This article is part of our FPL Barometer series.
It has been two weeks since the latest Premier League action, but we will once again be without some big names when play resumes, as the injury train continues to roll along. Wayne Rooney, David de Gea and John Terry are just a few of those who are expected to be out of commission for this weekend's truncated eight-game slate, which will see talent-rich squads Manchester City, Everton and Liverpool take a break from league action. On the other end of that spectrum, a handful of coveted contributors from earlier in the season are healthy and ready to step back into the spotlight after injury layoffs of their own.
RISING:
Yannick Bolasie (MID)
Crystal Palace have surprisingly scored just four league goals since Bolasie was injured in mid-December, but the Eagles are finally set to get their star man back this weekend, as he returned as a substitute for last weekend's FA Cup match. Bolasie offers extremely useful combined shot and cross totals when he is at his best, and his four league goals (in just 14 starts) still rank second on the team. With fellow midfielder Jason Puncheon out with his own injury, Bolasie should carry a heavy load when he returns this weekend versus West Brom, who he scored against earlier this season.
Dimitri Payet (MID)
Payet endured a 12-match streak (with a long injury layoff sandwiched in) during which he registered just one goal and an assist, but he has replicated his early-season form over his last two matches, with three goals and two helpers. Few FPL options can match his propensity for racking up shots and crosses, and his 12 combined goals and assists in just 18 league starts make him one of the most productive Premier League midfielders on a per-match basis. Factor in that he will square off with a Norwich side who have allowed three goals per match over the last six, and Payet seems primed to continue his resurgence this weekend.
Baba Rahman (DEF)
Rahman entered the starting lineup when Chelsea reshuffled their backline following Terry's latest injury, and he played especially well in last week's daunting Champions League away match against PSG. The new-look defense as a whole has played quite well since the switch, and the 21-year-old could hold his place for the foreseeable future, as the club looks ahead to life after Terry, who is expected to leave this summer. Rahman has offered up eight crosses in his last two matches, and his basement-level salary makes him worth a look as a bargain play.
FALLING:
Steven Naismith (FWD)
Those hoping Naismith's move to Norwich would allow him to flourish were surely encouraged by his goal in his club debut, but he has failed to make an impact since, with no goals and just six shots and four crosses over the last month. The Scot has also been substituted in each of his appearances for the Canaries, who could look to shake things up if they continue to hover just above the relegation zone. Saturday's match versus sixth-place West Ham hardly seems like a chance for him to break out.
Alexis Sanchez (MID)
Alexis has yet to really hit his stride after returning from a two-month injury absence, having gone scoreless in four league matches while looking rather ineffective during Tuesday's Champions League match versus Barcelona. Arsenal have struggled as a whole of late in the attacking third, with just six goals in their last seven, and Sunday's away matchup with the third-ranked Manchester United defense will present another tough task with just a few days to prepare. Alexis is likely one of the most highly-priced options in most formats, and he simply needs to show signs of a breakout before he can justify his place.
Sadio Mane (MID)
Mane briefly appeared to have overcome a slow start to the season, but he is now in the midst of the longest barren stretch of his Southampton career, with no goals and just one assist in 12 matches since early December. Southampton will face a Chelsea side that have been hitting on all cylinders since their managerial change, and Mane will carry little individual momentum into the match.
