Maths reveals the top strategies to win at fantasy football

By Chris Stokel-Walker

During the 2018-2019 season, Aaron Wan-Bissaka was the most common player on the top-performing fantasy football teams

Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images

The secrets of success at fantasy football can be found in network theory. An analysis of recent top-ranked players shows that high achievement in the virtual game – in which your team scores points depending on how the players in it do on the field in real life – comes down to player choice and strategic transfers.

Fantasy football gives players virtual money to spend on a squad of footballers selected from a field of about 600, the value of …