Amahl Pellegrino announced his return with a 17-minute hattrick off the bench last week and is one of the best captaincy options for gameweek 17 in Fantasy Eliteserien according to tipster Jacob Silkstone.

How Did Our GW16 Picks Do?

As is now traditional, we’ll begin with a quick glance back at the previous gameweek. For the second consecutive round, our picks didn’t quite live up to expectations. Again, the overall average was atypically low (just 35 points) and again nobody from our team of the week managed to get on the scoresheet. Hove and Normann Hansen both provided assists, while Andersson registered a clean sheet in a dominant Rosenborg performance.

We did highlight Amahl Pellegrino as a player to watch, but added that “there’s a risk he makes his home debut from the bench.” He did make his home debut from the bench, getting just half an hour on the pitch against former club Kristiansund, but that didn’t really matter: in that half an hour, he scored two tap-ins and a slightly dubious penalty (if you detect a note of bitterness, you’re not wrong…) to finish as the gameweek’s highest-scoring player.

The Bigger Picture

Molde have been the league leaders since GW8, but Bodø/Glimt have closed the gap to just two points and we can expect an exciting title race. With Molde out of Europe, they can afford to focus fully on the league, whereas Bodø/Glimt also have the group stages of the new Europa Conference League to negotiate. Rosenborg have had a quietly impressive summer transfer window and could still be dark horses for the title — after all, they’ve won Eliteserien in four of the past six seasons.

If you’re setting up your Fantasy Eliteserien team for the long run (on the second wildcard, for example) it’s worth remembering that Stabæk and Strømsgodset have a blank in GW19 followed by a double in GW20. Although no further doubles are scheduled at the moment, don’t rule out some additional changes to the fixture list between now and the end of the season.

Fantasy Eliteserien GW17 Picks

Goalkeeper

After Kristoffer Klaesson left for Leeds in the summer transfer window, Christian Kjetil Haug (4.9M) has been the preferred alternative between the posts for Vålerenga. He’s already picked up a couple of save points from his previous home game, while opponents Stabæk drew a blank last time they faced Vålerenga in the league. It’s far from a guaranteed clean sheet, but probably worth a punt.

Defence

Sarpsborg return to action after a blank gameweek, and we’re backing captain Joachim Thomassen (5.6M) as a possible source of points at both ends of the pitch. Sarspborg have four clean sheets in eight home games so far this season, and Thomassen has chipped in with a couple of goals from left-back. Opponents Sandefjord have failed to score in two of their last five away games.

Fredrik Bjørkan (6.1M) is now fully fit again, and is our way into the Bodø/Glimt defence as they travel to relegation-battling Tromsø. Bjørkan offers a consistent attacking threat and has been slightly unlucky to register only four assists so far this season (still an impressive haul for a defender); Tromsø haven’t won at home all season, scoring just three times in their last five games in front of their own fans.

We’re ready for another punt on Alexander Stølås (6.3M) as Haugesund travel to face a Brann side still firmly rooted to the bottom of the table. Stølås has yet to recapture his best form since returning from a long-term injury, but a screamer against Molde a couple of gameweeks ago was a reminder of what he’s capable of. In his last injury-free season, he contributed four goals and eight assists.

Midfield

After hesitating over whether to back Amahl Pellegrino (12.0M) in last week’s picks, there’ll be no hesitation this time. Pellegrino came off the bench again in Glimt’s Conference League play-off victory on Thursday evening, but he should be ready for his first start in the North Norwegian derby against Tromsø. Even if he doesn’t get the full game, he’s one of the most lethal finishers in the league and represents a genuine captain option in Fantasy Eliteserien.

Great things were expected of Stefano Vecchia (9.2M) when he arrived at Rosenborg, only for his season to be disrupted by injury. He’s now back to top form, adding a European goal to the two he scored against Odd in the last Eliteserien gameweek. If he can stay fit, expect his fantasy ownership (currently just 2.9%) to rocket upwards.

League leaders Molde are back in action against Kristiansund, and Ola Brynhildsen (7.9M) has been their most consistent midfield option so far this season. After scoring twice in the opening two gameweeks, he’s ticked over with seven assists since, and his rotation risk has been diminished by Molde’s exit from Europe.

Kristoffer Velde (8.8M) is our Haugesund attacker of choice ahead of the game with Brann. His last six games have yielded two goals and four assists, and Brann have only managed a single clean sheet at home all season.

Lastly, we’ll keep our faith in Vidar Ari Jónsson (5.5M) as a budget midfield option. He was unlucky to register only a single attacking return last gameweek, and if Sandefjord are to score away at Sarpsborg then there’s a strong chance he’ll be involved.

