FPL Preview: Welcome to the Prem

RotoWire's Nick Pitner examines the three promoted clubs and explains which players may have big fantasy impacts, such as Charlie Austin last season.

Updated on July 24, 2015 3:18PM EST

By:

Nick Pitner

Updated on July 24, 2015 3:18PM EST

Prep for your 2026 Fantasy Football draft with free, unlimited drafts, and real-time grades.

As the upcoming Premier League campaign grows closer and closer, many fantasy players are approaching their introduction to this season's three promoted sides: Bournemouth, Norwich City and Watford.Since most of the players on these teams are cheaply priced fantasy commodities, it's certainly a worthwhile exercise for owners to familiarize themselves with the potential bargains each new club has to offer.As last season showed, promoted players like Charlie Austin, Danny Ings and Kieran Trippier can bank fine benefits as fantasy owners build out their rosters.With that in mind, let's take a stab at uncovering some lesser-known players that could become fantasy difference-makers from this season's three promoted teams.

AFC Bournemouth

Winners of last season's Championship, Bournemouth led the division with 98 goals scored and posted the second-best defensive record with 45 conceded, thus resulting in a plus-53 goal difference that comfortably topped the league and earned the Cherries their first ever Premier League birth.While the Championship's 46-match season definitely needs to be factored into statistical considerations, Bournemouth's potent attack was fueled by four double-digit goalscorers.Three of those players remain at the club ahead of this season, including 23-year-old Callum Wilson, whose 20 goals last season not only paced the Cherries, but also tied for fourth-best in the entire Championship.A model of consistency, the youngster started in all but one of Bournemouth's league matches, proving to posses the fitness level required to last the course of a long English season.Additionally, Wilson wasn't fazed by tougher competition, as he scored against fellow promoted side Norwich, as well as Premier League outfits Aston Villa and West Brom in cup play.That record in front of goal has reportedly drawn transfer interest in Wilson from some of the Premiership's mainstay outfits, suggesting the upcoming Englishman's quality should translate quite nicely to the top-flight.Along with Wilson, right-sided midfielder Matt Ritchie sparked Bournemouth's offensive assaults last season.In fact, Ritchie led the Championship with 17 assists and created over two scoring chances per game. He also tallied an assist during Bournemouth's Capitol One Cup match against Liverpool and during his senior international debut for Scotland against Northern Ireland in March.Better yet, Ritchie's supreme service was impressively complemented by 15 goals of his own. Overall, his involvement in 32 total goals was the most of any Championship player last season.Known to often cut inside on his preferred left foot, Ritchie's 151 shot attempts ranked third highest in the Championship. Considering the bonus value of midfield goals, the 25-year-old's skill set makes him particularly intriguing from a fantasy perspective. Another Bournemouth player to reach double-figure goals last season was veteran Frenchman Yann Kermorgant, who supplied 15 scores and 10 assists for the Cherries.Deployed mostly as a second striker, Kermorgant made 12 of his 38 total appearances as a substitute, but the 33-year-old's durability was evidenced by a late season surge that included six goals and four assists over Bournemouth's final 10 Championship matches.Defensively, the Cherries are anchored by 35-year-old goalkeeper Artur Boruc, who enjoyed a fantastic loan spell from Southampton last season, registering 16 clean sheets in 37 starting appearances. Now with Bournemouth on a one-year contract, Boruc returns to the Premier League, where he put together 14 clean sheets and 67 saves for Southampton in 29 starts during the 2013/14 season.While he'll surely face more shots this term, Boruc's top-flight experience and strong performance in recent seasons make him a reasonable fantasy goalkeeper option, especially for owners looking to spend a minimal amount at the position.

