The Scout is selecting five players to target ahead of Gameweek 27 in Fantasy Premier League.
Alfie Mawson (SWA) £5.0m
The Swansea City centre-back epitomises the value now on offer among FPL defenders.
With Marcos Alonso (£7.4m) and Phil Jones (£5.7m) the two most-sold defenders ahead of Gameweek 27, managers are clearing funds out of their back-lines.
Mawson is a prime candidate as a replacement.
Swansea’s improved resilience, together with the centre-back’s attacking threat, make him a strong option.
Mawson progress
Mawson has supplied a goal and an assist over the last three Gameweeks, with an impressive six strikes from 53 appearances in his Premier League career.
He is part of a Swansea defence who have shown great progress under Carlos Carvalhal.
They have rallied to concede an average of one goal a match since Carvalhal's appointment in Gameweek 21, compared with 1.6 goals beforehand.
Saturday’s home meeting with Burnley looks promising for Mawson’s prospects.
Burnley blip
Burnley have failed to score in four of their last six away matches, while their defence have conceded 22 shots from set-pieces over the last four Gameweeks, the most in the league.
The Clarets have also conceded 11 headed shots. Only AFC Bournemouth, with 14 head attempts, and Newcastle United, with 12, have allowed more.
This all suggests that Mawson can add to his tally of seven clean sheets, with a clear potential for more attacking points.
The schedule also favours the centre-back.
After Burnley, six of Swansea's next seven opponents score just two in the Fixture Difficulty Rankings (FDR).
Swansea's next eight Gameweeks
| GW | Opp. | FDR | GW | Opp. | FDR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | BUR (H) | 3 | 31 | SOU (H) | 2 |
| 28 | BHA (A) | 2 | 32 | MUN (A) | 4 |
| 29 | WHU (H) | 2 | 33 | WBA (A) | 2 |
| 30 | HUD (A) | 2 | 24 | EVE (H) | 2 |
Defensive bargain
With 17.4 points per million, Mawson is ranked top for value among Swansea’s outfield players.
He is also the highest-scoring FPL defender priced at £5.0m or less, with 87 points.
Gameweek 27 offers an immediate opportunity for Mawson to show his worth.
Given the forthcoming fixtures, he could grow his modest 2.3% ownership to become a mainstay in FPL defences.
Also in this series
Part 2: GW27 Ones to watch: Bernardo Silva
Part 3: GW27 Ones to watch: Moritz Bauer
Part 4: GW27 Ones to watch: Gerard Deulofeu
Part 5: GW27 Ones to watch: James Ward-Prowse