Forward

Ohi Omoijuanfo (12.2M) has towered head and shoulders over the other forwards in Eliteserien this season, with 18 goals so far. Kristiansund away isn’t the easiest fixture, but it would take a brave fantasy manager to bet against him adding to his points total (the highest in the game by a considerable margin).

With budget constraints steering us away from the more obvious options (Thomas Lehne Olsen and Erik Botheim), Brann’s Aune Heggebø represents good value at just 6.0M. Heggebø had an impressive record at the youth level, and has stepped up ever since Daouda Bamba left the club during the summer transfer window. With two goals in his last two games, he’ll be key to any hopes Brann have of climbing out of the relegation zone.

Fantasy Eliteserien Team of the Week for Gameweek 17

You can find Fantasy Eliteserien resources for the 21/22 season here.

Fred Friday might’ve not had his best performance last time out but he boasts an impressive home record and is still the best captaincy choice for the week in Fantasy Eliteserien according to Fantasy Tipsters’ Jacob Silkstone.

How Did Our GW15 Picks Do?

After the 138-point high of GW14, our Tipsters Team of the Week came crashing down to earth last time around. It was a tough gameweek for just about everybody: the average score was only 39, and the five highest-owned players in the game scored just six points between them (not helped by Patrick Berg missing a penalty and Ohi Omoijuanfo missing out for baby-related reasons; congratulations to Ohi and commiserations to Berg).

Of our eleven picks, only Jónsson and Gjertsen contributed any attacking returns, with a meagre assist each. Rosenborg’s Adam Andersson was unlucky not to have a fantasy assist awarded, but did come away with a couple of bonus points in recognition of an outstanding performance.

With a blank from captain Fred Friday, our picks scored a disappointing 31 points. The pressure is on to bounce back in GW16, the first round of the fantasy cup.

New Arrivals

The Fantasy Eliteserien landscape has altered significantly in the space of a single week. With Molde’s defeat to Viking throwing the title race wide open, both of the two teams in serious contention have used the transfer window to strengthen their squads.

Reigning champions Bodø/Glimt’s key signing is Amahl Pellegrino. Pellegrino was a fantasy phenomenon during his time at Kristiansund, with hat-tricks in both of the last two seasons and a total of 25 goals last time out. After a short stint in Saudi Arabia, he’s back in Eliteserien and priced as a 12.0M midfielder in the fantasy game.

Current league leaders Molde have made two formidable signings, attack-minded right-back Martin Linnes (6.0M) from Galatasaray and winger Rafik Zekhnini (8.0M) from Fiorentina. Both are intriguing fantasy options, and Molde’s exit from the Europa Conference League lessens the rotation risk previously attached to their key assets. (Bodø/Glimt and Rosenborg, on the other hand, have crucial play-off matches in Europe coming up either side of their GW16 fixtures.) Don’t rush to buy them just yet, though: Molde have a blank gameweek coming up (their fixture with Sarpsborg was pushed forward to GW7 because of their European commitments, so Sarpsborg will also be blanking this week).

Fantasy Eliteserien GW16 Picks

Defence

Sandefjord’s Jacob Storevik (5.0M) is between the posts for us ahead of a home game against struggling Tromsø. Sandefjord have conceded just twice in their last five home games, and Tromsø have gone goalless in two of their previous four away games. The signs point to a Sandefjord win… but this is Eliteserien and form can be misleading, so don’t be too surprised if Tromsø suddenly transforms into prime Barcelona.

Stabæk’s defence have been hugely disappointing this season, with just two clean sheets so far. Having said that, their form has picked up after a managerial change and Sturla Ottesen (4.6M) offers a budget-friendly alternative at the back as they prepare to face relegation-threatened Mjøndalen.

Although Brann bounced back from a scandal-hit week to scrape a win against Sandefjord last time out, they remain rooted to the bottom of the table. Facing a side that hasn’t won away from home all season, we’ll be backing Strømsgodset’s Lars-Christopher Vilsvik (4.6M) to return points. He’s a regular set-piece taker too, and already has three assists this season.

Christian Borchgrevink (6.1M) returns from suspension needing five points to reclaim his spot as the highest-scoring defender in Fantasy Eliteserien this season. With three goals and four assists so far, he offers plenty of attacking potential even if Vålerenga fail to keep a clean sheet at home to midtable Viking.

