Waiver Wire 1: An Occasional Recurring Column

Adama Traore, James Ward-Prowse and free agent targets

Fulham captured all three points, a number of back pages and the hearts of FPL draft managers everywhere this weekend. First, Marco Silva’s Cottagers handed Everton a home loss at Goodison, then they announced the signing of free agent Adama Traore. The Spain international had been out of contract following his spell with Wolverhampton and elected to remain in England as part of Fulham’s rebuilding project. Adama headlines this weeks Waiver Wire 1 - the first in a semi-regular column I’m publishing periodically this season. Doubt it will be a weekly thing, but certainly during the transfer window and after international breaks you should keep an eye out for it.

"I like the club. I also have information from Raul, who seems to love the club." -Adama Traore

The 27 year old Traore hasn’t been an FPL force since 2019-20 when he scored four goals with nine assists across 37 EPL appearances for Wolves. That was his age 23 season, when his well-oiled arms and wing play left the opposition grasping at air. Three underwhelming years, including a loan stint with Barcelona, have passed since then leaving Traore in need of regular minutes and a comeback. In the opening match 28 year old Harrison Reed played the right side of midfield. This is Reed’s fourth year with Fulham after beginning his career with Southampton then making stops with Norwich City and Blackburn. Last year was his best top flight output with three goals and four assists. It’s highly unlikely Traore would revert to the right wing-back role he had with Wolves and that would be a bit harsh on Kenny Tete after the fine season he put in last term. The arrival of Traore is perhaps another sign pointing to the sooner-rather-than-later departure of Aleksandar Mitrović, who started Saturday from the bench.

If Mitrović does leave, that opens greater opportunity for Adama and former Wolves teammate Raúl Jiménez to rekindle their partnership. That would most likely shift Harry Wilson back to the super-sub role he occupied last term when the former Liverpool man made 29 appearances but only 13 starts - he finished with a pair of goals and three assists in 1,100’. A front line of Willian - Jiménez - Traore certainly looks stronger on paper, and Fulham may be following Hollywood’s lead and grasping for any bit of legacy sequel nostalgia. Adama is certainly a well-known brand they can try to squeeze a last bit of value from.

Adama is this weeks top waiver priority in most leagues, with the next player on this list nipping close on his heels. If you’re in a league with a resetting waiver order (ie - each week the team at the bottom of the table gets WW1) he’s worth a punt at the top. If you’re in a league with conventional waivers (use your waiver, drop to the bottom of the order) I wouldn’t risk a top 5 pick here because I think there will be enough other value coming into the league through transfer of opportunity. Similarly, in a Free Agency Acquisition Budget (FAAB) bidding model, I’m not spending more than 10% of my budget here and only then if I’m seriously worried about the loss of Kane, or Callum Wilson coming off the bench for Newcastle.

Reminder: these are free, but if you’d like to support the work you can for $15/year. Thanks!

Oh When James Ward-Prowse, Comes to West Ham

One club, twelve seasons and nearly 400 competitive appearances, more than 300 starts and 50 goals; it’s been a remarkable run for Ward-Prowse with the Saints and one I’m sad to see come to an end. In a week when Harry Kane left Tottenham and England for Bayern Munich and second-place finishes (well, he couldn’t leave it all behind), it was unlikely Ward-Prowse would get many flowers outside of Southampton. From a fantasy perspective, his free kick ability has long bolstered his overall value and drawn, rightly for FPL, a disproportionate amount of attention. The 28 year old is a well-rounded footballer who is more than capable of cracking West Ham’s starting rotation and should be a nailed-on starter for David Moyes if the mad Scott really offloads Lucas Paquetá to Man City.

You know how I just mentioned that Ward-Prowse is an underrated, well-rounded footballer? You’ll also note then that I did not say he was better than current day Lucas Paquetá. You cannot replace Declan Rice and Paquetá with JW-P and Scott McTominay and run the same offense. A less kind author might suggest your can’t run any offense at all. That may play into FPL managers hands, with JW-P likely to retain set piece duty. Hammers were middle of the pack last season with 11 set piece goals, but Ward-Prowse has been in a class of his own.

As you may have guessed by now, the four goals from set pieces this season is nothing new for the Englishman. In 2021/22, Ward-Prowse (4 from 23) was the top scorer of Premier League free-kick goals. Also, the four from 20 attempts in 2020/21 mean this season’s personal accolade made it a successive hat-trick. 

In 2020/21, only nine other players could score from a free-kick in the Premier League. Moreover, not one of Ward-Prowse’s top-tier colleagues managed two or more. The season after, only Kieran Trippier (2) oversaw multiple strikes.

