Ranked! The 20 best Premier League players of 2023 24 so far

From our Lineup Optimizer – which allows you to build winning DFS lineups in seconds for Cash and GPP contests – to our DFS Cheat Sheets – that helps you get a quick read on the day’s players – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season. Few had heard of N’Golo Kante when the French defensive midfielder signed with Leicester City in 2015. That soon changed with Kante one of the key players in the most remarkable title win of modern times. One of the Bundesliga’s brightest talents, Beier’s performances with Hoffenheim this season have caught the eye. The German forward’s six goals and four assists from his opening 15 matches have impressed, with the 21-year-old capable of playing up front or cutting in off the left flank.

Meet the ball boy starring with Harry Kane, who could be a Euro wildcard and upset Alonso

2024 is set to be a breakout year for some of the planet’s most promising wonderkids, a number of whom could be set to make spectacular and expensive moves to Europe’s elite clubs. That will come as no surprise to those who have seen Kane establish himself as one of the most lethal finishers during his time with Tottenham Hotspur and with England. After a turbulent, trophyless season at Bayern, he will steer England into the Euros, looking to end that long wait for his first piece of silverware. You can follow the action on Al Jazeera’s dedicated Euro 2024 tournament page with all the match build-up and live text commentary, and keep up to date with group standings and real-time match results and schedules. He will be hoping to elevate Turkey to at least the quarterfinals after the country was disappointingly knocked out at the group stage in the last two Euros.

• The defensive midfielder has been linked with, of course, Chelsea, while Barcelona view the Brazilian wonderkid as a potential long-term successor to the recently departed Sergio Busquets.
• Unai Emery has completely transformed Aston Villa since taking over in November 2022 and no player epitomises that better than Ollie Watkins.
• Here’s the thing, goalkeepers may not win Ballon d’Ors or sell the most shirts but a pretty key component of winning football matches is stopping the other team kicking the ball in your net.
• In 2023, the 30-year-old captained the youngest defense in the league to back-to-back Super Bowl glory, collecting 10.5 sacks, 39 QB pressures, 29 QB hits and 13 tackles for loss.
• Continuously evaluate your rosterContinuously evaluate your roster throughout the season and make adjustments as needed.
• Jude Bellingham’s stunning debut season at Spanish mega club Real Madrid has rapidly turned the attacking English midfielder into one of the hottest commodities in European football.
• Perhaps Mahomes’ latest campaign was more impressive under the right context.

Kevin De Bruyne — Midfield, Manchester City

Euro 2024 may turn out to be the global coming-out party for the player many believe is one of the greatest 16-year-old prospects to ever play the game. This Spanish wonderkid’s explosive nature on the wings and unique ability to find the back of the net makes him one of the best options the national team will have in attack at Euro 2024 in Germany. His presence improved not only his fellow striker Dusan Vlahovic’s form, but also Juve’s wingbacks, allowing them space between the lines.

Phil Foden – Manchester City

There’s no doubt that he’s going to be of incredible value for his new Spanish team, where he has already scored impressively in his first season. One would be hard-pressed to find a more desirable pass rusher than Crosby, whose refusal to give up on plays and willingness to leave it all out on the field was best exemplified in 2023. Despite a knee injury suffered in Week 2, which required offseason surgery, the Raiders defensive end enjoyed a career-best season, notching 14.5 sacks, 50 QB pressures, 31 QB hits, 23 tackles for loss and 90 tackles to earn him a third consecutive Pro Bowl trip. Crosby, who’s strong and aggressive yet nimble and crafty, has yet to miss a game through five seasons and the former third-round pick has embraced the “Raider Way” in virtually every way possible. What’s more amazing is that he’s largely grown to become a star without much help. With that set to change in 2024, the sky’s the limit for the Raiders’ star pass rusher.

Achraf Hakimi — Right Back, Inter

He did continue to score for fun for City, though, as they won another Premier League. Kylian Mbappe struggled at Euro 2024, as did Harry Kane, so this may count against them. But both enjoted sensational domestic seasons for PSG and Bayern Munich, respectively.

• And this week he gets a Cardinals defense that ranks 29th at pressuring quarterbacks and 29th in pass defense EPA.
• The Brazilian has been forced off of the wing for the strikerless Madrid this season, and has shown that he could well end up being the main Brazilian over Vinicius thanks to his sublime all-round play.
• He’s dealt with his fair share of injuries as of late, but when healthy, there is Ballon d’Or potential there for the Barcelona budding superstar.
• The CJEU ruling could also lead to other players affected by the Fifa regulations seeking damages.

Lautaro Martinez – Inter Milan

One club that is interested in the exciting prospect is one of his Champions League opponents Barcelona, Xavi’s side among a host of clubs touted with a move for Vermeeren. A list of suitors that includes Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs, Bayern Munich and Juventus, the two-cap Belgian international could be set for a big 2024. As Virgil van Dijk enters the twilight of his career, William Saliba seems like his natural successor as the league’s best centre-back.