Having been unlucky not to get any attacking returns from him last week, we’ll stick with Adam Andersson (still 5.9M) for Rosenborg’s home game against Odd. Rosenborg have kept clean sheets in both of their last two home games, while Odd failed to score in both of their previous two away games and lost their star striker in the transfer window.

Midfield

In midfield, it’s tempting to recommend Amahl Pellegrino right away. There’s a risk that he makes his home debut from the bench, though, so our Bodø/Glimt midfield pick is Ulrik Saltnes (10.7M). Saltnes has more fantasy points than any other Glimt player this season, and scored twice in their European game on Thursday evening.

Oliver Edvardsen (7.2M) blanked last week after four consecutive scores of 8 points or over, but he’ll be expecting to get back on the scoresheet in Stabæk’s home game against Mjøndalen. In his previous two home games, Edvardsen has returned a total of 27 fantasy points.

Sandefjord’s midfielders have been the surprise heroes of the current fantasy season, with both Vidar Ari Jónsson and Kristoffer Normann Hansen in the top three points scorers overall. It’s hard to choose between them, but we’re backing the in-form Normann Hansen (6.1M) to pick up where he left off last week.

Johan Hove (8.1M) is the second of our Strømsgodset trio ahead of the home game with Brann. xG fans will be pleased to hear that only title favourites Molde have a higher xG than Strømsgodset in home matches this season, and Hove is a key member of an attack that will expect to feast on one of the worst Eliteserien defences.

Forward

For similar reasons, Fred Friday (8.5M) lines up as the first of our two strikers. With four goals and two assists in his last four home games, he possesses an enviable record in front of his own fans.

There are a few question marks over Rosenborg’s willingness to put out a full-strength team between two crucial European games, but we’re willing to take a calculated risk on striker Dino Islamovic (10.5M), who’s finally hitting form after a slow start to the season. He has three goals in his last four games, together with five bonus points.

Eliteserien Fantasy Team of the Week for Gameweek 16

You can find Fantasy Eliteserien resources for the 21/22 season here.

Magnus Wolf Eikrem might’ve not had the best start to the season but is starting to display some of his old form and is one of the top picks in Jacob Silkstone’s Fantasy Eliteserien preview for gameweek 15.

How Did Our GW14 Picks Do?

The previous gameweek was strung out over a fortnight, but patience was eventually rewarded with a glut of points in the final round of matches. Between them, our suggested team of the week contributed 138 points, which would have been considerably more if captain Thomas Lehne Olsen hadn’t rattled the woodwork three times. The only flop was Sarpsborg captain Joachim Thomassen, who received a yellow card and a suspension in the opening game of the double round. Thomassen also happened to be the only one of my recommendations that I transferred into my team this week, a factor that may or may not have contributed to his worst fantasy performance of the season so far.

On the Move

With the transfer window wide open, the Norwegian league’s mass summer defenestration is well underway. Fredrik Aursnes was still in over 36% of teams by the end of GW14, but he’s now a Feyenoord player. Kristoffer Zachariassen and Mushaga Bakenga currently have the fourth and fifth-highest points totals in the game, but will spend the rest of the season in Hungary and Japan, respectively. Vålerenga have sold arguably their two best players in goalkeeper Kristoffer Klaesson and playmaker Aron Dønnum. Time is up for the man who celebrated his goals by brandishing a hand-drawn ‘Rolex’, even though he’s still owned by one in six Fantasy Eliteserien teams. Ohi Omoijuanfo, the most selected player in the game, is also on his way out of Molde, but the good news (for everyone apart from opposition defences) is that he’ll be staying until the end of the season.

Of course, the window’s also open for new arrivals. Stabæk handed debuts to four new signings in their GW14 game at home to Sarpsborg and already look like a much-improved side, and some huge swings in form are likely to happen over the next few weeks. We’ll assess some of the new arrivals ahead of GW16, but for now, it seems sensible to sit back and see how they settle in.

Transfer Strategies

If you haven’t yet played your first wildcard, GW15 is your last chance. It also happens to be a good time for a wildcard: GW15 is cup qualification week, and the current template is full of players from midtable teams. Bodø/Glimt and Molde are the best teams in the league, with Rosenborg a fairly distant third, and you’ll have a chance to stock up on their key players while the teams around you are scrambling to cover them with free transfers.

A word of warning, though… Bodø and Rosenborg are all still involved in European football, while Molde played 120 minutes against Trabzonspor before going out on penalties. The league line-ups for all three teams could well be affected by some heavy rotation. Molde also have a blank coming up in GW16, so loading up on their players right now isn’t as obvious a strategy as it initially appears.

