Managers in Fantasy Premier League have been handed the first Double Gameweek of 2023/24 following a fixture rescheduling.
See: Luton Town v Burnley fixture rescheduled
Luton Town's home encounter with Burnley, which was postponed in Gameweek 2, has been rearranged for Tuesday 3 October.
This means both clubs have a Double Gameweek 7, with Luton visiting Everton and Burnley travelling to Newcastle United the weekend beforehand.
Interest in the two promoted clubs is understandably low as they have each lost their opening three matches of 2023/24.
However, the upcoming schedule for Luton, in particular, suggests their key players could prove handy differentials.
According to the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), five of their next six matches over the next five Gameweeks score a mere two.
Luton's next six matches
| GW | Opponent | FDR | GW | Opponent | FDR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Fulham (A) | 2 | 7 | Burnley (H) | 2 |
| 6 | Wolves (H) | 2 | 8 | Spurs (H) | 3 |
| 7 | Everton (A) | 2 | 9 | Nott'm Forest (A) | 2 |
Managers who are planning to play their first Wildcard in the second international break, between Gameweeks 8 and 9, are well-placed to take advantage of the Double Gameweek.
They could invest in a couple of Luton players now, taking advantage of their kind fixtures, and then use their Wildcard chip to remove them after the Double.
Managers who aren’t Wildcarding could also consider investing in the budget-friendly Hatters.
Forward Carlton Morris (£5.5m) looks their standout pick for DGW7.
He was a key figure in Luton's promotion from the Championship last season, scoring 20 of their 57 goals and assisting a further seven.
Morris has blanked just once in his first three outings this season, producing a goal against Brighton & Hove Albion and supplying an assist against West Ham United.
Start budget Luton defenders?
Having conceded nine goals in three matches, few managers will be considering the Hatters’ defence.
Nonetheless, the pair of matches may persuade Amari’i Bell’s (£4.0m) 6.5 per cent ownership to take him off their benches and hand him a rare start.
The delivery of Ryan Giles (£4.5m) could also prove profitable as a differential against Everton and Burnley’s defences.
Owned by 0.1 per cent, the left wing-back has made 32 crosses this season, more than any other defender in Fantasy.
Take a chance on Foster?
Burnley, on the other hand, have a far tougher upcoming schedule.
Vincent Kompany’s side have meetings with Manchester United and Chelsea either side of their DGW7.
Burnley's next six matches
| GW | Opponent | FDR | GW | Opponent | FDR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Nott'm Forest (A) | 2 | 7 | Luton (A) | 2 |
| 6 | Man Utd (H) | 3 | 8 | Chelsea (H) | 3 |
| 7 | Newcastle (A) | 4 | 9 | Brentford (A) | 3 |
Similar to Luton, the Clarets’ form player has been a forward in the early weeks of the new campaign.
Lyle Foster (£5.0m) has started all three of their matches, scoring against Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur in the last two Gameweeks.
Indeed, both Morris and Foster have averaged 5.0 points per match ahead of their Double Gameweek.
