Every team needs some budget picks who can become effective bench options when a main team player does not feature a match due to injury or rotation. Having an expensive bench means you get to spend less elsewhere which leads to missing out on good players thus impacting the points.
In this article, we discuss the most affordable budget picks in the game who can also add value to your team whenever needed.
GOALKEEPERS
Starting off with goalkeepers, this is an area where you do not want to spend much money so it can be invested elsewhere in the team. For managers with this thinking process, Matt Turner priced at just 4.0m is a great bench option.
Though Nottingham Forest aren’t a lot good defensively, they face the likes of Burnley, Brentford, Crystal Palace and Luton Town till Gameweek 9 which makes him a decent bench option to rotate with the likes of Jordan Pickford, Andre Onana or Sam Johnstone.
Another inexpensive keeper to target is West Ham’s Alphonse Areola. Though West Ham manager David Moyes had not decided his first choice keeper before the start of the season, Areola’s performances in these 2 gameweeks and his penalty save against Chelsea has certainly established him as the number one choice for his team.
A price of 4.0m is the best value for a keeper like him, and with fixtures like Luton Town, Sheffield United, and Everton in the next 6 gameweeks, he is a more than decent option to look at.
DEFENDERS
There are some great 4.0m defenders available in the game, a few new ones too from the recently promoted teams. Luton Town’s new signing Issa Kabore plays at the right wing back position which makes him a better option than the 4.0m Bell who plays at centre back for Luton.
With fixtures against West Ham United, Fulham, Wolves and Everton and Nottingham Forest from gameweeks 4 to 9, Kabore being a nailed-on starter with higher attacking return potential and favourable fixtures is a player you cannot ignore for his price point.
Another new name is the youngster Al-Dakhil from Burnley. Playing inverted right wing back in pre season, he has surprised a lot of people with his qualities on the ball. He even started the first game against Manchester City and played full 90 minutes, and could be a very decent option to own at just 4.0m.
Though he is slightly a rotation risk, for managers wishing for a permanent starter, Jordan Beyer is a more safer lower ceiling pick who should be the first choice centre back for Burnley and get the most minutes out of all their defenders.
George Baldock is another player priced at 4.0m playing left wing back for Sheffield United who is a starter for the team. He picked up an injury but is expected to be back soon and when fit can provide attacking value to his team.
Out of all the defenders priced at 4.0m, the best one hasn’t been talked about yet. It’s Malo Gusto of Chelsea, who joined the club in January ahead of a permanent move from Olympique Lyonnais.
The second choice right back at Chelsea, now seems to be number one with the unfortunate injury to club captain Reece James sidelining him for a few number of months, with a return not expected until January.
He impressed the new manager Pochettino against the defeat against West Ham, and is now expected to play a lot for the Blues with a more attacking role when they line up as 3-5-2. With ownership still at under 3%, he could be a massive differential for those planning to rack up points coming from a bad Gameweek 2 result.
The fixtures against Luton Town, Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth, Aston Villa, Fulham and Burnley in consecutive weeks until Gameweek 9 is the best run of fixtures and if you’re eyeing for a Chelsea defender in your team, Gusto should be the priority even over the new captain Ben Chilwell because of his price point and no true backups at the right back position.
If looking at a bit higher price point, Rico Henry of Brentford is a 4.5m player has a great run of games Gameweek 2 onwards and can provide a superb bench option when Arsenal face Manchester United and Brighton face Newcastle.
So for managers who own Estupinian or an Arsenal Defender, the wing back facing Bournemouth can provide good value for money.
Levi Colwill is another name to target as he looks like a permanent starter in the centre back position at Chelsea, and as discussed earlier, their fixture run is probably the best out of all teams.
MIDFIELDERS
A lot of managers are playing a 4 midfield combination on a regular basis but can’t figure out the best 4.5m midfielder that would fit the best for them and provide an optimum bench quality option in the future.
Marvelous Nakamba, who has just moved permanently to Luton Town is a cheap option to look at, but looks limited in providing attacking returns so the maximum guaranteed points you can expect him is around 3.
Chelsea’s Carney Chukwuemeka is a bright young talent who is starting games in the absence of Nkunku who is out until at least December. Playing as an attacking midfielder, he scored in Chelsea’s 3-1 loss to West Ham but also sustained an injury.
Pape Matar Sarr priced just at 4.5m is already starting to get first team minutes in Postecolgou’s side and even started and scored a goal against Manchester United on the weekend.
With only two reportedly tough fixtures in Arsenal and Liverpool for Tottenham in the next 7 gameweeks and facing the likes of Bournemouth, Burnley, Sheffield United, Luton Town, Fulham and Crystal Palace makes him a very underrated cheap midfield option who can provide attacking returns potentially.
But the injury should keep him out for a few weeks at maximum, which makes him someone to consider as an inexpensive midfielder down the line. An extreme differential could be Manchester United’s Facundo Pellistri.
Priced at 4.5m he is already getting first team minutes at the right wing spot for United. He looks a threat whenever he comes on, and with the starting winger Antony’s poor form in the first two games, he could start against lower table teams.
He is even linked with a loan spell away to Sheffield United and if it goes through, he would be guaranteed first team minutes with a potential of attacking returns always looming.
FORWARDS
The cheapest budget forward and the highest quality for that price point can only be provided by Antoine Semenyo of Bournemouth.
Priced at just 4.5m he has already provided an assist against Bournemouth and a goal against Liverpool in the first two fixtures. Bournemouth have a tougher run of fixtures for the next few gameweeks, but it gets better after Gameweek 7, and for a 75 minute nailed-on player, it is a gamble worth taking.
With Jesus out for the first few gameweeks, Eddie Nketiah becomes a very strong option for a budget forward priced at 5.5m to lead the line. He proved to be an excellent backup when Jesus got injured last year and is expected to show the same talent this season.
Providing 13 points in last 2 games already, and scoring in the first game against Nottingham and winning the penalty last night brilliantly against Crystal Palace, there is a lot of upside in bringing him in for the third forward spot in the team.
Facing the likes of Fulham, a leaky United defence, Everton and Bournemouth until Gameweek 7. Carlton Morris at 5.5m is Luton Town’s talisman and was their only scorer in the defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion.
With 5 of Luton Town’s fixtures until Gameweek 9 being ranked as 2 on the fixture difficulty rating scale, and under a 1.5% ownership, he is a big differential to own for managers who like to play bold.
Yoane Wissa has taken the reigns from the now suspended Brentford talisman Ivan Toney and has scored twice in two games already for them playing in the number 9 spot.
With fixtures against Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, Everton and Nottingham Forest until gameweek 7, he is a forward who could be an instant starter for your team priced at just 6.1m.