Ahead of each Premier League gameweek, I'll take a look at sub-50 percent rostered players on Fantrax and Sleeper whose situations may have changed or improved, and assess whether or not they are worth a pickup in season-long leagues.
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Welcome to a new season. The first few weeks are the most important in terms of activity on the waiver wire as season long gems can be scooped up after being ignored in the draft.
GOALKEEPER
Alphonse Areola (25% Fantrax, 31% Sleeper)
Areola squares off against newly-promoted Sunderland on the road for the opening match of West Ham's season. Most of the top keepers are well over the 50-percent cutoff, leaving Areola as my streaming keeper this week.
There is some risk if the Sunderland crowd come out strong behind their team in their return to the Premier League, and it's not like West Ham are a great side. Areola may eventually lose his job to new signing Mads Hermansen, but given that he'll only have a week with the club before the season, it still seems like the former will get the start.
Other options include Bernd Leno at Fulham, Robin Roefs home against West Ham and Lucas Perri home against Everton.
DEFENDERS
Djed Spence (31% Fantrax, 39% Sleeper)
Destiny Udogie is set to miss the start of the season, leaving Spence in line for a start at left-back in a prime matchup at home against Burnley. Spence filled in admirably at both full-back spots last season, starting five of Spurs' last six Premier League matches.
Spence doesn't Pedro Porro upside, but he's capable of providing a cross or creating a chance when given the opportunity. Full-backs could play a more attacking role under new Spurs boss Thomas Frank and the their defense will have one of the best chances at a clean sheet in Gameweek 1.
Use our Fixture Difficulty Ranker to spot easy or tough schedules for the rest of the season
Gabriel Gudmundsson (4% Fantrax, 8% Sleeper)
Gudmundsson is probably off most fantasy manager's radars, but this is a good week to stream him if he gets his starting XI home debut. He posted the best statistical season of his career at Lille in 2024/25, only having two goal involvements but proving to be a capable creator from full-back with 59 crosses and 16 chances created over 20 starts.
Everton were one of the lowest scoring teams in the league last season and have done little to improve their attack, which means Leeds United could be a sneaky source of a clean sheet in Gameweek 1.
MIDFIELDERS
Pape Sarr (17% Fantrax, 15% Sleeper)
The season-ending injury to James Maddison means that Sarr should have a spot in the starting XI, at least until Dejan Kulusevski returns from injury in a couple months. With the addition of defensive enforcer Joao Palhinha to the midfield, Sarr should be given more freedom to move forward, and that should definitely be the case against Burnley.
Sarr is probably a multi-week hold given that he should be locked in as a starter for the next few months, though under a new manager, nothing is guaranteed, as Lucas Bergvall could steal starts, as well.
Matt O'Riley (48% Fantrax, 44% Sleeper)
O'Riley is just under the roster cutoff and could be in line for a breakout season at Brighton, assuming he finds a consistent starting role. He finished last season well, starting six of Brighton's final eight matches while having two goal involvements. O'Riley also took on set pieces over that stretch resulting in 27 crosses and 10 chances created.
That set-piece role should remain, giving him a solid floor in addition to a nice bit of upside in an intriguing Brighton attack. The only downside is that Fabian Hurzeler likes to rotate frequently without warning.
FORWARDS
Richarlison (12% Fantrax, 18% Sleeper)
Forward is pretty tough to find a streaming pick over the first few weeks as most of the big-name starting attackers are all well over the 50 percent rostered. That leads me to Richarlison, who could be in line for a start against Burnley pending the status of Dominic Solanke.
Richarlison is a boom-or-bust pick with not much of a floor, but Spurs are one of the biggest favorites opening weekend with one of the higher implied team goal totals. If Solanke is fit, there's still a possibility that Richarlison starts on one of the wings, depending how Frank feels about that fit.
Eliezer Mayenda (48% Fantrax, 31% Sleeper)
Mayenda is a rare expected starting forward who is under 50-percent rostered coming into the opening week of the season. Sunderland are also in a decent spot for a stream at home against a West Ham side that conceded the sixth most goals in the league last season.
Mayenda had 15 goal involvements in 40 appearances in the Championship last season while also firing 63 shots. There's a chance Marc Guiu starts immediately following his loan from Chelsea, but Mayenda has been the guy in preseason, so it's hard to see that changing in the first match.
