GW2 Waiver Wire Targets
This year we figured we would do things slightly differently here at Fantrax & Football. With the launch of Draft Academical, we will be posting our waiver wire targets for the next gameweek every Monday. We will be covering a lot of these names on the pod, but this is the spot for the deep dive on names we are looking at for one-week fillers, long-term pickups and everything in between. We will be looking at players owned under 60%, with a few exceptions, and we will try and highlight some deeper picks for those leagues with bigger pools.
Let's take a look at the waivers for GW2.
Defenders
Maxim de Cuyper - 68% - Brighton
GW1: 35 pts / 12 GhPts
We won't spend much time here given his high ownership, but this is one of a few priority adds you should target if he is available in your league. Clever drafters who had clued into the fact that de Cuyper was going to start at LW in Mitoma's absence were rewarded with a monster 35-point game in GW1. That includes 12 ghost points on top of the goal and assist against Villa. Even when Mitoma comes back and de Cuyper shifts to left-back, he keeps his place in the side. If someone dropped him before GW1, go get him.
Jaka Bijol - 21% - Leeds
GW1: 18.25 Pts / 12.25 GhPts
We talked about Bijol in our Leeds episode as a shining example of late-round defenders that can add value. Seemingly starting this season as he finished the last, Jaka put up 18.25 points with 12.25 ghost points. 9 clearances, 7 aerials, 2 interceptions in what was a class Bijol all-around Fantrax display. Brentford at home should offer a similar game script to the Forest game, then Brighton (A), Newcastle (H) and Palace (H) is a decent run of fixtures. Should be a set and forget over the next few weeks.
Leeds defenders in general are worth targeting right now - in order I would go Justin, Rodon, Muaremovic, purely on their ghost points, but I would be happy with any of the above in my team
Kristoffer Ajer - 4% - Brentford
GW1: 18.5 Pts / 12.5 GhPts
Brentford absolutely blew past Spurs on the weekend as they look like an excellent side once again this season. Kayode and Ajer were the leaders of that defence, and whilst Kayode is almost certainly owned in your league, Ajer at 4% is almost certainly not. He posted 18.50 points and 12.50 ghost points in a strong display, popping up in almost all of the stat columns. His 6 aerials won were the third most in the league this weekend, behind Jaka Bijol and Milenkovic, and Ajer outscored Milenkovic by 10.75 points! Leeds (A), Sunderland (H), Bournemouth (A) makes Ajer one of my favourite defensive waiver targets this week behind Bijol and Aina. We have history with Ajer, and if he stays in the team he can be a great Fantrax asset. The fear is he loses his spot to Sepp van den Berg, but with an unknown return date, that is a fear for another day.
Fantrax lists Sepp van den Berg with a return date of Oct 10th; Premier Injuries reports an unknown date
Ola Aina - 49% - Forest
GW1: 18 Pts / 12 GhPts
Over the last few seasons the right wing back for Glasner has been a top-12 Fantrax player, and here we find ourselves watching Ola Aina rack up 18 points and 12 ghost points as easily Forest's top scorer. 3 key passes, 1 shot on target, an accurate cross plus the usual defensive contributions, Aina looks like a ready-made Daniel Munoz replica for Glasner in this team. The fact he got to 18 points with a yellow card tells you how good he was. Subbed off in the 73rd minute for Luca Netz, but if this is anywhere near his floor, he could be an early-season waiver wire winner.
Murillo and Milenkovic would be interesting targets too, Murillo the preferred option, but with Liverpool up next Aina would be my go-to here.
Hull Defenders
We have to talk about the most surprising performance of the week - Hull. Not a lot is expected from Hull this season, and a win against a poor Man United side may not change that outlook. That said, we saw the value in a strong defence in a promoted side last year with Sunderland. Ryan Giles seems the most interesting when you look at the stats. The full-back was involved defensively, but got forward to provide crosses and key passes. We are always looking for more predictable points, and those ghost points (16) are fantastic. We can't expect Ajayi and Mendy to score every week but they returned strong ghost-point numbers (8.25 and 8 respectively). Up next is Coventry (A), Villa (H), before Chelsea (A). I would be targeting that Coventry game with any of those defenders, Giles as the preferred option, and hope Villa still haven't got their form in order before potentially looking elsewhere.
