If Superbowls are anything to go by, you can still make an epic comeback in the second half of this Fantasy Football season.
Many Fantasy managers will ignore or unsatisfactorily prepare for the upcoming blanks and double gameweeks, so this is your time to shine bright like a Rihanna.
Just channel your inner cheat Tom Brady, don't mention the 'F' word (Falcons) and keep reading Bantasy Football until your season veers towards a deserved and satisfying zenith.
Aaaaaaah, Bisto.
Your mum's catchprase is ready
The Unblankables
It's February so the FA Cup and CL are about to wreak havoc on the fixture list.
Man City, Man United, Arsenal and Southampton all have blanks in GW 26.
The only teams guaranteed not to blank in GW28 are those listed below (those who are guaranteed not to be in the FA Cup Quarter-Finals, or be playing a team which is).
Bournemouth
West Ham
Everton
West Brom
Hull
Swansea
Hardly enticing I'm sure you'll agree, although it certainly brings Lukakucakes and Siggy to the forefront of our Fantasy radar.
So save up two Free Transfers if you can, keep your eyes on the FA Cup results and adjust accordingly.
El Capitan
Alexis Sanchez (11.3) -- Arsenal -v.s.- HUL (H)
If you're as bored of reading about how you should captain Sexy Lexy as I am of writing about it, I have successfully logicked your brain into submission and I am proud as punch.
Now's not the time to get smart and try to 'run a trick play' like some sort of eggball-lovin', quasi-profanity-hollarin', Juicy Fruit masticating, NFL coach.
Equally it would be an entirely inappropriate juncture at which to congratulate yourself before you've even scored - a la Barkley - or all those jerky-quaffing Try-makers of whom the Commonwealth appears to be so fond.
This ain't NFL. This 'aint rugby. Captain the best FPL player against the second worst defence in the league; accrue muchos pointos.
Don't Rugger Me Like That: The subeditors knew what they were doing on this one
Buy Low
Eldin Jakupovic (4.0) -- Hull -v.s.- ARS (A)
He may play for Dull, and sound like an Eastern European Lord of the Rings antagonist, but he's also the only starting 'keeper you can sign for 4million squids or fewer.
The green this man can liberate is well worth a tinker if you have two FTs knocking about and you've got another decent stopper between the sticks (though not one blanking in GW26).
Eldin even got a clean sheet against those plucky overpaids at United last week.
You're gonna want Arsenal players this week. Whilst they were woeful against both Chelsea and Watford, they surely can't fudge it up against a team whose best fit defender is Andrew Robertson.
That's why you need to sell Giroud.
You want Arsenal coverage? Rely on Sanchez or Iwobi. While they'd both necessitate a double swap, and possibly a budget reallocation, for a player who may not even have a fixture in weeks 26 and 28, that would still present a preferable option to spaffing £8.5m on a player whose role looks to be increasingly peripheral.
He's played a combined 71 minutes in the past two games and whilst Wenger will, should, must surely see sense and start him against Hull - against whom he'll grab a goal or more - long-term you're better off with the more reliable (and cheaper) Defoe (7.8), Llorente (6.2) or Negredo (6.3).
Have I mentioned for a third time that Arse have a blank in GW26? Decision made.
The South: Marrying women of their fathers' free will since the invention of the double barrel
Fool's Gold
Gabriel Jesus (9.2) -- Man City -v.s. BOU (A)
I'm standing by this one. He has no fixture in GW 26, and possibly none in GWs 28 and 34 either. All the Brazilian guapa in the world couldn't get me to pick this fella right now.
He could lash in five goals against Bournemouth, Salt Bae me a thick juicysteak and then capoeira Jennifer Lawrence's pants into my mouth and I'd still just shrug and ask for the bill.
Short-term Gains
Heung-Min Son (6.8) -- Tottenham -v.s. LIV (A)
If you're looking for some instant gratification, look no further than South Korea's answer to Ryan Giggs. The tireless winger has reclaimed his starting berth after the injury to Vertonghen forced Pochettino to shift away from a five-man backline.
As ever, his industry has been paying Fantasy dividends. If you're averse to splashing out on Kane and Alli but want some sneaky Spurs coverage, Son could be a potent weapon. Just don't expect him to use him all the way to the final boss fight.
