Sky differential picks for 2022/23 | OneFootball

Picking the right Sky Sports Fantasy Football players from the start could be crucial this season, with no early overhaul a few weeks into the season.

While Sky managers will have an extra 10 transfers this season, they will have to wait until the World Cup break in November to completely freshen up their sides.

A selection of age-old reliable Sky picks such as Mohamed Salah (£11.7m), Virgil van Dijk (£10.7m) and Joao Cancelo (£11.0m) will therefore be popular picks come Friday.

But going differential this season does not necessarily have to mean risky.

There are plenty of players who should be solid Sky selections and warrant higher ownerships than they currently have.

We have put together a list of under-the-radar players to consider for your Sky teams.

Some of the following picks were discussed on the Hub’s Sky 3 for 1 podcast this week, so make sure to check it out before Friday’s Gameweek 1 deadline.

Sky differentials: Defenders

Eric Dier (£8.4m) – 8.36%

The Spurs centre-back scored 180 points in 35 games last season, earning 42 points from passing.

He finished the season with a trio of ten-pointers – thanks to clean sheets and tier-two bonus in all three games.

Spurs under Antonio Conte finished the 2021/22 season with five clean sheets in eight games and are tipped to be defensively solid this time around.

Dier comes in more than £2million less than the priciest Manchester City and Liverpool defenders and could represent real value alongside our next pick.

Eric Dier

Cristian Romero (£7.8m) – 6.6%

Romero seems to have been a fixture in many a draft within the Twitter community but he is certainly not a template pick, with well under 10% ownership.

That could rocket if the Argentine and Spurs hit form early on.

Romero scored 97 points in 21 games last season, featuring 21 points’ worth of passing bonus and 16 from tackle bonus.

His tackle-bonus potential sets him apart from Dier, who managed no bonus in this category last season.

Bear in mind however that Romero missed a number of games through injury, including a hamstring problem which kept him out for 16 games.

He remains a strong contender for Gameweek 1 however, with or without his teammate as a Spurs double.

If he stays fit, he could end up being one of the best-value players in the game.

Kalidou Koulibaly (£9.3m) – 4.34%

Tuesday, August 30 is a potentially tricky day to cover with a captaincy pick.

Fulham face Brighton, Crystal Palace play Brentford, Leeds host Everton and Southampton welcome Chelsea.

Sky managers may face difficulties in bringing in a Chelsea player on this day, depending on the structure of their side.

While many managers will wait to see how Chelsea’s form develops and new signings bed in, Koulibaly could be a viable pick from the off.

Expected to slot straight into a back three, buyers will hope to see the kind of passing returns enjoyed by the now-departed Antonio Rudiger last season.

Wesley Fofana (£7.5m) – 1.91%

On the Chelsea front, Leicester’s Fofana has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.

If the transfer happens, expect interest in Fofana to increase significantly.

And even if he stays at Leicester, he could still be an alternative to William Saliba (£7.4m) if the 2.71% owned Arsenal centre-back starts the season and doesn’t retain his place long term.

Fofana at Leicester would also be a captain option for the single game day against Manchester United in Gameweek 4.

Fofana spent the majority of last season out injured, starting just seven games towards the end of the season. He hit passing bonus four times and tackles once.

Rasmus Kristensen (£7.2m) – 1.2%

The Danish full-back comes to the Premier League with a reputation for attacking returns.

See our Leeds team preview for a bunch of enticing stats.

We will also add in the potential for tackle bonus here. According to WhoScored, the Dane averaged 4.6 tackles per game in eight Champions League games for Salzburg.

Leeds rank second on the Hub’s fixture ticker for defensive prospects over the first 10 gameweeks.

If the Yorkshire side can improve on their clean sheet figure from last season, Kristensen could be an excellent choice.

And there’s every chance they could do so. Under Marcelo Bielsa, Leeds conceded 60 goals in 26 games – an average of 2.31 goals per game.

Under Jesse Marsch, they conceded 19 goals in 12 matches – an average of 1.58 goals per game.

Sky differentials: Midfielders

Harvey Barnes. Picture by Getty Images

Harvey Barnes (£8.0m) – 2.81%

Barnes made 24 starts last season, scoring six goals and assisting 12 for a total of 150 points.