Dara O'Shea - 9% - Ipswich
GW1: 16.5 Pts / 16.5 GhPts
16.50 points, all ghost points, for the Ipswich captain in a good win against Sunderland. An all-around display with stats in key passes, crosses and all the defensive contributions you would expect from a full-back. Man United (A) and Liverpool (H) up next may be a reason to look elsewhere, but after watching the Hull defenders rack up big points against Man United, he could be a sneaky add.
Honourable Mention
- Luke Shaw (56%, Man U) put in a strong performance (13pts, all ghost) despite a poor showing from his team. Four key passes and three accurate crosses are nothing to turn your nose up at - we know Luke Shaw, but if this is indicative of his output this season, he would be a great addition.
Midfielders
Jack Hinshelwood - 57% - Brighton
GW1: 28.5 Pts / 9.5 GhPts
If you bought into the hype of Jack Hinshelwood as the season ended last year, then congratulations to you - you have been given a sweet reward. Hinshelwood won't play an awful Villa every week, but he showed toward the end of last season that he can pop up with goals and assists, and put that on display in magnificent fashion this weekend. Of his two-goal, 28.50-point outing, 9.50 were ghost points. My biggest criticism of him last season was that he did not ghost at all well, relying on goals and assists which are unpredictable. If Hinshelwood can ghost that well, and pop up with goal contributions as routinely as he does, then he is an absolute must add. A lock for the number 10 role, this could be a season-defining waiver wire add.
Sangare - 64% - Brentford
GW1: 22.5 Pts / 9.5 GhPts
I am breaking the max 60% rule for Sangare as I did with de Cuyper because what we witnessed on the weekend was a breakout star performance. In Fantrax terms that yielded 22.50 points (9.50 ghost) in an all-action midfield performance. He is going to play week in, week out, and if he can be as involved as he was this weekend, we want him in our team. It is unlikely he is there in your league if it is competitive, but you will want him if he is.
Julio Enciso - 36% - Ipswich
GW1: 14.25 Pts / 8.25 GhPts
What a maverick Enciso can be when he is on his best form. We saw that against Sunderland on the weekend with an amazing assist. Enciso racked up 14.25 points (8.25 ghost plus an assist) and could have had more had he not gone off with an injury. The post-match press conference confirmed it was just cramp and that Enciso will be back on the pitch on Monday, which should allay our fears of picking him up. The upside of Enciso is immense, and he should continue to ghost well. You will just have to decide how much you think you can trust an Ipswich attacker. For now, count us very much interested.
Vitaly Janelt - 5% & Mathias Jensen - 30% - Brentford
GW1: 21.75 Pts / 11.75 GhPts & 17.5 Pts / 10.5 GhPts
Poor Mikkel Damsgaard owners - a mid-round pick left on the bench in favour of Jensen in the 10, which left Janelt on corners. Janelt took 4 corners, had 2 key passes and a goal, along with a solid game in the defensive stats, getting him to 22.50 points (11.75 ghost). This was an all-action performance and if Damsgaard remains out of the team, and Janelt stays on set pieces, this is an easy pickup to make.
Jensen, playing in the 10, scored 17.50 points (10.50 ghost), picking up an assist along with providing 3 key passes. A player who can rack up key passes will win you game weeks, just ask Bruno Fernandes. If Jensen is going to claim that #10 spot, we want him in our team. Brentford look like they are going to keep playing good football, and all of these players are worth targeting.
