This article is part of our Fantrax Waiver Wire series.
Ahead of each Premier League gameweek, I'll take a look at sub-50 percent rostered players on Fantrax and Sleeper whose situations may have changed or improved, and assess whether or not they are worth a pickup in season-long leagues.
GOALKEEPER
Alphonse Areola (25% Fantrax, 33% Sleeper)
It's smart to pick on relegation-bound teams when it comes to using goalkeepers, as Areola and West Ham get a home match against lowly Southampton in Gameweek 33. The Saints have scored just two goals across their last three matches, and West Ham enter the week with the third-best clean sheet odds.
DEFENDERS
Ryan Sessegnon (18% Fantrax, 12% Sleeper)
Prior to Gameweek 32, Sessegnon wasn't in consideration, but he started in an attacking role and has made the score sheet in his last three starts in all competitions. If he continues in this advanced role he's a worthy option at defender, and he'll be eligible for clean sheet points while playing in the attacking third.
Use our Fixture Difficulty Ranker to spot easy or tough schedules for the rest of the season.
Conor Bradley (54% Fantrax, 41% Sleeper)
If Bradley is still available in your league, he's also a priority pickup at defender with Trent Alexander-Arnold expected to miss a few more games. Bradley has shown to be a worthy fill-in in the past and has attacking upside as long as he's in the XI. He only went 68 minutes against West Ham, but had a shot and chance created in addition to winning four tackles.
MIDFIELDERS
James McAtee (19% Fantrax, 5% Sleeper)
It's hard to guarantee starts for McAtee moving forward, but he's worth a look at midfield following his 16-point performance which included a goal during Saturday's 5-2 win over Crystal Palace. McAtee has plenty of competition for starts, but with City out of the title race amidst a disappointing season, Pep Guardiola could be looking at the likes of McAtee to see how he fits into his squad for next season.
Matt O'Riley (10% Fantrax, 13% Sleeper)
O'Riley has started in back-to-back matches, particularly impressing during Saturday's 2-2 draw with Leicester City in which he scored 16 points without a goal involvement. The midfielder has shown himself capable of getting forward, as he had three shots in the match. The one downside for O'Riley is that he's yet to go 90 minutes in a match this season, though on a per-90 basis, he's one of the better options available.
FORWARDS
Jota Silva (10% Fantrax, 8% Sleeper)
Silva was rewarded with a start against Everton after scoring in two straight fixtures from the bench. The forward only lasted 59 minutes, but he scored 6.5 points which is a pretty solid output. The question will be whether he gets the nod in the XI again, as Anthony Elanga seems to be fit again after being the one who replaced Silva against Everton.
Donyell Malen (22% Fantrax, 12% Sleeper)
Malen could be in line for more starts, as he's scored in three straight fixtures following his goal off the bench at the weekend against Southampton. His lone positive is that he's not eligible for Champions League matches, making him closer to 100-percent fit compared to teammates who are playing midweek. Because of that, he'll hope to return to the XI against Newcastle in Gameweek 33.
