EFL Fantasy Football Guide Week 28
Old favourites and Argyle... Seriously?
A solid 109 point week saw some green arrows on the league - though in the Daily Talk Football league table I’m still floating in the middle. I’ve been having decent scores these last few weeks but there’s still ground to make up. Last week 5 of my 7 players scored 10 points, with the other 2 scoring 7 and 12. I’m good for a 10 point return but I’m missing out on those big scorers and I think that costs me most weeks.
As always my league is here.
Also if you want more Fantasy EFL content the Football Breakdown Fantasy EFL Gameweek 28 Preview is out. Available on Substack, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
You can also follow me on X (@DailyTalkFball) and (more so) BlueSky (@dailytalkfootball.bsky.social) to keep up to date and for any of my thoughts as the week progresses.
Port Vale beat Notts County 1-0 last night, I did not have any players in my draft for either team but they are now locked out. In terms of the league I think that result has scuppered a few as I’ve seen a few Notts players picked but no Vale players.
Goalkeeper
Arthur Okonkwo, Wrexham
vs Northampton Town, away
vs Leyton Orient, home
There were a few keeper suggestions this week, but I’ve gone for Okonkwo. I't’s been a while since I’ve been able to pick him due to injury and disruption in that Wrexham defence but he’s back now. He missed the game against Crawley at the start of the month but played against Bolton in the EFL Trophy in midweek, making some good stops and keeping a clean sheet.
It’s 9 clean sheets in 18 for Okonkwo, with 51 saves also. Wrexham travel to Northampton who have blanked in 3 of their last 4 home games. They did put 3 past Huddersfield in their last home but Huddersfield have been poor recently. Orient have been on great form but have scored in just 2 games out of 7 against the current top 6 sides in the league.
In tight games I would favour Okonkwo and Wrexham’s defence to keep these sides at bay.
Defenders
Ryan Johnson, AFC Wimbledon
vs Salford City, home
vs Fleetwood Town, away
Johnson has been one of the highest average scoring defenders since returning from injury into the starting 11 in gameweek 11. He’s averaged 7.1 points since then, only a couple of defenders all season match that and a lot that do have done it in a smaller sample size. (If you actually take back those first three games of his return his average goes up to 7.7, which is across 17 games).
He makes 6.6 clearances an appearance as well as over 1 tackle. He has been part of a Wimbledon defence that has 5 clean sheets in 6 games, games against Salford and Fleetwood could be tough but Wimbledon have excelled in these tight matches. It’s 4 clean sheets in row at home where they face a Salford side who average just over 1 goal a game away from home. On the road the Dons have conceded just 3 goals in their last 7 games and will be tough opposition for Fleetwood.
Shaun Rooney, Fleetwood Town
vs Bromley, away
vs AFC Wimbledon, home
Yes, I’m hoping for that Fleetwood 0-0 Wimbledon on Tuesday. Rooney’s points return since joining Fleetwood has been 13, 11, 1, 16, 1, 11, 9. That’s an average of 8.9 points on the season for him.
In 7 games it’s 4 clean sheets, 13 tackles and 54 clearances!
Bromley are a good side but they have failed to score in their last 2 home games whilst Wimbledon have scored 1 in 3 away games. Pete Wild’s Fleetwood should be set up to be solid and I can see clean sheet chances here.
Nikola Katic, Plymouth Argyle
vs Blackburn Rovers, away
vs Luton Town, away
A riskier defensive pick but I am backing Katic here as a potential differential. Though he is already up to 0.2% having been on 0% when I suggested him yesterday on the Football Breakdown podcast.
In just 2 games he has 19 points, 24 clearances and a goal. Plus he was part of the Argyle backline that kept a clean sheet against Liverpool in the FA Cup. A Millwall consolation goal cost the clean sheet in midweek but Katic still pulled through 14 points.
With a new set piece coach Argyle also look more threatening from set pieces, Katic benefitting with a goal from a corner on Wednesday night.
It’s two away games for Plymouth, where they have struggled this season but looked much improved against Sunderland and that was before the arrival of Katic and Maksym Talovierov. Blackburn have lost Josh Eustace and though they still won in midweek I think the first post Eustace home game will be tough for them. Luton meanwhile are now bottom of the league and look to be struggling, they’ve not scored in 3 home games. Under Bloomfield it’s just 3 goals in 5 games altogether and no wins yet. Argyle could take advantage this week and pull themselves closer to safety.
