Richarlison, Harry Maguire, and Riyad Mahrez were unexpected additions. The 2021/22 Fantasy Football competition has come to a conclusion, and with it came a plethora of talking points and controversies to carry into next year’s game.
Dean Henderson (£6.4 million): 218 points
It was always going to be a tight race for the No. 1 jersey, and Sheffield United goalkeeper Dean Henderson won by three points, beating out Nick Pope, who ended with 215. This season, the Englishman only surrendered 33 goals and was a favorite with Fantasy Football players, finishing the season in 37% of the top 1,000 teams in the league.
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Henderson has 13 clean sheets and 15 tier-one bonus points (three or four saves in a match), ranking him third and fourth on those lists, respectively. In terms of ‘Value for Money,’ the Sheffield United goalkeeper excels. Henderson raked up 34.06 points per £M, a greater ratio than any other Premier League player. What an impressive rookie season, particularly for his Fantasy Football recruiters.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (£9.9 million): 245 points
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Another excellent season for the Liverpool right-back propels him into the Fantasy Football Team of the Year. Trent Alexander-Arnold scored 13 goals for his team, which was only surpassed by Kevin De Bruyne. Over 60% of the top 1,000 Fantasy Football teams included the England international in their lineups for the season finale. Add in 14 clean sheets and four goals, and it’s easy to understand why Alexander-Arnold is the betting favorite to win Premier League Young Player of the Year. He will undoubtedly be a solid option for Fantasy Football players heading into next season.
183 points for Harry Maguire – £8.9 million
Harry Maguire is a surprising choice in this scintillating XI, but not when you consider the strategy behind the points haul. Maguire only had four more points than both Matt Doherty and Caglar Soyuncu, but it was the Manchester United man’s run-in that helped him defeat both of these defenders.
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Maguire scored 55 points in nine games following the resumption, vaulting him into the fourth defensive slot while preserving five clean sheets. Manchester United finished the season with the third-best defensive record, with Maguire starting all 38 games. A record acquisition in defense who is making an impact for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team
Virgil van Dijk (£10.5 million): 268 points
Speaking of record acquisitions, Virgil van Dijk is named to the Team of the Season for the second time in a row. The most expensive Fantasy Football defender lived up to his billing by scoring the most points of any Premier League defender for the second season in a row.
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This year, the Dutchman made more passes than any other player, and he earned tier-two bonus points (70+ passes in 90 minutes) 21 times, almost double his nearest competition. Van Dijk has 15 clean sheets and five goals in2021/22, finishing in 73.5 percent of the top 1,000 Fantasy Football teams. With the Liverpool rock at the back, the numbers speak for themselves.
Andy Robertson (£10.2 million): 220 points
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The flying Scotsman down the left had another solid season for the Premier League winners, tallying 12 assists and two goals. Andy Robertson has a goal and four assists in his previous five games, giving him 39 points in his last six. Robertson, along with his Liverpool colleagues, had 13 clean sheets in total. He also recorded tier one and tier two passing bonus points 17 times in total, seven and ten times respectively, to bring in the averages for Fantasy Football owners. His £10.2m price tag may have decreased his selection rate, but it will skyrocket once again once the new season begins.
Riyad Mahrez (£9.9 million): 192 points
Despite just starting 21 games for Pep Guardiola’s club, Riyad Mahrez has made the squad. In that period, the Algerian contributed to 20 goals (11 goals and nine assists), collecting nine double-figure hauls, demonstrating that, although he may have been a victim of ‘Pep Roulette,’ he underlined his worth for those who were faithful enough to maintain him in their side.
Richarlison – £12.2 million: 210 points
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Richarlison easily makes the Team of the Season with 13 goals and five assists, the second-biggest total from midfield. Good periods for the Brazilian, including three goals in three games against Leicester, Liverpool, and Chelsea, propelled him forward. Richarlison earned 20 points for his double against Wolves at the start of the season, and he has plenty of additional double-digit hauls to underline his importance to Everton and Fantasy Football players alike. His price may be cut next term, making him a possible bargain in the coming weeks.
Kevin De Bruyne (£11.2 million): 273 points
With Kevin De Bruyne playing for 83.6 percent of the top 1,000 clubs, his stats speak for themselves. De Bruyne finished the season with 20 assists and 13 goals, putting him in contention for the PFA Player of the Year award. He is not just the highest-scoring midfielder in the game, but also the highest-scoring player this season, with 273 points, five more than Virgil van Dijk.
This season, the Belgian has received ten man-of-the-match honors, a monument to how wonderfully he has performed for this Manchester City club, leading them to victory at times. De Bruyne will remain the most expensive midfielder in Fantasy Football in 2020/21, but he will have stiff competition from his neighbor Bruno Fernandes.
Mohamed Salah (£12.2 million): 253 points
Another year, another goal-filled season for Mohamed Salah, who never fails to deliver. Along with his 19 Premier League goals, the Egyptian has created 10, and he has now contributed to 104 goals in only 121 games since joining the top division. Salah has stayed up with the top scorers in Fantasy Football all season, finishing third with 253 points.
He still won seven man-of-the-match accolades, but the difference between Salah and the other Premier League strikers was the number of shots on goal. Salah earned tier two-shot bonus points (two shots on target) ten times and leads the chart for tier two (three or more) seven times. Salah will return to the number one rank in 2020/21.
Jamie Vardy (£10.7 million): 238 points
Jamie Vardy came from nothing to become a Premier League champion and the oldest player to win the Premier League Golden Boot. Vardy scored 23 goals and assisted five more this season, but his sheer speed and eagerness to sprint past defenders have once again made him a headache for defenses. Vardy was a frequent captaincy option, with one hat-trick against Southampton and five braces over the season, helping the Englishman to finish among the top five point scorers. Could he do it all again next semester?
Sadio Mane – £11.5 million – 233 points
Sadio Mane rounds out the Team of the Season, having contributed 18 goals and seven assists to Liverpool’s title-winning season. Mane has also won nine man-of-the-match accolades (more than any other striker), proving vital to Jurgen Klopp and Fantasy Football managers who have signed the Senegalese international. Only 12.19% of the top 1,000 clubs were still on board with Mane, most likely owing to the rotation since Liverpool won the title, but Mane will be a hot item next season, maybe commanding a higher price for his pains.