella (£5.0m) among Brighton & Hove Albion's rearguard.
The Seagulls also have a kind early schedule, facing only one of last season’s top six clubs in the first eight Gameweeks.
Brighton's first eight Gameweeks
| GW | Opp | FDR | GW | Opp | FDR |
| 1 | MUN (A) | 4 | 5 | FUL (A) | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | NEW (H) | 3 | 6 | LEI (H) | 3 |
| 3 | WHU (A) | 3 | 7 | BOU (A) | 2 |
| 4 | LEE (H) | 2 | 8 | CRY (H) | 2 |
Hugo Lloris (TOT) £5.5m
Tottenham Hotspur’s No 1 enjoyed his best ever season in Fantasy last term.
Lloris finished as the second top-scoring goalkeeper, claiming 158 points.
The arrival of Antonio Conte as head coach last term lifted Spurs’ defensive output. They kept 13 clean sheets after the Italian’s appointment in Gameweek 11, the third-best total in the league.
Lloris offers a secure route into their strong defence from the start of the campaign, allowing managers time to assess Conte’s first-choice wing-backs before considering their defenders.
Illan Meslier (LEE) £4.5m
An extended run of kind opponents lifts Meslier’s appeal as a budget differential.
He is owned in under 3.0 per cent of squads yet, according to the FDR, eight of Leeds United’s first 10 matches score only two.
Leeds' first 10 Gameweeks
| GW | Opp | FDR | GW | Opp | FDR |
| 1 | WOL (H) | 2 | 6 | BRE (A) | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | SOU (A) | 2 | 7 | NFO (H) | 2 |
| 3 | CHE (H) | 4 | 8 | MUN (A) | 4 |
| 4 | BHA (A) | 2 | 9 | AVL (H) | 2 |
| 5 | EVE (H) | 2 | 10 | CRY (A) | 2 |
That can help the Frenchman rediscover his form of 2020/21, when he finished as the second top-scoring ‘keeper on 154 points.
Nick Pope (NEW) £5.0m
Newcastle United’s summer signing is expected to claim the No 1 spot ahead of Martin Dubravka (£4.5m).
Pope was a very reliable source of returns at his former club Burnley.
He has delivered at least 130 points in each of his four seasons in Fantasy, finishing as the top-scoring ‘keeper in the game in two of those campaigns.
Also in this series
Part 2: The best budget defenders
Part 3: The best premium defenders
Part 4: The best budget midfielders
Part 5: The best premium midfielders
Part 6: The best forwards