The Perfect XI format of Fantasy EPL on Fantrax is going to take the community by storm. Fact. Our good friends at DPLCommLeague have brought the concept over to Fantrax, and it is sensational. We're here to provide Draft Premier League managers with our very own Perfect XI tips for each gameweek. Details of the concept and rules can be found here!
Check out DPLCommLeague for further information on the format, regular updates on the latest standings, as well as information on how you can enter.
Fantasy EPL Gameweek 12 Perfect XI
So, what is Perfect XI? Similar to Official Fantasy Premier League game, all managers have full access to the entire player pool each week, meaning multiple teams within the league could be completely identical. The main departures from OFPL are the Fantrax Default Scoring, unlimited transfers each week, no budget/salary cap, and live lineup changes available. This means that each week you can select a dream team of Fantrax assets who you think will score the most points on a given gameweek, and have the added bonus of being able to see the real life lineups before your players lock in. Magic.
Check out our Perfect XI tips below. These are our recommendations for the best eleven players this weekend! Picks are now accompanied by our weekly projections, which our Inner Circle members can exclusively access.
GK: Edouard Mendy
Team: Chelsea
Opponent: Leicester (Away)
Projected Fantasy Points: ~7.5 (GK projections to come)
The Thought: Coupled with a 40% chance of keeping a clean sheet, Mendy has the best save percentage in the league. In a middling matchup vs Leicester I like that combo for a good floor and plenty of upside.
Pivot: Alex McCarthy
DEF: Trent Alexander Arnold
Team: Liverpool
Opponent: Arsenal (Home)
Projected Fantasy Points: 14.4
The Thought: Once again: (almost) the best scoring fantasy defender in the game, averaging an impressive 19 points a game, don't overthink this one. This week, even in a tricky matchup vs Arsenal, he has a 34% chance of keeping a clean sheet, 29% chance of assisting, and 13% chance of scoring . Plug Trent into your lineup and let the points flow in, regardless of how they come
Pivot: Konstantinos Tsimikas
DEF: Joao Cancelo
Team: Manchester City
Opponent: Everton (Home)
Projected Fantasy Points: 14.2
The Thought: Like the aforementioned Liverpool RB, its hard to bench Cancelo, and there's really no reason to do so this week in a good home matchup. He scores phenomenally well offensively, has the most points of any Fantrax defender, and has a 60% chance of keeping a clean sheet this week vs. Everton. 20% chance of assisting and 16% chance of scoring Pivot: Luke Shaw/Alex Telles
DEF: Reece James
Team: Chelsea
Opponent: Leicester (Away)
Projected Fantasy Points: 14.3
The Thought: Ah, it feels good to be back doing Perfect XI after a long international break, and we're back to the basics: Trent Cancelo and at least 1 Chelsea WB for our Perfect XI defenders. James has been putting up ridiculous numbers every time he starts and this week should be no exception. He has a 40% chance of a clean sheet, 20% of a goal (highest of any defender), and 19% of an assist. Pivot: Ben Chilwell, Marcos Alonso
MID: Bruno Fernandes
Team: Manchester United
Opponent: Watford (Away)
Projected Fantasy Points: 16.4
The Thought: Bruno is the highest projected player and with good reason. United finally have an easy matchup vs the relegation-threatened and multi-goal conceding Watford to get a win (and maybe save Ole's tenure a bit longer). As a result, Bruno has more than a 75% chance of getting an assist or a goal (42% assist, 38% goal) and he should generate plenty of offense regardless. Without KDB this week, Bruno should be a lock for most Perfect XI lineups. In this first week, it's not time to get differential yet; get points on the board!
Pivot: James Ward-Prowse
MID: Mason Mount/Callum Hudson-Odoi
Team: Chelsea
Opponent: Leicester (Away)
Projected Fantasy Points: 15/12.3
The Thought: After scoring nearly 50 points vs Norwich, Mount was out of the squad with an illness (not COVID-19) for GW10 and on the bench in GW11. However, now he's back in training and has a good chance to feature this coming weekend. If Mount starts, his share of set pieces, creative play leading to shots and key passes, and 25% chance of scoring and 25% of assisting are plenty of good reasons to get him in your lineup. If he doesn't Hudson-Odoi, who's been in great Fantrax form and seriously under-picked in Perfect XI, is a good alternative. An early sub is a potential risk of playing Mount, but I think he gets enough done in 70 minutes for it to be worthwhile.
Pivot: Each other/Barkley/Ziyech
MID: Phil Foden/Ilkay Gundogan
Team: Manchester City
Opponent: Everton (Home)
Projected Fantasy Points: 13.5/12.4
The Thought: Another combo play. If Foden starts, you should start him. If he doesn't I'd still advise having a piece of the Manchester City attack in the form of Gundogan or Silva, in a game where they could score multiple against Everton. Let's face it: just about every week you should have a piece of the City attack in Perfect XI as they're always candidates for multiple return games. Foden has a 43% chance of scoring and a 30% chance of assisting. Gundogan's odds are a good bit less, but he's likely to put up plenty of peripherals and get some set pieces in KDB's enforced absence.
Pivot: Bernardo Silva
MID: Raphinha
Team: Leeds
Opponent: Leicester (Home)
Projected Fantasy Points: 13.8
The Thought: In my 4th mid spot I've opted to take the mercurial Brazillian. Raphinha is the highest scoring mid this season and for good reason: he's put up big numbers vs small and big clubs alike. This weekend provides a potentially tricky matchup vs the Conte-managed, reinvigorated Spurs side, but I back Raphinha to rack up the points nonetheless. Surely he can get behind Reguilon on his side of the pitch and torment Davies or any other slower CB that he comes up against in the 3 man backline. He has a 24% chance of scoring and a 21% chance of assisting but due to Bielsa's tactics should create plenty of ghost points regardless. Pivot: Allan Saint-Maximin
FWD: Mohamad Salah
Team: Liverpool
Opponent: Arsenal (Home)
Projected Fantasy Points: 14.4
The Thought: Salah is the best player in the Premier League and the highest scoring player in Fantrax by 92 points (this number just keeps getting bigger every week)! Even against a solid Arsenal side, you simply have to pick him. He has a 55% chance of scoring (highest of the week) and a 27% chance of assisting. Just do it. Pivot: Sadio Mane
FWD: Riyad Mahrez/Gabriel Jesus
Team: Manchester City
Opponent: Everton (Home)
Projected Fantasy Points: 15.1/14.8
The Thought: Ah Mahrez. Frustrating many Fantrax managers this season, this might finally be the week the Algerian pays off the patience. With KDB, Grealish, and maybe Foden out with COVID-19/knocks, Mahrez and/ or fellow outcast Raheem Sterling will likely start in the attacking trident alongside regular Gabriel Jesus. Against an Everton defense, Mahrez has a 42% chance of scoring and a 33% chance of assisting. Be happy you can play him in Perfect XI and not have to worry about him starting every week. And if he doesn't start, rotate over to Jesus (or even play them both)! Pivot: Each other/Raheem Sterling
FWD: Christiano Ronaldo
Team: Manchester United
Opponent: Watford (Home)
Projected Fantasy Points: 12.7
The Thought: Similar logic to choosing Bruno applies for Ronaldo. The Portuguese duo have a great matchup where United desperately need a win. If they don't score multiple goals here, Ole's in serious trouble. Maybe they want that, but still. Ronaldo has a 54% chance of scoring and a 25% chance of assisting. After Salah he has the highest goal odds of the weekend. While Ronaldo has a dangerously low floor, this game seems like a good one for him to rack up the shots Pivot: Marcus Rashford
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