Fantasy Bundesliga: Must-haves and differentials for Matchday 1
Ahead of Matchday 1, we have highlighted a must-have player (M) and a differential pick (D) from each game that you should consider for your Fantasy Bundesliga team.
| Patrik Schick |
M: Thomas Müller, Forward (FCB, 15M) - The assist king for the last three seasons has lost his favorite target in the offseason but now has Sadio Mané to fill that role. We know Müller will play another large part of Bayern’s plans this year and has every right to replicate and possibly exceed his tallies from the previous season.
D: Ansgar Knauff, Forward (SGE, 8M) - The young Frankfurter has solidified his starting spot out wide and has made the radar of some Premier League clubs. He played an important role in Eintracht’s run to the Europa League final, now he looks to put in a full season on the pitch.
1. FC Union Berlin v. Hertha BSC:
M: Christopher Trimmel, Defender (FCU, 9M) - The Union captain will start the season off with the Berlin Derby, a contest that has favorably swung his way the last three meetings. Last season was a down year in assists with zero when he had 17 combined over the previous two. He will continue to be a top Fantasy defender.
D: Jonjoe Kenny, Defender (BSC, 6M) - Back in the Bundesliga after a not so positive stint in the Premier League, Kenny comes to a squad in desperate need of a good season. Kenny’s best season on loan at Schalke in 2019 should tell you that he will find success at this level.
Borussia Mönchengladbach v. TSG Hoffenheim:
M: Jonas Hofmann, Midfielder (BMG, 14M) - The 30 year-old had the best season of his career last year and finished it in style as well with a few goals and an assist to cap it off. Even with his great form, Gladbach will be looking to make up for a season where they finished in the bottom half. A double digit goal total is not out of the question again.
D: Georginio Rutter, Forward (TSG, 10M) - The 20 year-old Frenchman was superb last year, scoring eight and assisting twice. He also appeared in 33 of Hoffenheim’s 34 league games, albeit most as a substitute. With an even larger workload this year, the sky's the limit for Rutter.
VfL Wolfsburg v. SV Werder Bremen:
M: Lukas Nmecha, Forward (WOB, 11M) - The young German will lead the line again for Wolfsburg and will hope to rebound after a sluggish return from injury last year. Nmecha had a fantastic hinrunde before the setback. Let’s hope he can return to the form that earned him a national team call-up..
D: Patrick Wimmer, Midfielder (WOB, 11M) - Wimmer made the successful move from Bielefeld over the summer and figures right into Niko Kovač’s plans for the future. Scoring thrice and assisting six times in 31 appearances last year should only go up with the better talent around him.
VfL Bochum 1848 v. 1. FSV Mainz 05:
M: Manuel Riemann, Keeper (BOC, 8M) - One of the top keepers in the Fantasy game last year, he comes now still at a reasonable price. With Bochum fighting relegation a season ago, Riemann flourished and finished fourth in the league in saves. Odds are similar circumstances will happen again.
D: Aarón Martín, Defender (FSV, 8M) - Aarón played a major role in Mainz’s resurgence last year and will hope to contribute a bit more than before in statistical categories. Mainz were just knocking on the door of European football so their sights will be high this year.
FC Augsburg v. Sport-Club Freiburg:
M: Vincenzo Grifo, Midfielder (SCF, 13M) - Grifo had once again an excellent season for the Black Forest club, scoring nine times and assisting seven. He continues to show how lethal he can be on the ball whether in transition or from a dead spot.
D: Ritsu Dōan, Midfielder (SCF, 8M) - Dōan is back in the Bundesliga after starring for Bielefeld in the 2020 season. The pacey midfielder should feel right at home at Freiburg and has already capped off his arrival by scoring the game winning free kick in their DFB Pokal match against Kaiserslautern last Sunday.
Borussia Dortmund v. Bayer 04 Leverkusen:
M: Patrik Schick, Forward (B04, 15M) - The breakout star from last season has all eyes upon him as he hopes to match his impressive 24 goal output. Many questions remain with Dortmund’s new backline so this match looks to be a shootout.
D: Mahmoud Dahoud, Midfielder (BVB, 10M) - Dahoud had his best season so far with Dortmund last year and will be hoping to improve upon that as more playing time could open up with the departure of Witsel. Salih Özcan was brought in from Köln to help fill that gap but is dealing with a bit of an injury at the moment.
VfB Stuttgart v. RB Leipzig:
M: Christopher Nkunku, Midfielder (RBL, 15M) - With all the top clubs in the world after his signature, it is clear of Nkunku’s intentions in resigning with Leipzig. He is on a mission to take down Bayern for the Meisterschale. At only 24 years of age, there is still so much more to come from the talented Frenchman.
D: Tiago Tomás, Forward (VFB, 8M) - Tomás made an immediate impact after joining from Sporting Lisbon during the January transfer window and was one of the reasons Stuttgart survived another year in the league. With a full preseason now with the team, Tomás could surprise even more.
1. FC Köln v. FC Schalke 04:
M: Anthony Modeste, Forward (KOE, 12M) - Modeste had a resurgent season last term, racking up 20 goals for the first time since 2016. With a spot in the Europa Conference League as well in the bag, Modeste will be keen to stay in top form.
D: Sebastian Polter, Forward (S04, 7M) - Polter did hit double digit goals with Bochum last year, so the ability is there for success. Schalke will do everything they can to avoid dropping again this year so Polter should see plenty of minutes.
Looking for other Fantasy Bundesliga articles ahead of Matchday 1? Check out all of our Fantasy Bundesliga tips and information here.