Matchweek four continued to shake up the Leg 1 standings as OnaBattleAfterAnothr completed a dramatic ascent up the ranks, soaring to the top of the table with an almighty 93-point haul.
Squeaky Brum Time, who had topped the charts at the end of the previous two rounds, slipped into second place with a weekly tally of 74 but are undoubtedly still in the mix - sitting just nine points off the leaders.
Strong returns for Kangtortion FC (88) and Celtic Dragons (84) saw them enter the top five, rising from ninth and tenth respectively, with Williams and Jay’s Show making way.
The biggest splash of the weekend was made by @Jalannah_tiktok, who crashed the top 10 with a massive 98-point score and is certainly one to keep an eye on. So who paid dividends for the Fantasy leaders this weekend?
Squad strength tested after City shakeup
Manchester City’s Bunny Shaw has proved an invaluable asset across the first three matchweeks but following City’s European exploits in midweek, the Jamaican international was omitted from their starting XI at the Valley on Saturday - a decision that left owners scrambling.
Finding alternative options within players’ existing squads was crucial and OnaBattleAfterAnothr did just that, electing Newcastle’s Martha Thomas, who returned 15 points, as their lone striker and capitalising on a defence-heavy strategy that saw four of their back five record clean sheets.
Squeaky Brum Time’s decision to captain Shaw was costly, as she racked up just two points with the armband on. Whilst all of the top nine sides owned the 29-year-old, the other eight managers all left her amongst their substitutes.
Lauren Hemp was another key figure left out of Andree Jeglertz’s lineup against Charlton Athletic and replacing her influence was just as important, with eight of the top nine sides having her amongst their 15-player squad.
Owners of fellow premium midfielder Alexia Putellas reaped the rewards in Hemp’s absence, as the Spaniard netted her first Barclays Women’s Super League goal and earned 11 points.
Goals for defenders prove key
It was a hugely successful weekend for a number of managers who owned goal-scoring defenders in matchweek four. Six defenders etched their name onto the scoresheet across the two divisions and several of the top 10 were beneficiaries.
City’s Alex Greenwood grabbed her first of the season as the defending champions recorded a 1-0 win over Charlton whilst Manchester United’s Andrea Medina, owned by just 3% of players, proved an inspired choice for four of the top nine Fantasy teams.
The biggest gamble of the weekend unsurprisingly came from @Jalannah_tiktok, who named Medina as their captain and as a result collected a bumper 34 points from the Spaniard.
Another example of a differential defensive option that had huge upside was Kangtortion FC’s faith in Newcastle’s Aoife Mannion, who picked up 13 points via a goal and a clean sheet.
BWSL2 picks show their importance
With only a £100m budget to play with, and the likes of Shaw taking up healthy chunks, it’s inevitable that managers have to include a couple of cheaper players in their rosters and Barclays Women’s Super League 2 options are often good fits.
Yet those who have carefully considered those choices, rather than lump for any pick at a lower price point, are seeing the benefits.
Whilst 54% of players have opted for Chelsea’s Hannah Hampton in goal, Bristol City’s Fran Bentley and Newcastle’s Anna Tamminen outscored the Chelsea shot stopper at a £0.5m cheaper price.
Another of the Toon’s backline was a popular budget option for four of the top nine sides, with Kaitlyn Torpey landing eight points for just £4m. Those money savvy selections have allowed managers to include premium defenders like Chelsea’s Ellie Carpenter and City’s Kerstin Casparij.
Midfield creativity is making the difference
Whilst the likes of Carpenter and Greenwood have emerged as must-have backline selections for many of the leading managers in Leg 1, and Shaw’s inclusion is almost a given at the top of the pitch, midfield choices have allowed players to get an edge.
OnaBattleAfterAnothr was the only manager amongst the top nine to opt for Nottingham Forest’s Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah, who grabbed nine points after netting in her side’s trip to Southampton.
Despite being usurped from the summit of the standings, Squeaky Brum Time saved face with their inclusion of Birmingham City’s Oceane Hurtre, who continued her goalscoring form with a brace against Crystal Palace.
Newcastle’s Beth Lumsden was included in two of the top five sides this weekend, and third-placed Bunny Hope To The Top’s decision to captain the 27-year-old added 16 points to their score.
Several of the top nine managers felt Tottenham Hotspur's Signe Gaupset was the Spurs midfielder to choose but Kangtortion FC was rewarded for also picking her teammate Victoria Pelova, who racked up 16 points.
The state of play
All eyes will be on OnaBattleAfterAnothr heading into matchweek five, as they look to cement their place at the top of the standings but their slender lead is by no means insurmountable.
A 31-point gap has emerged between the top five teams so attention will also be on whether Celtic Dragons can reduce the gap and keep the race open heading into the latter weeks of the first leg.
After their seismic 98-point showing last weekend, @Jalannah_tiktok will be hoping to continue their momentum and emerge as a late contender for the Leg 1 crown.
It's still all to play for.
