Always Cheating: A Fantasy Premier League Podcast

Heavy hitters are the main FPL talking point this week, with Hazard, Kane, Agüero, Salah, and Sterling all vying for our attention in different ways. Which of these players do we really need, and who can we live without? Plus, we review Josh's successful "surprise" wildcard from GW7, along with Brandon's first big blunder of the season. Attention U.K. friends: Get ready for an American invasion! J...

This week's big theme: Strikers. We're looking through the majority of FPL forward options and determining who is overrated, underrated, and perhaps properly rated. Is Aguero essential, or is it viable to swap him for a premium differential like Kane or Lukaku? Are Vardy and Lacazette worth fitting into your side at such an awkward price point? And what to do about all of these really compelling b...

This week is all about the midfield. Salah, the most expensive player in the FPL game, is testing the patience of many managers, while Hazard continues to explode into peak form under Maurizio Sarri's new regime. So what do we do? Are cheaper bandwagon midfielders like Fraser, Maddison, and Richarlison the key to unlocking more funds for those heavy-hitters? If so, who's the best bet? We also prep...

As the international break winds down, we take an opportunity to review the status of all twenty Premier League clubs. What do we really know ten percent of the way through the season? And, looking at key FPL assets and upcoming fixtures, where do we think each club will find itself in another month? We also check the status of Brandon's active wildcard (is Salah in or out?) and poll our listeners...

Josh returns to the pod this week, just in time for this FPL season's first international break. We review the action from GW4 and then it's panic stations for Brandon as he's triggered his wildcard. We set the table for some serious tinkering over the break, running through our favorite options and potential must-haves for goalkeeper, defense, midfield, and forward. Stick around for a special int...

Guest co-host David Weigner-Lodahl (https://twitter.com/dweigner) joins us this week to sift through the nuclear fallout of GW3 - red cards, injuries, and bandwagons with Alonso and Lucas Moura. We also discuss what to do with the suspended Richarlison, how strictly to adhere to the emerging premium defensive template, and where to look for short and longterm attacking players. Hazard, anyone? Plu...

We're into only the second game week of the season and there's already a massive season-defining talking point with Guardian-Gate: the hotly debated GW2 captaincy decision between Agüero and Salah. This episode drops just before the Crystal Place vs Liverpool fixture, but how did we fair with the armband? We also take a closer look at Manchester City's main FPL prospects moving forward and discuss...

The first FPL game week of the 2018-19 season is over and there's a lot of information to digest. Before you commit to any knee-jerk moves, why not give this episode a listen? We take listener questions and give our thoughts on key issues: The potential of premium defenders (should we double-up anywhere?), emerging mid-priced midfielders (Neves or Jota?), striker dilemmas (no major returns up fron...

It's our last season preview episode before hitting the GW1 deadline. So how are we feeling? We run through our current FPL squads and tackle any unanswered questions that could impact our lineups ahead of Friday's kickoff at Old Trafford. Did the Charity Shield cement Agüero as a must-own? Is Man City's midfield still on the table? Are there legitimate alternatives to Aubameyang? Where are we loo...

In this bonus episode, we interview David Wardale, a contributor to Fantasy Football Scout and the author of Wasting Your Wildcard: The Method and Madness of Fantasy Football, which is on sale now in paperback and ebook. David spoke to us about the process of writing such an immense book about the game (IRL and FPL) that we all love so dearly, as well as what he learned about community, methodolog...

A new FPL season is just around the corner, which means that it's time for our annual "Ten Tips for FPL Success" extravaganza. This is a gut check to ensure we haven't forgotten the big picture lessons from last year. These tips are also a useful roadmap for any rookie fantasy manager looking to avoid typical pitfalls and traps. Thanks to all of our listeners who helped to shape this season's tips...

Continuing with Always Cheating's pre-season FPL coverage, Josh and Brandon are scouting all twenty Premier League clubs. This week features the second half of the alphabet, previewing Leicester City, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle, Southampton, Spurs, Watford, West Ham, and Wolves. Be sure to check out Ep 132 for a discussion of the other ten teams. Hail Cheaters! Become...

Continuing with Always Cheating's pre-season FPL coverage, Josh and Brandon are scouting all twenty Premier League clubs. This week features the first half of the alphabet, previewing Arsenal, Bournemouth, Brighton, Burnley, Cardiff City, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Everton, Fulham, and Huddersfield. Stay tuned for our next episode in which we'll discuss the remaining teams. Hail Cheaters! Become a P...

