Strikers are the sexy position when it comes to soccer but they aren’t necessarily as valuable in fantasy as they are in real life. There is no shortage of talent among the elite strikers around the world but considering the structure of most fantasy soccer leagues, it is only the best of them that deserve a spot on most rosters. Here’s our look at the world’s best strikers for fantasy purposes.
Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Just when it seems as though soccer fans are beginning to doubt Messi’s dominance, he goes on an absolute tear to the point where he now leads La Liga with 32 goals this season. The fact that Messi leads La Liga in both goals and assists is testament to his dominance. He’s surrounded with tons of talent, which also makes his job that much easier. Add it all up and there isn’t another striker in the world that can match his production this season.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
The reigning Ballon d’Or winner seemed to be locked in as the world’s best striker for fantasy purposes until he missed a couple of games due to suspension. After that, we began to see his production tail off over the past couple of months. Some rumors have suggested that it’s possible he’s dealing with an injury or isn’t at full strength. However, Ronaldo still ranks second only to Messi in both goals and assists. The gap between the two has increased in recent weeks as Barcelona has surged up the La Liga standings but if you’re drafting next year, landing either one of these guys puts you in a very good situation.
Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich)
Only Eintracht Frankfurt’s Alexander Meier has more goals than the 17 that Robben has registered in the Bundesliga this season but he’s not just a one-trick pony. His seven assists are only two fewer than teammate Thomas Muller, which puts him second in Germany’s top league. Soccer fans have been waiting for Robben to falter but the veteran scorer has continued to produce at an elite level at Bayern.
Diego Costa (Chelsea)
There is no doubt about the Premier League’s most lethal finisher this season as Costa took little time to adjust to his surroundings at Chelsea. He’s had plenty of opportunities to pad his stats, working at the tip of an impressive Blues attack. There is no doubt he was an expensive option heading in to this season but Costa has more than lived up to his billing as a Premier League co-scoring leader this season.
Harry Kane (Tottenham Spurs)
Few would have projected Kane to be among the elite Premier League goal scorers this season but that has only helped his value for those that took a chance on him. Kane is tied with Costa for the league lead in goals with 19 only he was available at a much lesser cost from the start of the season. That has him as arguably the best value play among strikers around the world for this season.
Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich)
It’s rare to see two of the world’s top strikers in terms of fantasy production from the same team but Muller is the lone Bundesliga striker that ranks in the top five in both goals and assists this season. His consistent production has made him an elite fantasy striker. Eintracht Frankfurt’s Alexander Meier leads the Bundesliga in scoring with 19 goals compared to Muller’s 12 but the latter also ranks second in Germany’s top league with nine assists and has been a very consistent player all season.
Carlos Tevez (Juventus)
Tevez might not be at the top of this list in terms of overall skill but it’s hard to argue against his fantasy production. His 16 goals lead all of Serie A this season. Tevez has had every opportunity to shine at Juventus this year and he certainly deserves consideration on this list as the Italian first division’s top scorer.