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At 38 years old, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel for Neuer but he impressively remains a valuable asset for both Bayern Munich and Germany, even as both storied teams hit a period of uncertainty. He gets the ball up the field and then he makes big contributions in the penalty area too. No one in all the Bundesliga logged as many touches in the box as Frimpong while his expected goals per shot was more that of a poacher than a winger. There are only so many sides where this sort of player profile can excel but Xabi Alonso built a system that turned the 23-year-old into a superstar, albeit the sort where potential suitors need to consider system fit very carefully. To go out on a high is probably the ideal scenario for most athletes, but Toni Kroos will almost certainly accomplish that, regardless of how Germany do in the Euros.

READ THE LATEST EURO 2024 NEWS, PREVIEWS & PLAYER RATINGS

Despite becoming Tottenham’s record goalscorer, Kane was unable to win a trophy at his boyhood club and so departed for Germany in 2023. Here is the list of the highest paid football players on the planet in 2023. The 18-year-old centre-back has been pulling up trees in France this season already and is one of the key components behind Lille’s hugely impressive form and defensive record. Yoro has featured in pretty much every Ligue 1 game this season, exhibiting incredible maturity and composure for a teenager. The dynamic midfielder has taken the move to Arsenal, and a world of much greater pressure and expectation, comfortably in his stride.

Kylian Mbappe — Forward, Real Madrid

“I hate playing as a number nine,” has been Rodrygo’s constant plea to Carlo Ancelotti, his manager, and the media, but on the pitch you can hardly tell. Unexpectedly helping Aston Villa to a Champions League push, manager Unai Emery’s high-risk high-reward tactics have left Martinez as a key last line of defence, and his one-on-one mastery is among the best in the world. Previously projected to be a future Ballon d’Or winner at Manchester City, Sane appeared to have run out of tricks, but manager Thomas Tuchel has revitalised him. Bayern Munich finally did exactly that last season in response to Manuel Neuer’s skiing accident, and while things didn’t quite work out for a shambolic Bayern side, Inter are now reaping the benefits. Considered the best of the rest for much of his career, many goalkeeping experts were continually baffled that no one tried to poach Sommer from Borussia Monchengladbach earlier.

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It took Anthony Gordon a while to get going after his acrimonious departure from Everton for £40 million last January. A reset over the summer served him well and he’s been Newcastle’s best player this season, flying down the left flank at will and delivering 14 attacking contributions. Alongside fellow countryman Yunus Musah, Pulisic has taken to Serie A with ease this season and has been one of the club’s most consistent performers, lining up on the right flank with Rafael Leao on the opposite side.

• “I hate playing as a number nine,” has been Rodrygo’s constant plea to Carlo Ancelotti, his manager, and the media, but on the pitch you can hardly tell.
• Gvardiol’s unique skill set positions Croatia nicely to play the role of spoiler at Euro 2024.
• Arsenal’s winless league run had extended into its sixth game, a tame 1-1 draw against Southampton.
• One of the great midfielders of his generation, rumours abound that Toni Kross will retire when his contract expires at the end of next season.
• As Virgil van Dijk enters the twilight of his career, William Saliba seems like his natural successor as the league’s best centre-back.
• Alisson stood out in an average Liverpool team last season, and is still standing out in a very good one this term.
• Cleveland’s daunting edge rusher was invincible through the first 11 games, securing 13.0 of his 14.0 season sacks during a span that included a memorable showcase of dominance against the Colts in Week 7.

Bruno Fernandes — Midfield, Manchester United

Some of cricket’s finest talent will be on display at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, which gets under way with a match between Bangladesh and Scotland in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates, on Thursday. Things will begin to get tougher as we go deeper into the season, and it will be interesting to see just how far Villa can go. Pittsburgh’s running backs aren’t healthy at the moment either, as Jaylen Warren and Corarrelle Patterson are both dealing with injuries that look like they could keep them out this week. Good usage in a good matchup is enough to give Harris a nice bump in fantasy this week. Ranking the top 25 left-backs in the world is no easy task, but here’s our attempt at doing exactly that as part of our 2023 Welcome to World Class series. Moose Muhammad III, WR, Texas A&M (No. 148)I thought Muhammad had a Jimbo Fisher issue, but it turns out there’s likely more to it.

There was really nothing to debate when it came to the question who is the greatest footballer on the planet. What a waste of hours and spreadsheets it would be to present to you all that Lionel Messi is the best in the business. After one month of thrilling football, Euro 2024 reached its conclusion on Sunday evening with Spain coming out on top against England in the final. In our first bold break from previous ranks, we’re grouping all those in the defensive third under a single banner, though don’t think that this list is limited to center-backs. All three main positions — right-back, center-back, left-back — are covered in the run-down, and rightly so.