The updated Fantasy Premier League site has officially (and suddenly) launched, so Josh and Brandon jump onto this emergency pod with their first impressions of the new player pricing and dynamics of the 2018-19 season. Who's too expensive? Who's undervalued? Who's position has been reclassified? Who's straight into our FPL lineups? And who's in danger missing the first few weeks of the season due...

World Cup 2018 continues to be great. But how are the Cheaters choosing to soak up all the excitement? Josh has ventured out to the pub to meet fellow fans and make new friends, while Brandon is still stuck in the office trying to explain Ronaldo to many of his coworkers. We give a quick rundown of key matchups and fantasy assets in the Round of 16 knockout stage, and also catch you up on the late...

The World Cup is pretty great, right? Josh and Brandon highlight their favorite players and team performances from Round 1 of Russia 2018 and consider who might be fun to see playing in the Premier League next season. We also chat briefly about what we like or dislike about FIFA's approach to fantasy football gaming (click the link below to join our FIFA league) and how it might translate to FPL....

Welcome to the second half of our 2018 FIFA World Cup preview. We're concluding with in-depth looks at each team in groups E through H, including such high-profile nations as Brazil, Germany, Belgium, and England. Check out episode #127 from last week for a preview of groups A through D. If you're looking for ways to play fantasy during the World Cup, consider these three great options: Keep thing...

Josh and Brandon are back from a brief Premier League hiatus and they're previewing Groups A through D for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. We'll return in a few days to preview the remaining groups and to answer more listener questions. If you're looking for ways to play fantasy during the World Cup, consider these three great options: Keep things simple with the Always Cheating "Set & Forget" Patreon ga...

One of the most confounding FPL seasons in modern memory is now behind us. With the help of our listeners, Josh and Brandon discuss what important lessons were learned during the last 38 weeks, and how managers can apply those lessons next year. We're also debating the much-maligned bonus point system, evaluating the rules surrounding chips and wildcards, and suggesting other changes that might im...

We're hoping for a big midweek turnaround with Kane, Jesus, and Sterling after having endured a GW37 opening salvo that tested most FPL managers' pain threshold. While we wait for a rescue, let's look ahead to GW38 and our final push for glory. With Aubameyang stepping up against Burnley, does he now enter into the realm of essential for Sunday, or does he remain a punt? Though woefully out of for...

No pressure, but we're heading into what could be, for many FPL managers, the season's most decisive gameweek. So, how are we setting up ahead of these big doubles? And, for the GW32/33 wildcard crowd, how are we magically turning so much dead weight into the best attacking assets from Manchester City and Spurs? Triple Captain and Bench Boost chips are still in play, plus we pinpoint which teams a...

Special guest Mark McGettigan (@FPLGeneral) joins us to preview GW36 and discuss must-have players for the remaining three game weeks. Is Harry Kane a lock for our Triple Captain chips, even after a few questionable eye-tests? How stable is the Manchester City team sheet, given Pep's side overall looks to be the most steady supply for goals? And will Arsenal's Europa League adventures continue to...

While there are still a handful of key matches to be played in GW34, the Always Cheating hosts are already on to GW35 planning. Brandon has triggered his Free Hit chip, while Josh just spent his during the doubles, so this episode features both perspectives on how to approach the blanks in GW35 and how transfers now will impact your FPL squad down the home stretch. From Jesus and Aubameyang to Zah...

The Cheaters are joined this week by special guest FPL Stag (https://twitter.com/FPLStag), writer at NBC's Rotoworld, to preview the upcoming doubles in GW34. We take a closer look at Manchester United attacking assets in light of their rousing second-half display at the Etihad. Could we possibly be tempted by Alexis or Pogba? We also discuss Chelsea and Spurs, Mahrez versus Vardy, cheap defenders...

Salah kept up his blistering scoring pace against Crystal Palace, but, with Kane already back from his ankle injury, GW32 opened the door for a number of other FPL attacking threats. Entering the season's home stretch, how quickly are we thinking we need to fit Kane back into our squads? Can Alexis actually find some form that's worthy of his price? Are we holding Aubameyang for good, or is there...