Fantasy Premier League Transfers 2013: Top Roster Additions for Week 8

Who better to target than a target man?

That's a situation you could be facing when you look to improve your fantasy Premier League team by the time Week 8 kicks off. With the international break upcoming, you've got a lot of time to weigh your options and spend your money wisely.

One of the first names at the top of your wish list should be Alvaro Negredo.

The Spanish striker is your prototypical No. 9. Manuel Pellegrini has used him perfectly, with Sergio Aguero playing as more of an attacking midfielder moving around Negredo.

Negredo scored once in Manchester City's 3-1 win over Everton, his third goal of the 2013-14 campaign. With City taking on West Ham, the forward should be able to get on the scoresheet again. His direct style will be perfect in order to break down what will be an organized West Ham back four.

Negredo is just one of a few players who present good value for money in fantasy EPL leagues. You'll want to make sure that, when the matches return after the break, your team is set up to get maximum points.

Tim Howard, Everton

Don't be too scared off by Everton's 3-1 loss to Manchester City. City have a ton of talent in the attack, and Tim Howard isn't always going to knock the ball in off his own head.

He's normally a very assured keeper, and the Toffee's defense is generally much more tight at the back.

They both should be able to recover against Hull City. The Tigers have been a surprise this season, but they've been successful relying a lot on their defense. Hull don't score a lot, so Howard likely won't be tested too much. He should give you some points for keeping a clean sheet.

What's nice about Howard is that he shouldn't cost quite as much as the top keepers, like Simon Mignolet, Hugo Lloris and Petr Cech.

You can get him in the lineup and free up cash for other, more important positions.

Ryan Shawcross, Stoke City

If you're looking to go with a safe bet at the back, it doesn't get much better than Ryan Shawcross. He's long been one of the most reliable fantasy performers over the last few seasons, as have any of his fellow Stoke City defenders.

The Potters didn't concede a lot of goals under Tony Pulis, and they're continuing that under Mark Hughes. Despite the 1-0 loss to Fulham, Stoke have still only shipped in seven goals in as many matches.

The only problem with Shawcross is that you don't really get too many goals. He's scored just 10 in 172 Premier League appearances, via Transfermarkt.

Shawcross' value is derived mostly from Stoke's ability to keep clean sheets.

Leighton Baines, Everton

If you want to take the high-risk, high-reward strategy, you're much better going with Leighton Baines. He's been a part of Everton's organized defense, but that's not where he gets his points.

Baines is a maestro from set pieces. He scored two beautiful free kicks against West Ham in September. The star left-back is always a threat when the Toffees have a set piece close to goal.

Goals for defenders are always welcomed bonuses. You can't exactly count on them happening every week, but with Baines, the chances are much higher than with any other defender.

At the very least, you're getting somebody who should be able to deliver a clean sheet against Hull City on October 19.

Aaron Ramsey, Arsenal

Will Aaron Ramsey ever stop scoring? Through six games, he's already bested his single-season total for Premier League goals. You can talk about Mesut Ozil all you want, but there's perhaps been nobody more important to Arsenal's early success than Ramsey.

His success on the pitch has also translated into the fantasy realm.

Ramsey is likely either the best or second-best midfielder on the market. With his four goals and two assists, he's given his fantasy owners plenty to be happy about so far.

It's unrealistic that he can keep up this pace, but even when he falls back to earth, he should remain a solid fantasy producer.

With the Gunners facing Norwich City in Week 8, Ramsey should have plenty of opportunities to get forward and score.

Loic Remy, Newcastle

Newcastle supporters had to wait a bit to see Loic Remy on the pitch, but upon his debut, he's made an immediate impact on the club.

Remy had a brace in Newcastle's 2-1 win over Cardiff City on Saturday. It's the third time in five EPL matches he's found the back of the net. His finishing is quite the converse to the profligacy of Papiss Cisse.

He and Newcastle will be welcoming Liverpool to St. James' Park on October 19. While the Reds are second in the table after their win over Crystal Palace, they're far from invincible.

The Reds have dropped off in second halves and had their fair share of lapses at the back. If Remy gets an opening, he'll make Liverpool pay.