As Fantasy Premier League managers can now select their 15-man squads, The Scout analyses standout budget and premium players in each position.
Vladimir Coufal (WHU) £5.0m
West Ham United‘s early schedule immediately raises their prospects of a strong start to the season.
According to the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), only two of their first 10 matches score more than three.
Indeed, three of West Ham’s opening four outings, against Newcastle United, Crystal Palace and Southampton, score only two.
West Ham’s first 10 Gameweeks
| GW | Opponent | FDR | GW | Opponent | FDR |
| 1 | NEW (A) | 2 | 6 | LEE (A) | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | LEI (H) | 4 | 7 | BRE (H) | 2 |
| 3 | CRY (H) | 2 | 8 | EVE (A) | 3 |
| 4 | SOU (A) | 2 | 9 | TOT (H) | 3 |
| 5 | MUN (H) | 4 | 10 | AVL (A) | 3 |
Coufal was a big success in his debut campaign for the Hammers last term.
The right-back combined nine clean sheets with nine assists over his 34 appearances.
Indeed, only his team-mate Aaron Cresswell (£5.5m), with 11 assists, surpassed that latter total among defenders in Fantasy.
Cresswell and Coufal’s 2020/21 assists
The underlying numbers further show Coufal’s potential for attacking returns.
Although he did not make his debut until Gameweek 4 in 2020/21, his 45 chances created placed fifth in defence and second for West Ham.
The Czech was also unfortunate not to find the net last season.
He produced 15 shots, with his 10 shots inside the box more than double the four of the more expensive Cresswell.
Popular pick
Coufal’s cost of only £5.0m has made a big impact on the opening squads of many Fantasy managers.
He is the eighth most-owned defender in the game, found in over 18 per cent of squads.
The defender’s potential for points at both ends of the pitch looks significant based on West Ham’s early schedule.
Also in this series
Part 1: Budget goalkeepers: Sanchez has attractive price and fixtures
Part 2: Budget goalkeepers: Early schedule key to Bachmann appeal
Part 3: Mid-price goalkeepers: Save points raise Henderson potential
Part 4: Mid-price goalkeepers: Meslier offers many routes to returns
Part 5: Budget defenders: Lamptey can make another strong start
Part 7: Budget defenders: Fofana can be go-to pick
Part 8: Budget defenders: Tierney a growing creative influence
Part 9: Premium defenders: Chilwell can be top-scoring defender
