Top Player Picks: Week 28

It's just another manic Monday for the staff here at Rotoworld's PL department. One gameweek ended about 24 hours ago, and another begins 24 hours from now. I am here to fill in for your reliable picks expert, Nik Argiropoulos, and hope to provide a solid fill-in voice in his place. As the resident Bargain Hunter, this is like getting to shop with a no-limit credit card when I am usually clipping coupons to shop on a limited budget.

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I can report on behalf of Nik that his AM FC had a solid week. It continues to be a difficult road to navigate to surpass that 100 point threshold for all of us, as we miss the days of picking ten men to add to Luis Suarez's guaranteed 20 or more points. AM FC picked up a solid 91 points this past weekend and I can tell you there will be some rivalry down the stretch as my club, Silva Can Costa Mutch Sterling, has been neck and neck with him most of the season. As of this writing, we are separated by a mere ONE point, or another way to measure, the amount of fantasy points Tim Howard is managing per MONTH.

Week 27 Fixtures
Aston Villa v West Brom

Hull City v Sunderland

Southampton v Crystal Palace

Manchester City v Leicester City

Newcastle v Manchester United

QPR v Arsenal

Tottenham v Swansea City

Stoke City v Everton

West Ham United v Chelsea

Liverpool v Burnley

QPR v Tottenham

The biggest factor at play in this week's selection process, well actually there are two, is the double gameweek for Tottenham and QPR, along with the "rest factor" that needs to be considered as many will be playing on just two full day's rest. This complicates matters even further for options among Spurs, as their second match of the double will mark their fourth match in nine days. Still, even with the risk of the likes of Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen playing just one of the two matches, both fixtures are appealing enough to warrant investment should they only play one, or one and change. As far as QPR go, even though they have both games at Loftus, investment outside of Charlie Austin may be a fool's errand.

For the non-double gameweek fixtures that appeal, Liverpool look especially tantalizing. Coming off the big win against Manchester City, they stay in the friendly confines of Anfield to face Burnley. The Reds have a ton of options that can do more damage in this one match than Rangers can with their two. City themselves have a potential lucrative day in store. They return to the Etihad to face basement-dwellers, Leicester City.

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KEEPERS
Hugo Lloris - Rest could come into play for other Spurs, but Lloris should be starting both games. A no-brainer.
Simon Mignolet - Red hot Reds should keep up their defending prowess at home to the Clarets.

Joe Hart - The man who stopped a Messi penalty in the CL is home to last place Leicester. City aren't keeping things as clean as Pool though, so Hart is behind "Multiple Miggs".

Brad Guzan (*bargain hunter special) - Villa are terrible and I wouldn't look for bargains at this position this week, but if you must, he is at least home to a WBA side that are having health issues with their forwards. This could go 0-0.

DEFENDERS
Danny Rose - Rose should have enough in his young tank to start both games for Spurs at left back.
Ryan Bertrand - Saints defensive record, especially at home, too good to ignore despite a Palace side that are scoring with ease on the road right now.

Daryl Janmaat - With Papiss Cisse clear of any injury or international commitment at the moment, he will be scoring. Janmaat is likeliest to assist, as he did over the weekend where he amassed 21 points.
Pablo Zabaleta - A double digit score over the weekend now defends at home against the Foxes. Should bomb forward with ease.
Kieran Trippier - The top defender of the league for a relegation zoned team is all you need to know that Trippier is money week after week, the only question is do you have the money to afford him?
Joleon Lescott - Has quietly climbed the defender leaderboard to where he is now in the top 10. You have to play a defender against Villa don't you?
Kurt Zouma (*bargain hunter special) - Praised by Mourinho for his performance in the cup final, Zouma looks set for a run in the league's best side at a lovely price, though a clean sheet may be tricky away to West Ham.
Philipp Wollscheid - Wollscheid has another home game after helping Stoke to a clean sheet over the weekend.

MIDFIELDERS
Raheem Sterling - Should make the XI regardless, but if Sturridge isn't starting, then Sterling is playing as a striker. Too good to resist.
Christian Eriksen - Spurs playmaker will certainly start one, perhaps both. Space needs to be made for him in the XI.
David Silva - City's best midfield weapon should create plenty of chances at the Etihad
Phillip Coutinho - Continues to get better as the season goes on, fresh off of last week's wonder goal.
Mile Jedinak - Palace have been unbeatable on the road lately, but even if that run comes to an end at St. Mary's, Jedinak stuffs all the stats that don't make the headlines. *Note - jus as this column goes to print, a story has emerged that the FA are charging Jedinak with violent conduct. Do not lock him in to a fantasy XI until it has been confirmed that he will be available for Week 28.
Sadio Mane - Show me the Mane. Opposite Palace are Southampton, who's hottest midfielder will be looking to pick up fantasy points the old-fashioned way - scoring.
Nacer Chadli (*bargain hunter special) - Certainly a risk to only start one for Spurs, but the chance to at least appear in two, with one against Rangers is enough to put him here considering his low price.
Eden Hazard - Capable of being the top mid in any given week, he is lower than usual for the slight risk of rest following a cup final and a tricky fixture away to West Ham. For his lofty price, that makes him not as essential.
Cesc Fabregas - If you have had him all season at a discount, you have to keep him and play him, but temper expectations for the same reason as Hazard above.

Arsenal midfielders - Too murky to suggest one as rest/rotation looks likely to come into play. Mesut Ozil isn't exactly known for being an engine so his spot might go to Theo Walcott. Santi Cazorla is probably the most reliable of the three to start, but for 18m, its a risk.

STRIKERS
Harry Kane - Too risky to not be in your XI should he start both games and can do enough damage in one to warrant selection.
Sergio Aguero - Home to Leicester is screaming "brace or better" for the Argentine.
Charlie Austin - His home scoring record cannot be ignored in a double gameweek featuring two home games, even if both opponents are vastly superior.
Wayne Rooney - Huge haul last week and likely to continue playing up top where he can be fantasy gold again.
Papiss Cisse - It would be silly to bet against Cisse and his goal rate, even with Manchester United as an opponent.

Dame N'Doye - Didn't make the XI over the weekend but featured and all signs point to him starting midweek. Best looking forward option from the players kicking off on Tuesday. Ideal for those who want a nice score before Wednesday.

Alexis Sanchez - Has cooled off in recent weeks as the likes of Mesut Ozil have begun to produce. Like Fabregas, if he has been a season long discount for you, you have to stay put. If Ozil is rested, it might be good news for Sanchez.

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So those are the players I'm considering for my Week 28 Yahoo team. Please make sure you check back here on Tuesday for Ben Dinnery's team and injury news column, where he'll piece together all the injury notes and more for this very quick turnaround.

My own team page currently looks like this ...

XI: Lloris; Bertrand, Zouma, Okore; Walcott, Fabregas, Eriksen, Sterling; Sanchez, Aguero, Kane

I am still married to the likes of Fabregas and Sanchez for their discounts and Okore, who I purchased for 1.07m, looks poised to retain his spot as Ron Vlaar remains a doubt. The biggest issue for me is no Austin. I will be thinking long and hard about whether selling Sanchez is a good idea. Now if you'll excuse me, I have been distracted by recent word that Adam Johnson is under arrest. More to come on that news here at Rotoworld.

How's your Week 28 team looking?