Fantrax Finds & Sleeper Adds: Waiver Wire Pickups for Gameweek 9

Fantrax Finds & Sleeper Adds: Waiver Wire Pickups for Gameweek 9

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

Bart Verbruggen (15%-rostered at Fantrax, 10% Sleeper): Verbruggen was a top keeper in Gameweek 8, scoring 23 Fantrax points during a six-save shutout of Newcastle on Saturday. The keeper is still fairly under-rostered after returning from injury and taking the No. 1 spot from Jason Steele. Even better, he's home against Wolves in the upcoming gameweek. Of course, that match is followed by Liverpool and Manchester City on the upcoming schedule, so he may only be a one-week addition for now.

DEFENDERS

Ashley Young (22% Fantrax, 0% Sleeper): Young was a recommendation in this article before Gameweek 6 and has impressed since, now with four straight double-digit efforts following a 17.5-point performance during the 2-0 win over Ipswich. While back-to-back clean sheets have helped boost his point totals, Young gets consistent floor points from tackles, interceptions and clearances while not being a complete dud going forward with six chances created over his last four starts. The question will be if he can hold onto a starting role once Seamus Coleman and Nathan Patterson get back their fitness.

Use our Fixture Difficulty Ranker to spot easy or tough schedules for the rest of the season.

Ryan Manning (1% Fantrax, 0% Sleeper): I wouldn't recommend Manning for this week's match against Manchester City, but he's one to monitor moving forward after an impressive 14-point total against Leicester City. Manning has started back-to-back fixtures as a left-sided midfielder/wing-back, whipping in eight crosses and creating four chances while also taking five corners in the match Saturday. That kind of production leads to a potential high-upside defender even on a relegation-threatened team, similar to Leif Davis this season and Alfie Doughty at Luton Town last campaign.

MIDFIELDERS

Christian Eriksen (13% Fantrax, 2% Sleeper): I'm keeping Eriksen on this list after recommending him last week, as he only went up three percent and scored another nine points without a goal involvement during Saturday's 2-1 win over Brentford. Eriksen continues to take corners, leading to crosses and chances created which will eventually lead to goal involvements. Eriksen had a great chance to score Saturday, as well, but the fact he didn't might lead to him going under the radar on waivers for another week. United are also in a good run of their schedule with only one match against a top-half side over their next five fixtures.

Jacob Ramsey (30% Fantrax, 11% Sleeper): Ramsey is no guarantee to keep starting with John McGinn healthy again, but he played well Saturday, providing an assist while scoring 13 points during the 3-1 win over Fulham. Ramsey is a quality streamer when he starts capabale of taking shots, crossing and creating chances for one of the better teams in the Premier League.

FORWARDS

Evan Ferguson (22% Fantrax, 2% Sleeper): Danny Welbeck scored again but also left Saturday's match with an injury that looks like it could cost him a week or two. That should lead to more time for Ferguson with Joao Pedro also out. If both are out the next couple weeks, Ferguson should line up at the No. 9 role where he's had success in the past, highlighted by a hat trick early last season. Ferguson's main issue has been health, but he's on the pitch at the moment and could be starting for one of the more attacking sides in the league.

Cameron Archer (5% Fantrax, 4% Sleeper): Like Eriksen, Archer deserves another shout after rising just three percentage points ahead of making a start and scoring against Leicester en route to 13 fantasy points. Even a forward on a relegation-threatened side is worth picking up as the position is always thin on the waiver wire. Considering he's scored in back-to-back matches that should also help keep him in the XI over the likes of Adam Armstrong, Ben Brereton Diaz and Ross Stewart.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ethan Sexton
Ethan Sexton covers soccer and is RotoWire's original League of Legends content provider (starting in late 2015). He is a fan of the Philadelphia Phillies, Chelsea FC, Bayer Leverkusen, AS Roma and the Boston Bruins.
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