Gameweek 27 FPL Draft Waiver Priorities: Hill, Hannibal & Spurs Changes

Critical Injury Updates Shaping Waiver Priorities

Several key injury updates are creating immediate waiver implications for Fantasy Premier League managers. Merino's season is effectively over after requiring surgery on a stress fracture in his foot - he should be dropped immediately if still rostered, with his 0% start probability confirming his unavailability. Bruno Guimarães has suffered a serious hamstring injury that will likely keep him out until around Gameweek 32, potentially missing half the remaining fixtures.

Havertz's situation remains fluid after reinjuring himself with a muscular issue. While he could potentially return as early as this weekend, his extended absence and this setback suggest his minutes will be carefully managed. The emergence of Saka playing more centrally has looked promising and creates space for Madueke to establish himself on the right wing where they'd been competing for starts.

At Crystal Palace, while Mateta is expected back within a couple of weeks, Strand Larsen has hit the ground running since his January arrival and should be favored going forward. This is particularly significant given Mateta was reportedly hours away from joining Milan before his knee issue scuppered the deal. Strand Larsen's 89% ownership and consistent 3.4-point average over his last five games reflects his growing importance to Palace's attack.

Igor Tudor Impact at Spurs

With Frank out and Igor Tudor taking over at Spurs, expect significant tactical changes ahead of the North London derby against Arsenal. Igor Tudor is a back three manager who wants his team to press high up the pitch and work hard - a marked departure from previous approaches. While this is confirmed as a short-term appointment until summer, it should provide a springboard for the permanent successor.

Given the current injury situation, the predicted lineup includes most available players, with the main variables being Solanke's spot in attack and one of the midfield pivot positions. With Palhinha likely stepping into a back three role, Gallagher and Sarr appear the obvious midfield choices. Gallagher's 77% start probability and 3.0-point recent average make him an interesting FPL Draft target at just 11.3% ownership.

Solanke's forward spot could potentially go to Tel or Richarlison if he gets fit, though Kolo Muani's positive relationship with Tudor from their time together could see him favored. The French forward sits at 37.6% ownership and maintains reasonable start probabilities, making him a potential beneficiary of the tactical shift.

Vitor Pereira's Forest Revolution

With Nuno out and Vitor Pereira arriving at Nottingham Forest, we can look to his recent successful stint at Wolves for tactical guidance. Pereira's Wolves team was highly functional - you knew exactly what they were trying to do with players like Williams on the left and Strand Larsen leading the line. Overlaying that system onto Forest, their back six arguably appears stronger than what Wolves possessed, though the wing-backs and forward three may not match that quality.

The key challenge will be getting Forest's attack clicking, particularly through more direct crosses into the box. Only Wolves have scored fewer goals than Forest this season, making attacking improvements essential. Luca is predicted to start as the striker because Pereira will likely favor having a target man, especially with Chris Wood currently unavailable.

Igor Jesus presents an intriguing alternative as a Portuguese-Brazilian connection option under Pereira. At 83.7% ownership with a 3.0-point average, he's already established but could benefit significantly from tactical changes that better suit his profile. The new system should emphasize getting the ball into dangerous areas more consistently.

Hill Leading Premium Defensive Targets

Hill from Bournemouth has emerged as potentially the standout defensive asset since Gameweek 19, when he established himself in Bournemouth's first eleven. His form has been exceptional - hitting the defcon threshold in all but one game, and even in that match he managed nine points. Most remarkably, he recorded 20 points against Everton in his last outing, combining defensive solidity with attacking threat.

The statistics perfectly illustrate his value: averaging 6.2 points over his last five games with excellent upcoming fixtures against West Ham, Sunderland, Brentford, and Burnley. At just 21.7% overall ownership but 60% in top leagues, Hill represents one of the most prominent examples of better managers recognizing hidden value. With Bournemouth's excellent fixture run over the next month, he's essentially a must-pickup if available in FPL Draft leagues.

Jiménez offers another Bournemouth defensive option worth considering, though his days of playing higher up the wing are probably over with new arrivals limiting his attacking potential. For a pure fixture play, Fofana presents value for Chelsea's home game against Burnley, though this would be a one-week punt given they face Arsenal and Villa afterwards.

All-Round Midfield Gems: Fernandes and Scott

Matheus Fernandes has been excellent recently and sits firmly in the realm of an all-rounder who can do everything - hit defcons, deliver attacking returns, and maintain a secure starting position. He's hitting the defcon threshold more often than not while the underlying numbers for attacking returns look sustainable, benefiting significantly from West Ham's overall uptick in form across recent weeks.

Alex Scott from Bournemouth represents another emerging top-tier option - an English midfielder who could potentially be flirting with England squad consideration. He comfortably sits alongside Fernandes as an all-rounder, hitting defcons consistently while chipping in with attacking returns. At 30.7% ownership with a 5.6-point average over his last five games, Scott offers excellent value, especially with Bournemouth's favorable upcoming fixtures.

While Fernandes slightly edges Scott on goal involvements, Bournemouth's superior fixture list could see them level out over the coming weeks. For managers seeking more attacking-focused options, Adli has started showing real promise with four attacking returns in his last five starts as a regular, boasting 0.7 non-penalty expected goal involvements per 90. At 32% owned, he's significantly more attainable than Semenyo, whose ownership has rocketed to nearly 100%.

Hannibal: The Hidden Midfielder Outscoring Haaland

Yannick Hannibal represents perhaps the most undervalued asset in FPL Draft leagues, having started 10 Premier League games consecutively and earning 'nailed' status. His numbers over this period are genuinely remarkable - averaging more than five FPL points per game with four assists and hitting the defcon threshold six times out of 10 games. Most strikingly, his 53 points over this 10-game span places him eighth overall in FPL scoring.

To put this in perspective, Hannibal sits ahead of Haaland and trails only genuine premium assets like Mbeumo, Semenyo, Wirtz, Rice, Gabriel, Palmer, and teammate Kelleher. Yet he remains available in the vast majority of leagues at just 0.1% ownership - a disconnect based purely on reputation rather than trusting the underlying numbers. His upcoming fixtures include reasonable matchups against Chelsea, Brentford, and Everton.

For managers seeking City attacking exposure, Bernardo Silva offers your only realistic available route, though caution is warranted. His position has generally moved deeper, and his days as a reliable FPL point scorer may be behind him. Silva represents more of a necessary compromise than an exciting opportunity.

Forward Options and Striker Developments

Šeško isn't expected to start this weekend but represents the main potential disruptor to his team's steady starting eleven. His non-penalty expected goal involvements have exceeded one per 90 in recent weeks, largely through impressive returns in limited substitute appearances. If not this weekend, he could potentially earn a start in the following game at home to Crystal Palace, with tactical adjustments potentially creating space for his inclusion.

West Ham's new striker arrival has already rocketed to 86% ownership, ranking second on delta values lists as big leagues moved quickly to secure him. He's started every game since arriving with reasonable underlying numbers at 0.38 non-penalty expected goals per 90. West Ham's upward trajectory makes him a comfortable addition to the top 24 strikers, and his guaranteed starts provide valuable reliability.

Luca's situation at Forest requires reassessment under Pereira's management. Given what we observed with Pereira's Wolves team last season, he'll likely favor having a target man, especially with Chris Wood unavailable. This tactical preference could significantly benefit Luca's prospects, though we need to see the new system in action before making definitive judgments about his role and potential returns.