Norwich City

Back in the Premier League after a year-long hiatus, Norwich City earned promotion by winning the Championship Playoff as the favorite third-place team.In returning to England's top-flight, the Canaries must improve offensively, as they finished dead last in the 2013/14 Premiership campaign with merely 28 goals scored.While, like Bournemouth, Norwich boasted four double-digit goalscorers last season, they primarily relied on veterans whose previous Premier League stints should make fantasy owners wary of their limitations.For example, Englishman Cameron Jerome led the Canaries with 20 goals and seven assists last term. Although Jerome enjoyed an 11-goal campaign for Birmingham in 2009/10, the now 28-year-old combined for just 12 goals over his subsequent four Premiership seasons.Besides Jerome, Gary Hooper and Youssouf Mulumbu are the only other Norwich players that have ever tallied more than five goals in a single Premier League season.Despite that reality, the Canaries still possess a bright attacking talent in the form of 21-year-old midfielder Nathan Redmond.Following just one goal and three assists during Norwich's previous Premiership season, Redmond broke through with six goals and a team-high 13 assists in 36 Championship starts last term.Redmond was also named to the team of the tournament at this summer's UEFA U-21 European Championship, where his continued development was on display.Despite his age, Redmond should be one of Norwich's most important players this season and probably holds the most upside in offensive fantasy categories.Seven years Redmond's senior, teammate Lewis Grabban has still yet to play in the Premier League, but his form in the past couple seasons makes him an interesting wait-and-see player for Norwich.After a 22-goal and five-assist campaign for Bournemouth, the Jamaica international joined Norwich ahead of last season and finished with 12 goals and three helpers for the Canaries. However, Grabban managed last year's return with 20 fewer starts than in 2013/14, so he actually slightly improved his goals-to-starts ratio to 0.52.With somewhat underwhelming attacking options overall, Norwich's hope of Premier League survival may depend on their defensive performances.Fortunately, the Canaries have some experience along their back line. To that point, regular defenders Sebastien Bassong, Russell Martin and Martin Olsson averaged a respectable 10 clean sheets between them during Norwich's last Premiership season. However, in that 2013/14 campaign, goalkeeper John Ruddy emerged as the Canaries' standout fantasy performer, as he not only racked up 12 clean sheets, but also compiled 125 saves, ranking third league-wide.Arguably Norwich's most valuable player, the 28-year-old Ruddy is entering his prime as a goalkeeper and could be an awesome starting option for fantasy owners looking to capitalize on high-volume save opportunities, even if it means getting burned by shipping numerous goals on occasion.

Watford

Second-place finishers in last season's Championship, Watford rejoins the Premier League this season for the first time since the 2006/07 campaign.A club formerly overseen by Elton John, Watford's promotion was clinched behind a pair of 20-goal strikers, Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo.Only one Championship player claimed more than Deeney's 21 goals, and the Englishman also doled out nine assists for the Hornets. Additionally, in averaging over four headed duels won per game, Deeney carries the physicality required to make it in the Premier League.While last season marked Deeney's third straight 20-goal campaign for Watford, his strike partner Ighalo seemingly came out of nowhere to reach 20 goals and three assists in his first season in England.Formerly a player regularly loaned out by parent club Udinese (Italy), Ighalo signed a permanent deal with Watford last October and quickly became a hit. In fact, he incredibly scored 14 goals over a 10-match stretch to begin 2015, earning his first call-up to Nigeria's national team shortly after.Finally with some long-term security, Ighalo will hope to push on in his second season for Watford and considering his 20 goals came in just 22 starting appearances, the 26-year-old should be fairly confident as he embarks on yet another new league.Despite retaining their dynamic duo of Deeney and Ighalo up front, the Hornets have been extremely active in the summer transfer window, signing 10 players already this summer.Most recently, Watford inked young Dutch winger Steven Berghuis, who is fresh off scoring 11 goals and four assists in 19 starts for AZ Alkmaar of the Dutch League.Besides Berghuis and former Real Madrid product Jose Manuel Jurado, manager Quique Flores has focused on solidifying Watford's defensive setup by adding combative midfielders Valon Behrami and Etienne Capoue, as well as defenders Sebastian Prodl, Miguel Britos and Jose Holebas, all of whom possess considerable experience in top European leagues.Of that group, Holebas could be a particularly intriguing fantasy option, as his consistency at left back often kept long-time Premier League star Ashley Cole out of Roma's starting lineup last season.With numerous proven protectors in front, veteran goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes could resurface in fantasy circles after formerly occupying Tottenham's No. 1 position for a couple of seasons. Although he's probably more of a backup fantasy option, Gomes' experience in England, as well as the Hornets' retooled defense, should combine to provide decent cover as Watford joins fellow promoted clubs Bournemouth and Norwich in the Premier League this season.