In Fantasy Premier League, the right man between the sticks can provide the edge over your league rivals at a discount price. To help you choose, here are five of the best budget goalkeepers on FPL for 2022/23.
Fantasy managers often leave the goalie slot as an afterthought when selecting their first squads. But keepers can be so important; they are often differential picks, earning valuable points when you least expect it.
For 22/23, goalkeepers have received a slight reduction in top-end pricing. The premium duo of Alisson and Ederson are £5.5m a piece, with a host of regular starters in the £4.5m – £5.0m range. As a result, managers have a selection headache with options aplenty. So, which of the budget keepers on FPL make for the best choice in 2022/23?
Here are the ones that we like the look of.
Robert Sanchez – Brighton
Brighton’s Robert Sanchez is the definition of a budget differential, finishing joint-sixth in the Premier League last season with 11 clean sheets. In addition, Sanchez ranked in the top ten for most saves in 2021/22, making 101 stops.
Like last season, the Brighton shot-stopper comes in at a frugal £4.5m for a guaranteed starter. However, the Seagulls face a tough opening fixture with a trip to Old Trafford to play Man United. Following this, they host Newcastle and travel to West Ham. Despite the tricky start, managers can back Sanchez to clear the 100-point mark across the season comfortably.
Illan Meslier – Leeds
Leeds’ No.1 did get only 106 points last term but showed all the makings of a great FPL keeper. He led the league in saves in 2021/22, making a whopping 143. Meslier also ranked second on FPL’s ICT player index for goalkeepers – a testament to his points potential.
Heading into 2022/23, Leeds have made many changes to their squad, including some new faces in defence. The Yorkshire club has a favourable early-season run of fixtures, too. They play Chelsea and Man United on matchdays three and eight respectively, which are hard games. In contrast, the other eight of their first ten gameweeks rank green on the FPL fixture difficulty list.
At £4.5m, Meslier could dish out some low-cost points early on.
Jose Sa – Wolves
One of the stand-out performers in last season’s FPL, Jose Sa scored the fourth-most points among goalkeepers in the game. At £5.0m, he could prove good value for many points, justifying his place on our five of the best budget goalkeepers for FPL 2022/23 list.
Like Robert Sanchez, Sa ranked joint-sixth on the clean sheets list last season, getting eleven blanks. Further boosting his merit are Wolves’ fixtures in the first two gameweeks; they play Leeds, then newly-promoted (again) Fulham. Surely, Jose Sa and Wolves keep at least one clean sheet there.
Dean Henderson – Nottingham Forest
Although Forest are a newly-promoted side and Dean Henderson is a fresh transfer, the Englishman could still be a viable option. Nottingham Forest have spent big to bolster their squad, suggesting they have higher ambitions than a relegation battle.
Henderson has spent some time at Man United, deputising for David de Gea. His last full season in FPL – 2019/20, at Sheffield United – was brilliant. Forest’s new No.1 scored 160 points that year for the newly-promoted Blades, keeping 13 clean sheets. If Henderson can re-capture that form, at £4.5m, he should definitely be on your FPL radar.
Jordan Pickford – Everton
England’s current first-choice has a surprising price of just £4.5m heading into 2022/23. Considering Everton’s year last season, this may make sense, to be fair. But Pickford was not to blame for the Toffee’s defensive frailties. He scored 116 points, including 12 bonus ones, and ranked seventh on the ICT index for keepers.
Although Everton have to play Chelsea in their opening match, they then have a favourable four-match run of low fixture-difficulty ranked games. Pickford is also the undisputed No.1 at Goodison Park, meaning he will play as long as he is fit.
So, there are five of the best budget goalkeepers for your FPL squad as we look on to the 2022/23 season. No matter who managers pick, they will sweat nervously for a clean sheet, regardless of the team playing. But that’s all part of the fun, isn’t it?
Featured image credit: Getty