Fantasy Eliteserien GW15 Picks

Sarpsborg are playing like relegation candidates at the moment. Although Strømsgodset don’t have the most inspiring away record, it’s worth a punt on their keeper Viljar Myhra for just 4.5 million. Myhra has the fifth-highest points total among the Eliteserien keepers so far this season, but at a considerably lower price than the four ahead of him.

Brann are also playing like relegation candidates, and the local papers have been full of stories about the players cavorting around the pitch in their underwear at 5 o’clock in the morning. Without going into too much detail about what else they were up to, it’s safe to say they haven’t had the smoothest preparation for a crucial relegation six-pointer against Sandefjord. Meanwhile, Sandefjord have been in decent form, and cult hero Brice Wembangomo (4.6M) offers a chance of fantasy points at both ends of the pitch.

Rosenborg played their European game a couple of days earlier than either Bodø or Molde, so in theory their players should be at less risk of rotation. Swedish full-back Adam Andersson (5.8M) is the pick of their defensive options, with two assists in his previous league game.

Following a long summer break, Vålerenga return to action against one of the league’s weakest attacks. Tromsø have barely averaged a goal a game, and are yet to win at home. With popular fantasy pick Christian Borchgrevink suspended, we turn to Jonatan Tollås Nation (5.9M) for his set-piece threat and bonus point potential.

Our first midfield pick is the most in-form player in the game. Stabæk’s season has been transformed by a managerial change and some smart acquisitions in the transfer window, and Oliver Edvardsen (7.1M) looks impossible to ignore at the moment. If you’re thinking longer term, it’s worth noting that Stabæk have a blank in GW19 followed by a double in GW20.

If Stabæk are to slip up this week, Torgil Gjertsen (7.9M) will likely be involved for hosts Kristiansund. Two goals and an assist, plus five bonus points, in his last four games are an indication of a player beginning to hit top form.

As he returns to face his previous club, Brann, Vidar Ari Jónsson (still only 5.3M) is our Sandefjord midfielder of choice. He has four goals and an assist from his last six games.

We’ve kept some money in the bank for Magnus Wolff Eikrem (12.4M) as Molde face a Viking side who are likely to be without their star player. When fit, Eikrem is arguably the best player in the league, and he could be a key differential for anyone looking to climb the ranks this week. It’s worth a reminder, though, that all of Molde’s key men are rotation risks and Eikrem probably doesn’t represent great value for money in the long run.

The same caveat applies to Ohi Omoijuanfo (now up to 12.3M), but the league’s top scorer is in red-hot form and will be a hugely popular captain choice for this gameweek. He was subbed with a few minutes left to play in the crucial European game against Trabzonspor (as was Eikrem), which looks promising for his chances of starting again on Sunday.

We’re also backing Thomas Lehne Olsen (9.4M) to continue his good form, even with a tough fixture against defending champions Bodø/Glimt. Bodø haven’t kept a clean sheet since GW7, and might be resting a few key players between European games. If Lillestrøm can score, there’s every chance Lehne Olsen will be involved again.

Strømsgodset’s Fred Friday (8.4M) completes a trio of in-form strikers, and could be a good outside bet for the captaincy if there are concerns over Ohi’s rotation risk.

Eliteserien Fantasy Team of the Week for Gameweek 15

You can find Fantasy Eliteserien resources for the 21/22 season here.

We’re not all going on a summer holiday: over the next couple of weeks in the Norwegian top division and Fantasy Eliteserien, some of the big guns (this is the Norwegian league, so “big guns” is relative) get an extended break while a group of midtable teams play twice. The result is a confusing mix of blank gameweeks, single gameweeks and double gameweeks.

The summer transfer window adds an extra layer of difficulty, as the annual ritual of Eliteserien’s star players queuing up to force a move to sunnier climes begins. Here are a few tips on navigating one of the toughest periods of the Eliteserien fantasy season.

Single, Double or Blank?

First, it’s worth an at-a-glance guide to how many times each team will be playing:

Double Gameweek: Haugesund, Lillestrøm, Mjøndalen, Sandefjord, Sarpsborg, Stabæk

Single Gameweek: Kristiansund, Molde, Odd, Strømsgodset, Tromsø, Viking

Blank Gameweek: Bodø/Glimt, Brann, Rosenborg, Vålerenga

Of the single gameweek teams, league leaders Molde (at home to Haugesund) and European challengers Odd (at home to Sandefjord) shouldn’t be ignored.

