Fantasy Football: Top 15 Bargain Players You Must Have If You Want to Win

Hallelujah. Fantasy Premier League is upon us once again!

You know who the heavy hitters are, but do you have the cajones to select the cheap, under the radar and undiscovered gems which could make or break your fantasy season?

This article is here to help you gain an advantage, so trade out those cheap random players that won't play a game. There are 15 fantasy spots; use them all.

15. Danny Simpson

• Club: Newcastle United
• Cost: £4 million 
• Position: Defender

Straegically, you must have Danny Simpson, because you don't get many starting defenders at just £4 million.

Leave him on the bench, and hope his value rises in the coming weeks.  

14. Chris Eagles

• Club: Bolton Wanderers
• Cost: £5.5 million 
• Position: Midfielder

A selection from left field, given you're probably uttering the name Matthew Etherington, which is a safer selection.  

Given Bolton Wanderers' manager Owen Coyle intent to play attacking football and Lee Chung-Yong's unfortunate broken leg, Chris Eagles has the potential be a fantasy gem. 

That being said, he's looked pretty average and struggled with consistency in the past, but there's no doubting he is talented enough and skillful enough to play at this level.

13. Scott Sinclair

• Club: Swansea
• Cost: £6 million 
• Position: Midfiedler

Swansea's Scott Sinclair started 22 games as a forward, but is listed as a midfielder, which is great. 

The former Chelsea prodigy is as explosive as they get and could hit a purple patch, though there is risk attached because we don't know if Sinclair can replicate his form in the Championship to the English Premier League. 

You have to ask yourself are there better proven players at the same price like Jamie O'Hara, Matt Jarvis or Chris Brunt, to name a few. 

12. Kenwyne Jones

• Club: Stoke City
• Cost: £6.5 million 
• Position: Forward

I'm not a fan of playing cheap forwards, because ideally in a 3-4-3, you want to have three gun forwards who'll score 20-plus goals. 

Very rarely do you get a cheap forward like Peter Odemwingie who is consistent, and by the time you've selected him, everyone has.

There's a reason why some forwards are cheap; it's because they either play for small teams or they're inconsistent.

If I was you, stay away from starting with cheap forwards, but if you insist, Kenwyne Jones is a safe bet for at least 10 goals. 

11. Aaron Hughes

• Club: Fulham
• Cost: £5 million  
• Position: Defender

His teammate Brede Hangeland is a goal threat but at £6.5 million, you're better off with Manchester City's Vincent Kompany at £6 million. 

So why not buy Aaron Hughes? I'd only select him if I was taking the maverick tactic of having a cheap lopsided backline to fund several gun players.

Fulham will play staunch defensive football, as displayed in their six Europa League games so far, where they've conceded one goal.  

10. Chris Brunt

• Club: West Bromwich Albion
• Cost: £6 million
• Position: Midfielder

Players who've had Chris Brunt for two fantasy seasons noticed him becoming an assists magnet as opposed to a goal scoring midfielder. 

Picked up 11 assists, and I'd be surprised if he could replicate that form. 

A slight risk, but if your midfield is cheap, then go for Brunt. 

If you're a daredevil, pick Brunt's teammate Somen Tchoyi, who'll cost you £5.5 million.   

9. Victor Moses

• Club: Wigan Athletic
• Cost: £5 million
• Position: Midfielder

Wigan Athletic in past fantasy seasons have provided some absolute gems like Amr Zaki and Hugo Rodallega, and this season, it will be Victor Moses. 

He's a must buy given he's a midfielder; you can just keep him on the bench if you're worried to start him.

Wigan have a very generous starting fixture list with just Manchester City and Arsenal as the big clubs they'll face in their first 15 games. 

Their first three games are against Norwich, Swansea and Queens Park Rangers.

Keep in mind, Moses has had a terrific preseason, with five goals in six games.   

8. Matt Jarvis

• Club: Wolverhampton Wanderers
• Cost: £6 million  
• Position: Midfielder 

Last season, Matt Jarvis was outstanding, specifically playing a memorable game against Manchester City last October.

The connundrem will be should I choose Jarvis or Jamie O’Hara.   