Midfielders
Luke Molyneux, Doncaster Rovers
vs Grimsby Town, home
vs Morecambe, away
Joining Okonkwo in the long awaited return to my team is Luke Molyneux. It’s 11 goals and 6 assists on the season giving him a 6 point average. 4 goals and an assist in his last 5 games has brought him back into consideration for many and I like the look of his matchups this week.
In the reverse fixture at Grimsby Molyneux scored as Donny won 3-0. Grimsby won 2-0 at Bromley in their last away game but the 4 away games before that they conceded 3 goals in each. Morecambe have conceded 6 goals in 3 games an have lost 5 of their last 6 games.
Molyneux will get chances and is on good form to add to his goal tally here.
Daniel Kemp, Stevenage
vs Peterborough United, home
vs Burton Albion, home
Stevenage have two favourable fixtures on paper this week and I have seen a few drafts with defenders and the keeper in them, but it’s the midfield I’m looking at, and it’s Dan Kemp in particular. Kemp is Stevenage’s top scorer with 8 goals this season and he’s also chipped in with 3 assists in his 28 appearances.
Per 90 he takes over 2 shots and creates over 1 chance. He is scoring at a rate over a goal every 3 90’s and playing in that attacking midfield position he is central to Stevenage’s attack. He also has set-piece responsibility.
In his last 6 league games he has 4 goals an 2 assists. First opponents Peterborough have conceded the most goals in the league with 57 in 30 games. They’ve conceded 10 goals in their last 3 away trips. Burton meanwhile have improved but have still only kept 1 clean sheet in 2025.
Forwards
Richard Kone, Wycombe Wanderers *
vs Crawley Town, away
vs Bristol Rovers, home
This is pending team news as Kone has missed Wycombe’s last 2 games. The first was just before deadline day where Luton had tabled a £6 million offer for the front man, but he was also absent for Wycombe’s trip to Preston in the FA Cup last week. If fit and selected though I would be putting him as he scored twice in his last game and has 16 goals on the season, he’s also on a double gameweek with 2 favourable fixtures - Crawley and Bristol Rovers.
The issue is his 3pm kick off rules out switches to players like Sam Smith, Milutin Osmajic, Matty Stevens and Rob Street. All credible options in my opinion this week, so opting for Kone limits my switch options. But there are a few who have doubles too:
Ryan Hardie is a solid option this week with 5 goals in his last 3 games. 3 of which were penalties too.
Jordan Rhodes, Lee Gregory or Will Evans for Mansfield all know where the back of the net is. Evans missed a game with injury but has returned, Rhodes is a phenomenal poacher at this level and Gregory has showed early in the season he’s still got it.
Dion Charles has no real data at Huddersfield to suggest he is a good pick this week, but they have a double gameweek. He’s taken 12 shots in 5 games - 376 minutes specifically. That’s just under 3 per 90. He has 7 goals and 3 assists in a more disjointed side already this season with Bolton, I think once one goes in the goals will flow for him, so it’s Charles I’m leaning to this week should Kone not play on Saturday.
Teams to win
Doncaster Rovers
vs Grimsby Town, home
vs Morecambe, away
Donny should have too much for both of these sides. They’ve won 5 of their 7 league games in 2025 and had no shame in a 2-0 loss to Palace in the FA Cup. Grimsby have lost 3 out of 4 away games in 2025 whilst Morecambe have lost 5 out of 6 in the league.
Doncaster also won both reverse fixtures.
Plymouth Argyle
vs Blackburn Rovers, away
vs Luton Town, away
I’m taking a risk but the double away with their momentum is too tempting. Argyle have won back to back league games for the first time since their return to the Championship and drew 2-2 in their last away game at Sunderland. They beat both Blackburn and Luton at home earlier in the season and come into this game full of confidence.
Blackburn have just lost John Eustace to Derby, in 2025 they’ve also 5 of their 8 games including 2 at home. Luton meanwhile are winless under Bloomfield, they’ve lost 3 of their 5 games with him in charge including a home loss to a Millwall side Argyle just swept aside.
That’s how the team looks.
Let me know your thoughts in the comments and thanks for reading!