The opening weekend of the Barclays Women’s Super League and Barclays Women’s Super League 2 delivered plenty of standout individual performances, and there were some big fantasy returns to match.
From goalscoring forwards to defensive heroes, this week’s top performers showcased just how many ways there are to make an impact in Fantasy BWSL and BWSL2.
Here are five players who caught the eye with their performances this weekend.
The Goal Machine — Kirsty Hanson, Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur's Kirsty Hanson wasted no time making her mark, scoring twice to help her side make an impressive start to the campaign.
The forward was clinical in front of goal, recording 100% shot accuracy, while also completing 83% of her passes.
Hanson was equally effective when looking to switch play, completing all three of her attempted long balls. She also won 50% of both her aerial and ground duels, highlighting her all-round contribution.
Her two goals helped her collect 17 Fantasy BWSL points, making her one of the weekend's standout attacking performers and an early player to keep an eye on for fantasy managers.
The Enforcer — Fuka Tsunoda, Crystal Palace
Fuka Tsunoda's performance for Crystal Palace showed that fantasy impact isn't always about finding the back of the net.
The midfielder put in a tireless defensive display, making five tackles, two blocks, three clearances and five recoveries.
She also showed plenty of confidence when Palace had possession, completing 67% of her attempted dribbles and 69% of her passes.
Perhaps most impressively, Tsunoda won 71% of her ground duels, underlining her ability to compete and win the ball in the middle of the pitch.
While her five Fantasy BWSL points didn't match some of the bigger returns on this list, her all-round display makes her a player worth keeping an eye on as the season develops.
The Defensive Surprise — Grace Fisk, Liverpool
A centre-back scoring twice is always going to attract attention, and Grace Fisk certainly did that.
The Liverpool defender found the net twice, recording an impressive 0.81 expected goals, while also finishing with the joint-most shots in the match.
Fisk was heavily involved throughout, registering the most touches of any player and completing an incredible 99% of her passes.
Her defensive numbers were just as impressive. She made seven clearances, seven recoveries and three headed clearances, while helping Liverpool keep a clean sheet.
Her remarkable all-round performance translated into a huge 21 Fantasy BWSL points, making Fisk the highest-scoring player among our five picks.
A brace from centre-back, a clean sheet and a huge fantasy return — it doesn't get much better than that for fantasy managers.
The Creative Spark — Beth Lumsden, Newcastle United
Beth Lumsden was at the heart of Newcastle United's attacking threat, combining creativity with an impressive individual performance.
The forward scored once and created a weekend-high five chances, constantly looking to make things happen in the final third.
Lumsden was also perfect when taking on opponents, completing 100% of her attempted dribbles, while winning 67% of her ground duels.
She added three tackles to her performance and completed 73% of her passes, showing that her influence stretched beyond simply creating opportunities.
With 10 Fantasy BWSL2 points, Lumsden's combination of creativity and attacking intent makes her one to watch going forward.
The Attacking Ace — Katy Watson, Sunderland
Sunderland's Katy Watson enjoyed a hugely productive outing, contributing to three goals with two goals and one assist.
She was a constant threat in the opposition box, recording the most touches inside the area with seven, while also taking three shots, joint-most in the match.
Watson was particularly dangerous when running at defenders, completing the most dribbles with three, and she also made five recoveries to underline her work rate.
Her attacking output translated into an impressive 20 Fantasy BWSL2 points, putting her just one point behind Fisk as the second-highest scorer among our five picks.
With two goals, an assist and 20 fantasy points, Watson looks like exactly the type of attacking player fantasy managers will be keeping a close eye on.
