Fantasy football scout tips gameweek 28: Virgil van Dijk, Riyad Mahrez, Oumar Niasse and more

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Virgil van Dijk

The next few weeks and months will be a particularly critical time for fantasy managers, and not just because we are approaching the business end of the season.

As the latter rounds of the FA Cup interfere with the Premier League schedule, certain teams will run into ‘blank’ and ‘double’ gameweeks, and managers must plan their transfers and chip use with these in mind.

In gameweek 31, it is likely that only four matches will go ahead. Liverpool’s home meeting with Watford is one of them and what’s more, Jürgen Klopp’s side have a favourable run before that game too.

Virgil van Dijk has proved a popular pick this week precisely because Liverpool do not ‘blank’ in 31 and - more importantly - he stands an excellent chance of returns this week and next (West Ham visit Anfield on Saturday, Newcastle the week after).

Riyad Mahrez

Even with a sparse gameweek 31 on the horizon, we should still consider players from clubs who blank then.

Leicester City’s fixtures leading up to their FA Cup quarter-final could hardly be more enticing, with back-to-back home games against Stoke and Bournemouth, followed by a trip to basement club West Bromwich Albion.

Riyad Mahrez has returned to the side after the collapse of his deadline day move to Manchester City and is more than capable of rediscovering the form that made him such a good asset during December and January.

Ben Mee

Remember when Burnley used to keep clean sheets? The defensive returns from Sean Dyche’s side have dried up recently, but this weekend’s home encounter with a struggling Southampton offers promise of a return to form.

This particular game may have come slightly too early for full back and early-season fantasy favourite Stephen Ward, who has now recovered from his knee injury but is yet to return to the pitch.

Centre-half Ben Mee is safer bet and provides a threat from set pieces, even if we are still waiting for his first goal of the season.

Callum Wilson

Returning to players at clubs who have a fixture to fulfill in gameweek 31, we have Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson.

Wilson and his team-mates let many managers down last time with nothing to show from a 4-1 defeat at Huddersfield, which had followed a 2-1 victory but no points for Wilson against Stoke the week before.

The 25-year-old has a chance to earn a reprieve when Newcastle visit the south coast this weekend. If he does not take it, some may start to look elsewhere for a cut-price forward option.

Oumar Niasse

Sam Allardyce admitted on Friday that Oumar Niasse’s form has made him difficult to drop, which will please the ears of his 7.5 per cent fantasy ownership.

A goal and an assist against Crystal Palace last time out has seen his price jump up to £4.9m, which is still an incredibly cheap sum for a starting striker.

Everton play in 31 too, so for those who’ve used their Free Hit chip already or plan to play it in the second blank in gameweek 35, Niasse has to be considered.