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, shots on target, successful dribbles, interceptions, and tackles, among others. Identifying these points is essential for your Fantasy EPL prospects, and our Gameweek 3 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 3 Ghost Point Hunters
We waited all summer for this? Hello, darkness, my old friend. Hopefully your GW didn't evoke this sentiment. If you rostered these ghosters below, I'm sure it did not. We're going under the radar on a few of these players whilst tossing in a household name from last season: Niakhate, Benrahma, & Struijk. Meanwhile, the honorable mention is rounded out by Luis Diaz, Neco Williams, Moussa Djenepo, & Joachim Andersen. And Dr. Peter Venkman Part Deux is awarded to Jarrod Bowen, someone who GPH was low on this summer. Does this suit our agenda? Yes. But that is the whole point of having a platform.
Moussa Niakhate
Position: Defender
Team: Nottingham Forest
Rostered: 3%
Ghost Points Per Start: 10.5
Ghost Points Last GW: 13.75
Prospects: Beast of a CB - nailed on when healthy but limped off v West Ham. If he's fit, he's a ghost point defender in the mold of Pinnock & prime Salisu.
Verdict: Pick up off the wire if you need a defender, but monitor the knock. It's an early game, so drop him if he's out (his likely deputy, Steve Cook, can also do a job).
The latest in a long line of excellent Moussas to grace the EPL, Niakhate emerged as a ghost point warrior this weekend. We'll say it again - these players come out of nowhere, usually early in the season, and we're here to point them out for you. This monstrous center half, who came over from the Bundesliga this summer, dropped nearly 14 ghosties and added a clean sheet. He was everywhere, producing 2 Shots on Target, 7 Clearances, 7 Aerials, & 1 Blocked Shot. Aerials & clearances seem to be his forte, but the shots on target show that he can also be a scoring threat on set pieces. This is a lethal combo, and isn't just a one off. Niakhate gave us a preview of his ghosting ability in GW 1 when he bagged 11 Clearances & 4 Aerials v Newcastle.
So is Niakhate the new Ethan Pinnock, a solid & consistent ghosting defender? Or is he more like Mohammed Salisu, a mercurial & unpredictable streamer who can ghost on his day but can't string together performances? Early doors, of course, but the eye test and these first 2 GWs lead us to believe it could be the former (although we point out that his best gpps in the past was 7.5, so let's trust but verify). The problem is that Forest are unlikely to keep many clean sheets, and ghosts can only offset so many goals conceded. His fitness could also be a worry, as he came off early this past weekend with what looked like a hamstring injury. If Niakhate is out long-term, this is all for naught. If he isn't, he's worth a punt. He has DEF3 potential on a free. Keep an eye out for early team news.
Said Benrahma
Position: Midfielder
Team: West Ham United
Rostered: 87%
Ghost Points Per Start: 15
Ghost Points Last GW: 15
Prospects: Amidst rumors of his impending departure and the arrival of Maxwel Cornet, Benrahma got a somewhat surprise start. And he balled. It's too early to know if he'll keep his spot long term.
Verdict: If he's somehow on your wire, pick him up. Likely he isn't, so you'd have to trade him in. He is probably fetching too high of a price for our liking, especially given the competition & his tendency to be boom or bust.
Said Benrahma is a funny fellow. He was very hyped up coming out of the Championship and reportedly was unwanted by manager David Moyes. He was hit or miss in real life as well as in fantasy for much of last season. While 10 points per start is not shabby at all, his 6 ghost points per start was lackluster. Coming into this season, there were reports that Benrahma may depart for pastures new. These rumors were given more credence when he was benched in GW1. But then he was surprisingly given the nod v Nottingham Forest.