Vincius’s pace is scorching, with dynamite acceleration able to propel him from standing starts to beyond petrified defenders at will. Most impressively, he harnesses that speed with quickness of feet and ball control to match any player in the world. His four goals for Barca this season are a career high, and despite those defensive woes, he offers enough to be on this list due to talent and production. Manuel Neuer’s reputation as one of the game’s best goalkeepers is already set. The World Cup and UEFA Champions League winner is considered a trendsetter for today’s shot-stoppers, skilled with his feet in a way that was once unique, but is now the standard for the game’s elite goalkeepers.

Vigil van Dijk — Center Back, Liverpool

Back in the summer of 2021, he became the highest-paid player in the history of the English Premier League when he signed a two-year deal with his old club Manchester United. With three goals in 12 games for Israel, Gloukh has claimed that Barcelona tried to sign him while he was still with Maccabi Tel Aviv. Yet another youngster plucked from the Benfica academy of excellence, Neves is the latest starlet making waves in Lisbon. The 19-year-old central midfielder has already managed three caps for Portugal, impressing in a deep-lying role.

Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United

Tech has been off since a loss at Louisville, where the score really didn’t do justice as to how close that game was. I laid 7 earlier in the week, and as long as it’s under 10, I’d still feel good about the Jackets putting up a big number here. The Northwestern offense is a brutal watch, but my guy Sammy P says to watch out for the wind off Lake Michigan this week. That could seriously hinder the Hoosiers’ passing game at this makeshift stadium, which offers no protection from the elements.

Vinicius Junior has just delivered for Real Madrid in the biggest game in football, again. Harry Kane, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe continue to top the continent’s scoring charts. Just like their counterparts on the opposite flank, the best left-backs combine pace and intelligence to be a threat in attack or in defense.

• Mahomes, two-time holder of the Top 100’s No. 1 spot, is seemingly chasing his otherworldly accomplishments of season’s past at this point.
• Nominees for the Golden Boy must be under the age of 21 and play in the top flight of a European nation’s football divisions, so those putting in the work in second and third tiers are unfortunately ineligible for consideration.
• Parker Brailsford, C, AlabamaI was unsure what to expect from Brailsford after he opted out of spring football, but he looks fantastic early on for the Crimson Tide.
• Wendell was a late bloomer on the international scene, only making his Brazil debut in 2024.
• Ranking the top 25 left-backs in the world is no easy task, but here’s our attempt at doing exactly that as part of our 2023 Welcome to World Class series.
• Your votes will help recognize the exceptional talent and contributions of these remarkable athletes, celebrating those who are at the pinnacle of the soccer world today.
• After starring in Ligue 1 with Lyon, Ferland Mendy departed for Real Madrid in 2019 and made an immediate impact.
• Pep Guardiola infamously loves to rotate his team but, when available, the powerful Portuguese centre-back is almost certain to start.

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The voting window is usually over a two-week period around a month before the awards ceremony. Fans make up 25% of the vote, with the other 75% coming from national coaches of FIFA Member Associations, their team captains, and a select group of media from those countries. Aitana Bonmati is likely to be the favourite to win The Best Women’s Player in 2024, although Salma Paralluelo and Alexia Putellas (her team-mates for both Barcelona and Spain) will hope to win the award too. Cristiano Ronaldo is a prolific winner of this prize in the past but is not in the running this year, despite a goal-filled year with Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.

They rely on him heavily, perhaps too much sometimes, but his influence and ability more than justify that faith. The Gunners haven’t been anywhere near as impressive going forward as they were last season, but Saka remains the difference-maker in attack. Josko Gvardiol arrived at Manchester City primarily as a central defender, but the 22-year-old spectacularly transformed into a goal-scoring left back, making him one of the Premier League’s biggest https://st-bet.net/bonus/ matchup nightmares for opposing teams. Known for his mesmerising dribbling, speed and clinical finishing, Kylian Mbappe has been one of the premier players on an awesome France national team in recent years. A winner is crowned via a voting system, with several media outlets from across Europe all nominating five players each. Their top pick gets 10 points, their second seven, their third five, their fourth three and their fifth pick gets one.

If anything, it would appear that the weight of expectations crushes players of real talent. There’s a reason Arsenal fans chant that they got him half-price at £105 million. The Golazo 100 is here, in full, CBS Sports’ attempt to ask a question that might be more contentious now than it has been at any stage for well over a decade.

