Three weeks in and Fantasy EFL is heating up! Each week, we'll gather a panel of Fantasy EFL experts from Fantasy Football Scout to share their top 12 players and four teams to watch for the upcoming gameweek. It's still early days, but these insights could be the key to dominating your league!

Ahead of gameweek 3, take a look at Fantasy Football Scout's picks:

Goalkeepers

Although there was some variation between the sticks, Birmingham’s Bailey Peacock-Farrell was selected by two of our experts. Despite only returning three points in both gameweek 1 and 2 combined, our experts fancy the Blues to return to winning ways, and keeping a clean sheet at struggling Leyton Orient looks likely. 

Huddersfield Town's Lee Nicholls was selected as our second goalkeeper. Given the Terriers' strong start in League One and upcoming home fixture against Shrewsbury, a clean sheet seemed likely. However, one manager argued that choosing a goalkeeper limits potential attacking returns, as only two players per team can be selected. While Barnsley's Gabriel Slonina (G) and Stockport County's Corey Addai (G) were considered due to favourable home fixtures, neither made the final cut.

Watford’s Daniel Bachmann (G) was the final addition to our goalkeeper selections. His side boasts consecutive clean sheets [all comps] and faces a struggling Derby County at home – an ideal matchup. While Blackburn's Aynsley Pears (G) and Swansea's Lawrence Vigouroux (G) were considered, Watford's strong form and Bachmann's low ownership of just 0.8% made him the standout differential pick.

Defenders

Burnley's Vitinho (D) was a popular defender pick, featuring in three squads. His back-to-back double-digit hauls as a winger have made him a standout despite an away fixture against Sunderland. Watford's Ryan Andrews (D) is another in-form option, his monster 18-point haul in gameweek 2 making him too tempting to ignore. One manager even preferred Andrews' attacking potential to Bachmann. While Luke Ayling (D) was considered, Middlesbrough's defeat against Derby solidified Andrews as the top choice.

Huddersfield's Michał Helik (D) was a unanimous choice for three out of four managers. Despite a modest two-point return in gameweek 2, his clean sheet potential against Shrewsbury at home is promising. With Huddersfield's strong start and Helik yet to contribute offensively, there's scope for improvement. However, one manager opted for the less popular defensive teammate Brodie Spencer (0.8%) over Helik (5.3%) as a differential pick.

Elsewhere, there were lonelier shouts but still valid shouts for Birmingham’s Ethan Laird and Stockport County’s Ibou Touray. 

Midfielders

There were many midfield options to deliberate from this week, but one of the most popular picks, chosen by two of the four scouts surveyed, was Doncaster Rovers' Luke Molyneux (M). In his last match, he only provided six points, but this has not halted the demand for the player, with 11% of Fantasy EFL managers currently selecting the midfield maestro for their home tie against Morecambe, following his superb 19-point haul in gameweek 1. There were other shouts from the scouts, with Alfie Doughty (M) and Notts County’s Daniel Crowley (M) being honourable mentions for gameweek 3.

Watford have surprised many people with their impressive start to the campaign. They are yet to be defeated, both in the league and cup and have scored an impressive 11 goals in their first three matches (including the carabao cup). One of the key reasons for their success has been playmaker Giorgi Chakvetadze (M) who has been outstanding in the middle of the park. Although teammate Edo Kayembe (M) was mentioned, our scouts are in agreement that Derby’s style of play could really suit the Georgian-international and allow him to excel in his attacking role. 

Huddersfield's Ben Wiles (M) is our final pick. His consistent performances, coupled with a favourable home fixture against Shrewsbury, make him a strong contender for another impressive haul. Wiles has already contributed 22 points and three goal involvements in just two games, earning him a place in three of our expert squads.

Forwards

The most obvious forward option for gameweek 3 has to be Alfie May (F), with all four experts opting for him. The Blues face Leyton Orient, who have not had the best start to the season, losing both of their opening matches. May is still one of the most popular picks in the game, with a staggering 35.3% of the community selecting the Blues attacker. One alternative to May this week could be Bradford City’s Andy Cook (F), who was included in just one of the scout squads. He will be desperate to open his account for the 2024/25 season and fire the Bantams to their second win of the season.

Will Grigg (F) is a veteran forward quietly amassing points in League Two with Chesterfield. With 18 points from just two matches, his goal-scoring and creative abilities are evident. Despite being overlooked by most managers, his impressive performances suggest he could be a shrewd differential pick. Facing Salford City next, Grigg has the potential to further enhance his reputation and deliver strong returns for those brave enough to take a chance on him (2.3%). 

Middlesbrough’s Emmanuel Latte Lath (F) is a proven goal threat who has already opened his account for the season. The forward has consistently troubled defences and will be eager to continue his form against newly promoted Portsmouth. With home advantage, he's a strong candidate to find the net once again, as noted by our experts. 

There were also mentions of Burton Albion’s Billy Bodin (F) who returned 15 points last week and Burnley’s Lyle Foster (F) who had a good gameweek 1. However, with the clarets facing a tough opponent in Sunderland, other players could have a higher upside in gameweek 3.

Clubs

Unlike previous gameweeks, a unanimous decision emerged among the four managers: Watford’s enticing home fixture against Derby County was simply too compelling to overlook. The tantalising prospect of a Watford victory, coupled with the potential for multiple goal scorers and the subsequent bonus points (+2 points), rendered the decision a no-brainer. Furthermore, given the multiple Huddersfield players selected, it's unsurprising that two of our experts opted for the Terriers' home clash against Shrewsbury.

Beyond these two clear frontrunners, opinions diverged significantly. Two of the experts expressed confidence in Birmingham City's ability to secure points at Brisbane Road when facing Leyton Orient. In line with the prevailing emphasis on recent form, League Two's Chesterfield, who have been performing admirably, were tipped to overcome Salford City at home and potentially reap the rewards of bonus points for Fantasy EFL managers.

A number of other teams were also mentioned as potential differential picks. Port Vale's away fixture against Barrow offered the allure of an unexpected victory, while Luton Town's clash with Preston North End and Leeds United's meeting with Sheffield Wednesday were both seen as intriguing options. One manager even took a bold stance by selecting Swansea City for the high-stakes South Wales derby, hoping for a home win and +2 goals scored by the hosts! 

All of which goes to show that there is no ‘template’ for this part of Fantasy EFL just yet, and that this is going to be a very interesting aspect of the game with managers needing time to settle on strategies and get used to the points and the restrictions. With this in mind, we’d definitely advise you to check out our feature on ‘winning team’ selections.