FPL Gameweek 15 Preview – Rotation Risk Edition

Yes, yes, I know. Gameweek 14 just finished. Don’t blame me – I don’t make the rules, for either the real Premier League or the Fantasy version. 

If I was the King of FPL, this little game of ours would look very different, I’ll tell you. No more minus points for own goals. No more captaincy. Making ‘midfielders’ like Salah into forwards, and changing midfield points to make defensive mids relevant. 

Anyway! Onwards, with our FPL Gameweek 15 preview. 

Short Turnaround = Big Rotation Risk

The gap between Gameweeks 14 and 15 is all of one day long, with the next games kicking off on Tuesday evening UK time. This, following on from all the other domestic, European, and international football these players have had recently, means one thing – rotation. 

Obviously, there are plenty of players who will be nailed anyway – your Sons, Salahs, and Haalands, your centre-backs, and so on. Where managers can rotate though, there’s a good chance they will. 

That’s why I’d still hesitate to move for the likes of Darwin or Bowen at this exact moment. Even if they did start in Gameweek 14, there’s every chance their managers will rotate players like these due to either squad depth, or returning from injuries. 

In general, that means I’d be very conservative this week, and lean towards banking your transfer. If you’re bringing someone in, you’d basically better be sure they’re starting! 

Upcoming Fixtures

As always, let’s take a look ahead at the teams with the best upcoming fixtures. Also as always, home games are in capitals. 

Let’s run through all five sides quickly:

• Newcastle – The number one team we should be targeting right now. As noted elsewhere, a Newcastle treble-up feels pretty essential

• Wolves – Good fixtures wasted on a boring FPL team. That said, I do like Hwang a lot for the next month or so

• Chelsea – Amazing defensive fixtures (so it’s a shame Chelsea aren’t better at defending). Tougher for attackers, but you’re probably still holding your Chelsea attackers for these, and Nico Jackson is a tempting option

• Liverpool – Apart from Arsenal, they are four terrible attacking teams. Trent is still overpriced, but Tsimikas is a very tasty option right now. Again, they’re not so good from an attacking point of view, but Liverpool are so good going forward that we don’t really care

• Fulham – To be honest, there are only four teams with really good fixtures… and Fulham were the next-best thing

Should I Buy?

As noted, I’d tend towards being conservative with your transfers this week. That said, let’s still take an especially cautious look at all the most-bought players right now, per the official FPL website (plus a few more options besides).

• Dubravka – Yes, yes, 1,000 times yes. Following the Pope injury, we’ve now got a premium GK for only 3.9. His price will be shooting up, and – if you realistically can – it’s probably worth jumping on the bandwagon. We probably want three Newcastle players, with their upcoming fixtures, and Dubravka/Trippier/Gordon feels like the trio
  (Slight caveat: there are rumours that Newcastle might move for De Gea, who – it turns out – is still a free agent. So, just know that there is at least some risk in this move)
• Gordon – Yes. He’s also ridiculous value, and forms 1/3 of the aforementioned Geordie Dream Trio

• Zinchenko – No. Don’t get suckered in by his recent goal and assist – he basically never gets attacking returns. Take Gabriel instead, for less money

• Saka – Obviously yes

• Trent – Sigh. Here we go again. He might be the most annoying player in FPL. We all know the potential’s there, and he might have a little hot streak like this… but Liverpool’s defence isn’t the dominant force it was a few years ago, which obviously cuts into his value. I’d still say no, at a massive 8.0, especially since a lot of his recent points have come from goals, which aren’t sustainable

• Isak – Maybe. He’s got good fixtures, and seems relatively nailed with Newcastle… basically not having any other options. The problem is that he’s taking up one of your 3 Newcastle spots… a problem I’ve just run into myself, since bringing him in last Gameweek now means I can’t get Dubravka. Damnit. 

• Trippier – 100% yes

• Cunha – No. Not unless you’re literally just getting him in for a punt against Burnley. He’s still Cunha, they’re still Wolves

• Hwang – Yes. I know I just slagged off Wolves regarding Cunha, but Hwang is a better player. He’s not as good as Bowen, but he’s in that category of FPL ‘midfielders’ who are actually forwards, take a ton of shots, and therefore have excellent goalscoring potential. He’s also only 5.6, and Wolves have nice fixtures

• Lascelles – Yes… between his price and Newcastle’s fixtures/defensive prowess. But, again, you can only have three Newcastle players (he’s the one blocking my colleague James’ Dubravka move right now)

• Tsimikas – Yes. I wish he was 4.5 or below, rather than 4.8, but he’s still fair value. He’s got three assists in his last three games, and has nice upcoming fixtures. Much prefer him at 4.8 to Trent at 8.0

• Darwin – Maybe. In general he’s a fine option. He just comes with some rotation risk, and I specifically don’t want to deal with that on a short turnaround like this

• Watkins – No. Obviously he’s class. But he also has Arsenal and Man City now. Hold off until those games are out of the way, then he’s right back to being near-must own

• Mbeumo – Yes. He’s excellent, and now plays Brighton’s rubbish defence

• Son – Maybe. I still wouldn’t want him in my team, simply because the price makes him a pain to have. But… he’s also one of the best players in the game, is nailed, and is a fixture-proof, set-and-forget premium

Should I Sell?

FPL players are making purchases in their droves, as you can see above. That naturally means plenty of sales too, so let’s look at the most-binned players this gameweek.

• Cash – Yes. Wish I didn’t still have him myself. No attacking returns in seven games, just got benched, and now has Man City and Arsenal

• Watkins – Maybe. I’m fine with binning him for these two fixtures, even if he did just return (from injury and in FPL). Just know that you’ll want him back in after

• Bowen – No. If you held him through the injury, it’d be weird to bin him now that he’s back. I do think he’s a rotation risk in GW15, but he’ll be back again in GW16 even if he is, and remains an elite mid

• Nketiah – Yes. I had no idea he was still so widely-owned!

• Alisson/Pope – Yes. Get Dubravka

• White – I’d be very tempted to sell. White is fit, but Tomiyasu is starting anyway, and Arsenal have kept back to back cleans with him. He’s currently flagged, but likely to play, and White is too expensive for a rotation risk anyway. Much prefer dropping down to Gabriel or Tsimikas
  
• JWP – Yes. Not reliable, and I’d much rather have a cheaper (and better) option like Hwang

• Darwin – No. I do think he’s a rotation risk, but he (and Liverpool) are still in good form, and I don’t think you can drop him right now

• Alvarez – No. He just got returns against Chelsea and Spurs, and is still – against the odds – nailed. What more do you want from him?! Oh, and he also has Luton after a potentially tricky fixture away to Villa

• Doku – Maybe. I’d be much more tempted to bin him than Alvarez. He’s a bigger rotation risk, and has been subbed off before 60mins in two of the last three games

• Mitoma – Yes. Minutes risk, not returning anyway, and there are much better options at his price point

Final Thoughts

Well, that’s your lot for this week. For about the hundredth time, be conservative this week, and only move for players who are almost guaranteed to start! And, of course, prepare yourself mentally for rotation-related frustrations. 

Cheers for reading, everyone!

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