James McAtee - 6% - Nottingham Forest
GW1: 11 Pts / 10 GhPts
As Forest start life without Elliot Anderson, they will be looking for someone to fill his shoes. James McAtee was the first man up alongside Sangare and found himself on set-piece duty, taking all 3 corner kicks for Forest. This turned into 3 key passes and an 11-point outing (10 ghost). McAtee was subbed off in the 73rd minute, but this was a positive performance by a talented young player who just never found his groove last year. We believe the Brentford options are safer with a higher floor, but I would be happy to take a chance that this is the new norm for McAtee given that he is on corner duty.
Keane Lewis-Potter - 27% - Brentford
GW1: 19 Pts / 9 GhPts
Perhaps I should have renamed this section 'Brentford Waiver Targets'. I would prefer Sangare, Jensen, Janelt (in that order) over KLP, but he was involved in every phase of play and showed up across all the stat columns. KLP racked up 19 points (9 ghost), and being multi-positional (D, M, F) means we may even rate him above Janelt and Jensen.
Forwards
Emersonn - 25% - Ipswich
GW1: 22.25 Pts / 13.25 GhPts
In his debut for Ipswich, Emersonn produced a fantastic Fantrax display. 22.25 points (13.25 ghost) bucks the recent trend of strikers posting no ghost points and offering little unless they score or assist. 2 shots on target, 2 key passes and 3 aerials won point to a forward who can put himself about. The goal was the cherry on top. Our concerns remain about how much time Ipswich will spend in the opposing box, and Man United (A) and Liverpool (H) will put that concern to the test, but with a ghost display like that it is hard to argue he is not worth the risk. We recommend grabbing him, and after watching Hull on the weekend, probably starting against Man United.
Abdul Fatawu - 38% - Ipswich
GW1: 10.50 Pts / 10.50 GhPts
There is something strange going on with Fatawu and Fantrax - the Ipswich winger keeps disappearing from the game. That aside, Fatawu had a decent showing against Sunderland, racking up 10.50 points (all ghost) in 65 minutes before being subbed, an even better showing considering we were worried about an injury almost up until kick-off. Enciso, Fatawu and Emersonn look like they could be an exciting trio going forward.
Tyrique George - 14% - Everton
GW1: 8.75 Pts / 8.75 GhPts
Top-10 forward overall when looking at ghost points this weekend, and the 4th best under 70% ownership. George got the start and posted 8.75 ghost points at LW, and looked decent throughout. Everton overall put in a strong performance, with the front four of Ndiaye, KDH, George and Barry working well together. If that is an average performance for George, then there is plenty to look forward to. Bournemouth (A) up next, and then Man United (H), Spurs (A), Ipswich (H) and Hull (A) is a decent run of fixtures.
Thierno Barry - 36% - Everton
GW1: 14.5 Pts / 5.5 GhPts
Staying with Everton, Barry got a goal on opening day, albeit a somewhat unorthodox one. It is hard to know just how good Barry is, but if he is the locked-in starter up top for Everton, with the run of fixtures they have coming up, he could be worth a claim for forward-needy teams that have run into injury issues or just didn't draft one of the consistent forwards. I would much rather go all out on Emersonn than Barry, but this is a decent enough backup option.
Anthony Elanga - 49% - Newcastle
GW1: 14.75 Pts / 5.75 GhPts
Is Elanga season back? The way Jaissle played against Liverpool looks ideally suited to the Elanga game. Fast balls forward, breaking in behind, which is exactly how he took his goal against Liverpool. Looked involved, fit and fast. He returned 14.75 points (5.75 ghost), and we would recommend a claim on him, especially with Spurs coming up next weekend. Elanga's speed against a defence that looks like it has not figured itself out could be a recipe for a big score.
Honourable Mention
- Taiwo Awoniyi - (10%, Coventry) This is purely speculative on the basis that he starts against Hull. In a game that could see Coventry have more chances than they may expect, this could be a great weekly filler. We are not sure you should put a waiver claim in, but keep an eye on the starting lineups come the weekend.
Overall Waiver Wire Rankings