• Technically sublime, Silva mixed his intelligence and endless creativity with a winning-mentality like no other, and will be the key man if City go all the way again, and Portugal cause an upset in the summer.
• Comfort and precision crossing with the left foot is a rare commodity, too, but the top players will be at their best when on the overlap before curling in the perfect ball.
• Easily the best defensive midfielder in the world, he’s quickly become the best midfielder, and now best player.
• Matthews’ reputation long preceded her international debut at the age of only 16, and at 25 she has already amassed 180 appearances for West Indies and has two centuries and 13 fifties in 96 T20 internationals.
• “He makes a difference with passes, he doesn’t lose the ball … He is decisive. He is one the best that has come through here. We have to take care of him.”
• Pittsburgh’s running backs aren’t healthy at the moment either, as Jaylen Warren and Corarrelle Patterson are both dealing with injuries that look like they could keep them out this week.
• The player that Xabi Alonso wanted to set standards both on and off the pitch ended up breaking records, making and completing more passes while registering more touches than anyone else in a Bundesliga campaign.
• The Steelers have played four strong run defenses to start the season and their running backs have been shut down in the process.

However, he declined in prominence during his second season in north London. It’s difficult to do better than winning a treble in your first season with a new club but, regardless of what silverware Man City collect over the coming months, Julian Alvarez has enjoyed a breakthrough year and become integral to the team. He’s often filled in for Kevin De Bruyne as an attacking midfielder and started every league game for the reigning champions.

Comfort and precision crossing with the left foot is a rare commodity, too, but the top players will be at their best when on the overlap before curling in the perfect ball. How do we handle players who were injured for significant periods of the season? Assess them on the periods in which they were fit and their body of work before. And again, if they’ve been out a long time, decide whether you think the injury has had a long-term impact to the point that their performance will decline permanently. Sharma will be crucial to India’s chances as her nation’s highest-ranked bowler (2nd) and all-rounder (3rd) in the T20 format. The 27-year-old off-break bowler and left-handed batter has appeared 211 times for her country.

Jones is coming off back-to-back 19 and 22 carry games and the Vikings are favored at home. So far this season, the Jets run defense ranks 21st in EPA, while their pass defense ranks fifth. This is a game we might usually downgrade Jones, but I expect he’ll see plenty of volume to overcome any inefficiency. I was very much ready to see Kyler Murray take off this year as a top fantasy quarterback.

I expect the 49ers to get a lead here, which will help Murray’s volume, but if they have to become a pass-first team for most of the game, the 49ers defensive line should feast. The Cowboys haven’t been great this year, but they are still an above-average offense, which should keep the Steelers offense from burying their head and waiting for the defense to win the game for them. Add in the fact that both Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence are out this week, and I love Fields fantasy upside again in Week 4. The two-footed Lino attacks space in behind opposing defences superbly and is a frequent contributor in the final third as a result. Another true freshman, walk-on Alexander Stoyanovich, handled kickoff duties last week at UCF, and walk-on linebacker Gage Goldberg played one game on special teams.

By his own high standards, last season was a disappointing one for Son Heung-min, who was suffering with a hernia problem for several months. No longer inhibited by fitness issues, he’s spearheading a Tottenham team that’s been reinvigorated by the appointment of Ange Postecoglou. The departures of Hugo Lloris and Harry Kane have given him even more responsibility as captain, figurehead and chief goal threat.

Neuer spent the better part of a year away from the pitch after fracturing his right knee during a ski trip in December 2022, but played his first game in 350 days when Bayern beat Darmstadt 8-0 in October of last year. He has since collected new individual records in his comeback year, chief among them breaking Iker Casillas’ record for most clean sheets in the Champions League. Neuer now has 58 clean sheets to his name in European competition, the most recent of which came in Bayern’s 1-0 win over Arsenal in the quarterfinals, when the usually attack-minded team delivered a defensive masterclass.

Over 20 years into his professional career, Ronaldo has become the first man to score in five World Cups. So perhaps it’s no surprise he ranks near the top of the list of highest-paid football players in the world. Goncalo Inacio may be the Sporting CP centre-back set for a big move this winter, but his fellow defender Diomande is certainly one to watch. The Ivorian has been a regular starter for the Portuguese side this season and reportedly boasts a £70m release clause in his contract.

Not only has he has surpassed his final season at Tottenham, but he did it in 16 FEWER games. He has 28 goals in all competitions this season and in total has scored 80 times in 84 City games. Sommer has made Andre Onana a distant memory, and is quickly becoming one of the most important players in a potentially titanic Serie A title bout between Inter and Juventus, with no team in Europe’s big five leagues conceding fewer than Inter’s 13 goals. One of the focal points of Jurgen Klopp’s final Liverpool team was the embarrassment of riches he had in attack. Not only did he have several noteworthy players to choose from, he also had enough options to rotate through as the Reds made deep runs in four different competitions. Even as Klopp spread the love, some players naturally ranked above others in the team’s most important games.