Eliteserien Fantasy Goalkeepers to Watch

Egil Selvik (Haugesund, 5.3M) has the second-highest points total while sitting in under 10% of teams at the time of writing, and has recovered from the eye injury that saw him miss out against Vålerenga the last gameweek. Second-choice keeper Frank Stople (just 4.0M) was briefly looking like a must-own for the double gameweek, but now he’s almost certain to be back on the bench again.

Instead, the best option this week is perhaps Sosha Makani (Mjøndalen, 5.0M). Mjøndalen managed to lose a clean sheet to the final kick of the game not once but twice in the last round. Having one of the best defensive records in the league hasn’t yet translated into many fantasy points, but Makani already has a penalty save and is an excellent shot-stopper.

Sandefjord’s Jacob Storevik (4.9M, owned by 12%) is a solid option. Sandefjord’s home record is promising (three clean sheets in the last four) and a game against Lillestrøm offers some hope of another shutout.

Kristiansund’s Sean McDermott (5.5M) is probably the best keeper in Eliteserien, and by far the most popular fantasy pick, but a tricky away game against Viking is unlikely to bring many points this round.

Fantasy Eliteserien Defenders to Watch

The top two picks in the game, Borchgrevink and Bjørkan, both blank in GW14, meaning there’s a good opportunity to clamber up the overall rankings with a few DGW differentials.

Lillestrøm’s marauding Lars Ranger (4.5M) has scored in two of the last three games and picked up a couple of bonus points, although it’s worth noting that he’s just one yellow card away from suspension. Centre-back Igoh Ogbu (4.7M) is a nailed-on alternative from the same defence.

Sandefjord also have a great prospect at wing-back: Brice Wembangomo sets you back just 4.5M and is only in 4% of teams right now. Martin Kreuzriegler (4.4M) is an even cheaper option from the same team.

Haugesund’s attack-minded Mikkel Desler (6.2M) was a popular pick for the doubles, before jumping on the first available flight to Toulouse. Alexander Stølås has struggled with injury over the last couple of seasons but is one of the best defenders in Eliteserien and perhaps worth a punt at 6.3M in Desler’s absence.

Looking at the other double gameweek teams, Sarpsborg captain Joachim Thomassen (5.6M) and Mjøndalen’s Sondre Solholm Johansen (5.0M) both stand out. Stabæk have the worst defence in the league and are probably best avoided.

Eliteserien Fantasy Midfielders to Watch

Let’s start with a quick raid on the bargain basement: the double gameweek teams provide some great value in midfield. Kristoffer Normann Hansen (Sandefjord, 6.0M) is the most widely-owned DGW pick and returned from a short-term injury with an assist in the last round. His teammate Vidar Ari Jónsson (5.2M) has similar stats, but much lower ownership. Don’t expect that to last too long…

Stabæk’s sixteen-year-old superstar Antonio Nusa (4.7M) is one of the most exciting players in the league at the moment, inviting comparisons to Martin Ødegaard (in the sense that he’ll tear up the Eliteserien as a teenager, rather than have an underwhelming loan spell at Arsenal). Oliver Edvardsen (7.0M) is a more experienced (and more expensive) option to cash in on two relatively good fixtures for Stabæk.

The leading mid-priced options are Haugesund’s Kristoffer Velde (8.7M) and Lillestrøm’s Gjermund Åsen (8.1M). Both are more likely to provide assists and bonus points than goals. Sarpsborg’s Nicolai Næss is in some teams as a cheap enabler (4.4M), but has a grand total of zero attacking returns so far this season.

Fantasy Eliteserien Forwards to Watch

First up, it’s worth noting that the three most popular picks in the game all have decent home fixtures. Even though none of them has a double, neglecting Ohi Omoijuanfo (Molde, 12.2M), Mushaga Bakenga (Odd, 9.9M) or Veton Berisha (Viking, 10.5M) could backfire.

Ohi seems the best pick of the three. Bakenga stretched a hamstring while scoring a penalty in GW13: he’s an injury doubt for the next round, and he’s also pushing for a move away from Odd. Berisha is up against a reasonably tight defence and Viking haven’t won any of their last four.

Of the forwards with a double gameweek, Lillestrøm’s Thomas Lehne Olsen (9.2M) stands out. He’s only blanked in four of his eleven games this season and has more bonus points than anyone in the game except Ohi and Bakenga. Expect him to be the most popular captain choice for the active teams this round.

If you’re looking for a differential, Haugesund’s Ibrahima Wadji (7.9M) seems to be hitting form and is owned by under 5%.

Eliteserien Fantasy Team of the Week for Gameweek 14

You can find Fantasy Eliteserien resources for the 21/22 season here.