Fantasy EFL First Draft

A new fantasy football is here and it covers all three of the Championship, League One and League Two. For that reason we brought in our expert and new contributor for the season ahead @FPLEdgeworth to reveal his Fantasy EFL first draft.

Our expert doesn’t just reveal his side for the start of the season but he also provides some thoughts on why he has backed each of the players. He also shares the two teams he is going to back and rationale behind backing them.

Fantasy EFL First Draft

Goalkeeper

Teddy Sharman-Lowe – Doncaster v Accrington (H) – The new loanee from Chelsea joins a team with momentum from the end of last season. One who still haven’t conceded in pre-season and are up against an Accrington team that have lost key players like Tommy Leigh and Joe Pritchard, I predict a clean sheet for Doncaster.

Defence

Junior Firpo – Leeds United v Portsmouth (H) – The attacking fullback netted a respectable seven assists last season, has scored a goal already in pre-season and faces newly promoted Portsmouth at Elland Road. Because of this I predict Leeds to put on a show and Firpo to have an attacking return, or at least keep a clean sheet.

Luke Ayling – Middlesbrough v Swansea (H) – Another attacking full-back, who grabbed eight assists in 19 games in his second half of the season stint with Middlesbrough which is now permanent. I’m hoping they can put in a statement victory against Swansea in their bid for a good start to the playoffs, so I think we’ll see a clean sheet and maybe an attacking return.

Midfield

Sammie Szmodics (C) – Blackburn v Derby (H) – Although rumoured to go, until he does he is a lock in my team. He is a midfielder who scored 27 goals last season and opens up his new campaign against a newly promoted side at home. I will not be going against him, and I predict a return or two as Szmodics always delivers with Blackburn.

Daniel Crowley – Notts County v Tranmere (A) – My first player to be playing away for his game. But, note that when it comes to Crowley and Notts County for goals, this does not matter. Crowley, who grabbed 25 G/A last season, which is no mean feat for a midfielder in a team that on average two goals scored per game last season, goes straight to my team. I expect a return or two from him against a mediocre Tranmere.

Forwards

Alfie May (VC) – Birmingham City v Reading (H) – This is a definition of a goal scorer. A player who scored 23 goals for lower mid-table Charlton last season joins Birmingham City, a team way too big for League One. This means he can only improve on last year’s tally, where he will start his season with goals against a Reading side who are still under a transfer ban.

Crysencio Summerville – Leeds United Vs Portsmouth (H) – Another player surrounded with transfer news and will be almost be a guarantee if he stays for my GW1 team is Summerville. He notched up 19 goals and nine assists last season against, as previously mentioned, a newly promoted side, which means I couldn’t go without my only double up with players on the team.

My Two Teams

West Brom v QPR (A) – Please note that, due to additional points for away wins over home wins, I will only be picking teams who are away this week and for every week. Therefore my first time I will be picking is Playoff Semi Finalists West Brom who play a QPR team who barely survived relegation. So, I think this is a definite win for West Brom and, hopefully, a clean sheet and 2+ goals for the additional points.

Blackpool v Crawley (A) – My second team is Blackpool, who are again away and against a team that came up surprising and completely ripped their playoff winning team apart. I think the regret of doing that will sink in, starting with a bad loss to Blackpool who just missed out on the playoffs last season.

Thanks for reading, please note that this is only a first draft and could change depending on transfers, more pre-season results and other things. My final team will be posted closer to the first game kicking off here!