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Midfielders often make up the "meat" of a Fantasy Premier League side, with many managers opting for a 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 formation to get the most out of their best players.
When the likes of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Eden Hazard can be selected for the midfield, you can understand why managers are so desperate to put as many of these stars into the starting eleven as they can. Assists and goals are the main source of points you'll get from midfielders, which is why attacking midfielders are favoured over defensive-minded players.
The only setback a manager might have when selecting midfielders is the high price tags. Eden Hazard, for instance, is worth £11.2, and when you're trying to fill out a FPL squad of 15 players with just a budget of £100, you'll find that a lot of that money vanishes with ease, meaning that you're forced to make sacrifices to other areas in the team.
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With that in mind, let's take a look at the ten best midfielders to choose from who can boost your FPL points this season.
#10 Ruben Neves (Wolves) - £5.2
Ruben Neves is a cheap but reliable option in the midfield. He plays regularly for Wolves and is also their specialist set-piece taker - whether it's corners or free kicks, Neves will be lined up for it. This increases his chances of scoring or assisting goals, which makes him a valuable asset to any FPL side he's a part of.
The Portuguese international might have only accumulated 25 points so far, but his consistent performances indicate that his tally is set to gradually increase as the season progresses. You'll find that some players who rack up a great deal of points at the start of the season tend to simply be in the middle of a "purple patch", and once their form dwindles, the point-gathering slows down drastically.
Neves' price tag of £5.2 is a bargain for what he offers a FPL team, so whether you choose to have him in the starting eleven or a back up on the bench, he'll be a worthwhile addition to the squad.
#9 Mesut Ozil (Arsenal) - £8.3
Some of you might be surprised to see Ozil so far down on this list, but those of you who've been watching his performances in real life will understand why this decision has been made.
Ozil is one of the most inconsistent midfielders in the Premier League, which is a shame because he possesses such tremendous talent. But the fact he only showcases his ability once every other game simply isn't enough for him to be considered reliable in Fantasy Premier League.
Having said that, Ozil has managed to rack up 29 points so far this season, which isn't bad for seven games in, but there's no doubt that it could be a lot better. Moreover, £8.3 is no chump change; if you want to splash the cash on Ozil, then you're welcome to and he may turn out good, but there are better options out there for the price.
#8 Paul Pogba (Manchester United) - £8.1
Another player you might be surprised to see so low down the list is Manchester United's Paul Pogba. The Frenchman is in deep turmoil at Old Trafford right now due to constant arguments between him and Jose Mourinho. It's clear that this has affected his mentality in-game.
Despite the theatrics off the pitch, Pogba's performances have been better than most and he's managed to pick up a total of 30 points so far. However, a player of his calibre should really have surpassed 40 points by now, but as already highlighted, his head isn't in the game as of yet.
Again, £8.1 might be a high price to pay for a player who's currently "hot and cold", but this sticky patch might resolve itself and we could see Pogba return to his true form soon.
#7 Roberto Pereyra (Watford) - £6.3
Roberto Pereyra is an ideal choice for FPL mangers because of two things: his work-rate and his frequent game time. The combination of these two things mean that Pereyra has a great foundation to work off of when he plays, and the great form he's in right now means he's picking up points with absolute ease.
A great opening game against Brighton saw Pereyra notch up a whopping 16 points, putting him at the top of the FPL leaderboard for August. Furthermore, with him being Watford's talisman this season, bringing him in now would surely boost your points in the long-run.
#6 Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth) - £6.0
Bournemouth's rapid attacking midfielder, Ryan Fraser, is a perennial threat up front for the Cherries, and has shown everybody so far this season just how much of an asset he can be.
With a stunning 42 points to his name already, Fraser is clearly one to watch. His form has been consistent, too, which is rare when fresh faces come to the forefront at the start of the season; oftentimes, these individuals flash near the top rankings before disappearing again, but this doesn't seem to be the case with Fraser.
His price of £6.0 is a very fair valuation, and instantly marks the Scotsman as a bargain deal. Some might use him as a reliable backup option, whilst others may throw him into the starting eleven from the off. Whichever you go for, you can be sure that he'll prove to be a worthy addition to the squad.
#5 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) - £12.9
The Premier League's record-breaking top scorer last season has had quite a shaky start to the campaign this time round, and hasn't quite lived up to the somewhat unrealistic expectations from those around him.
His price tag alone indicates just how important those behind Fantasy Premier League expected the Egyptian to be this year, but with a under-par total of 39 points to his name, many will agree that he could be doing a lot better. Having said that, 39 points is nothing to be scoffed at, and it takes a lot of effort to get anywhere near that score for other players. But the fact remains, Salah could be doing a lot better.
Salah leads the list for the "Top Transfers Out This Gameweek" with a staggering 264,000 managers who've shipped him out for someone else. Most managers may have done this because they couldn't bear to fill up one slot with £12.9 when they could have spread that around to the other areas of the squad. These individuals might regret such a hasty decision when Salah does inevitably find his feet, however.
#4 James Maddison (Leicester City) - £6.9
James Maddison went unnoticed by most when he arrived at Leicester this summer from Norwich. He had been a superb player in the Championship, but many doubted whether he'd be able to replicate that form in the Premier League. With 40 points to his name already this season, he's certainly showed that he's more than ready for the top-tier.
The dynamic attacking midfielder is a potent threat to the opposition, which makes him a solid pick. At just £6.9, he's a very cheap option to have in that midfield, and will undoubtedly serve you well in the long-run.
#3 Sadio Mane (Liverpool) - £9.9
Sadio Mane has been known to be a constant threat to opposition sides in the Premier League for some time now. His performances so far this season have been sublime, hence the gradual rise in his price, which now sits at £9.9. It'll be no time at all before he slips into the double-figure bracket, so if you want to save some money, invest in the Senegalese winger sooner, rather than later.
Mane has accumulated 45 points so far and could be well on his way to actually topping the leaderboard soon. I expect that by Christmas, Sadio Mane will be the player with the most points, simply because he's so consistent.
#2 Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) - £11.1
Surprisingly, Sterling is the only player on this list that plays for Manchester City. Considering how great City are in real life, you'd probably have expected there to be a few of their players in this list. But with Kevin de Bruyne out for a while with injury, Gundogan in poor form and Fernandinho not up to scratch, Sterling is the outstanding player by far. Last season, he was neck and neck with Leroy Sane, but due to a string of poor performances from the latter this time round, Sterling is out on his own.
The £11.1 price tag might be a setback to some managers, and could mean that you'll have to sacrifice other areas of the squad to afford him, but with the amount of points he racks up, it could be a very worthwhile decision, should you choose to go after him.
#1 Eden Hazard (Chelsea) - £11.2
Although Eden Hazard has had a somewhat turbulent last couple of seasons, he has certainly marked himself out to be in tip-top form so far this campaign. With a whopping 60 points already to his name, the Belgian is an asset for any side in Fantasy Premier League this year.
The £11.2 price tag could actually be regarded as cheap based on how well he's been performing. Again, if you wanted to sign him, you would need to sacrifice other areas of the squad to save up money, but he would be a worthy addition.
Hazard is a threat from both set pieces and open play. Free kicks and penalties are often taken by him, while open play, especially with how Chelsea play their game, often sees Hazard slipping past defenders into the danger zones where he strikes the lethal blow. He's even scored a few headers from corners, despite his low height. He's a player to look out for all over the pitch, and must be a nightmare for defenders to stop.
