Bundesliga Fantasy expert guide to the promoted teams

With the new season edging closer and closer we take a look at a Bundesliga Fantasy expert guide to the promoted teams. We bring in our regular @FPLGunnersaurus to delve into the new teams and pick out some of the best option for the season ahead.

Ahead of any season looking at a Bundesliga Fantasy expert guide to the promoted teams can be very enlightening. Newly promoted sides can offer some great value budget options in the game that ultimately enable the more pricier ones.

Introduction

1. FC Heidenheim 1846 and SV Darmstadt 98 won promotion to the Bundesliga last season, both having the same number of points but with Heidenheim pipping Darmstadt to the Zweite Bundesliga title on the final day of the campaign.

Heidenheim scored twice in injury time to win 3-2 against Jahn Regensburg, winning the title on goal difference earning entry into Germany’s top league for the first time in their history. For Darmstadt this will be their third foray into the Bundesliga in the last 10 years, having spent the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 seasons there before being relegated after finishing rock bottom. Here we have a look at who could be their top fantasy assets based on their performances last season.

Opening Runs

First, let’s take a look at both teams’ opening runs up until the first unlimited transfers period – not confirmed, but expected to be between MD7-MD8. Heidenheim travel away to Wolfsburg in MD1, before hosting Hoffenheim in MD2. They then face Borussia Dortmund away before hosting Werder Bremen in MD4. In MD5 they’re away to Bayer Leverkusen, host Union Berlin in MD6 and travel once again to face Eintracht Frankfurt in MD7. It’s fair to say that this is a horrible run and life in the Bundesliga may well hit them very hard, very fast. With the exception of the home games in MD2 and MD4 it’s hard to advocate to go near any of Heidenheim’s assets right away.

Darmstadt fare slightly better, but only after MD3. After a MD1 away game to Frankfurt they host Union Berlin in MD2, before travelling to Leverkusen in MD3. They then host Borussia Mönchengladbach in MD4 before going to Stuttgart in MD5. Their last two games before the international break see them host Bremen before another trip on the road to FC Augsburg in MD7. An avoid for the opening three games with a potential for some results thereafter.

Goalkeepers

Heidenheim’s number one keeper is Kevin Muller who in Bundesliga Fantasy has been valued up at 5m. He played in every single game of their promotion winning campaign with 15 clean sheets, a league best. Due to their opening run of games however the Heidenheim shot stopper is probably only worthwhile if you can find another cheap GK to rotate with each matchday.

Likewise, Darmstadt’s goalkeeper Marcel Schuhen has also been valued up at 5m. Darmstadt kept 13 clean sheets last season, a joint second best in the 2. Bundesliga, with Schuhen featuring in 32/34 games. Perhaps one to move to in MD4 but an immediate avoid again unless you’re looking for ‘cheap and cheerful’ in the goalkeeping department.

Defenders

In Bundesliga Fantasy always be on the look out for high-flying fullbacks who tend to pick up the biggest fantasy hauls. Although they didn’t set the league alight with attacking returns last season both Marnon Busch (4m) and Jonas Föhrenbach (4m) are your best bets in defence at Heidenheim. Busch returned two goals and three assists in 30 appearances whilst Föhrenbach racked up six assists in 33 appearances.

For Darmstadt take a look at Fabian Holland (5m), Matthias Bader (5m) and Emir Karic (3m) who all played the wing-back roles in a back five during the season. Both Holland and Bader returned four goal contributions each, however it’s worth checking out in pre-season who the starters look to be on the wings before committing to any of those assets.

Midfielders

With 12 goals and 12 assists last season, and having featured in every game, Heidenheim’s Jan-Niklas Beste is the standout pick from their midfield. Valued at a fair price of 7m, and usually playing on the left of a front three or on the left of a forward three behind the striker, Beste is one to watch. If he starts to return during Heidenheim’s tough opening run, you can bet on him to do better against the ‘weaker’ sides.

At Darmstadt, and with almost as good attacking returns of seven goals and seven assists, Ghanian Braydon Manu is the pick of the bunch from Die Lilien. Valued at a slightly cheaper 6m, compared to Beste, Manu could be a great differential asset in MD4-MD7.

Forwards

The top scorer in the Zweite Bundesliga last season was Heidenheim’s Tim Kleindienst. The German international (albeit he last represented his country in 2016) netted 25 times putting him six goals ahead of his nearest competitor. He also returned seven assists, which resulted on average a goal contribution for every one of his 32 appearances. He comes in at 8m in Bundesliga Fantasy, which in my opinion is a fair price after his output last season. Again though with their fixtures, it’s a wait and see for me.

Darmstadt however have already lost their top scorer from last season after Phillip Tietz moved to fellow Bundesliga side Augsburg. Whilst he lead the way for them with 12 goals, their next best striker currently still at the club in Filip Stojilkovic (4m) only scored three times, albeit after a January transfer from Swiss side Sion. Darmstadt have signed the former Scottish U21 international Fraser Hornby who on loan at Belgian side Oostende last season scored eight times and assisted twice in 21 appearances. Valued at only 3m, keep an eye on him.