This article is part of our FPL Bargain Bin series.
It's easy to forget that Gameweek 22 is coming up with all the transfer talk going on. There has not been a bigger move than Wilfried Bony joining Manchester City, and I covered the implications the move has on him and other players you may be considering for your fantasy lineup.
Once you are able to sort through all the transfer talk and find some time to get ready for this weekend's games, you will find some interesting matchups. West Ham United feature an excellent matchup against Hull City and provide great fantasy options on both sides of the field. There is a good chance the vast number of daily lineups this weekend will have some Hammers included. Should you be one of them?
The answer is a clear yes. There is some clarification to that statement. You certainly want West Ham players in your lineup, but the payout structure of the game you are in will dictate which are the best options for you.
If you are in a game that rewards you for finishing in the top half or top third, you want to find players that are going to get you production. Do not be afraid to feature better players just because you think others are going to do so. You do not need to stand out from the crowd with a volatile lineup in this case, you just need to make sure you earn money. Having a player like Stewart Downing will likely help get you there.
If you are in a game that sees only the top three or top one get paid, you will want some volatility. This does not mean to avoid all West Ham players, it means you need to find the players that will give you the best value at a lower cost. There is a fantastic option for West Ham defenders this week, which we'll get to in the Bargain Bin. It is important to distinguish your roster when you are in a game that does not reward a lot of participants, but don't get too cute. The object of the game is still to score points.
With all that being said, here is the Gameweek 22 edition of the Bargain Bin:
Goalkeeper
Ben Hamer ($4,700 DraftKings, $7.0M Mondogoal) v.
Hamer has been filling in for the injured Kasper Schmeichel for the last six league matches and has been doing a fine job. During this current stretch of matches, he has kept two clean sheets and allowed an average of just 1.2 goals per match. Projected out over 22 games, his stat line would read: Nine clean sheets, 60 saves, and a 73 percent save percentage. Those stats would make him a top-five fantasy goalkeeper. You could argue he is playing himself into keeping the role even when Schmeichel returns. The matchup this week for Hamer is a good one. Stoke City have scored just three goals in their last five away matches and rank 17th in shots per away match. To make it better, Hamer made a spot start against Stoke City earlier in the year and blanked the Potters. It's going to be difficult to find a better value at goalkeeper than Hamer in Gameweek 22.
Notes:Adrian is easily the number one goalkeeper option this week, but is priced like the 12th best option ($7.7M) in Mondogoal. Newcastle is without their leading goalscorer and face the stout Southampton defense backed by Fraser Forster ($4,700 – DraftKings).
Defender
Alberto Moreno ($3,700 DraftKings, $7.7M Mondogoal) v.
Moreno and the Liverpool defense are coming off a great match against Sunderland in which they held the Black Cats to just five shot attempts and one on target. There is a good chance for more of the same as they make the trip to Villa Park to take on the meager Aston Villa attack. Villa's struggles offensively this season have been documented and talked about throughly all across the Internet. There's just no hiding the lowest goal total (11!!!!), lowest shot total (10.2 per match), and fewest shots on target (2.7 per match). There is not much suggesting Aston Villa will have what it takes to score this week. In their last eight matches, they have managed to score just two goals. To make matters worse, Liverpool have had Aston Villa's number in matches at Villa Park. The last six meetings between these clubs in Birmingham have seen Liverpool take 13 of a possible 18 points, while also allowing a total of just two goals. Moreno is a great option this week for the defense, as well as the offense. Over the last three matches, he has scored a goal on five shots while also assisting on another five. Those rank for most among Liverpool defenders and make Moreno a very intriguing option this weekend.
Notes: The offensive-minded Kieran Trippier gets a good matchup against Crystal Palace and is just $6.5M in Mondogoal. Winston Reid will cost just $3,000 in DraftKings and gets the best matchup of the week against a Hull City squad that will be without their two best strikers and three leading goalscorers.
Midfielder
James Ward-Prowse ($5,200 DraftKings, $7.7M Mondogoal) v.
Ward-Prowse has played in just 11 matches this season, as he dealt with a broken foot earlier in the year. Before picking up the injury, he accumulated two assists in five matches and was second on the team in assisted shots and third in attempted shots. Now healthy, he has picked up right where he left off. The Southampton midfielder has three assists in six appearances since returning to the lineup in December and leads the team in assisted shots during that time. The matchup against Newcastle is an intriguing one, as Southampton have scored a total of eight goals in their last two meetings and have scored at least two goals in four of the five matches since both featured in the Premier League two seasons ago. Having a player as active as Ward-Prowse in a match that will likely feature plenty of goals is always a great option for your fantasy lineup.
Notes:George Boyd is listed as a midfielder on Mondogoal and is cheaply priced at $7.9M and gets a home match against Crystal Palace. Nacer Chadli has one goal and four assists in the last five matches and is the only the 10th-priciest midfielder in DraftKings ($7,000) despite a fantastic matchup against Sunderland.
Forward
Andy Carroll ($8,600 DraftKings, $8.1M Mondogoal) v.
Since returning from injury in November, Carroll ranks fifth in attempted shots and 11th in goals scored in the Premier League. He's also the team leader in both categories over the same timeframe. With Diafra Sakho in Africa for the rest of the month, Carroll is the clear-cut leader of the West Ham attack. A matchup against Hull City could not be a better opportunity. Hull City goalkeeper Allan McGregor has led the Tigers to just one away clean sheet this season, which came in Gameweek 1. West Ham are a good bet to score multiple goals, and Carroll will likely find a way to be involved.
Notes:Leonardo Ulloa ($6,100 DraftKings, $6.0M Mondogoal) is a much more active player at home and scored in the previous meeting against Stoke City earlier in the season.