The current configuration of West Ham attack will rely heavily on Jarrod Bowen and Said Benrahma, the duo were 1st and 2nd in xG last season and also 1st and 2nd in xA. Just behind them was Michail Antonio (6.6 xG) and Paqueta (4.4 xG, 2.5 xA); both players are on the potential list of outgoings. And the potential incomings seem to be stalled as well with all the ground-less, fact-less, feckless transfer accounts breathlessly rehashing the same “information” about Harry Maguire’s deal stalling over either the Board coming to their senses over the cost or Maguire coming to his senses about the massive cut to his guaranteed wages.

In short - this team is a mess, and I haven’t faith enough that there is significant value for JWP. I’ll be looking to add him for cheap FAAB money, maybe a bottom 1-2 of the WW order, and certainly as a free agent the moment waivers clear. Then I’ll sadly stare at him, buried deep on the end of the bench each week, occasionally pockmarked by fits of rage in the 7-9 weeks when he picks up an assist and I’ve squandered his 10-point game.

Pau Torres was already covered in the earlier post. This is what I wrote there so you don’t have to click back through.

Torres was similarly ever-present for Villareal, making 133 La Liga starts across the past four seasons. In that time, the Spain international scored 10 goals with four assists but is coming off his worst attacking season in that span with just one goal and zero goals in 3,054’. He is immediately a low Waiver priority if you need a DEF3/4, but ideally you’re targeting him as a free agent pick up the morning after waivers run.

Watching for the Drop

Mahmoud Dahoud started for a Brighton side which scored four goals against a Luton team that looked well out of their depth in the top flight. For his troubles (and depending on your scoring) Dahoud scored about seven (7) points. That’s not bad, but a 4-1 win is about as positive an outcome as Brighton has any right to expect and the lack of total points is down to his near total absence in the final third of the pitch.

I still believe in him, but the No. 67 midfielder has done very little in the curtain raiser to justify anything more than a MID5 rank in as 12-team league. He shouldn’t be out the door because his position is secured and we all could use a little stability in this mad game.

How much of a mess is West Ham? Today Alphonse Areola started over Lukasz Fabianski, after which the boss had this to say:

“I've got two No.1 goalkeepers, and today I chose Areola.” -Moyes on choosing Areola over Fabianski.

It has perhaps escaped David Moyes’ memory that they have had Areola on the books since 2021 and he had previously made /checks notes/ three (3) Premier League starts. When he’s on his game, Fab is a formidable FPL GK. Today in a draw Areola still managed eight points, which is solid. So Moyes has gone and fucked that up for us as well. If the Hammers are facing mid-table opposition or lower, I’m happy to stream whoever is starting for them. I’m not currently adding Areola or dropping Fab.

Pedro Porro started from the bench, with his replacement (well, sort of) Emerson Royal playing a very aggressive right wing-back role, scoring the second goal for Spurs. As a reminder, this was Spurs final XI of the 2022-23 season, with Porro in the wing-back/winger slot on the right. In that match, Emerson did start as well, and there was a lot of hope on my part - as reflected in my ranks - that Ange would continue to use Porro in a hybrid role, not unlike how Klopp deployed Trent Alexander-Arnold in the pre-season. If it’s to be Skipp and Bissouma in the center and Emerson in a flat back four (to be fair, for much of the match it looked like Ange was running a 2-4-3-1 and Spurs went into the break lucky to be level at 2-2), then Porro is the odd man out until he wins the job outright from Emerson.

GW38 2022-23

In the opening week, it was again Skipp and Bissouma in the center of the pitch, with Son, Maddison and Kulusevski occupying the three attacking slots behind loan striker Richarlison. Porro has been considered a defensive liability but Emerson did hardly anything in the back, while contributing more in the middle third. That is Porro’s sweet spot - I’m looking to add Emerson as a free agent, especially if I own Porro. Hate having to handcuff defenders, but this spot is worth some insurance especially if the tactics on display GW1 are the tactics we’ll see all season.

When Will Jack Be Back?

This weekend ended on a strong note, with Leeds’ Jack Harrison tipped with a return to the EPL - first with Everton, then with Aston Villa, then briefly, hilariously, with Chelsea, then back to Everton.

All the facts you need are right here:

I don’t know if this loan arrival changes the math on Everton’s likely season-long relegation battle, but being in a relegation battle has never stopped Harrison from performing for club and fantasy club. Let me be clear: Harrison is a WW1 worthy addition. There may be bigger names that emerge through transfers or injuries which occur in the next couple of couple of weeks. It could happen that you regret spending the top waiver priority on a player with two full weeks to go but it’s also true that there are very few players who will be able to join in a position like Jack at Everton, and with the established track record of getting you double-figures in g+a. If I’m playing in FAAB system, I’m willing to spend up to 25% of my total FAAB budget acquiring him and I’ll be looking to have as many shares as I can across my leagues.