There are two goalkeeper spots and you have to choose wisely if you want to get the best out of your fantasy football team
In fantasy football, as in real life, a good goalkeeper can make all the difference between winning a league and not.
Shot-stoppers don’t command the same sort of fees that forwards do, but they are nonetheless quite capable of surpassing them when it comes to points tallies.
For the new Premier League campaign, Goal takes a look at the best goalkeepers to select in your fantasy football team, including a few bargain picks.
As well as that, don’t forget to listen to our brand new fantasy football podcast for more tips and advice throughout the season!
Best fantasy football goalkeepers
When pondering which goalkeepers to put into your team, the first consideration should always be: does this guy keep clean sheets?
That means you will also have to think about the defence the net-minder has in front of them.
After that, attributes such as shot-stopping, saving penalties and so forth – things that earn bonus points – should come into your thinking.
*Prices from the official Fantasy Premier League game.
Brazil Number One Alisson made an incredible difference to the Liverpool defence following his record move from Roma and he finished his maiden Premier League campaign with the Golden Glove award.
As a result, he is one of the most expensive goalkeepers in fantasy football. With Virgil van Dijk and Co. in front of him, it should be a case of ‘more of the same’ from the Reds backline this season.
His price may be off-putting to some fantasy football gamers who like to spread their budget, but Alisson has shown that he is worth it.
Leicester City shotstopper Kasper Schmeichel has arguably been the most consistent goalkeeper in the Premier League over the past few years.
The Denmark international looks to be full of confidence once more after a difficult campaign last season and that has resonated with the Foxes defence.
In Rui Patricio, Wolves boast one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League and one who can put his hand up as a European champion.
The experienced campaigner has a solid defence in front of him too, which can only help in the acquisition of points in fantasy football.
Alisson’s compatriot and rival Ederson is the other most expensive goalkeeper in the game and there was very little to separate the two last season as the Man City man conceded just one goal more.
The defending Premier League champions have not quited continued their dominance in 2019-20 but Ederson will still score his fair share of points as City stifle their opponents from front to back.
An added bonus of choosing Ederson is that his style of play lends itself to the strong possibility that he could pick up the odd assist – as he did last season – or even a goal!
Not even the powers of David de Gea could rescue Manchester United from their defensive woes in 2018-19.
Last term saw De Gea manage just seven clean sheets (Alisson had 21, Ederson had 20) and, though it was respectable, it was his worst points haul in fantasy football too.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s old-school revolution at Old Trafford hasn’t quite managed to solve the problems as quickly as hoped, but De Gea and his defence look slightly stronger.
Kepa Arrizabalaga is the most expensive goalkeeper in the history of football and he is a decent option in fantasy football as Chelsea’s number one.
While the Spain international endured some issues on the field in his debut campaign, he is settling in better this term under the management of Blues legend Frank Lampard.
Best fantasy football bargain goalkeepers
It’s generally wise not to shy away from spending a portion of your budget on a reliable goalkeeper, but occasionally bargains can be found.
They usually come from teams whose strength lies in their defensive solidity or the newly promoted clubs who are forced to contend with an onslaught each week.
Here’s a few suggestions that could end up bargains this season.
Brighton suffered a severe downturn in fortunes towards the tail-end of last season, which impacted the final score of Australia international Mat Ryan.
However, the former Valencia man is an excellent option – even as a substitute perhaps – as evidenced by his score of 146 points the season before last.
With Lewis Dunk and Shane Duffy in front of him, Brighton have it in them to frustrate even the best teams and Ryan is a key part of what is a solid defensive triumvirate.
Bournemouth may be struggling somewhat in front of goal, but at least they can rely on the talents of Aaron Ramsdale at the other end of the pitch.
Ramsdale has cemented his position as the Cherries’ number one and has marshalled his defence to some creditable results.
Burnley have established a reputation as being one of the hardest teams in the Premier League to break down and behind their backline lies a formidable goalkeeper in Nick Pope.
His form for the Clarets two seasons ago earned him international recognition, but he spent last season on the sidelines due to injury. However, he has returned with a point to prove in 2019-20.