Champions League Fantasy Football: What the numbers say

Predicting which Fantasy players are going to perform on any given matchday is a difficult task. Through crunching the numbers, a projected points total for each player has been calculated based on the player's historical performance in the UEFA Champions League. Goals, assists, clean sheets and the likelihood of playing are the major parameters used in our projections.

The top projected players for each position for Matchday 6 are given below. As ever, check the latest team news and the possible line-ups before making your final selection for Fantasy, presented by Playstation.

GOALKEEPERS

Edouard Mendy remains at the top of the projected goalkeepers list with Chelsea looking to keep a fifth clean sheet in six group stage games on Matchday 6. Mendy's reliability is a major factor behind his considerable ownership of 34% but he is not the highest point-scorer among goalkeepers in #UCLfantasy, with Benfica's Odisseas Vlachodimos sitting one point ahead overall. The Greek international has played a major role in his side's three clean sheets to date, with an impressive 19 saves – including a penalty stop – bolstering his total.

Ivo Grbić represents the cheapest option in the top five. LOSC face Wolfsburg in a decisive Group G encounter knowing that a draw will be enough to send them through to the round of 16, and Grbić will be tasked with keeping the Bundesliga side at bay for a second time in the group after he successfully shut them out on Matchday 1.

DEFENDERS

The algorithm takes into the account the likelihood of playing so João Cancelo has fallen down the ranking given the fact that Pep Guardiola could well rest some of his key men for the Matchday 6 fixture with Leipzig. Instead it is his former Manchester City teammate Nicolás Otamendi who tops the list, with his Benfica side having everything to play for when they entertain Dynamo Kyiv. Otamendi put in an excellent performance against Barcelona on Matchday 5 as he kept a clean sheet, made 16 ball recoveries and took home the Player of the Match award for a total of 14 #UCLfantasy points.

LOSC pair José Fonte and Reinildo Mandava are worth looking at with each having gained 33 #UCLfantasy points over the course of the group stage. Both returned double-figure hauls on Matchday 5 and a similar output against Wolfsburg would delight their limited ownership.

A potential budget-enabler in the form of Kostas Tsimikas makes the top ten. The Greek left-back is generally an understudy to Andy Robertson in the Liverpool defence but he has started the last two games in the UEFA Champions League – earning seven points on both occasions – and another appearance against Milan on Matchday 6 is distinctly possible.

MIDFIELDERS

Despite the threat of rotation, the algorithm simply couldn't ignore the output of Leroy Sané, Mohamed Salah and Pedro Gonçalves, who have all produced some high-scoring returns over the course of the group stage. That still hasn't been enough to outscore Leipzig's Christopher Nkunku though, who has had a campaign to remember. The Frenchman has scored seven times already and will be bidding to help his side secure a UEFA Europa League spot in the final round of games.

#UCLfantasy managers hunting for a midfielder who appears to be guaranteed a start may want to look at Arnaut Danjuma, who has been quietly racking up the points. The Villarreal man has recorded two goals and two assists so far, including a strike against Matchday 6 opponents Atalanta in the reverse fixture.

FORWARDS

Having scored in every group stage game, the prolific trio of Sébastien Haller, Robert Lewandowski and Cristiano Ronaldo remain at the top of the projected forwards despite some doubts over their participation on Matchday 6. #UCLfantasy managers may want to focus their attention on other teams though, with the likes of Salzburg's Karim Adeyemi, Duván Zapata of Atalanta and LOSC Lille forward Jonathan David hoping to play key roles as their clubs target the knockout stage.

Given that Beşiktaş have conceded 14 goals in their five Group C games, there is a temptation to target a Dortmund striker for the Matchday 6 fixture between the two teams. The algorithm gives Donyell Malen a greater chance of playing than Erling Haaland but both are excellent options for #UCLfantasy managers looking to sign off the group stage with a significant haul from a striker.