In each issue of the Official Programme and on whufc.com, we will analyse players' performances and provide tips on how to (hopefully) succeed in Fantasy Premier League (FPL)!
As the Premier League fixtures are squashed together to make way for a winter FIFA World Cup, so too are the FPL deadlines.
Ahead of a mid-week of Premier League action, your transfer deadline sits at 6pm on Tuesday 18 October.
After netting his first goal of the season against Southampton - and the team sitting at the top of the Official West Ham United league being Rice Rice Baby - who else can we pick out than the skipper, Declan Rice!
What can Rice bring to your FPL team?
A day after the Gameweek 12 FPL deadline, West Ham United head to Liverpool, looking to further their five-game unbeaten run in all competitions.
Key to that run has been Rice, a player who has excelled for the Irons, with his ability to break up the play and start Hammers’ attacks.
An all-round midfielder, the skipper has shown a tendency in recent matches to find himself further up the field. His dynamic with Tomáš Souček has seen both members of the formidable midfielder duo given the chance to break forward. And with Lucas Paquetá dropping deep to pick up the ball, Rice has found himself with the cover to surge forwards.
That happened at St Mary’s Stadium where Rice combined with Saïd Benrahma and curled a delightful equaliser into the bottom corner from the edge of the area. A stunning strike saw the skipper register his best individual Gameweek haul of ten points, picking up five for his goal, three in bonuses, and two for minutes played.
But Rice has shown he has the ability to contribute at both ends of the pitch already this season. Six FPL points came against both Aston Villa and Chelsea, with Rice assisting Pablo Fornals and Michail Antonio respectively.
As it stands, Rice’s price sits at £4.8m – a slight fall from a starting price of £5.0m. The skipper’s ownership also stands at 4.1%, as the Hammers head to Anfield and then Old Trafford on either side of a home fixture against AFC Bournemouth.
West Ham’s next five fixtures: LIV (A), BOU (H), MUN (A), CRY (H), LEI (A)
Opposition watch: Mo Salah
Mo Salah did pretty well in FPL last season, and very well the campaigns before that too.
The Liverpool attacker registered 265 points in 2021/22. It was the fourth time he took the title of FPL top-points scorer in the last five seasons.
This season Manchester City’s Erling Haaland is challenging him for that crown, and by his own high standards, some FPL bosses have been forced to look elsewhere - such is the price of Salah, which sits at £12.7m.
Owned by almost a third of FPL bosses, the Liverpool No11 has only passed ten points twice this season and somehow picked up just three FPL points as Jurgen Klopp’s men defeated AFC Bournemouth 9-0 at Anfield last month.
However, a return to form looks on the cards after he struck against Manchester City on Sunday.
Like Jarrod Bowen, Salah was one of only five players to score over 200 points during the 2021/22 season. The Hammers are aware of his threat as they head to Anfield, although Salah did not net against West Ham last season.
Liverpool's next five fixtures: WHU (H), NFO (A), LEE (H), TOT (A), SOU (H)
Join the West Ham United Programme League!
While the 2022/23 FPL season is well underway, there is still time to join the West Ham United Programme League and earn monthly prizes!
Overall, Andy Griffiths’ Rice Rice Baby is leading the way with 734 points, just ahead of Ryan Wiles’ Backstreet Moyes in second-place.
To join the West Ham United Programme League, simply enter the code jiymp8.