And he didn't disappoint. He was buzzing all over the pitch and the fantasy points flowed as a result. The fantasy points flowed as a result. Benrahma posted the 7th most ghosties this week, stemming from 4 Key Passes, 1 Shot on Target, 1 Accurate Cross Not a Corner (ACNC), & 4 Successful Dribbles (his bread & butter). He was even unlucky to not hit back of the net, pinging the crossbar instead. Will Moyes keep the faith in the Algerian? It's hard to know for sure, particularly given the additional options on the wing (unless new signing Cornet is fielded as a wing back), but he has upside. You can test the waters and put in a cheeky offer for him (maybe a MID5 + DEF4; Partey & Schar?). Benrahma is another one to watch to see how his situation develops.
Pascal Struijk
Position: Defender
Team: Leeds
Rostered: 8%
Ghost Points Per Start: 14.4
Ghost Points Last GW: 18
Prospects: Filling in ably for Stuart Dallas at LB, Pascal has been ghosting more than his namesake in Brighton in the first 2 GWs. We don't think it will last, but it could be worth a pickup to find out.
Verdict: Speculatively punting on him isn't the worst idea in the world. Starting him v Chelsea is a bold strategy, Cotton, but we'll see if it pays off.
Well, who could see this one coming? Two weeks in, Pascal Struijk has nearly twice as many points as Trent Alexander Arnold. What a time to be alive. It's still silly season but you can't argue with the stand-in left back's production thus far. Showing that his GW1 ghost point haul of 11 wasn't a fluke, he delivered a mouthwatering 18 scary scores to go along with an assist. This came from 1 Key Pass, 6 Tackles Won, 2 Interceptions, 2 Clearances, 1 Blocked Shot, & 7 Aerials.
This is a tough one to make a call on. While his numbers are undoubtedly impressive, this smells like an aberration. Struijk has had some great performances so far this season, but last season's numbers tell a different story. He averaged 7 ghost points per start in 2021/2022. Again, that isn't terrible but it isn't the lofty heights he is hitting right now. But who cares? If you need defensive help, ride the Struijk express until it goes off the tracks. Chelsea is a tricky fixture, however, especially coming off that excellent performance against Spuds over the weekend. It all depends on the amount of risk you want to take. If the Leeds man can keep up these ghosts, he won't be too hurt by a few goals conceded. You'll be in our thoughts.
Honorable Mentions:
Luis Diaz (Liverpool FWD; 17 ghosts): Madre mia, que golazo! The Colombian shook off a bad opening game and put in a hell of a shift, showing many of us why we drafted him in Rd1. And relegation fodder, Manchester United & Bournemouth are next.
Neco Williams (Nottingham Forest DEF; 16 ghosts): What a performance. The former Liverpool fullback was on set pieces and looked a real threat. Averaging over 13 gpps in the first two weeks, his scary scores seem to be the real deal. Wait for an off day to trade him in.
Moussa Djenepo (Southampton MID; 14 ghosts): We've been burned before on Djenepo but it's hard not to be impressed by this ghosty cameo. We still aren't buying yet though. Hell hath no fury like a manager scorned. He looks like he's injured anyway.
Joachim Andersen (Crystal Palace DEF; 11.5 ghosts): Fresh off taking a Nunez headbutt like a champ, the lanky Dane is our under the radar punt of the week. He is a steady ghoster - 11 ghosts in back-to-back matches to kick off the season - and finally has a decent matchup at home to Aston Villa.
Dr. Peter Venkman Award:
Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United MID; 1 ghost): Now this we did see coming. Diminutive Jarrod Bowen, the West Ham spark plug, has been Venkman'd. Only mustering 1 ghostie in what seemed like a favorable matchup against newly promoted Forest will do it. This comes in the wake of just 4 ghosts on opening weekend. While we can't really hold GW1 against him since it was against mighty Man City, this week's performance is hopefully not a sign of a pattern developing. We feared that Bowen might regress this campaign after a blistering 2021/2022. Here's the warning from our Draft Kit's Overvalued Players article: "He has a goal/assist dependence slightly higher than Diogo Jota and his ghost point average of just over 7 isn't enough to get him to first round numbers unless he continues delivering this crazy amount of attacking returns. He's due for a slight dip." While it is still very early and Bowen has plenty of time to turn it around, alarm bells are ringing, Willie.
***Click here to view the full Ghost Point Tracker table!***
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