We ain’t afraid of no ghosts. In fact, we seek them – ghost points, that is. Ghost points are fantasy points that do not come from attacking returns or clean sheets. These can come in the form of key passes, successful dribbles, interceptions, accurate crosses, and aerials, among others. Identifying these points is essential for your Fantasy EPL prospects, and our Gameweek 16 Ghost Point Hunters article is here to help!
This Ghost Point Hunters article is based on the Fantrax Scoring System. Check out our Ghost Point Tracker page for the full list of Fantasy EPL players and their respective Ghost Point capabilities!
Gameweek 16 Ghost Point Hunters
It's the most wonderful time of the year...the festive season is here. That is, unless you don't have any open roster slots through which to plug rotation-induced leaks in your lineup. GPH is here to get you some ghosty stalwarts that don't know what the word rotation even means as well as some part time models who look good just for the next few weeks. In other words, we'll take a look at James Tarkowski, Craig MF Dawson, & Jonny Evans/Luke Thomas. Defender-heavy, I know, but they're the best streamers. We also briefly check in, via honorable mentions, on erstwhile ghosters who previously featured in GPH's of Christmas past: Martin Odegaard, Matty Cash, & Joelinton. Last and surely least, it's a Christmas miracle, Pascal Gross is your Dr. Peter Venkman this week.
James Tarkowski
Position: Defender
Team: Burnley
Rostered: 89%
Ghost Points Per 90: 11.9
Ghost Points This GW: 19
Prospects: The Draft ledge had a slow start to the season but has been heating up in time for the festive push. And he does not miss games. Set and forget.
Verdict: The time to trade in was a few weeks ago. Given his supernatural form, it's gonna cost you. I'd try a flagging MID3/4 (e.g., Fornals) plus a rotated DEF (e.g., Azpi/Duffy) as an opening salvo.
The Tark-man cometh. Fantasy EPL legend, James Tarkowski, needs no introductions. But he was due for a renaissance. Like a lanky Lancashire phoenix rising from the Turfmoor ashes, he has been reborn of late. Drafted around the fifth round in most drafts and subject to some pre-season transfer rumors, he was somewhat touch and go early on in the season. Burnley was not the Burnley of old - and still isn't - and was conceding goals for fun. They haven't really sorted that out yet but Tarkowski himself has regained form. And that's all we really care about, no?
Tarkowski has dropped 29.5 & 17 in the past two gameweeks. Yes, the 29.5 point display included two assists. But this past gameweek, the 17 was without a clean sheet or any attacking returns. Pure ghost porn. His mouthwatering performance included 9 Aerials, 6 Blocked Shots (benefiting from this new stat), 1 Tackle Won, 1 Interception, & 1 Successful Dribble (how?). The lot. This is the vintage Tarks that we've all been waiting for. Let's hope it is the gift that keeps on giving this holiday season.
Craig Dawson
Position: Defender
Team: West Ham United
Rostered: 11%
Ghost Points Per 90: 8.6
Ghost Points This Past GW: 10.5
Prospects: Given the number of injuries in the West Ham defense, he should be nailed on for the foreseeable future.
Verdict: Pick him up!
CNFC royalty, West Brom Hall of Famer, yes, Craig Mother-F*#$in Dawson (CMFD); he's back, ladies and gentlemen. While his glory days have passed him, CMFD had his moments last season. The addition of Kurt Zouma over the summer largely relegated him to the bench this season, with a few starts here and there. However, he has forced his way back into the starting XI - well, not really; injuries to Ogbonna & now Zouma have done that, GPH digresses. The point is that he is back and he is ghosting.
This past gameweek v Chelsea, CMFD clocked a respectable 10.5 ghosties, largely from Aerials (3) & Blocked Shots (4). Again, he isn't the Dawson of West Brom lore, but he can still do a job. He is always dangerous from set pieces, popping up with the odd goal every now and again. And CMFD has the super bowl of defensive ghosties this weekend against the giants from Burnley. Stream away, lads.
Jonny Evans/Luke Thomas
Position: Defenders
Team: Leicester City
Rostered: 16% (both of them; weird)
Ghost Points Per 90: 8.2 & 8.4
Ghost Points This Past GW: 11 & 10.5
Prospects: Both are heavily rotated but should see some more time during the festive season.
Verdict: Streamers. Pick them up for this weekend and other favorable matchups whilst in a pinch.
GPH dishing out even more two for ones this week, this time a double date in the fox den with Jonny Evans & Luke Thomas. The Leicester City defense has been atrocious this season. GK Kasper Schmeichel has the same amount of clean sheets this season as Zack Steffen & Caoimhin Kelleher: 1. Leicester has kept one single solitary cleanie this campaign. As a result, the goals conceded have been a fantasy albatross on the necks of Leicester defenders. They really miss Fofana & Justin. Yours truly has stayed away from that back line as a result.
However, we saw a flicker of ghostliness this past GW against Aston Villa in the form of Evans & Thomas. Leicester kept it pretty tight at the back, only giving up 2 goals (sigh), but these two still ended up with decent scores due to their ghosties. Evans, who oddly enough has a goal or two in him (he had an attacking return in each of his past two starts), had 1 Key Pass but got most of his points from Aerials (5) & Clearances (4). Meanwhile, Thomas got into some dangerous spaces on the left attacking flank and finished with 1 Key Pass, 1 Accurate Cross Not a Corner (ACNC), and 2 Successful Dribbles. They didn't set the world on fire but still qualify as decent streaming options in good matchups, of which Leicester has a few upcoming (starting with Newcastle this weekend).
Honorable Mention:
Martin Odegaard (Arsenal MID; 12.5 ghosts): Flagged him last week; the little blondie keeps paying dividends. Injuries to ESR & Martinelli mean more set pieces and dependence on the Norwegian.
Matty Cash (Aston Villa DEF; 19.75 ghosts): GPH backed him a few weeks ago to go HAM under Stevie G. And the newly-naturalized Polack has done just that. Wait for a low score (maybe v Liverpool) & pounce.
Joelinton (Newcastle FWD; 11.5 ghosts): Joey was all the rage not too long ago but a few downer GWs put us off the scent. Cheeky bastard. Hard to predict when he'll haunt but not a bad streamer/punt.
Dr. Peter Venkman Award:
Pascal Gross (Brighton MID; 1.5 Ghosts): GPH's hand has been forced several times this season, having to castigate dominant ghosters like Adama & ASM. Another one bites the dust. Pascal Gross is everyone's favorite midfielder, just drifting around, knocking in balls, and racking up points. Yes, under Potter he has been rotated from time to time, but the guy is always good for a 10 spot without attacking returns. That was until this past GW, when Gross delivered an uncharacteristic 1.5. This was from 1 Key Pass and 2 Clearances. Yikes. He only played 54 minutes but this performance is disturbing. Hopefully it is an aberration and he cracks on. This is the season of hope, act accordingly.
***Click here to view the full Ghost Point Tracker table!***
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