Fantasy Premier League 2013: Projecting Optimal Lineup for Week 6

Mesut Ozil is the hot, yet pricey, name going into Week 6 of the Fantasy Premier League. He will prove to be well worth the price, and a spot as captain. 

Of course, this is just one piece to the puzzle. The challenge remains to get the rest of the pieces to fit.

It's easy to pick the stars. The real challenge comes in identifying value picks. For my Week 6 lineup, I went with a combination of proven production and potential.   

Player values according to ESPN.

Goal: Asmir Begovic, 6.2

Asmir Begovic has already kept two clean sheets in this Premier League season and one of those was the impressive effort against the potent Manchester City attack. 

Begovic is coming off a season where he picked up 12 clean sheets in the EPL and made 113 saves. At 26 he is still getting better, too. 

Defenders: Leighton Baines, 7.9; James Collins, 5.7; Aaron Hughes, 5.3; Ashley Cole, 7.6

Anyone penciling in Leighton Baines can only hope his Everton teammates tell him they are dropping him from their fantasy lineup.

Leon Osman did, and here is how Baines told reporters (h/t itv.com) he responded: "I said before the game, Ozzie [Leon Osman] had taken me out of his fantasy football team because I wasn't doing enough, so I told him I'd score a couple. I stayed true to my word."

As a member of Chelsea's talented backline, Ashley Cole packs consistent production. Aaron Hughes is a bit of a risky play, but he should be back on the pitch after his thigh injury and carries nice potential for the price. Meanwhile, at 5.2 James Collins is a strong value with a match against Hull City lined up. 

Midfielders: Michu, 8.1; Aaron Ramsey, 7.2; Kevin Mirallas, 6.8; Mesut Ozil, 9.7

Ozil will feature for Arsenal this week in an away match at Swansea City. He is my choice for captain, and the choice in many lineups I suspect.

Meanwhile, it would be wise to add his teammate Aaron Ramsey, who has been in excellent form and is worth his moderate price. 

It would also be wise to jump on the hot streak of Michu. He's scored in three straight games, two of which have been EPL matches.

Having spent a big chunk of change on the midfield, Kevin Mirallas is a nice value. 

Forwards: Olivier Giroud, 8.5; Rickie Lambert, 6.8

Olivier Giroud is off to a blistering start, and that start should only get hotter as he gets comfortable playing with Ozil. He's worth the steep price. 

Running low on funds, I'm forced to drop down in class by adding Rickie Lambert. Lambert has a home match against Crystal Palace this week, and that provides some nice bang for your buck.   

Bench: G, John Ruddy, 5.2; D, Daniel Fox, 4.6; M, Robbie Brady, 5.2; F, Danny Graham, 5.1

I feel great about that starting lineup, but it does leave me a little strapped for cash. There are good value plays to be had, though. 

The value on Robbie Brady and John Ruddy is tremendous.

Brady already has two goals and an assist, and the 21-year-old is just finding his stride, while Ruddy has seven saves this season and is coming off of a clean sheet in EPL play. 

We round out the squad with two hit-or-miss picks in Daniel Fox and a more steady Danny Graham.