7. Jamie O’Hara

• Club: Wolverhampton Wanderers
• Cost: £6 million  
• Position: Midfielder 

With Danielle Lloyd as a fiance, Jamie O’Hara is a stud in real life, and is certain to be a stud this fantasy season.

O’Hara is integral to the midfield of Wolves, and with the new statistics based EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, O'Hara will fill the stats.

6. Adel Taarabt

• Club: Queens Park Rangers
• Cost: £6.5 million 
• Position: Midfielder

Q.P.R's answer to Cristiano Ronaldo, or be it, the light version.

Dynamic, creative and a Ronaldo like mentality to score or create will see him quickly become a fantasy favourite.

This is presuming he stays in London as opposed to being seduced by the money available in Paris.  

5. José Enrique

• Club: Liverpool
• Cost: £5 million
• Position: Defender

Those clean sheets are so vital in Fantasy Premier League, and to have a cheap defender at one of the big clubs makes our lives easier. 

Is José Enrique guaranteed a game? If he plays like last season, Fábio Aurélio won't get a look in, plus the unlucky Brazilian will probably spend most of the season on the treatment table.

4. Stéphane Sessègnon

• Club: Sunderland
• Cost: £6.5 million 
• Position: Midfiedler

In hindsight, Stéphane Sessègnon should have stayed in Paris. 

He played well last season, but I was disappointed because I held him to such a high standard given he is so remarkably talented.

In preseason, manager Steve Bruce has played him as a second striker behind Asamoah Gyan, yet Sessègnon is listed as a midfielder.

Remember last season, Ahmed Elmohamady started 20 games as a winger, even though he was listed as a defender—would have been a masterstroke if you had him for the first 10 games. 

Sessègnon is headed for a breakout season, and is worth the punt at £6.5 million.  .   

3. Shay Given

• Club: Aston Villa 
• Cost: £5 million
• Position: Goalkeeper

Manager Alex McLeish is a defensive minded manager, so not only may Shay Given earn you clean sheet points, but he also will earn you save points.

Given is this season's Ben Foster.

Why choose Given when I can choose Joe Hart? Given costs £2 million less, and you can use that extra money to fund a big move for a Wayne Rooney or a Sergio Agüero. 

2. Aaron Ramsey

• Club: Arsenal
• Cost: £6.5 million 
• Position: Midfielder

With the impending departures of Cesc Fàbregas and Samir Nasri, Aaron Ramsey is poised to have a breakout season.

Now the question is, where will he play?

I'd like to see Jack Wilshere play in Fàbregas' position, but it seems he won't start the first game of the season because of injury. 

So logically, Ramsey is in pole position to play as the centre attacking midfielder in a 4-2-3-1.     

1. Jack Wilshere

• Club: Arsenal
• Cost: £6.5 million 
• Position: Midfielder

Jack Wilshere should relace Cesc Fàbregas; however, since he's injured for the first game of the season, it's more than likely that role will go to Aaron Ramsey.

If Ramsey has a stunning game, then Wilshere will probably be forced to continue playing more of a deeper role.

Fantasy Tips

Use a 3-4-3 or a 3-5-2. Why?

It takes a second to concede a goal and lose the clean sheet. Make sure your three defenders will consistently gain clean sheets. Vincent Kompany is a must buy. 

Rely on gun forwards rather than mid priced or even cheap forwards, because if he is isolated up front, then what use is he to your fantasy team? 

Whereas a midfielder can rely on that extra clean sheet point, not to mention will gain more possession and is more likely to fill up the stats sheet and get the bonus points.

So knowing this, you can afford to take risks with mid priced and cheap midfielders.    

Make sure your forwards are capable of scoring 20-plus goals in a season.   

Take risks throughout the season. If you're watching a player no one has on their team playing well one week, chances are he'll probably play well the next week.

Always look a few games ahead on the fixtures list to plan on who to trade in.

Right now, Wigan Athletic and Aston Villa have a relatively fair and easy start on paper.    

Watch the games rather then relying on statistics. 

Make sure all 15 players you have play week in, week out. 

Good luck :).

Please read Arsenal Transfer Rumours: £60 Million Reasons Why Wenger Must Buy These Players