Bundesliga Fantasy Promoted Teams Best Picks
In this article we take a look at the Bundesliga Fantasy promoted teams best picks in preparation for the new season. Regular contributor and Bundesliga Fantasy expert @FPLGunnersaurus dives into the promoted teams and picks out some of the best options to own.
Our Bundesliga Fantasy promoted teams best picks could be absolutely crucial this season. With the new rule changes implemented by the game cheap value assets have become much more important this season. So, knowing who the best picks are could be essential.
Goalkeepers
Nikola Vasilj (7m / STP) – St. Pauli were the 2. Bundesliga’s top defence last season shipping the league fewest goals. Bosnian goalkeeper Vasilj was ever present throughout the season, keeping 10 clean sheets in his 34 starts.
He made 2.3 saves per game too, racking up a total of 85 for the season. This was only the 13th best out of all goalkeepers. But, considering the jump into the Bundesliga one would expect the Kiezkicker’s ‘keeper to be busier than last season. Opening games against Heidenheim and Union Berlin are games St. Pauli could well be victorious in. So, Vasilj may not be too busy to start with.
Timon Weiner (7m / KSV) – Also priced at 7m is Kiel’s number one shot stopper Timon Weiner. Just behind St. Pauli it was Kiel who boasted the second best defensive record in the league and Weiner may have contributed more towards that than Vasilj did with St. Pauli’s record.
In his 30 starts the German kept 14 clean sheets and racked up 103 saves at a rate of 3.3 per game. He also kept out two of the five penalties he faced. The first two games for Die Störche against Hoffenheim and Wolfsburg may well be a baptism of fire. However they are also games you would think Weiner has a chance to rake in plenty of save points.
Preferred Pick – Timon Weiner (7m / KSV)
Defenders
Manolis Saliakas (8m / STP) – With three St. Pauli defenders all priced at 8m it is their Greek flying full-back Saliakas who gets the nod here. Despite improved ways that defenders can score in the 24-25 Bundesliga season Bundesliga Fantasy still favours attacking players more.
Saliakas played as the right sided wing-back in a 3-4-3 formation last season. As such he was involved with a lot of attacks moving forward resulting in him netting twice and supplying a brace of assists. What is interesting to note is that this season players score points for successful crosses in Bundesliga Fantasy. Saliakas supplied 67 crosses from open play last season, top for St. Pauli, which if replicated could bag the Greek a tonne of points.
Timo Becker (8m / KSV) – If you thought Saliakas was an attacking threat feast your eyes on Becker. Playing as a right wing-back Becker was actually Kiel’s third top scorer last season with seven league goals and also supplied three assists. He also averaged a shot per game, won 57% of his total duels and had a 37% successful dribbling rate.
With players now picking up points per action Becker could be one of the budget gems of the season. If he can perform as he did in Kiel’s promotion winning campaign he could have a 22-23 Mitchell Weiser-esque season and bag managers heaps of points all over the pitch. Despite some tough fixtures to start with he could be someone managers look to pick up sooner rather than later.
Preferred Pick – Timo Becker (8m / KSV)
Midfielders
Jackson Irvine (9m / STP) – St. Pauli have a couple of stand out midfield picks, both from the land down under. One is 7m valued Connor Metcalfe who had eight goal involvements last season. However, ahead of him is fellow Aussie and club captain Jackson Irvine.
Irvine scored six goals last season and supplied nine assists too. He also fired off 50 shots. With Hartel leaving Irvine will be St. Pauli’s chief creator. And despite the jump to the top flight I would not be surprised to see Irvine surpass his exploits from last season.
Irvine did pick up eight yellow cards last season which was a club worst. So, he may miss a game here and here due to suspension. That said I have an early season feeling that St. Pauli could be the Heidenheim of this season and expect they and Irvine to do very well this season.
Steven Skrzbyski (8m / KSV) – Like St. Pauli Kiel have a couple of midfielders that could find their way into our squads at some point this season. They include players like Lewis Holtby (6m) who registered 12 attacking returns last season. Skrzbyski however in my opinion is far ahead of Holtby and is probably the stand out asset overall from Kiel.
Skrzbyski was their top scorer last season with 10 goals, returned four assists and took 62 shots which was seven more than Holtby. Whereas, Holtby plays in a central midfield role Skrzbyski plays on the right hand side of what is normally a front three. Managers will be looking for someone who could be this season’s Jan-Niklas Beste as a budget gem from one of the promoted sides. When the fixtures get good Skrzbyski could be someone we look at to fill a budget enabling spot.
Preferred Pick – Jackson Irvine (9m / STP)
Forwards
Johannes Eggestein (7m / STP) – With last season’s top scorer Marcel Hartel having left for the MLS one of St. Pauli’s other strikers will need to step up their game. All of Eggestein, Afolayan and Saad performed well last season. However, it is Eggestein who just pips Afolayan and Saad as my pick. He scored nine goals, registered four assists and fired off 68 shots last season. This just puts him ahead of their other strikers.
Eggestein (the brother of Maximilian at SC Freiburg) is also St. Pauli’s central striker. The other two play either side of him so he should find himself at the centre of a lot of chances this season. I definitely would not be surprised to see him net a couple of goals in their first few fixtures.
Alexander Bernhardsson (7m / KSV) – Priced the same as my St. Pauli pick Swede Bernhardsson is my striker pick from Holstein Kiel. Bernhardsson only joined Kiel from January from Swedish side IF Elfsborg after netting six times in their Allsvenskan campaign. But he very quickly nailed down a starting spot.
He scored four times in his 13 appearances for Kiel. This included a late flurry at the end with three goals in his last seven appearances. With a number of tough fixtures to begin with however I would probably avoid any Kiel attacker at least at the start of the new season.
Preferred Pick – Johannes Eggestein (7m / STP)
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