He represents a cheaper alternative to 7.38% owned teammate James Maddison (£9.3m), who has reportedly attracted interest from Newcastle United.

It is worth noting Maddison’s points total last season would have reduced from 206 to 188 if the now-scrapped man of the match bonus had not been awarded.

Barnes was awarded man of the match once.

Update 05/08/22: Barnes is ruled out of the start of the season with an injury, so is not one to consider from the off.

Rodri (£9.0m) – 5.26%

Passing and tackle bonus is the offer from the Manchester City midfielder – but Rodri often feels overlooked.

He scored 80 points from passing last season, adding 11 points of tackle bonus.

Rodri also managed seven goals and two assists for a total of 203 points.

The Spaniard could face the prospect of rotation with Kalvin Phillips (£7.0m) this season, which may lessen his appeal.

But when he steps on the pitch, owners are almost guaranteed bonus. Check out Shaun Thorpe’s bonus points analysis here.

Three sub-£7.0m Sky midfield differentials

Morgan Gibbs-White (£6.6m) – 1.01%

There are a few options in Gibbs-White’s price bracket but the Wolves midfielder perhaps offers the most attacking threat.

Tipped for an early season starting spot – particularly following the injury to Raul Jimenez (£7.9m) – he could at least be a short-term enabler.

Gibbs-White spent last season on loan at Sheffield United, scoring 12 and assisting 10 in 35 Championship games.

Joao Palhinha (£6.6m) – 0.81%

Fulham’s new signing from Sporting Lisbon managed three tackles per game in the Portuguese league last season, alerting Sky managers to the potential for tackle bonus.

He scored in pre-season but three goals and no assists in 23 games suggests tackles is the most likely route to regular points.

The central midfielder picked up six yellow cards and one red last season, so the potential for bonus doesn’t come without risk.

Former champion Liam Dorrian also noted Palhinha was sometimes subbed off early for his former club, although there doesn’t appear to be a major injury record to report.

Fulham will surely need his presence for the majority of games. And he could cover those tricky August 30 fixtures – offering a chance to see how he does before taking the plunge.

Lewis O’Brien (£6.6m) – 0.22%

O’Brien joined Nottingham Forest from Huddersfield and completed 90 minutes in Forest’s final pre-season friendly against Valencia.

In the Championship, he averaged 2.1 tackles per game across 46 appearances – a figure which could well increase in the more competitive environment of the Premier League.

Like Palhinha, O’Brien is not immune to a card, having picked up nine yellows in the last campaign.

But he could cover some upcoming single game days Forest are set to be involved in.

Brennan Johnson (£7.2m/7.40%), with 18 Championship goals and 10 assists last season, looks to be the attacking option for Forest.

But if managers need to save money, O’Brien could keep the points ticking over if he nails down a long-term starting spot.

Sky differentials: Forwards

Callum Wilson. Picture by Getty Images

Callum Wilson (£7.9m) – 8.17%

There are plenty of shiny new toys in the forward category – not least Erling Haaland (£11.5m) and Darwin Nunez (£10.5m).

But if Sky manager are looking to go big at the back, those premium forwards will be harder to afford.

Step forward Callum Wilson, with eight goals in 16 games last season, to potentially solve the problem.

Fitness is a concern, however anyone who’s watched the 3 for 1 podcast or the FPL Green Arrow will have noted the Hub’s very own Fergi has been banging the drum for Wilson’s prospects.

We would say Fergi’s taken to Wilson like a Magpie to shiny things…but apparently the age-old assumption is a myth.

Aleksandar Mitrovic (£7.7m) – 6.90%

Fulham start with some tricky fixtures but the record-breaking Serbian could be one to keep in reserve if starting with Wilson.

Having scored 43 Championship goals, Mitrovic will return to the Premier League full of confidence.

With all the promoted strikers, including Dominic Solanke (£7.3m), it may be a case of playing the waiting game to see how they perfom in the first few games – but if one can show a touch of form, they could provide a bargain alternative to one of the more popular, premium strikers.

Check out our Sky team reveals

Our Ultimate Guide to Sky features team reveals for Gameweek 1 from a number of the game’s top managers, including former champions Dan Cox and Liam Dorrian and reigning champion Mark Wisdish.