FPL Waiver Wire: Gameweek 25 Differentials

It was only a matter of time before an injury crisis hit the Premier League, and that's the status heading into February. In addition to Marcus Rashford and Harry Kane dealing with long-term injuries, Sadio Mane, Tammy Abraham and Richarlison have picked up issues in the last week or two. The same goes for Joshua King and Ashley Barnes, who have been out most of January. 

FPL DIFFERENTIALS

Unfortunately, differentials are even harder to come by at forward because everyone that had to drop Kane and Rashford has moved onto the same players like Sergio Aguero and Raul Jimenez. Jamie Vardy remains the most popular forward, but his run of form and recent injury issues have a lot of fantasy players dropping him with Aguero and Danny Ings in mind. Not even Roberto Firmino can be considered a true differential coming off a double gameweek. Troy Deeney would be at the top of my list, but matches against Man United and Liverpool following the winter break don't provide much confidence. The move could be to back Alexandre Lacazette or Nicolas Pepe given Arsenal's upcoming slate, or bank on Neal Maupay, who has decent matchups. Sheffield United may have the most favorable upcoming schedule, but they seem to change their forwards every match.

It'd be easier to consider the Blades in the midfield because John Fleck comes at near minimum price. One has to think he'll get some get opportunities with an upcoming schedule that includes home matches against Bournemouth, Brighton and Norwich City, as well as trips to Crystal Palace and Aston Villa. John Lundstram is the most popular defender at the Premier League's official fantasy game, but Jack O'Connell and John Egan are both regulars at a cheaper price.

There are a few other places to go in the midfield if you need to make a change. Tottenham don't have the best schedule, but Son Heung-Min and Dele Alli continue to get opportunities in the attack and there's no reason that will change. David Silva is an intriguing pick if you want a slice of Man City, but I'm not sure he's worth the money since starts aren't guaranteed and their upcoming schedule is more difficult than most. You could make a move for someone like Anwar El Ghazi, who has started up front for Villa in recent matches. Aaron Mooy may be the best bet because whenever healthy, he's starting and taking set pieces for Brighton. Allan Saint-Maximin is also back in the picture for Newcastle and a home match against Norwich this gameweek is a good time to get him.

If you don't like Sheffield United defenders, you could grab Joe Gomez and hope he stays in the starting XI even if Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren are back from injury. If one of those guys wins the role next to Virgil van Dijk, they'll provide great value. Otherwise, Arsenal and Crystal Palace have the best upcoming schedules, which points to someone like Sokratis Papastathopoulos or Gary Cahill. I still prefer Sheffield United over any of those teams, though.

FANTRAX FINDS

There have been some big injuries, but it's not like any of the replacements have been widely available, whether it's Kelechi Iheanacho or Tottenham's trio of attacking players. The forward availability at Fantrax remains limited with guys like Lys Mousset and David McGoldrick on close to 20 percent of rosters. The best move is probably to add Jay Rodriguez, who should get at least one more start in place of Ashley Barnes. He's home against Arsenal this weekend and that could lead to a few chances in front of net. Bukayo Saka and Steven Alzate are getting time, but both are playing as full-backs, which comes with limited attacking value.

It's not much different in the midfield, with most of the options being defensive midfielders. Whether it's Marvelous Nakamba, Alexander Tettey or Morgan Schneiderlin, upside is limited no matter the matchup. If you want eight-to-10 points, you have options, but there are others with more upside depending on the gameweek, namely Isaac Hayden, who is a possibility at home against Norwich. Gedson Fernandes is also worth a look if he can eventually earn a consistent role at Tottenham, though he's already been swooped up in a lot of leagues.

There are numerous defenders up for grabs this week with West Ham (v. Brighton) and Newcastle (v. Norwich) both in great situations. Issa Diop, Jamaal Lascelles and Federico Fernandez may be the best choices, but Lovren is also available in most leagues if he can make the starting XI. If those guys aren't available, Ezri Konsa and Christoph Zimmermann continue to start, and while away from home, they don't have overly difficult contests.

CAPTAIN DEEP DIVES

Sadio Mane screwed anyone who thought he'd be a good captain (or triple captain) after getting hurt in the first match of Liverpool's double gameweek. The Reds are again in focus for Gameweek 25 because they're home against Southampton. That means Mohamed Salah will probably be the most popular captain, with Roberto Firmino and Trent Alexander-Arnold close behind. It's a weird week of matchups and there isn't one other team or player that stands out. The differential move would be to back Callum Wilson and hope for a brace or go on the other side with Jack Grealish against the iffy Bournemouth back line. I'd also look at Saint-Maximin, but who would be comfortable giving the armband to a Newcastle player? Troy Deeney may make the most sense because of how well Watford are playing at home, though Everton have played well defensively this month.